Moving to Al Hamra
Feb 21st 2009, 7:48 am
#1
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Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 7
Moving to Al Hamra
I currently live on another compound in Riyadh with two small children. I have the opportunity to move to Al Hamra but so far no-one has given me any positive feedback on the compound. In general, it is deemed unfriendly and isolating (i.e. very difficult to break-in to the various womens' cliques). The compound I am on currently is very friendly although there are a lot of very unruly and aggressive kids. Should I stay put or take the risk and move to Al Hamra. I am Irish and my husband is British. My son goes to the British school and my daughter will start there in September. Is there plenty of things for kids to do? Is it easy to make friends? Any feedback would be great, especially from women living on the compound already!
Feb 21st 2009, 10:24 am
#2
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Joined: Sep 2006
Location: The Island of love
Posts: 882
Re: Moving to Al Hamra
Hi, I don't live on Hamra but do work there and find the people friendly. Lots of kids at the British School obviously - so they will be busy with their friends. I would move there if the right villa came up.
N
N
Feb 21st 2009, 11:27 am
#3
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Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 7
Re: Moving to Al Hamra
Hi Nic
Many thanks for your reply. It is reassuring and I will give the option of moving more serious thought. Sharon
Many thanks for your reply. It is reassuring and I will give the option of moving more serious thought. Sharon
Mar 23rd 2009, 6:23 pm
#4
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Joined: Jan 2009
Location: Drogheda, Ireland
Posts: 8
Re: Moving to Al Hamra
I currently live on another compound in Riyadh with two small children. I have the opportunity to move to Al Hamra but so far no-one has given me any positive feedback on the compound. In general, it is deemed unfriendly and isolating (i.e. very difficult to break-in to the various womens' cliques). The compound I am on currently is very friendly although there are a lot of very unruly and aggressive kids. Should I stay put or take the risk and move to Al Hamra. I am Irish and my husband is British. My son goes to the British school and my daughter will start there in September. Is there plenty of things for kids to do? Is it easy to make friends? Any feedback would be great, especially from women living on the compound already!
Just thought I'd say hello. Pat and I are Irish, he's over there having usual nightmare with visas and trying to get us out. We've registered Connor with the British School for the second year of kindergarten so hopefully he gets in. He is 4 at end of June. Looking out for other children around the same age group as playmates. Lucky you getting an offer on Al Hamra. We on on various waiting lists and keep getting told July if we're lucky. Pat has done the personal rounds and still nothing...... Can I have your villa if you don't want it??? Yeah - just trying some post Paddy's Day cheek!!!
Mar 25th 2009, 10:16 am
#5
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Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 7
Re: Moving to Al Hamra
Hi,
We have since decided to stay where we are for another year. Our daughter will not be starting at the British School until September 2010 because of her age - she will be 3 months off her 5th birthday when she starts. They won't accept her any earlier. Once she starts there, we will move to Al Hamra.
We currently live on Seder Village and I don't know what the waiting list is like, but normally the vacancies on all compounds arise at the beginning of the summer. Ask your husband to give the compound a ring - 01 228 0000. Compound Manager is called Richard May. Try to speak to him directly rather than one of the office people. The compound is not the plushest in Riyadh but it is very green and leafy and nearly every villa has a good back garden (avoid the new build houses if you want a garden as they are very small).
Villa prices are: 2 bed (105 sq m) is SR108,000, 2 bed exec (128 sq m) is SR120,000 and 3 beds range from SR120,000 to SR126,000.
Hope this helps. Good luck with the visas. It took us 8 weeks.
Sharon
Hi Sharon
Just thought I'd say hello. Pat and I are Irish, he's over there having usual nightmare with visas and trying to get us out. We've registered Connor with the British School for the second year of kindergarten so hopefully he gets in. He is 4 at end of June. Looking out for other children around the same age group as playmates. Lucky you getting an offer on Al Hamra. We on on various waiting lists and keep getting told July if we're lucky. Pat has done the personal rounds and still nothing...... Can I have your villa if you don't want it??? Yeah - just trying some post Paddy's Day cheek!!![/QUOTE]
We have since decided to stay where we are for another year. Our daughter will not be starting at the British School until September 2010 because of her age - she will be 3 months off her 5th birthday when she starts. They won't accept her any earlier. Once she starts there, we will move to Al Hamra.
