husband suggesting moving to mumbai/ india for 2 years - anyone experienced it? don't want to go - have 2 small ones!

[foxy1]

Hi

my husband has suggested moving to india/mumbai for work for 2 years to gain some international work experience. There is a job for him out there. He has said tat he would not choose to work there but he wants to build on cv and gain international experience.

I have a 22 month old and a 3 week old. I really am not keen on the idea but wanted to find out from anyone who has lived or been there on holiday what it is like. I am a sahm. what would you do. It doesn't feel right taking small children out there.

Please advise asap as my husband needs to let work know whether he wants to go for formal interview.

Thank you.

foxy

Never been, but I'd love to go. I went to Malaysia with my DH's job for a year when the kids were 3 & 4, and we had a fab time. Children adapt very quickly, and I believe Mumbai is a fabulous city. Think of the travelling you could do in the region. There are bound to be expats with small children there already. Have you googled to see if you can find an expat's forum? Do you have any links with India? I agree the thought of moving to a different continent is daunting, but don't rule it out without looking into it first. I bet you'll meet loads of people with chidren the same ages as yours there. Good luck.

THANKS MRS MUDDLE. I will look on google. what would you put in search engine? I know there are some lovely parts of India but then I have heard that Mumbai is quite mixed. some nice parts and areas where you would not go to. When you went to Malaysia how did you meet other people? did you miss home?

No personal experience of this but a few years ago my cousin came to visit in tears because her dh had a new job in Sri Lanka and they were going to move out there for 18 months, she said she was happy but clearly didn't want to go.

Anyway, it must be seven years now...they're still there...she loves it! There are large and VERY well off ex-pat communities in these places, I'm sure your dh's employers would look after him similarly well they don't just dump people in the middle of the jungle, there are very good English speaking schools, most of the ex-pats live in very nice, very secure, often gated developments. I know this sounds snooty ie cutting yourself off from the indigenous population, but I'm sure access to healthcare, education, and the avoidance of local social and economic problems are prob high on anyone's list of priorities. Cousin went from being a teller in a UK bank to being a lady of leisure in Sri Lanka, loads of British/English-speaking friends, cleaners, cocktail parties etc. And apart from that there's the sunshine, the outdoors, the wildlife, adn the chance for all your family to try something new. And you can always come home

I met people by the pool at the condo where I lived, at school, at coffee shops... There was also an Association of British Women, which wasn;t really my cup of tea, but they had a magazine that listed events. You'll also meet people through your DH. I guarantee that people will be falling over themselves to talk to a new face with a baby and a toddler. I missed home sometimes - like the long summer holidays when all the other expats went home and it was SO hot... But I was having too good a time to be homesick. Two years will fly by, and if your DH is going out on an expat package, there will probably be an annual trip home included.

here's one expat forum

have replied on your other thread, and although I've never lived in India I grew up in South Africa/namibia and if dh was offered a job anywhere abroad I'd be on a plane quicker than you could say "let's move".

Ultimately you really have nothing to lose, if it's that bad you can always come home, but it will be a fantastic experience for you and your children.

I would go anywhere, with the exception of iraq/afghanistan/certai other parts of the middle east.

My H has been there on business twice now and loves India. There is a huge expat community out there as already mentioned. You would be well looked after and remember a lot of British people are going there for surgery now as the Health care is very good. You'll just need to make sure you up-to-date with vaccines and malaria tablets but there's nothing to worry about. I'd love to go and take my two ds's so am planning to do that in the future.

and who knows maybe you could get a job working in a brittish call centre .

sounds interesting!
I have a friend who spent a few years in bombay and she was very glad to leave. she left when pregnant though so didn't experience it with kids. I think as expat experiences go, it is fairly full on. could your dh get international experience elsewhere like dubai/hong kong?

he works for a bank and would be staying with the same company but managain a call centre in Mumbai. They do not have offices anywhere else aparts from the States but it is very diff to get job at the branch in the States.