VALFR59

thanks so much Bonfire 2010!!! very precious informations. I'll definitely have a look at the areas you mentioned and visit them during my october trip in Sydney. ah ah I see now why I found on website such as "Domain" (seems to be a kind of right move) very cool designed houses in Mosman :) will pm as well thanks to the 2others people who kindly pm me to share some experience people's experience are better that any expat or touristic guides! Val

Hi After almost 5 amazing yrs in London/Dulwich, I have soon to decide if we go or not for another move (from FR), in Sydney this time! .... Hubby has been offered a very exciting mission by the french company he is working for here, and the futur oceanian's headquarter of it will be located in Sydney ... I am medium enthousiastic as it is sooo far away!! but quite tempting by the idea of sun and beaches lifestyle for 2-4 yrs! :)....on another hand, it is perhaps the chance of another great cultural experience for our family. We are both french at home but I am not looking to put my child into the french school of Sydney, "lyc?e Concordet" as we prefer to live in an English speaking area as we chose when we moved in the UK , to provide him an international/ british education for the time we are leaving away from France. I found it is a good way to be more open minded to other cultures and I like the fact that he is totally bilingual although none of us are british. I read that state school are very good in Sydney but I am more thinking of a good private as it is paid by my husband's employer there in the package, so I'll go for it. but will see on site. My son is currently in a boys school in the area. I have a discovery travel to plan for mid-October , and my husband is asked to start from January there. (which apparently correspond to the beginning of a shcool year for Australian kids) I am looking for tips from Australian people living here/anyone who has lived in Sydney with a family, about family Life there such as: - What are the greatest schools ? ( prep boys or co-ed too) with cool spirit and quite international twist( with families from various nationalities if possible). - Areas to live? maybe similar of Dulwich/Crystal palace area spirit ... if it exist!!! ideally close to a family friendly beach. So looking for a family friendly, residential,but not showing off/pretentious, cosmopolitan, not inner central Sydney ideally (I prefer a house with space than a spot location flat for a good outdoor life with the kids) I saw online Mosman, northern beaches , Bellevue hill...(but want to avoid to live in a touristic spot) Are there some Areas to avoid? - Any Ideas of which part of Sydney to stay to connect easily to all the areas/suburbs during our "discovery trip " in Ocotber? (we'll probably hire a car to be able to travel and visits outside Sydney suburbs too) - Is it as difficult as it is sometimes in Dulwich to find a space in popular nurseries/ waiting list for schools? nanny as expensive as in the UK? easy to find an Australian babysitter? Australian students good with kids? etc - informations about Australian culture and people (i.e compare Londonners/English culture) to try to integrate ourselves and to adapt to the new environement in the respect of the locals habits, in the best way! you can kindly contact me via pm if you find a bit of time. As I know that writting message can be time consuming, I would be also happy to invite you to have an informal chat around a coffee or glass of wine in the area, if you are up to. Thanks in advance for your help cheers Val

Yes I would recommend too to go in any pharmacy.Depend where you are in France, they might not have a great English speaking but they are usually very professionnal. They will find you the closest french formula according to your usual English formula milk. In France we have a much bigger variety of formula milk as women do not breasfeed as frequently as women here or not for so long as maternity leave there is usually for 3 months only.. " Gallia " is an excellent brand and you can take a sensitive digestion one if you fear your child can be disturbed by a change . Milk there are categorised by group of age too. Guigoz is an excellent brand too ( https://www.guigoz.fr/ ) You find those brands in supermarket too, but in their basic range of milk. If you prefer to go for the specific ones or some with higher digestion sp?cifications, they are sold only in pharmacy (such as the ones adapted to food allergy, anti-dhiarrehea, colic treatment etc) In supermarket, "Bledilait" offers ready mixed bottle of milk for group age 9-12 mths and others age groups up to 3 yrs old.(as french kids do not drink normal/adult milk before 3 due to pediatrician recommandations) Good luck and have a nice time in France! Val

post moved in the right section of the forum...