We currently live on Seder Village and I don't know what the waiting list is like, but normally the vacancies on all compounds arise at the beginning of the summer. Ask your husband to give the compound a ring - 01 228 0000. Compound Manager is called Richard May. Try to speak to him directly rather than one of the office people. The compound is not the plushest in Riyadh but it is very green and leafy and nearly every villa has a good back garden (avoid the new build houses if you want a garden as they are very small).
Villa prices are: 2 bed (105 sq m) is SR108,000, 2 bed exec (128 sq m) is SR120,000 and 3 beds range from SR120,000 to SR126,000.
Hope this helps. Good luck with the visas. It took us 8 weeks.
Sharon
Hi Sharon
Just thought I'd say hello. Pat and I are Irish, he's over there having usual nightmare with visas and trying to get us out. We've registered Connor with the British School for the second year of kindergarten so hopefully he gets in. He is 4 at end of June. Looking out for other children around the same age group as playmates. Lucky you getting an offer on Al Hamra. We on on various waiting lists and keep getting told July if we're lucky. Pat has done the personal rounds and still nothing...... Can I have your villa if you don't want it??? Yeah - just trying some post Paddy's Day cheek!!![/QUOTE]
Mar 25th 2009, 10:19 am
#6
Just Joined
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Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 7
Re: Moving to Al Hamra
Hi
Forgot to say also that Seder has a great little pre-school nursery on site. Costs SR900 per month (5 days per week from 0830 to 1315). It is recently under new management and has come into its own. So, if the British School does not come up trumps, you could always have this as an option? I do know that the British School is completely full at the moment and they told a neighbour of mine yesterday that they are only taking British and Dutch passport holders at present.
Best wishes
Sharon
Forgot to say also that Seder has a great little pre-school nursery on site. Costs SR900 per month (5 days per week from 0830 to 1315). It is recently under new management and has come into its own. So, if the British School does not come up trumps, you could always have this as an option? I do know that the British School is completely full at the moment and they told a neighbour of mine yesterday that they are only taking British and Dutch passport holders at present.
Best wishes
Sharon
Mar 25th 2009, 5:35 pm
#7
Just Joined
Joined: Jan 2009
Location: Drogheda, Ireland
Posts: 8
Re: Moving to Al Hamra
Hi,
We have since decided to stay where we are for another year. Our daughter will not be starting at the British School until September 2010 because of her age - she will be 3 months off her 5th birthday when she starts. They won't accept her any earlier. Once she starts there, we will move to Al Hamra.
We currently live on Seder Village and I don't know what the waiting list is like, but normally the vacancies on all compounds arise at the beginning of the summer. Ask your husband to give the compound a ring - 01 228 0000. Compound Manager is called Richard May. Try to speak to him directly rather than one of the office people. The compound is not the plushest in Riyadh but it is very green and leafy and nearly every villa has a good back garden (avoid the new build houses if you want a garden as they are very small).
Villa prices are: 2 bed (105 sq m) is SR108,000, 2 bed exec (128 sq m) is SR120,000 and 3 beds range from SR120,000 to SR126,000.
Hope this helps. Good luck with the visas. It took us 8 weeks.
Sharon
Hi Sharon
Just thought I'd say hello. Pat and I are Irish, he's over there having usual nightmare with visas and trying to get us out. We've registered Connor with the British School for the second year of kindergarten so hopefully he gets in. He is 4 at end of June. Looking out for other children around the same age group as playmates. Lucky you getting an offer on Al Hamra. We on on various waiting lists and keep getting told July if we're lucky. Pat has done the personal rounds and still nothing...... Can I have your villa if you don't want it??? Yeah - just trying some post Paddy's Day cheek!!!
We have since decided to stay where we are for another year. Our daughter will not be starting at the British School until September 2010 because of her age - she will be 3 months off her 5th birthday when she starts. They won't accept her any earlier. Once she starts there, we will move to Al Hamra.
