kissymac | ExpatWoman.com
 

kissymac

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Latest post on 03 July 2014 - 22:14
Hi I can recommend little discoverers as my daughter works there and its a lovely nursery, they do lots of stuff with the kids and put a lot of effort into everything they do. Headmistress is lovely and very approachable as are all the staff. what age is your little one? : ))
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Latest post on 28 April 2014 - 20:50
hi have a look at palms nursery in jumeriah 3. an older nursery so not a fancy all new equipment one but caring staff and awesome children too. also one of the cheaper nurseries : ))
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Latest post on 24 January 2014 - 22:11
How sad for his son being caught up in all this. I wonder how he is fairing at school? All I can say is what a stupid man! pmsl........ I have known anton for 25 yrs and hes def not a stupid man....... he just has a sense of humour that some people don't get! obviously someone on his facebook friends list is a bit jealous of his financial success and has tried to make him look bad. he is actually a really great guy and a brilliant dad and im sure all the publicity will get him even more financial success : )))
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Latest post on 20 January 2014 - 22:13
Hi We were in the same situation with our daughter this yr She left school after finishing her GCSEs here and we got her a job in a nursery here and she is doing the EYES cache course in knowledge village training to be a nursery teacher. She loves her job and is enjoying her course which is vocational and involves no exams just assessments and coursework. If you want to ask me or my daughter any info we are happy to help :-)) my email is clairejolleyathotmaildotcom :-)) Hi Ladies DD is in the throws of her GCSEs at the moment and it's touch and go whether she'll get the required grades to continue in Year 12 at the same school as she attends now. We're of the opinion that vocational style further education might be more appropriate than A levels but she's not emotionally ready to head back to the UK alone so we'd like to find something here. Ideally childcare related, does anyone have any experience in the same situation? Thanks.
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Latest post on 06 January 2014 - 20:47
ooooh following this one as sounds good : )))
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Latest post on 17 December 2013 - 14:43
Hi sent u email I have all 3. :-)
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Latest post on 04 December 2013 - 15:00
What would happen to a maid who absconded around 6 yrs ago and had a police report against her for stealing, if she was to go to her embassy and try to go home? She has been a month ago to get a new passport and told them she is renewing it to go home.she hasn't yet Picked up her new passport but has said they said if she goes to embassy with a ticket she will sign a piece of paper and they will let her go home with no problems. Seems a little bit too good to be true to me. She is a friend of our maids.
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Latest post on 04 December 2013 - 14:53
We just renewed our daughters in nov and she was 17 yrs and 5 mths and no blood test needed :-)
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Latest post on 19 November 2013 - 15:07
I would move her to a decent international school away from brats like that. Personally I wouldn't send her back there tomorrow and start applying elsewhere. I believe there's a 3 month period allowed by Khda that kids can be out of school for and you certainly have a good reason
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Latest post on 18 September 2013 - 12:07
Hi just been with my friend who uses a place in karama called Wicker to recover her outside furniture cushions...... 12 large cushions 900 dhs. They do a brilliant job and quick too. :-)
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Latest post on 13 September 2013 - 10:04
Pink petals how old is your little girl? My daughter is in the class for confident walkers up to age2 and half I think. :-))
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Latest post on 11 September 2013 - 07:57
Hi my friends little girl went there for just over a yr and loved it. My daughter has just started working there too. Very happy and impressed with it. The staff are lovely and the owner is also brilliant and very hands on. The class sizes are small which is good too.
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Latest post on 09 September 2013 - 12:17
Tell hubbie that the sparkles r falling off or zif broken and u want to get a replacement...... Then tell him they were all the same so had to pick another one :-))) <em>edited by kissymac on 09/09/2013</em>
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Latest post on 07 September 2013 - 22:38
Forgot kings and star international umm al sheif <em>edited by kissymac on 07/09/2013</em>
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Latest post on 07 September 2013 - 22:35
Check out Jebel Ali primary, Dubai English speaking school Dubai British school Safa private school and their new one opening next sept Safa British academy Horizon Jumeriah primary school And Jumeriah English speaking school ( but places there are like gold dust unless your company has a debenture there ) Gems have a few British curriculum schools too if u check out their website it will list them. The English college Bear in mind these schools are all over Dubai so depending on area you are living in it would be advisable to either live near the school u want or you will spend a lot of time in car getting to and from school Hope that helps.
