international school in shanghai

LittleWing

Hi, Critic,

You are so lucky that your parents can go with you to Shanghai to help in taking care of your family.  I am not so lucky as you as my parents have to take care of their granddaughter and my parents-in-law are not at good health condition.   So, my husband told me not to find job until everything is settled well in Shanghai (including findling a good maid and schooling for my kids).

You give me a bad news!!!  I am not a good housewife (especially in cooking).  I used to buy food in Superstore in Hong Kong.  It is really a headache to me.  

Last week, the book exhibition was held in Hong Kong and I have bought some books for my kid for future use in Shanghai.  If there is a lot of books variety available in Shanghai, then I stop to search for reading materials for my kid.  Please let me have your input.

Many thanks and stay in touch.
   

critic

LittleWing,

I have found an ayi,  my mom & dad are happy with her performance. She used to work for a Taiwan family. I paid her Rmb1200/month. Monday-Friday, 12:00 - 8:00 pm or until I back home. My parents will back to HK if they find she is capable on everything.  

I want to let my son takes the school bus but my parents don't agree, they said it's not safe. (Rememebr a little girl died in the schoolbus in Taiwan?) It's very hard for me to send him to school, as it's not easy to get a taxi in the morning, and it's so hot to wait 15 mins for a taxi.  This morning, I left home at 8:30 am, back to office at 10:00am.  The traffic is very bad on Monday morning & Friday evening.  I am trying to see if I can book a taxi everyday. (to pay a bit more)

It's very good that you don't have to work. You might not be interested to work here. I still can't get myself totally familiar with the working envoirnment. I did not manage staff for a few years, I don't feel easy to run the company on my own. I hate Maths and now I have to manage the P&L for the region. I did think of not working but I'm afraid it's boring when my son goes to school. The job is very challenging and sure can learn a lot but just... maybe I'm too old to learn something new. I'm looking for an Accountant, and interviewed 2 girls. I don't even know what to ask - cos I know nothing about accounting.

You can buy English picture books, but don't buy Chinese books or bilingual books because they are quite cheap here and in very good quality. Most Rmb9.9 - 12/book.

When will you move here? Have you confirmed?

P.S. the running water taste very strange. Most local people drink distill water. I remember distill water is not good for baby. My husband bought a 'decanter' last week in HK. (I don't know the exact term in English, you can fix the decanter in the tap & will distill the want. You have to buy in HK as we can't find it here)

LittleWing

Critic,

Your Ayi is a bit expensive.  My husband said that the salary range is about RMB1,000.   They can work from Monday to Sunday.  Of course, you can give them holiday when you do not need them.  But if she is good, then RMB200 is peanut.

Total agreed.  If there is other alternative, don't let the kid take the school bus.   For renting a Taxi for daily travel, I am afraid that you can't find it.  Taxi service are highly demanded in Shanghai.  You are lucky.  My husband said that he has to wait 30 min. in average so as to get into a taxi.   People in Shanghai do not have a habit of lining up for taking a taxi.  People will always stand in front of you to wait for a taxi.  very very funny and no discipline........  But in case you are lucky enough to find one, please also introduce to us.  My husband has a regular taxi driver to drive him to / from airport each time when he returned to Hong Kong.  He said that the driver is quite reliable.   But the driver does not want to rent for regular daily travel cos. taxi fare is not attractive and he has to reserve the time for him.

If you foresee that you will stay in Shanghai for long term, may be you can purchase a car and hire a driver.  Not to talk about the purchasing cost, you only have to spend $1,000 for hiring a taxi driver.

Regarding your work, if you think that the job is not so suitable for you, you can find a new one after accummulating some months experience in Shanghai, right?  I believe you got a good bargaining power much than me.  Be a full time housewife is not my wish.  I do think to earn more when I still can work.   

My husband is also in the Finance and Accounting Field.  Everytime when he has to recruit people, he told me quite a lot of cheating things.  One things for sure that Shanghaieses are good at presentation.  You have to test them to see whether they know how to do.  Not just ask them whether they have experience in doing certain job duties required by your company.......

Thank you for reminding me the water situation in Shanghai.  I have already thought of buying the "OSIM" one that I am using in my home in Hong Kong.  It is quite easy to install.  But I have to buy several refill as the water situation in Shanghai is bad.  However, OSIM does have shop in Shanghai but of course the price will be a bit higher.

As stated previously, I will move to Shanghai in Oct.  Hope to meet you over there as we can the minority in Shanghai.  I really want to have friend from Hong Kong so we can "speak the same language" as we come from the same culture.

critic

LittleWing,

I talk to an American mommy, who lives next block. Her daugther is 30 month old, attending a local nursery across the street. School fee is Rmb 800/month. She said it is OK except they only speak Chinese and no English lessons. She agreed with me that the International Schools' fee in Shanghai are unreasonable high, lack of facilities.

LittleWing

Hi, Critic,

My husband has printed out the school list from the website you gave me last time and asked his staff's opinion.  His staff have highlighted some of good schools but these schools usually require donation / sponsorship from parents in order to study there.

