Dd33

Hello,

I have a few question hopefully you guys will have some answers!

My husband and I will both be working, one day a week in Bukit Jalil and 4 days a week in TTDI. Our girls are 4 1/2 and 2, we are also thinking about bringing our little dog.

Okay so questions:

Has anyone heard any reviews of the kindyland tropicana kindergarten at the tropicana golf resort and club?

We are thinking about living at this resort, my understanding is that the travelling time is 10 mins from TTDI and 20 mins from Bukit Jalil (realistic?). Are there many expat families living in this community?

Any suggestions on a more convenient dog friendly community?

We are hoping to hire a local Malay Chinese nanny as my understanding is that they do not have issues with pork or dogs and since the girls will be learning mandarin... Anyway does anyway know anyone who is moving away and looking for a new family for their nanny?

Finally, we won't have a car for the first couple of months so we will need to use a driver or a taxi for work any thoughts on this or estimates on the cost of a return trio from tropicana to TTDI?

Okay, I think that is everything, thanks in advance.

Dawn

ajw

Hi Dawn

Welcome to the site and congrats on your forthcoming move to Malaysia. I know of one expat family who lives in the resort - its a bit further out but you get more space, peace and quiet for your money which some people prefer. Sorry, I don't have any feedback on Kindyland. I would suggest that you visit several when you get here in order to compare rather than settle on this one before you arrive. When is your 4.5 year old due to start 'proper' school?

With regards to your nanny, the majority of expats there have Filipino nannies, so you may find it harder to source a Malay/Chinese helper.

The travelling times you have mentioned sounds like they may be off-peak times. It really can vary hugely depending on time of day, weather (i.e. is it raining), day itself (Friday prayer days when the traffic is a nightmare and taxis hard to find). If you are relying on taxis you might not always pick one up straight away. Best to try and organize a regular taxi driver (see if any of your work colleagues can recommend anyone). Taxis journeys are very cheap so shouldn't be an issue for you.

Do let us know if you have any further questions and good luck with the planning!

ajw

Dd33

Thanks for all the info Ajw, it,is very much appreciated.

She is not due to start p1 until next september and the kindyland program looks really great but as you say probably better to have a look around we are hoping that she won't need to commute.

Any idea whet I would go about finding the right nanny? Is there somewhere people advertise this kind of thing? I have a friend already out in KL who wouldn't mind going to have a look if there are notice boards or something along those lines

Thanks again

ajw

Ask the management of your resort if you can put up a notice there. A lot of helpers come via word of mouth. Always lots advertised at the international school noticeboards at this time of year because it is the main time when people move on. Basically ask anyone you met when you arrive, even if they dont know, they can ask their helper to put the word out. Before you know if you'll have dozens of maids sms'ing you asking for an interview!

ajw

Some maids also advertise onthe noticeboard outside TMC supermarket in Lucky Garden, Bangsar. Another option is to do it all through an agency.

Ajw

Dd33

That is great advice, I will get my friend to follow it up.

Thanks again Ajw, you have been very helpful.

Hesione

I think you meant "Malaysian Chinese" and not "Malay Chinese".

In any case, your girls are not likely to learn any Chinese (Mandarin) from them because the majority out here speak Cantonese (Hokkien if in Penang).

The news on telly is in Chinese.

bakedbean

Err we watch news every night on Tv... BBC world news, CNN, abd Aljazeera english. All English

Nemodot

I live near tropicana resort. In jam about an hour. If raining make that 90 mins! One of the worst areas for traffic

Dd33

Hey, thanks for the feedback re: travel times from Tropicana. We would be starting work at either 8 am or 12 noon, do you think that during those travel times the traffic would still be hideous?

Thanks again.

Amazing Grace

Hi, where abouts in the world are you coming from. I live here in KL and as part of my ladies group I am a link lady which is part of a support network for the wives coming out to work with their husbands from UK. If you are interested I can pass your details to someone I know who lives in Tropicana and then you can ask your questions you need answering to her.

Mont Kiara, Sr Hartamas and Bangsar are all expat areas which are not too far away for TTDI and all of these areas are very popular for families for the various international schools in these areas. Location, location, location is so important as the traffic in rush hour and in heavy rains is a nightmare. Let me know if our group can help in an way. I hope this is not advertising but the group is Association of British Women in Malaysia and all of your questions can be answered accuratelyso please have a look on the website. Most expats working here have a group specifically for their own part of the world so there is plenty of help out there. This time of year is also a time when lots of families are leaving to return to Europe for the new school year in September so there are always advertisments from families for their help in the homes to find good new employers and this is a very good way to get good references for these lovely ladies who are as has been said before mainly from Phillipines and Sri Lanka.

Good luck

Dd33

Thanks Amazing Grace. We are coming from the UK, I am Canadian but my husband it's British. I will pm you with my email and I will definitely google the site you recommended.
Thanks again.

ajw

Hi Amazing Grace, I am an ABWM member also. They were brilliant when I first arrived in KL too. Can highly recommend the 'Hello KL' familiarisation course. I still take O/S visitors to most of those places we explored!

ajw

bakedbean

What a great idea.

KLPlates

Hi Dd,

Not sure if you still need this but I could let you have the number of a very reliable driver. He took me to and from work every day for six months. A lovely lad, safe driver, always on time etc.