I live in an area close to most of the international schools:

Rent is 2800RM
Mine is 1b flat, but in a brand new, very conveniently located building. People in slightly older but still nice condos get 2 or even 3 bedrooms for same price. People sharing a 3 bedroom bungalow with 1 other person can get a nice one for about 2,5000-3000RM each person

I spend, not including rent, 4,000RM - 5,000RM a month. That includes plenty of holidays, days out, some nights out and eating out almost daily. It does not include a car though as I do not drive and if you are a big social drinker your costs will rise further as alcohol is expensive here.

Dad: "You'd be the biggest fool on earth if you didn't accept the offer. Go!"

Mam: "Brilliant, we can stop over there and stay with you on our way back from visiting your sister in New Zealand, I'll go book the tickets now"

The one about the best Welshman being a Welshman overseas refers to the fact that Welsh people overseas will often be much more proud of their heritage and culture than those living at home.

Google translate is much better than some of the old computerised translators but it struggles with the archaic form of proverbs! The original version of those three are:

A fo ben, bid bont (who would be a leader must be a bridge)

Arf gorau, arf dysg (the best weapon is the weapon of learning)

Gwr heb ddysg, llong heb angor (a man without knowledge is a ship without an anchor)

Some Welsh proverbs (translated of course!)


It's not good if you could have done better

Two-thirds of a job is just getting started

A country without a language is a country without a heart

The best weapon is the weapon of learning

The best friend is a good book

It's too late to raise your pettycoat after you've pissed

The most at fault, the first to blame

Who would be a leader, must be a bridge

A man without knowledge is a ship without an anchor

The greater his boast, the less his achievement


And one more which will stay with me as I embark on my first overseas job:

The best Welshman is a Welshman overseas!

Thanks PsyGuy, that makes sense. As an Aldar Academy school it does have two sister schools in the city (Pearl and Al Yasmine) so I guess there will be similarities.

I'm likely to refuse the interview offer anyway as I have a job for 2013 so could only do it if they'd consider me for a one year contract.

I've been offered an interview at Al Mushrif, an Aldar Acadamies school. Does anyone know much about it?

I'm aware that the school is new , only been opened one year so it's unlikely that there will be a lot of information about it but I guess info on the other Aldar schools will be of some use (or are they totally different?)

I've pretty much given up on the review side of the site, it seems that only negative reviews are written (makes sense I guess, people only bother to write if they want to vent).

I find the forum much more balanced!

Thanks for the info and the balanced opinion stella! Really helps!

Does anyone have any experience of the Alice Smith School in Kuala Lumpur? Especially the primary campus. The reviews in the main ISR section seem very positive.

How about KL as a city as well, good place to live? Comfortable living on a teacher salary?
Thanks in advance to anyone who can help!