" First off, housing. Need we worry about making arrangements in advance, or is it okay to just find somewhere to live when we get there? If we wait until we get there, how likely is it to find somewhere we can move into immediately? My husband''s job will be in Subang Jaya - are there many expats in this area? If not, are there expat areas nearby, and on public transit lines? We''d like to rent a condo somewhere where there will be lots of other expats so I can meet some people, but somewhere that is accessible for my husband to get to work without having to buy a car. Do we need to bring much with us? Do furnished apartments have things like dishes, linens, etc? How much does it cost to join expat clubs? Is there a Canadian club? Is it worth the money or is it easy enough to meet people without joining a club? What is it like for foreign women in KL? My husband may have the option of moving to Johor Bahru eventually. Would it be better to stay in KL? What''s it like in JB? Lastly, my husband and I want to start our family soon. What kind of birth could we expect in KL? I''ve always wanted to go natural at home. I know in Singapore this is not an option, but I don''t know about KL. What about maternity/birthing centres? Sorry so many questions. I have scoured the net, but I''m having trouble finding much information. Thanks in advance for any help or advice you can offer. Jennifer "

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" Hi - looks like you have already had some help, let me try and fill you in a bit more. 1. Housing - you do not need to make arrangement in advance, unless you have some very specific needs for housing. There is a wide range of housing available viz. condo-apartments, bungalows, semi-detached houses etc. Most expats live in condos - if you couple security and facilities available together, it makes most sense. Most expats live in Bangsar, Damansara, Mont Kiara (which are all close together) and Ampang which is close to the main city of KL. Although the public transport system has grown by leaps and bounds in the last 2 years, with the Light Rail Transit (LRT) system now operational it is not yet available in many good expat residential areas. Therefore buying a local car may be an option to consider. 2. Most furnished apartments will come with built-ins, electrical/electronic gadgets but with very ""basic"" linen/crockery/cutlery. You can obviously request for these, but the rent would go up if the landlord has to buy them - and you will find it more reasonable to buy them yourself, plus they will more to suit your taste! So my suggestion is do not bring much unless your baggage transfer is being paid for by the company. 3. Clubs - are expensive, but you can join the normal expat clubs, international womens''s, american etc. 4. Foreign women in KL - its like in any big city, no different. Security issues in KL have arisen since the asian crisis, so do not venture into unknown areas etc...but this is not a problem generally...try to blend in, rather than strike out! 5. Most will tell you that KL is better than JB. It is. However, expats in JB enjoy proximity to Singapore, and if that appeals to you then you will like it there. I hear that the expats in JB are a closer knit lot than those here in KL and this is because of the numbers. 6. Birth - cannot help much here, but would advise you visit a couple of hospitals and they will surely give you the info you need. Would suggest Subang Jaya Medical Center, Damansara Specialist Hosp. and Gleneagles (Ampang). Feel free to ask more....Sid "

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" Hi Jennifer...just moved out of KL and here are a few personal observations: --Not a lot of expats in Subang Jaya...most in Damansara, Ampang and Bangsar. Clubs are expensive but there are women''s clubs that are cheap to join (American Womens Club, Westsiders, British Womens Club, etc.) Public transport is not great...I would definitely consider a car or you will be using taxis a lot. Generally you can find an apartment with a minimum of furnishings, but it is inexpensive to buy additional items. Homes are not as easy to find...most need major upgrades and take awhile....we had to wait 3 months as did many friends. Living there is not hard, but you must be able to get out and mingle with other expats....you will have little social life with the locals. Enjoy...and travel to other areas while there! Tamara Malaysia "

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Drop me a line. My wife and I were in the same situation.

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