Brunei?

[batteryhen]

Hello :) I'm just wondering if anyone lives or has lived in Brunei? We are due to move there in August and would love some more

Thanks x

Some more information that should say!

I lived there in the early 80s when I was two! Dad had a married status contract. They had a great time, but that probably doesn't help you.

I've had really good positive feedback :) I'm trying to find out a bit more about health care really. I have a ds who is almost 2 and am wondering about another pregnancy out there.

Oh I see. My Mum had DSis out there, but obviously it was the 80s. It was fine then, except that DSis was a big baby and they didn't have nappies big enough. They were treated like minor celebrities! Everyone came to look at the big baby.

Where will you be? We were at Panaga.

Not sure of the exact location yet. I'm in such a quandary ...to ttc or not!!

I did hear recently that Sharia law is going to been introduced.
www.latimes.com/fashion/alltherage/la-ar-fashion-week-boycott-hotels-brunei-20140613-story.html
I went there on holiday some years ago but heard things are changing.

I lived there in the late 1990s. I think health care etc. depends on why you're there (who you are working for, e.g. Shell, British Army). There is/was a small expat hospital in Syria and bigger hospitals in BSB.

It's an odd place (I don't think it's changed a lot since then from what I've heard). Very quiet, not much to do, but lots of opportunities for sport.

It's quite a good base for visiting mainland Malaysia etc.

Sharia law for everyone, even if you're not Muslim.

Sorry, Seria not Syria!

I live close to Brunei in Malaysia. Healthcare wise a friend if mine has just had her 2nd baby there and all seems well :-)
But yes, Sharia law has just been introduced for all. It's a dry country (no alcohol) and although expats used to be able to drink at home I'm not sure if that's still the case, restaurants etc used to serve non-Muslims in the daytime during Ramadan that has also now been stopped. I don't know exactly what the laws are but definitely worth being well read up when you arrive.
You can always pop over the border for the weekend though ;-)

We used to fly over to Kuching or take the ferry to Miri.

Thank you for all your replies. I know that Sharia law is being tightened. We are not big drinkers so don't mind about that, I might even lose a few pounds!

I have a history of recurrent mc so I suppose I am concerned about that, and also worry that my son was breech so had an elcs.
I'm looking forward to travelling lots and getting used to a different culture.

You don't even need to take the ferry to Miri anymore there's a bridge :-)

For the medical care issue I would ask if you could be put in touch with any families with young children through the job you are moving out for, they will then probably know of someone who has had children there and can help you. Depending on your health insurance and company if it's felt that you can't get the required care in Brunei they may pay for treatment in a bigger hub like KL or Singapore or even send you back to the UK - although obviously that wouldn't be ideal as you wouldn't be able to fly heavily pregnant or with a tiny baby.

Hello,

I lived in Brunei for almost three years. We left in 2011, we lived in Kuala Belait as we were an Army family. It is a fantastic country and we had an amazing time living out there and we miss it dearly. The cost of living is so so much cheaper and the ability to travel to fantastic destinations cheaply is brilliant.

We moved there with a 20 month old and a 7 month old. I had dd1 in Brunei. The Army paid for us to use the private hospital in Jerudong and it was brilliant. I have friends that delivered in local hospitals and had varying experiences.

I have been saddened by the tightening of sharia law, but friends that are still out there have not noticed any difference. In honesty I always found it a fairly moderate and accepting place. You can buy alcohol easily depending on where about you are, where we lived in KB the border was only a twenty minute drive into Malaysia.

Stock up on the next sizes up in shoes/clothes/toys etc as there is no Clark's type shoes shops. A very small and overpriced mothercare in Bandar and the supermarket clothes are not of a very good quality and are expensive.

If I can help further please just yell