We currently live on Seder Village and I don't know what the waiting list is like, but normally the vacancies on all compounds arise at the beginning of the summer. Ask your husband to give the compound a ring - 01 228 0000. Compound Manager is called Richard May. Try to speak to him directly rather than one of the office people. The compound is not the plushest in Riyadh but it is very green and leafy and nearly every villa has a good back garden (avoid the new build houses if you want a garden as they are very small).
Villa prices are: 2 bed (105 sq m) is SR108,000, 2 bed exec (128 sq m) is SR120,000 and 3 beds range from SR120,000 to SR126,000.
Hope this helps. Good luck with the visas. It took us 8 weeks.
Sharon
Hi Sharon
Just thought I'd say hello. Pat and I are Irish, he's over there having usual nightmare with visas and trying to get us out. We've registered Connor with the British School for the second year of kindergarten so hopefully he gets in. He is 4 at end of June. Looking out for other children around the same age group as playmates. Lucky you getting an offer on Al Hamra. We on on various waiting lists and keep getting told July if we're lucky. Pat has done the personal rounds and still nothing...... Can I have your villa if you don't want it??? Yeah - just trying some post Paddy's Day cheek!!!
Thanks for the heads up - had read on internet about Seder. Sorry to sound stupid but does that mean your daughter starts in K1 in 2010. If so Connor and herself may be classmates next year. Pat went to the open day at the British School so we know they are full but he may get in if a few drop out this Summer. I'm just hoping for continuity for him as he's been in montessori 5 mornings a week since Sept and thrives on it. I also minded 2 boys part time til recently so he's very used to having children around. Maybe a compound can take him into a nursery. Sure I can check it out in person - hopefully will be over for a few weeks in May. Can't wait to meet up with some ex workmates from Prince Sultan Cardiac Centre. Was a PA there from 1997 for 5 years. All a bit exciting really to be going back and seeing all the changes - yes yes - limited changes......
Thanks for your help
Mar 31st 2009, 5:53 am
#8
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Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 2
Re: Moving to Al Hamra
Hi Sharon,
Tried to contact Seder Village for more information on its availability and rental cost but to no avail. Do you have any Seder's folk email contact that I can send queries? Basically I and my family (wife plus my 2 girls, age 2 yrs old and 6 months old) is moving to Riyadh in 2 weeks time and is looking for an affordable 2 bed rooms compound. By the way, how far is Seder Village from King Fahad Road, Olaya?
Regards
JC
[email protected]
Tried to contact Seder Village for more information on its availability and rental cost but to no avail. Do you have any Seder's folk email contact that I can send queries? Basically I and my family (wife plus my 2 girls, age 2 yrs old and 6 months old) is moving to Riyadh in 2 weeks time and is looking for an affordable 2 bed rooms compound. By the way, how far is Seder Village from King Fahad Road, Olaya?
Regards
JC
[email protected]
Mar 31st 2009, 7:53 am
#9
Just Joined
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 2
Re: Moving to Al Hamra
Thanks for the heads up - had read on internet about Seder. Sorry to sound stupid but does that mean your daughter starts in K1 in 2010. If so Connor and herself may be classmates next year. Pat went to the open day at the British School so we know they are full but he may get in if a few drop out this Summer. I'm just hoping for continuity for him as he's been in montessori 5 mornings a week since Sept and thrives on it. I also minded 2 boys part time til recently so he's very used to having children around. Maybe a compound can take him into a nursery. Sure I can check it out in person - hopefully will be over for a few weeks in May. Can't wait to meet up with some ex workmates from Prince Sultan Cardiac Centre. Was a PA there from 1997 for 5 years. All a bit exciting really to be going back and seeing all the changes - yes yes - limited changes......
Thanks for your help[/QUOTE]
Hi Sharon,
Wonder if you have any Seder's staff email contact for me to make enquires for a 2 rooms accommodation in Seder? Moving to Riyadh with family (wife and 2 girls; 2 yrs old and 6 months old) but not too sure what I can afford with a SR80,000/- housing allowance.
Regards
James Cheong
