Moving to Shanghai-help!

[dorisiana]

Hi!! I am moving to Shanghai from the UK in Oct. I have a 3 year old boy and a 3 mth old baby girl. I am keen to talk to anyone else who is already out there to advice me on schools, nurseries, best place to live, mother and baby clubs, toddler activities...the list goes on!! Any advice would be very welcomed!!

I lived in Shanghai for two years (left last November, when DD was 10 months old).

Right, where to start?

We lived in a lovely Art Deco flat in the middle of the French Concession. It was great before DD came along, but quite isolated after I had her because it's where the young single expats live. Great restaurants and bars, but absolutely no facilities at all for children (to the point that there was only one supermarket I could go to, as all the others had steps to get in the front door).

All our friends were childless couples who also lived in the French Concession, but I gather that other people with kids were much happier in the expat compounds out in the suburbs. There were lots of playgroups, compounds with playgrounds and swimming pools etc.

How long will you be going for? If it's any length of time, you'd better get both kids on the list for schools the moment you arrive - I gather they're terrifically oversubscribed and competition to get a place is savage. I have heard of more than one mum re-training as a teacher to get a job at the school so her kids could get places. Dulwich College has a campus in SH, if you're planning to stick with the UK system and not the IB system.

Shanghai Expat (www.shexpat.com) is quite informative, if I've remembered the URL correctly.

Your DH should absolutely insist on a package including: housing, private health insurance for all of you and any future DCs (a visit to the private paediatrician is about 150 quid), relocation, annual flights home, a European or American car and driver (taxis don't even have seat belts, let alone anchor points for car seats, and you won't be allowed to drive unless you get Chinese licences) and all nursery and school fees including any debentures you may have to pay to jump the waiting list.

Any other questions, fire away. I'm afraid I absolutely hated Shanghai but I think it was largely the loneliness of being stuck at home with a newborn. I know loads of people who adore it, so don't be put off if any of my advice seems coloured by my own experience.

Ask on shexpat for recommendations for specific housing developments.

Anything brand new is generally problematic, as construction/fit-out continues round the clock and the noise will drive you insane. Likewise anything old is a disaster - your neighbours will wake you up by drilling into the party wall at 6am on a Sunday. We had several altercations with the neighbours about relentless construction noise that ended with the police being called.

A good three- or four-year-old development is ideal - all the flats/villas are finished but nobody is renovating yet.

Don't let an agent take you to see places late in the evening. You'll get much more of a feel for the noise/traffic by going in the afternoon.

And deffo start learning the language the moment you hit the ground - nobody speaks any English at all.

Just thought of another thing - do you know if your DH's office will be in Pudong or Puxi? Most of the international companies are in Pudong (the eastern side of the river) but the French Concession is in Puxi (the western side). The rush-hour traffic is like nothing you have ever seen, I guarantee it (unless you have lived in Bangkok, but even then, it's a close-run thing). To the point that we chose the only maternity hospital that was within walking distance of our flat - if I went into labour at 8.30am or 5pm I honestly would have had to walk there, or give birth in the back of the taxi. Fortunately ended up having a scheduled c-section, but even that had to be booked for 10am so I could get a taxi.

DH and I were both working in Pudong and had to get into work at 7am to have a clear run, and leave either by 4pm or after 7pm. It's probably easier to live on the same side of the river as your office.

Hi,
I am also moving to Shanghai with my hubby and 2 sons nearly 2 and 4!
Get in touch and we can share current knowledge and tips!!!

Thanks for all messages so far, very informative! Christylou...we need to talk!! When are you moving? we go in Oct. Where are you going to live? We are deciding between Puxi and Pudong. Also, what about schools? My husband has checked out British International School in Puxi and v impressed. We could also live in a compound like Forest Manor or Santa Fe and be within walking distance of the Puxi school. My hubby and I have wangled a week at the end of Aug without kids to do a wrecky.....am loving the thought of a full time 'ayi'!!!!

hi I too may be moving ft shanghai. hve joined shanghaimamas and shanghaiexpat websites but any advice on pros and cons of life out there with two young children most welcome. xx