What we are now planning to do is:  As the leasing agreement is expired in end of September, my hushand will focus on finding the apartment first and then we decide which school for my kid to study.  

Yes, the school fee for those international school are unreasonable high.  If that Amercian Mummy can teach her daughter English (in fact, English is their mother tongue), it is no harm for them to let her kid to study in local nursery provided that it is safe and clean and the teachers take good care of the kids.  

critic

LittleWing

I'm not sure which nursery you are interested, I also heard from my husband's colleague that you have to donate etc.. for local school.  I have checked on a few, some of them just charge a higher school fee for children holding foreign passport.  

My son is sick for 3 days. My mom said he ate something wrong in the school. (I checked his menu and found he ate lot of seaweed) My husband is not that happy and insist to put him back to Wunan (US$500/month)  I showed him there on Monday and he agreed the facilities there are much better.

I have hired a private Mandarin Tutor, she comes every mornday (from 7:00am-8:00am).  I felt bad that I know nothing about pin yin, even the very simple one.  She bought me a textbook today, which is for foreigner learning Chinese - the basic level. She said my tone is totally wrong.  I also felt embrassed to talk to my staff in Mandarin. We have no choice and everyone is speaking English in the office.

I've hired an Accountant, she will start on Monday, hope she is the right person.  I'm getting busy now, have to do sales calls in Hangzhou and Nanjing in coming weeks.

Tingtingmama

Critic:

Ha!  I am a new member in BK and just read all the messages left in this topic.

I am actually considering to relocate to Shanghai, and I have a 3 years old daughter.  I got an offer from my boss - who is going to relocate to Shanghai to be the head of a MNC in September, and he wants to bring me to Shanghai to work for him as his Exe assistant.   He will offer a contract to me for 3 months and afterwards we will decide how to go forward. The office will provide housing.

Do you think living & studying in Shanghai is better than in HK?   As a matter of fact, I have another offer in HK to work as Executive Assistant, if I move to Shanghai, I will need to turn it down.  Is it risky?

I will go to Shanghai next week to have a search on kindergartens & other logistics, and my husband will try to see how is the job market there.   I think I will go for the good local schools as I cannot afford the international schools.  

Can you suggest what do I need to pay attention to? Is the income tax in Shanghai high?

Tingtingmama

critic

Tingtingmama,

Nice to have you join-in.  I don’t really understand your family situation, but here’s something you have to ask your boss:

you mention that your company will provide housing. Are they going to rent an apartment for you or they will pay you cash to rent an apartment. Remember that the good apartment in good location will cost US$1800-US$2000/month. (3 bedrooms)  Local area only cost Rmb5000-10000.   If you can live in a big apartment, good location, I will say the living condition is much better than HK.

Living in Shanghai is not cheap.  If you take a look at our previous discussion, good locate school fee is approx. US$500.  Traveling expense is also very high.  I spend Rmb30/day on taxi (to/from home/office) If you don’t mind to take bus/metro, it costs Rmb3/trip, but they are very crowd (worse than HK) and the MTR is not as convenience as HK.

I am very lucky that can find a job to offer expat salary.  I have no idea on your husband’s skill.  There is many job opening in Shanghai but finding a job to offer HK salary is difficult.  The salary range for local is Rmb2000-5000.  

About salary tax : you have your boss to give you a net salary (they pay everything) The tax is quite high, you earn more and pay more.  If possible, request to have salary paid in USD or to your HK account. The banking system in China is very bad.

Tingtingmama

Critic:

Thank you for your valuable comments.  I saw from your previous discussion that living in Shanghai does not seem easy - eg traffic is a headache (as you said there is no quening up for taxi in Shanghai).  My boss said the local secretaries in Shanghai only at RMB5k-6k, and he will probably offer ~RMB20K + housing (probably in the local area below RMB10K).  He said the living standard in Shanghai is lower and I cannot expect the same salary while I have in HK.  Is it true?

He also said in the average the schools in Shanghai are much more better than in HK.  He said the HK students are unable to neither write good English nor Chinese.  If we send our children to study in Shanghai, at least they can develop the basic mandarin language skill and write good chinese.  For me, I am a local HK, I can speak English and Mandarin, but my chinese writing is poor.  I need to put a lot of efforts on the language after moving to Shanghai.

critic

Tingtingmama,

I don't know your current earning but you should ask for more if he is inviting you to join his company in Shanghai. Rmb 20K is not attractive, consider you have to given up a lots of things in HK. (your husband has to quit his job)  Check if he will pay for relocation company, air-ticket for your family.  Best, you should ask for a NET salary.

I have no comment if the local schools in Shanghai are better than HK.  It really depends on which school you're going, I think the situation is same everywhere around the world.  I and my husband have hired and met many U-graduated here, we seldom find one can speak fluent English. (They all said they are fluent on the resume)  I just hired an Accountant, her first job is a primary school's English teacher and she said her English is fluent in her resume. The truth is, she speaks very bad and can't really understand English. In general, their writing is much better than HK students.