Hello, Last Sunday we had Miss Danni from GDND academy and she did a great Entertainment for my son's 5th birthday party IT was a street dance/dance game party She entertained 22 kids at my place, mainly boys, (only 3 girls)... so challenging! 19 kids followed the entire entertainement (1hr) totally amused and captivated!! My son is used to attend her street dance class at StBarnabas Parish Church every Wednesday. She is furthemore also much more affordable than the others entertainers we've had over the last 3 yrs .... where all those others was AT LEAST ?100 per hr! Here are her details if you want to have a look! Miss Danni GDND ACADEMY School founder & Principle www.gdnd.co.uk 07904 424 504 With her good price, I've been able to also hire a face painter (I've used Sue, recommanded on EDF and she was amazing too!she is childminder over the week so has a great approach of the kids and is using very good brand face painting products as I was very concerned by that due to my son's extremly sensitive skin) Finally, I extended the budget package of the party by using a very nice local photographer recommanded to me after a post on the family room discussion section...called Tricia (can give you her d?tails if you want to) It was a fantastic party and all the kids (especially my son) had an amazing time! Definitly a great souvenir for my boy! Good luck!

Go for Decathlon, it is very good value for money and a nice trip for the kids to discover all sort of sports /try bikes etc. A new one is opening in Croydon Purley way the 18th of Dec otherwise you have one at Surrey Quays shopping center or online Decathlon.co.uk!

I would suggest, to change a bit if ED/village - Dulwich wood house (SE26) very nice and warm atmosphere gastropub From there you can have a pre-lunch walk in the Dulwich/Sydenham wood (you have a gate in the same street, further down ) - The Crooked well in Camberwell? Or perhaps if weather is good, a trip to Surrey or Kent? Amazing pub in term of decor and quality of food , nearby Godstone farm (Surrey) (nice treat for the kids) calle " the Bell"

Thanks for your recommandation. I'll try my chance!

Anyone knows or is a photographer student/ Semi-pro/amateur to come to my son's party this sunday (with example of your work done) I realise we'll have 23 kids /drop off party...and not sure my husband or I will have any time to take pictures of them. I don't want to spend a fortune, as I alredy booked entertainer and babysitters to help me...so no need to top models/fashion photographer. Just someone good at it who have his own semi profesionnal materials. Party is this sunday 11.00 to 13.00 pm (very probably too late to find someone now ....but I try my chance!) Thanks Val

Come on! leave this poor Meg meg alone.... you are not going to judge her education now!!have you never been a teenager, and have you always been perfect in your way to express yourself as a young person! for sure she'll remember the experience of using a forum... good job! Some of the omnipresent EDF users who can be read in most of the thread of this forum's section, are often sooooooooooooo mean themselves,accusing most of the time other users to be! how narrow minded to not accept others point of view /way to speak/ others aspiration for the area from local people... Just hope you don't do it on purpose to make appeared this forum more and more tyrannical every month... Such a shame as it was a very usefull and good spirits place to have efficient informations on the area...it has heped me to settle in this country/area when I arrived 4 yrs ago...now I feel it just good for selling/buying things (if you writte the appropriate post!) I'll be very probably verbally attacked right now, but please yourself... or not... I'll not reply anyway. A spontaneous though from an bored but loyal and occasionnal EDF user.

Hi, We moved from ED to WD, 2 yrs ago... Where we live in WD, I discovered that we would not be in the Rosendale's school catchment . We belonged to another SE21 state, called "Elmwood school" (nearby clive road) A good friend of us living on Dalmore road had her son sent to St Julian's school... and the streatham branch, so not so local (there is one branch in SE27 but it was full). She didn't have any of her choices...(DVIS included) In our personal situation, we went for private as I didn't like that much the school we belonged to. Good luck!

thanks for your replies! I will ask LAnd registry then.

Is it possible to avoid to have the price you've bought a property published in this country? Can I do something to keep it not visible for few months? (I bought a flat in April) it has been already published in Zoopla and RightMove.... If you know how to proceed, please let me know or Pm me. Thanks for helping Val

French house is very nice. Nice bilingual staff , good simple food. It definitly change a bit with the large choice of pizza,indian restaurants , pubs etc. And decent prices for Lordshiplane Best of luck to them!

Oh mon Dieu, incroyable! A place for sure I'll bring my mum next time she visits us in the UK!" les y?y?s", her student life ...so my childhood music :)