Hi,
Our young family are exploring the idea of moving to Cambodia. We have previously lived and worked there for several months a few years back and are aware of many of the cultural and lifestyle difference between the UK and Cam.

We have narrowed down to a choice between Siem Reap and Kampot. We have a 2 yr old who we'd be looking to enroll in an international pre-school, both of which look decent in SR and in Kep, and then would send him to the high school in SR or PP when the time comes. So i'd really like to get any advice from those with young children, anything from information about the various schools to the pitfalls or joys of living in Cam as a western family. Priorities for us are an outdoor and gentle lifestyle, think local picnic pavilion by the waterfall and not SUV to the mall!

I would add that we would be looking to rent and then buy a home, have lived in very rural area previously, and would be looking to set up a small business here in partnership with local Khmers.

Much appreciated!

You couldn't have picked a worse time. Unless you already have strong connections here it could be a nightmare. If you are Lebanese or Irish just keep rolling. Otherwise wait for things to cool down a bit, that might be a while. Good luck.

John, thanks for the reply. Do you mean bad timing regarding the Covid virus or is there something else i'm missing. I think many may argue that it's going to be a far worse time staying and trying to make a living in the EU now after the enforced shutdown of the economy. I appreciate the help.

dsparshott wrote: ↑Thu Apr 16, 2020 12:04 am Do you mean bad timing regarding the Covid virus.

Yes, we'll have to see how it develops.

Do you know the prices of these international schools? clue very expensive, healthcare or should I say health insurance for your family is an absolute must and these two would cost approx up to $10k per year ($4-$5K for a good international school and insurance is dependent on many factors of course age etc. but could come in at between $3-$6k for comprehensive family cover). As a foreigner, you cannnot buy land or a house, only a condominium which you are unlikely to find in Kep or Kampot (and doesnt fit with your lifestyle choice). What kind of business would you be thinking of? Again this sadly links to finance, if you are comfortable financially and have a passive income and aren't going to solely rely on the small business then great, if not then it will impact on the amount you can be left with after taking a hit from insurance, rent and schools and your visas (which again could yet change but essentially you only get a 6 month one without a business or a job and that cannot be renewed indefinitely)

I think as JB has pointed out it is a great unknown period - the borders are closed and who knows when they will fully re-open. Traditional industries such as tourism will take a while to recover, that isn't to say it wont be without its opportunities but also a lot of uncertainty. That isn't to suggest you don't try, but research properly and look what businesses you are thinking of and how they could work, the child makes it trickier in the sense it is important to get it right for their sake.

John, thanks for this. I am fully aware of the costs of the schools and insurance, and regarding property the plan would be to rent (with rental income from back home) and then to purchase in partnership with a friend who is a Khmer national, achievable in both locations. Also regarding visas, this is something that we have looked at in detail. I think it's going to be a very tumultuous period for the next few years both in western countries and SE Asia but perhaps this could present an opportunity to 'jump-ship', so to speak.

Do you have plans for your child to be able to live a successful life outside of Cambodia when they grow up? The schooling situation here may hinder that ability compared to a western country. I've taught English to students at university here, and my high school education in the US seems like it's probably comparable to some college's degrees here. The stuff I learned in college is several steps above. But my experience with college education here is certainly limited, and there may be great colleges available in Phom Penh or something. I'd think it's definitely something to research and think about, since the child and their future is obviously the number one factor in a parent's life.

Beyond that, I agree with the above that the timing is unfortunately just terrible. My gut feeling and my brain both say you'll have a much harder time right now than you would have before. Only waiting six months or a year to decide will tell if you'll have an easier time in the future. It's a big decision to make at a time like this. The fact that you have the rental income to live on is the one thing that would make it potentially OK to dive in blind, since you'll likely struggle to be making money here anytime soon.

Firstly you are assuming that there will not eventually be alockdown in Cambodia. there are already movement restrictions in place and with no viable Social Security scheme things are going to get ugly as the money runs aout and the factories and restaurants close. Medical insurance will not help as you hae to go to taialnd for any serious problems and you can't do that easily at the moment.
There also must be some concern that when the cow dung hits the fan there could be serious civil issues. havign said that the Cambodians are resilient and the government has managed to weather many storms, so Cambodia may yet escape the worst of it, but I would not hold my breath

You won't find any "international" school in Kep, but plenty of expats have young children out there.

Bitte_Kein_Lexus wrote: ↑Thu Apr 16, 2020 8:22 am You won't find any "international" school in Kep, but plenty of expats have young children out there.

you sure about that?
http://www.kepinternationalschool.com/
and affordable...

As one who has raised a daughter outside our own country (american and phuket) thru the international schools
its not just the school, its about the staff and location. The biggest complaint most of the kids in an international school in a developing country and not in the capital voiced is, lack of things kids normally do, if they were in their own country

2nd, if ur going to pay the high fees for an international school you will need think about where they will go for university an the costs involved.
My daughters first year in university in Ca (as an out of state us citizen) was over $35,000!! ( included living on campus in a 3 bedroom apt)
Although Thailand has some good universities, Cambodia does not.