I never use Chinese in HK. I speak very poor Mandarin, after living here for a month, I found that learning Chinese is very difficult.  

Tingtingmama

Critic:

I agree with you.  In view that I need to give up a lot in HK and also my husband, the offer is absolutely not attractive.  I will further negotiate with him.

I also agree that the U-grad people in Shanghai are all ok in their Chinese writing but not in spoken and written English.   I am also worrying that if I return to HK after a few years, my girl will be very difficult to transit to the normal primary school here in HK.

How is your son doing in the school?  How long do you plan to stay in Shanghai?

critic

Tingtingmama,

In general, the local people written English is better than HK, if you visit the local bookstore, you will understand. They publish many books to teach grammar, writing etc...

This is our perm. job, probally won't back to HK until he finds a better offer in the region. According to his company's plan, we will probably move to Beijing next year.

critic

LittleWing,

You go to read this! Our accountant was a primary school teacher, I told her about my son's case that he cries a lot in the school and seems the teachers are not caring.  She asked if I have communicated well with the teachers.  I said, of course.  She said, did you personally ask the teachers to take good care of your son.  I said, "why do I have to ask? That's their job to take good care of each kid." Finally, she asked, "did you pay any money to the teachers?" I was shock and asked, What money?  I have paid the school fee.

She explained that it is an unofficial rule in Shanghai (or China?) that the parents have to give a few hundred to each teachers and buy them gift on New Year, Mooncake etc... I felt sad, I asked her what's the procedure? just give cash to them tomorrow?  She said, first, I should communicate with teachers every morning, chat for 10-15 mins, after a few days or weeks, the teachers will 'open' their mouth to ask for money.  The teacher salary is Rmb2000-3000 but they earn more after get tips from parents.  I asked her, what if the child is from a poor family? She said, they will ignore the child. (what kind of education?)

LittleWing

Critic,

It is so horrible.  But I think it is very common in China.  Last time when I visit Shanghai.  When I asked a couple about the health care in Shanghai, they also said that we have to pay tips the doctor so as to get a good care at clinic or hospital!!!

So, it is another case about schooling.  What will you do?  will you give them money?  Does your staff tell you how much that you should pay to each teacher?  Is that mean we also need to pay those amah, security guard........?  Crazy !!!   If you put your son in international school, do you need to give monety to  the teachers over there?

Thank you very much for sharing with me.   

critic

I think it's crazy too. Anyway, we have decided to send him to another school from Sept and see what will happen there. My staff said, if the school is privately owned, we don't have to tip the teachers. (still I think we have to offer some gift for festival)  If you have decided to go to local school, you better follow their 'official' rule.  According to her, just give a few hundred at the beginning (e.g. Rmb300-400), then offer them a red pocket for CNY.

You're right about the dr. and clinic, I heard from them too. My son had diarrhea for one week, I finally I took my son to see doctor last week, we went to Children's Hospital of Fudan University - Foreigner division. Here's the address for your future reference : 183 Fenglin Road, tel : 54524666 x3038. We paid Rmb200.  The medicine is good & he recovered in 2 days.

BTW, when the doctor was checking his chest, he said my son is lack of calcium.....  I did not listen to him.  I asked my staff and they said all doctors in Shanghai are the same, they will say you're lack of this and that and sell you to buy Vitamin.  You can bear in mind that no need to listen to them or ask for 2nd opinion.

LittleWing

Hi, Critic,

Thank you for sharing info to me.   If you gather all your real experience in first settling in Shanghai, you can write up a practical book for those Hong Kong Mothers who are planning to relocate to Shanghai.

I went to "page one" book shop last week and have found one which was published by Taiwan publisher and tailor-made for Taiwanese Mothers who are newly settling in Shanghai.  

Have a good day in Shanghai.

Dianakay

Dear Angela :

My son is going to be 2 next year. Do u know which nursery school is good in SH? I want him to learn both Mandarin and English.

I heard that Soon Chong Ling is the best in SH. Do u know its location and and nursery session in Soon Chong Lin ?

Moreover, do u know if there is any web site regarding preschool in SH?

angelachan

Hi Diankay,
Actually I am still in hong kong , I am still struggling whether I should quit my job here.I hope I can move to SH next year
You can check this website : www.cityweekend.com.cn/entertainment/shanghai/community/k12_schools or www.classmateasia.com.
As far as I know, there are local and international divisions, both are very good but the school fee will be quite different.You must know "somebody" before you can admit your son to the local division.

Dianakay

Dear Angel:


My husband's friends state that the local and international division are the exactly the same in terms of circulum and environment etc. The only difference is the school fee . I just wonder that if it is true then why the parent will still choose the international divisions.

bdgs

11月媽媽

Hi all,

My girl is almost 1 year old and I wanna to search a playgroup for her in SH.  Do you have any recommendations?  Actually PG is not totally related on this topic but hope you can help.  

For Int'l school, your previous messages are useful and kept with my reference.

cheers