{"id":1025,"date":"2013-01-25T15:10:11","date_gmt":"2013-01-25T15:10:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.teacherhorizons.com\/advice\/?p=283"},"modified":"2023-05-10T08:15:52","modified_gmt":"2023-05-10T07:15:52","slug":"moving-overseas-with-a-family","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.teacherhorizons.com\/advice\/moving-overseas-with-a-family","title":{"rendered":"Moving overseas with a family"},"content":{"rendered":"

My two year old\u2019s\u00a0future\u00a0was bright. He would attend an International School, learn Thai and Mandarin, complete an International Baccalaureate\u00a0and maybe go on to either a US or UK\u00a0university. We would save money and enjoy trips to Koh Samet every other weekend.<\/h4>\n

I did not think about some of the more pressing issues such as nappies and food, nor did I think about pushing around prams and negotiating public transport and letting agents.<\/p>\n

We moved to Thailand in August 2012. It was a\u00a0decision\u00a0that took months in the planning and interviewing stage and a split-second in the packed up and gone stage. In hindsight, I should have conducted a little more research into the new lifestyle ahead of us. The Thai phrase of \u2018mai pen rai\u2019 which literally translates as \u2018don\u2019t worry about it\u2019 is deeply embedded in Thai culture but we Brits require a little more\u00a0preparation and planning.
\n\"julia-child-by-water\"<\/p>\n

If you are moving\u00a0abroad\u00a0with your family, here are the things I should have known beforehand.<\/p>\n

Housing and costs<\/h4>\n

Research the cost (and process) of renting a home. In Thailand, it is common for you to provide two months\u00a0deposit and one month in\u00a0advance. You should always research\u00a0the area surrounding\u00a0your school and ask your school to recommend some places to live and approximate prices. We found it varied\u00a0hugely\u00a0between developments and some developments had no local shops and were miles back to the main roads.<\/p>\n

Negotiate your rent and the items you do or don\u2019t want in the house. Check with people at school as to whether it is a good price for the area.<\/p>\n

If you require the services of a nanny or medical care, ask the other teacher-parents at your school, I found they were the most helpful with their answers even down to which cable package was best to go for.<\/p>\n

Check your contract<\/h4>\n

Sounds silly but make sure you know \u00a0what your contract contains such as who is covered by medical insurance and who isn\u2019t. If your spouse or child aren\u2019t, then ask your school to add them to your policy.<\/p>\n

Make sure you have the correct visas on arrival and check with your local\u00a0consulate\u00a0for the up to date\u00a0information. Ask your school who is responsible for your family\u2019s visa \u2013 you\u2019ll be surprised at how vastly different the policy is from school to school. Some do not pay for your visas, some only pay for yours and not your dependent or spouse.<\/p>\n

Do some research into ex-pat jobs and fields\u00a0especially\u00a0if your spouse is not a teacher and intends to work \u2013 the Thai labour laws can be difficult to negotiate. Any company wishing to hire\u00a0foreign\u00a0staff must prove the post can not be filled by a national. They also must hire 4:1 Thai to Ex-pats.<\/p>\n

Also, does your school provide flights or free school places? Take this into consideration when\u00a0negotiating\u00a0pay. Flights back to the UK can be especially expensive as can school fees even if reduced to 50%.<\/p>\n

Ask when your first pay day is, you may find it is 6 weeks away. Finding your feet in the first few weeks can be exorbitantly\u00a0expensive.<\/p>\n

Travelling with children<\/h4>\n

\"julia-and-child\"The public transport system is not geared up for buggies and pushchairs and the pavements of Bangkok are often\u00a0crowded with vendors and\u00a0inappropriately\u00a0placed street furniture. However, if your little one is too big for a sling or carrier then brave it. Using the overhead crossings can be a bit tricky as they usually have no lift or\u00a0escalator. Maybe consider downsizing your buggy to the very handy Backpack Stroller\u00a0especially\u00a0if you plan to island hop around Thailand.<\/p>\n

Buying and renting cars in Bangkok is expensive. Taxis are inexpensive and numerous but whether the\u00a0capricious cabbie will take you where you want to go is another matter. If they do, insist on the meter being used at all times and be prepared that none of the taxis have seatbelts for you or your child. And definitely learn the words left, right, slow down and stop. <\/i>Ask someone at your school to write your address in Thai so you can show the driver.<\/p>\n

What to\u00a0bring\u00a0with you<\/h4>\n

If you do have a little one then bring enough nappies and baby wipes to last you a few weeks. They are readily available in most 7\/11s but it\u2019s one less worry for you when you are house hunting\/starting new jobs etc.<\/p>\n

If you are worried about your child eating the local food, bring your child\u2019s favourite brand of things such as cereal or baby food as they do taste a little different. We found that our little one\u2019s pallet soon adjusted to the food and he has a good appetite for the local\u00a0cuisine. He loves going to the market and spotting the different fruit and vegetables. There are western supermarkets but they are expensive\u00a0compared\u00a0to the local markets and stalls.<\/p>\n

Jars of baby food are available, however, the ingredients are not always in English so\u00a0for your own peace of mind\u00a0it is definitely worth investing in a blender and making your own.<\/p>\n

If your baby is still using a bottle, cup or dummies then bring some extra ones as the shops tend not to stock western brands. The ones stocked are not as robust as the ones you may be used to.<\/p>\n

I brought a selection of books and favourite toys with us, most airlines will let you check extra baggage in\u00a0on-line\u00a0at a much cheaper rate saving the\u00a0agonising decisions of what not to bring.<\/p>\n

Family life<\/h4>\n

\"julia-child-playing\"After a few weeks, we were settled and I bought \u2018What can we do today? Kids in Bangkok\u2018.<\/i> It\u2019s a selection of activities which on a weekend we select at random and head off to do. We have visited the zoo, a water park and even been ice-skating \u2013 discovering that Bangkok has a lot more on offer for families than it at first appears.<\/p>\n

Thai people love children and you will find them welcome all over and in places you might not expect too. Expect people to pick them up and offer them treats and gifts. When you relax in the knowledge that there is no Health and Safety and that rules no longer apply, just enjoy it. Mai pen rai.<\/i><\/p>\n

Some helpful websites<\/strong><\/p>\n