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Latest post on 28 August 2013 - 13:23
Hi can anyone recommend someone who comes to house to groom cats and dogs and doesn't charge a fortune :-) Or somewhere reasonable I can take them. I have a Persian cat who needs a shave as she has some knots which she won't let me near to get rid of. And 2 dogs who could do with a bath and nail clipping. Thanks
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Latest post on 28 August 2013 - 13:01
We have an invasion of these at the moment and ive tried everything and still can't get rid. They r in front room kitchen playroom my bedroom literally every room in house!! I have pets and kids so really didn't want to bring in pest control. Our compound is sprayed almost every 6 weeks and still have them anyway.
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Latest post on 15 July 2013 - 14:18
Thank u :-))
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Latest post on 15 July 2013 - 14:17
Just dug my contract out and turns out our contract runs out on 5 th oct not 10 th....... And they have only given 88 days notice of increase. Had an email back saying that the rise was justified because they will be refitting the gym...... Hmmm I can get a gym membership for less than 20000 dhs a yr lol and 50 villas at 20000 increase each it must be a magical gym that burns fat away just by walking in the door lol
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Latest post on 15 July 2013 - 11:18
Hi does anyone know the phone number for rera and their location please
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Latest post on 14 July 2013 - 21:35
We were given 92 days notice :-(
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Latest post on 14 July 2013 - 20:19
There's a kiosk in basement of oasis centre he fixes blackberry phones <em>edited by kissymac on 14/07/2013</em>
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Latest post on 14 July 2013 - 20:18
Www.earlybird.ae do 1 hr delivery
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Latest post on 09 July 2013 - 09:09
Thanks ladies. Yes, there is a 5bedroom vacant. However, the rent is 280k, so way over my budget. However, the lady mentionnend that there is only private garden in the front and it is not so big!? Anyway, too much money :-( So if anyone knows about a 4 bedroom western style villa with garden and reasonable rent in Al Sufouh/Umm Suqueim/Barsha please let me know. Thanks. Omg noooo way that's 100k more than we pay.... Guess our rent will be taking a big jump this yr then :-( they not worth that much!!!
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Latest post on 06 July 2013 - 15:17
That's the lady who we leased through she is brilliant :-)) The guy we deal with is the one in charge of overall maintenance not leasing ( as I have just be informed by hubbie lol ) <em>edited by kissymac on 06/07/2013</em>
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Latest post on 06 July 2013 - 14:50
The main bedroom has an ensuite bathroom and the 3 bedrooms upstairs share 1 bathroom and downstairs there is another bathroom with shower in it. The garden at front and side of house is private. The ac downstairs is for whole of downstairs and there is an upstairs one too. Main bedroom has its own ac control too. The house is bright inside I think the sign on outside of compound is up all yr. did u get a name of person you spoke to? I think sometimes if wrong person answers fone they just make it up as they go along and have no idea what they r talking about. There is def one family leaving this week to go back to uk. Will get my kids to find out the villa number for u. If you then mention it to asteco they will know u have done your research :-))
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Latest post on 06 July 2013 - 13:01
Hi there are 5 bedrooms 4 upstairs and 1 downstairs which we use as a playroom. We have a maids room and laundry room next to garage outside and a 70m square garden at side of house ( roughly guessed by hubbie lol ) plus an area at front of house and a back patio area onlooking the communal gardens. We have a pool gym squash court and sauna and a games room with pool table. The maintenance is excellent and dewa bills are reasonable too. We pay 180'000 but we live on the main rd side I'm not sure how much they are asking for the back ones but I think around 220- 240 I know someone who is moving out this week so there is def one coming up for rent :-) Should be someone in office today if u have no luck let me know and I will get the number of the man we dealt with off my husband. We love living here even thou its not a posh modern villa and our kids have lots of friends to play with in the compound :-))
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Latest post on 06 July 2013 - 12:29
Hi I live there have done for 2 yrs. what do u want to know? :-))
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Latest post on 21 June 2013 - 22:14
