misse1

[QUOTE=Bvlgari;11327684]How easy did you find travelling from the KLIA area to the city? Do you have any tips to avoid being ripped off at the taxi rank?

Its quite a distance, 30 - 40 mins depending on the traffic and speed. Speak basic malay and ask if the cab is using a meter.

I would say INSIST on your taxi driver using the meter. If they don't have a meter, or refuse to switch it on (which some will do), get out of the taxi!

Booking a taxi using the Myteksi(?) app seems to work very well for people I know who have used it.

bakedbean

You'll be OK. Our Tesco has everything from Small to Look Out It's Coming Towards You.

misse1

Hi Lou,

I'm originally from rural Dorset in the UK, although I worked in a mixed comprehensive in a mid-sized nearby city when I was there. The students here (at least in my school here) are WAAAAAAAAAAAY better in terms of attitude and behaviour than any classes I taught in almost 20yrs in the UK! Yes, you get cheeky monkeys, lazy and indifferent ones, and the ones who struggle to stay on task, but you simply don't seem to get the all-out defiance and confrontational behaviour that I would battle with on an almost daily basis with a lot of UK classes. Students THANK ME after every lesson here, THANK ME for my advice and feedback, and will happily read silently in the Library for an hour during our Reading sessions... it's wonderful :-)

I teach English and Eng Lit to IGCSE Level here. Ability-wise, I am teaching in a school with a high proportion of ESL students, despite the fact that the school offers a British curriculum, so there is a widespread issue with their English competence undermining their ability to perform - especially in fields requiring more than a purely 'functional' use of English. That said, my weakest Yr7 students are achieving a low Level 3, and my Set 2 Yr10 class contains a number of students who I anticipate will get A, possibly even A*, for English and/or Eng Lit IGCSE.

As for commuting, I live in Bukit Damansara (on the west side of the city centre) and commute approx 9km to work on the other side of the city centre. The journey takes me approx 25mins travelling in my own car, leaving home at around 7am. Yes, the traffic is heavy, but it rarely stands still, so I don't find the traffic a 'problem' (even though I had been told all sorts of horror stories about it before I arrived). The drivers are pretty crazy, though - especially motorcyclists, who mostly all drive like they are on a death wish. You'll see what I mean when you get here....!

Clothes shopping: I'm only small myself, but have not noticed an absence of clothes in all sizes - especially not in Tesco. There are SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO many places to shop here, I would be STAGGERED if you were unable to find any clothes you liked in your size. If all else fails, Asos deliver here free of charge ;-)

Heat/rain: I was in another part of SE Asia for 3 and half years before coming to KL, so I'm probably pretty acclimatised to the heat and humidity now... in fact, one of the reasons I wanted to leave the UK was I was fed up of always being cold! And the last time I went back to the UK (last summer), I spent the entire 3 weeks wrapped up in jumpers with numb fingers and toes, and with my skin flaking away due to the reduced humidity.... I'm clearly not built for a northern hemisphere climate :-D

Restaurants/bars: LOADS AND LOADS. I haven't really 'done' the bar scene (my husband and I don't yet have any sort of regular childcare sorted for our 2 daughters aged 12 and 14, so can't really do venues that we can't take them with us to), but there are plenty of restaurant/bars where it's easy to take kids to... think 'cafe culture' but with cocktails. Some of my fave places are The Social in Bangsar, Souled Out in Sri Hartamas (also one on Jln Ampang but haven't been there yet), and DV's in Bukit Damansara.

Food/grocery shopping: Gotta be honest, since I discovered the joys of Tesco home delivery service, I rarely bother to look into other options. You can browse their products online to get an idea of cost (search for tesco dot come dot my and then look up home delivery). Their fruit and veg is very cheap especially if you opt for the local produce. Generally, it's cheaper than the UK, but things like breakfast cereals, bread, cooking sauces, etc are A LOT more expensive. (e.g. around 5 quid for a really nice box of muesli!!)

Any other questions, let me know... If you want to meet up when you land, just give me the nod :-) Now relax, and breathe.... it'll all be fine!! :-D

Katerose

JKLMA14, which school will you be working in? What area will you be living in?

Katerose

Also thanks misse1 for all the info :-) Ive just moved to Nilai..been here a week and just signed up for the forum today. It's great! I didn't realise Teaco did home delivery here, I'll definitely be looking into that.

JKLMAL14

Sent you a pm Katerose

bakedbean

How are you finding Nilai? Do you like it?

Katerose

Yes it's ok. Plenty of places for nice food. Convenient for shopping. Not too difficult to get KLIA express train or KTM komuter train into city :-)

TP_22

Hi,
I am new here and know that this is an old thread but thought I'd give it a try anyway.

Katerose - How are you finding Nilai now after you have been there a little longer?

I am looking at a job working in Nilai but have a few concerns. My girlfriend would not be coming out with me straight away and I am concerned about job opportunities for her. She currently works as a student adviser at a University and has a qualification in teaching English. I know there are a few Universitys in the area, are there also many English language schools?

Do you find being that distance out of KL stops you going into the city much?

Any answers would be greatly appreciated.

Lou_from_Corby

There are a few international schools around here. I work at a British one only 7km from Nilai which is new and growing. There are, I'm sure, opportunities that come up. But I'm not an expert on jobs and visas, as my employer recruited me from the UK and arranged it all. Check out TES, as there is always a turn over of staff in schools. Better still, speculative letter on the off chance. An advert in the TES is a grand. They do have rules about minimum expat wages for a visa and many of our support workers are local s. But, there is a need for EAL support in the British and Australian Schools if she is Lang support.

We lease a car. It's 1300rm pcm all in and fuel is dirt cheap here so getting around can be really easy. Also a taxi into KL is 100rm.

Saying that, Nilai has a Tesco, Clarkes, Borders, Nandos etc etc and some lovely local restaurants around the uni. It's a developing area and there is always a new shop or restaurant opening.

The airport is 20 mins away and has a mall. A new 'Branded' outlet is opening next month. Putrajaya (30mins away) has nightlife and restaurants. And a new mall - IOI City Mall with most things you might need - cinema, bowling, ice rink, pubs.

But if it's city nightlife and you want Western rather than local it's KL. I have colleagues who go into "town" a couple of times a week. With working 6 days and with two teens with home work, we make it in once a month at least. It takes me 45-60 mins to drive to Bangsar (traffic is the problem) the expat shopping/ nightspot just outside of KL. Or the train from Salat Tinggi (just outside Nilai and all day parking is less than a pound) is single 25rm and every 30 mins it takes 30 min into KL Sentral. A 3-4£ (15-20 rm) will have you at any of "the places to be" in 15 mins.

We love Bukit Bintang for drinking and eating. Or KLCC for shopping. Robbie Williams here in the Autumn, if that's your thing - tickets might still be available.

Any questions, big or small, please contact me. Lou

TP_22

Thanks for your response Lou.

You have helped to settle my mind about the area. It sounds quite an interesting area and not too far from the city to go in for an afternoon every so often.

I think now my only concern is my girlfriend finding a job once she arrives as my contract would be a two year contract which I have heard are very expensive to break.

I may very well have some more questions in the near future once I've had another think. Again thanks for responding and being very helpful.

Tom