Expat Q&A: Sanitary Risk, Traffic Conditions, Pre-school Facilties, Typical Week in Bangalore

Sanitary risk and traffic conditions
Information on preschool and "new to Bangalore groups"
What a typical week in Bangalore is like?

Q: Here is what I have been told:- Sanitary risk, especially with young children. Moving (by car) is very dangerous, because of traffic conditions. You (and your wife) can even not drive by yourself. What do you think ? Is there a lot of expat families living in Bangalore ?

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Answers: Glad you are so upbeat about moving to Bangalore. Just kidding! To answer your questions, yes, there are risks in moving to India, but with a few precautions you can be reasonably safe. Sanitary risks within your house will largely depend on your housekeeping. If that sounds flippant, it's not. If you are sloppy about housekeeping, you will be inviting cockroaches, ants and worse. However, my kids follow a few simple guidelines and that is all that is needed. Wear shoes/slippers outside at all times. Don't drink water that has not been filtered. Don't eat cut and open fruits or vegetables, and only those uncooked items that you know have been washed well. Don't pet the stray dogs.

As for driving, yes, it is chaotic and frightening, but many expats I know drive themselves around the city. I noticed a slight method to the madness, in that there is a certain amount of give and take among the drivers. It takes a while to realize that there are no lanes, and traffic lights are merely a suggestion, not an order, but that has not kept expat drivers off the roads. Cows and dogs are the least of the problem on the road, it is the pedestrians and the auto-rickshaw drivers who will madden you. What do I think about moving here? I am here, aren't I? There are many, many expat families living here. It is not for the faint-hearted, but it is enriching, exciting and a fabulous experience for the kids.

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Question: We are moving from the US to Bangalore and are staying in Richmond Town. My son goes to school here and I would like your opinion on which school in the area I should pick. Was wondering if you could provide me information about a preschool that your friends runs for 5yrs and younger. Well, Bangalore is completely new to us so any help will be much appreciated. Would also like to know if there are "new to Bangalore groups" that I can join and meet folks. Thanks in advance for your advise.

Answer: There are excellent preschools in different areas. Many expats have told me of sending their kid to the closest preschool, just for the convenience, (with a few checks, of course) and being very pleased with their experience. As you know, I am new to Bangalore myself and so cannot give you specific advice. However, I found organizations like the OWC have a mother's group and play group for younger kids, where everyone is plugged into the preschool circuit. As for new to Bangalore groups, there are a few, such as the OWC (Overseas womens' club), Bangalore expats club, and even a Returned to India club. They have web pages you can access and hopefully that will give you some leads.

Question:My husband has been offered an opportunity at work to move to Bangalore. We have 3 children. I am wondering what life is like there. Your article was very helpful. Thank you. I was assuming that I would have to home school my children because I know nothing of the schools. If you can offer any other information, it would be extremely appreciated.

Answer: What will life be like here? The same as there and totally different. I guess what I am trying to say is that people tend to do the same things everywhere. If you are the outdoors kind of family, you will find opportunities to do the same here. Let me describe a typical week for us, and tell you where it differs from life in California. The school day is much longer here, and the kids get home only after 4:30. But they do all their after school activities in school, so they are totally free when they get home, except for homework. So we do an after school snack (fruits, milk, cookies, all similar to what they had over there, except for the tragic absence of peaches), then blaze through the homework.

There are many kids in our apartment building so the kids go out to play till dinner time, and then read or finish homework till bedtime. There is a great children's library near our house, about a hundredth the size of the one in the US, but with a good selection, so we visit that about every ten days to get books for the kids.

On weekends we make little exploring trips around and near Bangalore, have sleepovers with friends, work on school projects etc. Probably sounds like a regular week, right? Well, here are the differences: we have a full time driver/chauffeur since not only does the traffic intimidate me, but I don't know (gasp!) how to drive a stick-shift. The driver runs errands and picks up groceries as well. We have a maid who cleans the house, does the dishes, helps with cooking. So the amount of time you have is greatly increased. As my husband likes to say, all his household chores have been delegated to a far more willing and capable person.The novelty of cows on the road and men urinating at every turn (my kids wondered if Indians drank more water than other people, as at any given time you can see at least a couple of men urinating) wears off, and the what you are left with is the routine specific to you and your family..

- KC