Casserole.ae do lovely food :-))))))
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Latest post on 21 May 2013 - 22:01
March is right. Checked an email from the JAPS board of Governors and they did say the buses are old and if they broke down, the parents would not get a refund. I would not want my child to be on any bus that is likely to break down. JAPS is 35 years old and Star Int is 5 years old ( thanks Mushypeas ) and they (Star Int ) are able to sort out a straight forward issue such as bus services. Go figure. March is also right about the information about JAPS high school. It is old news. Dubai has moved on. Dess built a high school in Academic City, Jess built in arabian ranches, Kings on Al Khail rd. The possibility that JAPS turned down this site based on location just blows. That is rich. Meras or Meraz is a government development agency which I believe has a community initiative to offer schools in the area a chance to grow. JAPS hasn't. I am a parent who works part time with 3 children in 3 different schools. My older children are in high schools that do not have a clear cut sibling policy. If the bus service is not sorted - I will not be able to work full time. As for emailing the board or senior management, some one posted earlier, they emailed the school but no response. Not going there. As Has anyone asked Khda if the school is allowed to take away a service that has always been on offer? The PTA make plenty of money each yr which surely some could be put towards a new bus...... I'm sure selling the buses and replacing with new ones isn't that hard to do..... Maybe slightly smaller ones than they currently have...... I sent an email to them with many viable options for keeping bus service running but they never reply and are not interested........ Time for new board of governors I think lol
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Latest post on 21 May 2013 - 21:42
Pleased for you but also would be interested to know how you knew what place your children were on the list. Myself and several other parents I know are all on the wait list with no idea how far down the list we are or if there is even a remote chance that we might be lucky enough to get a place :-( Sorry to hear that Dizzyduck I know how you feel and hope u hear something soon....... I kept ringing, emailing and also asking my kids current school to help. Are u looking for yr 7 places too? Do u have a place for sept at another school yet? I've also had Khda ringing round schools that we were on waiting list for. Khda seem to be very good at getting info from the schools so would def recommend a trip to their offices and asking for help.
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Latest post on 21 May 2013 - 17:52
Just a quick update....... Thank you all for your help and support its very much appreciated :-)) I am now a very happy mum with 2 very very happy children with places at DESC for them for year 7 in Sept. Seeing their faces when I told them was better than a win on the lottery :-)))))))
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Latest post on 20 May 2013 - 21:17
Bump
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Latest post on 19 May 2013 - 19:38
Can I ask how you know that you are top of the waiting list at DESC? Also, do you have places secured at another school in case places don't become available at DESC? I have an email saying where we are on list. No no other school places we are on quite a few waiting lists. :-((
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Latest post on 19 May 2013 - 19:17
Kissymac - the head is fab as are rest of management team. Please keep confident - deposits are not due till end of May so places will become available then, which reminds me, I'd better send ours lol. I sugges you let the kids know that the deposits are not due till end of May and that places will open up after that. As I said, several children started mid way through first term so places did become available last year. It is difficult but try to stay confident that things will work out. Thank you Feefmick I have everything crossed that something happens for us before end of June. The deposits that are due end of may are they not just for yr 8 and upwards? I thought that for yr 7 the deposits were paid as soon as the kids were offered a place. I'm confused now lol .......... It's hard here to keep the issues from the kids as they are the ones sitting all the assessments tests and then they want to know if they got places... One bonus of uk is all kids get a school place regardless :-))
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Latest post on 19 May 2013 - 15:57
How do you get your deposits back? I thought they were non refundable Blondie007 if you ring Khda they will tell you that the schools cannot keep deposits if you aren't taking the place anymore..... That's what they told me and a friend of mine has just got her deposits back from EC .
