Nearly eight years ago when my blue-eyed boy was born, I was working in the office at the school enrolling children of the age of the 3 into their first year in formal school. Aghast at the sight of the dummy and blanky and nappy being swiped from the child and they being stuck in…
Four countries, six schools, fourteen years, two and half thousand days, ten thousand arguments over the perimeter of a swimming pool and a million proud moments, there ends my daughters school life. Of course, she’s delighted and can’t wait to say goodbye to school and get on with the next chapter, hard for a teenager…
It’s endearing to watch the news and late night talk shows and hear just how concerned Irish people are about being inclusive to all religions in Catholic schools across Ireland. A hard core disgruntled group of do-gooders speaking out for those that fail to get into our national schools which are of course primarily Catholic…
It’s that time of year again when the school year is beginning to close in and talk of exams are rife and yet another year has passed with no talk of returning to the nest. When we left Ireland for Doha back in 2010, education for the children was just a matter of getting them…
For families arriving in Qatar, finding suitable schools for the children is likely to pose the biggest hurdle, when trying to get set up in Doha. You’ll have been warned and you understand that all the English speaking schools are private and have long waiting lists but you fancy your changes and hope that with…
Only one week to go of the summer stint back in Ireland, ducking the searing Middle Eastern rays, and like every parent with limited disposable cash and heightened stress levels, I cannot wait for the kids to go back to school! Albeit my children have a longer journey to their school in Abu Dhabi but…
Education for your children is possibly one of the most significant issues to consider when living as an expat in the Middle East. Quite often it is the point that forms the essential part of the argument on whether people stay or go. The focus on education may be particularly heightened for expats in the…
In an effort to revitalize the interest I once had for the arts and all things cultural, I decided to spend an evening in the newly opened “Cultural Village” in Qatar. As a lover of most things arty, my heart skipped a beat whilst viewing the spectacular city skyline in the rear view mirror as…
On reflection, the single most thing I took for granted when living in Ireland was free primary and secondary education. Yes, zilch, nada, nothing. As an English speaking Irish person living in the Middle East with two school going children I can certify that paying for education puts a whole different tint on the things…
Emigrating, or thinking about it? Well just before you pack up your every possession and hand the house keys back to AIB, be aware of the one great freebie available in Ireland. Education. Please note that the definition I’m using for freebie is something that doesn’t cost more than 1% of your annual salary but…
thereluctantemigrant 