Moving to Bahrain

[andweareoffagain]

Good morning ladies. We are most probably relocating to Bahrain from the UAE. Are there any active Bahrain mums FB pages or local websites that any mumsnetters can recommend please for information about living in Bahrain etc? I have drawn a blank thus far! Any advice would be much appreciated. Many thanks.

[jomidmum]

Hi, I can't help you, as I'm a few hours away in Riyadh, but the expat woman website has a Bahrain section.
Hope the move goes well!

[andweareoffagain]

Thank you for the response jomidmum and good wishes. I had a look at the expat woman website and it didn't seem very active. Was wondering if there is an equivalent to British Mums Dubai which is a very useful source of info. Thanks again.

[Boysdontcry]

Hi, we are moving back to Bahrain in September from Doha, can't wait.
There is Mum's in Bahrain on Face book.

[andweareoffagain]

Oh awesome. Thank you - I will investigate!

[GreenSand]

any use???
I'm just over the bridge, and have a couple of friends who have liked the above fb page.

Hi Jo! Long time no see. Name changed, but we met through a similarly timed move on here.

[Secondtimeround75]

Dh has an offer of a job in Bahrain for 3-5 years
We have teens & tots who are all up for an adventure .
They have friends in Abu Dabai & I think they imagine Bahrain is similar.
Is it a good spot for teens?

[sphinxster]

Mums in Bahrain Facebook page is good. There's also residents pages for the area you might chose to live, but these are quite often filled with people selling tat.

We've been here (on and off) since 2008. Feel free to ask any questions.

[Secondtimeround75]

Hi sphinxter

The area my Dh would be working
is Manama.
Is your lifestyle improved by the climate or is it too hot to be active?
Do ye have lots to do at weekends/holidays?
Is English widely spoken?

[sphinxster]

Manama is central and where most businesses are. Most people with children live in the Sar/Budaiya/Hamala area as that's where the primary schools are. The secondary schools are miles away but all arrange buses from those areas. Amwaj is lovely but you might end up spending your life in the car to get your kids to and from school, activities, friends, etc. Avoid juffair as there's an American naval base and it gets a bit mental at the weekend ... Unless you like drunken sailors going crazy on shore leave!
There's lots of family events at the weekends through clubs but not much to do otherwise (apart from swim). The heat is horrible during the summer but most people escape back to their home countries. The rest of the year is fine.
It's very safe despite all the civil unrest.
English is spoken by almost everyone.
Expats here are very friendly and welcoming.

We've been here for ages and I'm starting to get homesick and desperate to get back to the uk but saying that, we've had brilliant experiences here and met some great friends.

[sphinxster]

One more thing:
The lifestyle is very different. I don't see it as improved or worse for living here. The U.K. has so much to offer with the countryside, towns, museums, pubs, family, wine in supermarkets but over here we spend our lives outside with the bbq and pool, have a wonderful cleaning lady, travel around the region etc.

[DessertOrDesert]

What lifestyle do you want? Your unlikely to transplant your UK lifestyle directly across.
June, July, August, Sept you don't spend very long outside if you can help it.
It's getting too warm for running unless you go early / late. It's March.
We spend time at the pool most of the year (unheated, so not with kids in the water in Dec / Jan), and the park when weather allows.
Lots of people here go over to Bahrain every weekend, as its more chilled, there are cinemas, wine, bacon, and some exhibitions.
Lots of travel for many. Middle East, Cyprus, SE Asia. Egypt isn't as popular as it was.

Never had an issue with English as a working language, tho it is often not a fluent language!

[MumboJumbo16]

Hello lovely mums! I'm London based currently and looking to move to Bahrain possibly later this year. My daughter's in reception and we are evaluating a couple of schools there St Chris and BSB. I've been delighted with the former so far but have just been checking and see some stuff around bullying and St Chris getting curriculum wrong for English and science! Are there any Mums here whose kids go to St Chris or BSB? I'd be really grateful to get some genuine and accurate info and put those fears to rest (or not!) thanks so much! X