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Latest post on 19 May 2013 - 15:52
Thanks I spend every day telling my children not to worry and that we will have a place soon at a school ......... Doesn't help when every day all the kids at school are constantly asking them where they are going and telling them that they must go to same school as all their friends :-(( All their friends are going to DESC hence they really want to go to DESC and to be honest so do I as the headmaster there has been amazing and very helpful with us. His belief in children of all abilities getting a good education is brilliant and an attitude that a lot of schools here really need to adopt!
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Latest post on 19 May 2013 - 08:55
Begging mums who are holding places at schools they have no intention of using to please let the schools know so they can offer them out to someone like me who has no school places and really needs them....... My kids are top of waiting list for DESC and are so down and upset at the moment as they so desperately want to go there that now it has got to the point where their teachers are noticing how depressed and demotivated they are. They are due to do their SATs next week and I'm worried they won't do very well because they are worrying about school places. So if any one who has places they don't want please please give them up so I can make my children happy again....I will be eternally grateful as would my children. Khda will help you get your deposits back I know a few people who have done this last week at other schools.
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Latest post on 07 May 2013 - 14:41
Thank you I have looked at other schools and on quite a few waiting lists :-0
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Latest post on 07 May 2013 - 14:27
Yikes!!!! We have just been informed by JAPs that from Jan 14, the school will no longer provide school bus services.....apparently we are in the 'minority' for requirement for a school bus and thus, it is no longer financially feasible. My husband often works away and I am work from 7am til 1430. We have no idea how we will get the kids to and from school and are losing sleep at night! Option 1: Turn back time and select a school that has a bus - JAPs was always my first choice and my 1st child was listed just after birth (!), but if I had known then what I am faced with now, there are a wide range of alternatives Option 2: RTA Dubai transport - no thank you from a safety and punctuality perspective :) Option 3: Driver advertising on Dubizzle - no as not legal unless you can afford to sponsor the driver Option 4: Driver (company) - 3,000 per month and the male driver will have to come up to the school to collect the children and the driver may change - not feasible or safe for children. Add a 'nanny to ride' in the price, it becomes unrealistic and more than the school fees! Option 5: Rely on another school parent to ferry my children - no as I can not return the favour Option 6: Sadly seek alternative schools that provide bus transport (basically the majority of schools in Dubai....). This is such a shame as my children are happy/settled and alternative 'schools of our choice' may have slots available starting 2016!! Option 7: Stop working and become the 'majority' rather than the 'minority' - this is 2013, and believe it or not, I enjoy my career. The children are now at school, the impact of me working until 1430pm is minimum as they are at school! (just how to get them there....) Is anyone able to provide me with any other legal transport options or are there any other mums at JAPs in the same situation? Help. I'm another JAPS mum who uses the school bus and even thou my 2 will be leaving there this summer I have still sent many emails to school with suggestions how to keep bus running but they r being very ignorant and ignoring them.......... No surprise there really as they have been no help to me in the hunt for a decent and appropriate school for my kids for secondary they only seem to want to help top kids and teachers kids :-(( There must be something that can be done...... I'm sure Khda could advise and it's best to go over to Khda not ring as they are more helpful if u are there....... I have a younger child who I want to go to JAPS in 2015 and the bus is one thing I will use again for sure. If Jumeriah College mums managed to get their school not to move bycomplaining then surely we can do same for bus. There must be some ruling somewhere that stops a school removing facilities that have been there constantly and services that have always been offered.
