Moving to Vienna ...help!

[Sticki]

We are at the begining of discussing a move to Vienna this spring (by easter)with DH's job.

Does anyone know about Vienna? We dont currently speak german, and are planning to learn enough to get through. We have a DD who is 3 and Im pg (7 weeks so early days). So any tips on areas to live, kindergartens, activities, DRs and hospitals etc. Also, Im a novice at moving abroad - tips to keep sane?

Thank you very much in advance.

[Cadmum]

I did not succeed at staying sane in Vienna... (I don't recommend that you search through my posts from Vienna if you are committed to the idea of moving and looking for positive stories.)

I hope that someone else is along shortly to offer help in that department because I struggle to find a single positive thing to say about our experience there.

I would be good at the practical advice such as housing/days out/ (hellish) daily life with children. I can even recommend a brilliant GP and ObGyn. I have several friends who have given birth in private hospitals in Vienna so if that is an option, then I could ask their advice/opinions.

My first suggestion is that you find out as much as possible via the Vienna baby club: www.viennababiesclub.com/ It is an amazing resource and full of helpful advice.

[Sachertorte]

I loved living in Vienna and had a great experience! Apart from Cadmum I´ve never met anyone who didn´t like it! (To be fair I didn´t a young family in Vienna though)

Fast advice - check you have top up medical insurance that entitles you to give birth in a private hospital - I wasn´t paticularly impressed with the (famous) place where I delivered - though probably better than in UK. Note you are expected to stay in hospital for 5 days after a normal delivery!! As far as I have seen breastfeeding was the norm and a lot of support is given.

Where you live determines if there is a free-of-charge kindergarden. So I would check this out. There are a lot of English-German bilingual schools in Vienna, may be worth considering, though I don´t know what kind of reputation they have or if they hjave English natives..

Public transport is great. Living somewhere near the underground will make life very easy, using the suburban trains is difficult with a pram.

Gotta stop now, hope this helps, ask away if you have other questions..

[strudelface]

Hi I am currently live in Vienna have been here for nearly 9 years. We have loved it here but are relocating to Geneva shortly. I second Cadmum's suuggestion of taking a look at the VBC website - my friend set it all up 6 years ago.

Popular areas for Brit ex-pats to live are the 3rd district (near the Bitish Embassy and church if that's your thing) Also 17/18/19 th districts - wonderful parks, outside swimming pools for the Summer - 20 minutes into town and a 5 minute drive out to the Vienna Woods. Another popular district is the 22nd because it is near the UN centre and the International School.

I won't answer about kindergarten/schools as it is all on the VBC website. My experience has been to put my 2 dds into a German-speaking kindergarten and now my oldest attends a Bi-lingual school and if we were staying dd2 would start there too in September - to get into the bi-lingual program and to get the most out of it the children need to speak German as well.

Is your DH moving with an International Organisation/UM agency? If so there is a brillant housing service that you can use.

I could write reams but shout if you need to know anything more.

[Sticki]

Thanks everyone for your info - I really appreciate it. The VBC looks v interesting and I will research more.

Cadman - sorry you didnt enjoy it (yes, I think i will be an ostrich and not ask too much!). Your Drs info would be v useful.

Strudel - My DH is in financial services. Im hoping/anticipating they will use a housing search service. Is there a particularly good one I should request? Thanks for the info on areas 17/18/19 sound good. How did your dds get on in the german speaking kindergarten (did they speak german already?). I defo want dd to go bilingual but am not sure how she would get on in a german only one, esp initially and given this is a big change for her.

Sacher - good tip on medical insurance. Im currently checking what they will cover.

Thanks

[strudelface]

Hi Sticki My dh works for an International Organisation so we used their housing service - sorry I don't know of any others - this website is also very useful www.virtualvienna.net - there is a section on moving to Vienna.

My dds started kindergarten at 2 years old not speaking much of anything and now are completely fluent in German (and English too of course) Your dd is 3, quite honestly I would put her in a German-speaking one (any bi-lingual kindergartens are usually full anyway) She will get English at home and German from her enviroment and kindergarten. How long are you staying in Wien? I think this will also have a bearing on this decision if it is not too long you may not think it is worth immersing her in another language - anyway lots to think about!

I can really recommend my gyny who is in the 18th and uses a hospital in the 19th for the birth. She is English-speaking, extremely experienced and very professional. But she only takes patients with private health insurance.

