Moving to Nairobi

[peoplearestrange]

Will be moving to Nairobi in next few months and don't know how to choose between Braeburn Garden Estate and ISK for DCs (6,4). I know one is British curriculum based and the other is American, but for various reasons, both could suit us. Does anyone know both schools - which one will give us more of a community, and better facilities to use as a family outside of school hours (e.g. library) - bit worried about going stir crazy, not being able to walk around, no public libraries (I assume?). Need to live near UN compound so proximity to school also a factor. Any advice welcome!!!!!

I used to work at Braeburn, not Garden Estate, though and was very happy there. More tomorrow as it is late here,

One quick comment. When I was there, 7 years ago, ISK was very white. An African American student left there to come to Braeburn as she didn't feel comfortable there. Braeburn is very mixed - Kenyan, other African, Asian, European etc. I was in the High School at Gitanga Road and we had less than 200 students and over 60 nationalities. My current school has about 800 students and only about 30 nationalities.

If you are near the UN compound you can go to Karura forrest to get out.

www.friendsofkarura.org

Braeburn, Gitanga Road, has a lot of facilities for the community. The gym is available out of school hours, there are classes. There is a club which as a parent you are a member of, I go back to Kenya quite often and will go to the club still. I don't what is available at Garden Estate, there is definitely a bar but I am not sure who can use it. When I was there, Garden Estate was only for sixth form so things may have changed. Braeburn is big on community and I imagine there will be things available.

ISK has a nice campus but I didn't feel comfortable when I visited it. Security was tighter there than Braeburn, but that is true if schools affiliated to US embassies world wide.

Can you visit them both, so you can get a feel for the place.

I lived in Kenya for three years, my DD is half Kenyan, so we go to visit her Dad quite often. I love Kenya and would happily go back, and to work at Braeburn if they paid more. I've worked in 7 schools, and would only go back to one other.