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Latest post on 05 May 2013 - 14:19
Bump
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Latest post on 03 May 2013 - 19:23
Thanks I'm interested in 2 particular schools which we are on waiting list for that my children have their hearts set on. Our resources are very tight at the moment and applying to each school is costing me 1000dhs a go not including the schools I'm having to apply to for my youngest who is nearly 3.......as well as nearly 4000 dhs for my eldests GCSE exam bill we have just had to pay for....think we will be eating beans on toast for the next few months lol...... If only a few mums relinquish unwanted places at the two schools we r on wait lists for it will enable our family to stay together :-))
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Latest post on 03 May 2013 - 19:11
Get him to go and see the school on its tour. They do them on tues at 830 I always thought the school looked awful from outside but inside is amazing and it's a lovely school. The head is also a really lovely lady and very helpful and friendly
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Latest post on 02 May 2013 - 13:53
Thank u bblue I'm sooo desperate at the moment. Mushy peas I'm looking for British curriculum but I imagine there are many mums in same situation for all curriculums
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Latest post on 27 April 2013 - 16:46
We left Star and moved to another school and couldn't be more thrilled with the decision. Any post I write about the negatives of this school get deleted in seconds (as does anyone else that writes anything less than flattering) so there's no point anymore. You'll be hard pressed to find a negative comment about this school (and a few others, namely one beginning with R) as they get deleted. Good luck with your school search. Hi would u mind emailing me with your experiences with star please my email is clairejolley at hotmail dot com thanks u will remove post once u have seen this :-))
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Latest post on 27 April 2013 - 16:35
Inspire nursery in umm sequeim is great! They follow the creative curriculum which means they learn through play rather than having to sit in lessons all day, which they shouldn't be doing at such a young age. I looked at tons of nurseries and eventually narrowed it down to inspire. My son has just started there and already I can see progress in his communication and language skills. The staff are lovely and the kids all look really happy there. I spent a day at kids island and would definitely not recommend it. I felt horrified and sick to the stomach by the time I left as the kids were miserable. In my opinion it's not a great nursery to send your child to if you want to foster their creativity and imagination! My little one has just started at kids island and seems to love it even asking to go on days she has off....... Please share why u come to this conclusion Thanks
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Latest post on 27 April 2013 - 16:28
Certainly in the early days Repton wanted to establish itself as an academically selective school and there was to be no guarantee of their own year 6 pupils getting a place in year 7 unless they did well enough on the entrance exam. So, if this is still the case, which I don't know, then no automatic entry to secondary. JAPS publishes each year which schools its year 6 are going to and it seemed in recent years to be mainly a feeder school for Dubai College and English College with a few going elsewhere so interesting what you say about DESC. Has EC changed much with the new head teacher? There are 5 kids going to English college from japs this yr and 2 of them r changing to desc 1 is moving away so will only be 1 or 2 going. EC new head is awful....... Patronising and have heard many complaints about her including my own problems........ She is only acting head so fingers crossed they find a better one and replace her ASAP.......I would be very interested to know how many siblings got places this year and how many we're told their kids needed learning support and weren't offered places! I am currently making a case with Khda and any other parents to back me up would be a bonus
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Latest post on 27 April 2013 - 11:15
I would go with JPS. It is a not for profit school which makes a big difference. You can always choose Repton for secondary school if you a still here and it will be more established by then. And I think more than a few JAPS students got into DC this year. I had heard it was 11 or something like that. edited by plum2 on 27/04/2013 11 out of 80 is only a few compared with majority going to DESC. :-))
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Latest post on 27 April 2013 - 10:55
Kissymac- have you tried English College? Yes English college is where my oldest daughter goes and the new head won't give my kids a place as one needs learning support and the learning support places r full from their primary school kids..... They tried to make out my other daughter needs a reader tooo and she is well above national average Reading level.
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Latest post on 27 April 2013 - 10:19
Hi my kids r at japs and I love the school but its def not laid back they work the kids hard and they are British curriculum not IB. I think they have to work them hard as they don't have a secondary school. They r def not a feeder school to DC and only a few kids every yr get in. This yr most kids r going to DESC a few to DC 1 to JC and quite a few with no places at all still. It's very stressful trying to get a place for secondary school here and it does affect the kids. I know this from experience as my kids at present do not have a school place and the school are not interested in helping ( there are 2 months of school left and the school have shown no interest in helping me find places ) other than recommending totally unsuitable schools. My kids r feeling the pressure and its heartbreaking to see. Other than this problem my kids have loved their time at JAPS :-)) and I have my youngest down for a place when she is due to start school in a few yrs. Good luck in your decision x