[Sticki]

Hi there
Count down to move! We are going at the end of March....... Housing and Kindergarten searches started. The VBC is fantastic - Im planning on joining asap when we get over there and have found the web site really useful.

I would really appreciate your recommendations for OB-GYNs (and hospitals). Also, it would be useful to know why you found them good. I will be 16 weeeks by the time we move so will need to get a move on. I will have private medical insurance.

Thanks for your help.

[strudelface]

Hi Sticki

This is my ob-gyny www.okresek.at/index.html. She was at the birth of my dd2. I have recommended her to many friends all of whom still use her. She uses the Rudolfinerhaus Hospital(in the 19th district) for births and will sort out all the registering there for you.

Good luck with the house and kiga search and with the move itself.

Just shout if you need anymore info.

[Sticki]

Strudelface
Thanks very much for the info. It really helps to have a recommendation.
Sticki

[leighbaz]

Hi Sticki...I'm moving to Vienna in a few weeks and wondering how you find it. I am also pregnant so will be looking for an OB/GYN if you have any recommendations.
Thanks

[toomanylanguages]

sorry to hijack- Strudel, we may well be moving to Geneva soon (something i am actually not very happy about), i have posted on another thread... would be good to stay in touch!

Sticki- dh is from Vienna and it's a great city for a family. i would love to move there. good luck

[Sticki]

Hi Leighbaz
Great to hear you are moving to Vienna! Also congrats on your pg too.

Vienna is a great city, and I think we will be happy here once settled. There is quite a high quality of life and lots to do both within the city and around. Especially with the euro exchange rate I would say that here things are expensive. The healthcare is very high quality. Also there has been alot more sunshine here since April than London but am a bit concerned about coping with the long hard winters.

I have found the last couple of months hard work, particularly being pg with less energy (and more anxiety about doing too much) than usual. We now have a home, car, kindergarten, obgyn etc but there is a way to go to get everything sorted out and we have a deadline...... am now 28 weeks!

Am very happy to chat, answer questions and recommend. I have found a v nice Obgyn who speaks v good english.

I dont yet speak German which would make things alot easier - do you speak/read?

The VBC has been great - would defo recommend you joining or at least using their web site for info etc

[leighbaz]

Hi Sticki
Sorry, I completely forgot about this thread....we have been in Vienna for 2 weeks now looking for housing. I'm 22 weeks preg and finding the heat a bit difficult. Not sure where to live either. We found a great apartment in the 7th but it seems v loud and busy. So we are still looking...perhaps the 19th is better.

I would love to get info on your ob/gyn. Was thiking of going to Goldenes-Kreuz in the 9th.

Where are you living?

I tried to PM you but it didn't seem to work. perhaps send me a mail at leighbaz (at) yahoo.com

Looking forward to hearing from you.
All the best

[NoTart]

Hi Leigh, Just wanted to say that the Goldenes-Kreuz has a good reputation, one of the favourites for the private-clinic-paying expat community. It´s also near the main public hospital in Vienna, where baby would be transferred to in case of serious health problems.

[Sago]

hello
I am moving to vienna in a couple of weeks and just found this thread. aah, mumsnet has it all!
where do people live? we are also wondering what district to go for , since we have three little ones (aged 6,4,1). I guess we will have a look when we get there....but great to read the recommendations here...
heat? ah, sounds nice! (we are currently in Finland where it was 4 degrees this morning - is this really summer!?!?) Though not when pregnant I am sure, poor you leighbaz.
Maybe we can start a vienna mumsnet group!

[leighbaz]

Thanks No Tart. We went to Goldenes Kreuz and met them and it was great. But you need to find your own OB/GYN and then they book you in. They have a list on their website...but I would prefer a personal reccommendation.

[NoTart]

Leigh, just an idea.. If you can find a gyno that works in the AKH (the public hospital) and also does private work based at the Goldenes, you can not go far wrong. The AKHs delivery suite has probably the highest qualified doctors in Austria.. every other hospital or clinic refers you there if you have serious complications.

[leighbaz]

Thanks for the idea....I did find someone, she's in the 4th comes recommended so I'm going to go and see her. See how it goes.

[DebInAustria]

Hi, I'm not in Vienna but south of Salzburg and had a baby here last year. 2 things to consider - they don't do gas and air and enema's before labour seem to be the norm!!I wish I'd known before!!