Posted by
GlanAber
19 yrs ago
We have two kids, aged 5 and 3 and have been in Hong Kong for 3 years. I am looking for opinions about Jakarta in particular what people think about air quality, bird flu, terrorism, earthquakes - oh and international schools. Though not necessarily in that order of priority!!
Thanks
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TC
19 yrs ago
International schools - generally as good as anywhere else. Just about every nation has it's own school there. To my mind (I'm Australian) the British ('BIS') is the best, although last month a friend told me he had sent his kids to Jakarta IS ('JIS' or the American IS, although it is never officially referred to as the latter). When questioned he said it had improved out of sight, but 13 years ago it was not (to my mind) a particularly good environment. One advantage it has over BIS is it's more central location.
Air quality - I don't think it's really that much worse that HK, although the evidence is more colourful than the HK version.
The other three - I don't think I should comment, other than if a right position was offered to me in Jakarta I would not be overly concerned about those issues.
Good luck with the decision making.
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TC - thanks for your insights. The school information is very useful. With regard to air quality - does anyone know of a way I can properly compare the air quality with Hong Kong's? This is possibly the most inportant issue for me as our daughter has had some respiratory problems here. Also what is the quality of medical care?
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Goloh
19 yrs ago
Frankly, and with respect, you'll never get objective data on air quality in either city. I worked in Jakarta for three years until recently. Won't comment on schools (not applicable) but the air pollution during the dry season can be really stinky, not at all helped by the many thousands of open fires of trash and leaves. Having said that, the climate itself in JKT is not unpleasant--it cools down, rains sometimes, nicely tropical without being oppressive. However there are some significant drawbacks, not the least of which is the corruption and the sensitivity westerners face, especially Americans, British, and Australians. I'm just saying a much higher level of diligence is needed in Jakarta than in Hong Kong, for your entire family, at all times. There are some decent hospitals but everyone I knew went to Singapore for discretionary treatment. Personally I far prefer Hong Kong but everyone has their own triggers.
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Thanks for the useful info. Another thought - is it possible to take our filipina helper with us?
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Goloh
19 yrs ago
Coals to Newcastle! (Sorry ...) Why not go to the Indonesian Consulate here, in Causeway Bay, and check directly. And there is a terrific website based in Jakarta with all sorts of info about expat living. See www.expat.or.id for lots of tips. Safe travels.
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TC
19 yrs ago
I don't think you can take your PH helper to Indonesia. There's no such allowance in the immigraion laws. But there are helpers aplenty there to choose from.
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Right - we are going for a look see this week. Apart from the BIS and JIS are there other schools with a good reputation? Any hints on what areas to look for a house? And is a house on a complex a good idea?
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TC
19 yrs ago
A house in a complex (I'm assuming you mean a walled-in compound) gives better security, but it also has its drawbacks (in my mind) in terms of exclusion from the rest of the world. Another option would be an 'open estate' where there is no surrounding wall but roadways into the estate are monitored by security. Many good areas for living. Pondok Indah is one of my favourites, but it's also quite expensive. My suggestion is to get a professional to show you around some areas/properties in person to get a good feel. Also suggest you post the question on the Jakarta Expat site mentioned somewhere above. And while you are there read some of the funny horror stories (the degree of 'horror' turns into an equivalent degree of 'funny' depending on how long you've lived there!).
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J20
19 yrs ago
Hi. I lived in Jakarta for 7 years with kids who attended BIS - leaving in 2000. The school was superb. Multi cultural ( JIS is definatley American), and provided everything that the kids needed + lots of scope for parents to socialise and get involved. Now its much easier to get to as a new road has opened recently. No need to live in a compound . Local people are lovely - we lived just off Ampera Raya and also Pondok Indah - did not enjoy the latter
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Thanks for all your helpful replies. Ironic that I have had more responses on this site than the Jakarta one! Since my first post we have had two reccie visits (the first was flooded out) and have been very impressed by both JIS and BIS. As my kids are little I prefer to have them closer so am erring on the side of JIS (even though we're Brits) so they only have a short journey to school. We'll probably end up living in Pondok Indah or Kemang. J20 - what didn't you like about Pondok Indah?
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