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Post by Mancunian on Dec 9, 2011 13:30:56 GMT
Hi all, I will be arriving to Abqaiq next week with my husband, I'm very excited but apprehensive aswell.
I'm so confused about the schooling issue. I have a 7 yr old daughter and I really want her to go to the Dhahran British school but have been advised it is too far. We have been offered housing assistance to live off camp but from reading posts on this forum it can take a long time, does anyone have experience of doing this, how long did it take? I'm not sure what to do as I've aready told the relocation adviser we dont want a place at the Aramco school and so we didnt complete the forms. Is it better to enrol her at the Aramco school until we find housing in Khobar? I didnt want her to settle and then have to move her again.
I also have a toddler and a baby, are there playgroups and activities in Abqaiq that I can take them to?
Would welcome all your advice
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Post by vpainter on Dec 9, 2011 14:06:15 GMT
Because of how long things take to process, you may very well not want her to sit out of school for the length of time it takes. You might also find she likes and does well in the Aramco schools. The Dhahran British School is a 45min. drive from ABQ.
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Buster
Senior Member
Posts: 106
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Post by Buster on Dec 9, 2011 15:00:14 GMT
My advice would be to come here and get settled in for the first few weeks within the Aramco community. I have heard that Abqaiq has a small but very friendly community and the people there will be the best to point you in the right direction. Others there will have been/be in the same position as you.
It will be easier to sort out schooling & housing when you are here. Living off compound may be too big a challenge for many people
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Post by Mancunian on Dec 9, 2011 15:46:28 GMT
Thanx for that
I'm not worried about living off compound as my husband is Arab and I can speak some Arabic. Do you think its possible to sort housing in Khobar before the new term starts?
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Post by henpecked on Dec 10, 2011 4:29:07 GMT
HI there
Welcome to Aramco! I think I may have something to contribute here. My kids go to Dhahran British Grammar, there are kids who come from Abqaiq, RT and even Jubail (about 1hour and 30 mins drive). I'm just trying to think if there are any kids as young as your daughter, maybe one or two, but it's not the norm. There are, however, an increasing number of British families being housed in Abqaiq, so as Buster says it might be worth just waiting and chatting to them about what they do when you get here. Or you could ask for a place in the Abqaiq school and then you can make the choice as to whether to take it up when you get here.
As far as living off Aramco compounds go. Yes, some British families do that and buses go from most of the compounds in Khobar to the British school, Zamils is a popular compound for British school families and seems really lovely when I have visited, there are also some British Aramcons on there. Another one with lots of families is Oasis Gardens - otherwise known as Al Bustan but I know it's expensive. To me the key thing in chosing a compound would be chosing one with other families at the school as it will really contribute to your kids' happiness. Any compound can be a wonderful place for kids to grow up, they are a bit like living on Center Parcs but they need friends to enjoy it with.
Best of luck - if you want to chat just PM me.
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Post by gareth0127 on Dec 14, 2011 11:40:53 GMT
Hi, regarding the aramco schools, we are british and my 9 year old daughter has started her second year of school here and I believe the education she is receiving here is superior to the standard of her uk primary school. Not just academically, but socially as well. The work seems to be very challenging and there is a large quany of homework and self study to be completed. Also, her writing of stories etc has been brought to a much higher standard than we ever imagined at her age. Yes she misses out on some British history and culture, which we try to teach her at home, but what she gains from being in a class of several nationalties far outweighs that.
Also, having been here and driven on the roads, the thought of my daughter spending up to 2 hours every day travelling back and fore would terrify me.
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