May be relocating to San Juan (apartment, rent, violent crime)
U.S. TerritoriesPuerto Rico, Guam, U.S. Virgin Islands, etc.
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Due to my husband's job we may be relocating from northern Europe to San Juan, PR. Based on my findings it seems that violent crimes are on the rise and police presence is next to non-existing. We have 3 small children, one who's a 3rd greater, all of them blond and Scandinavian looking so I'm sure they're going to stick out like a sore thumb. We hear however that racism is minimal in PR so that's a plus.
We're looking for information and help to find areas that are safe to raise children in. We expect to be able to pay between $1300 and $2000 rent or mortgage plus we have budget for sending them all to private school, about $27,000 per year. Which neighborhoods can you recommend from Old San Juan to about 30-45 minutes drive out of the city?
I speak some Spanish but my children will have to learn the language and that's the other reason we would send them to private schools as it seems they teach in English with the exception of history class and of course Spanish.
Dorado - Dorado Academy, TASIS School (Same as the ones found in Switzerland, France and England)
Condado - Robinson School, Saint Johns School
Anywhere around these four schools are fine. Most of the top English schools, listed above are between 4,000 to 15,000 a years more or less. So, your stipend will leave you with some money remaining that will serve you well for books, uniforms and other supplies.
Hi, Thank you very much. We heard about two schools too called the Baldwin school and the other one was Academia de Perpetuo Socorro, a Catholic school. Do you know anything about them by chance?
Due to my husband's job we may be relocating from northern Europe to San Juan, PR. Based on my findings it seems that violent crimes are on the rise and police presence is next to non-existing. We have 3 small children, one who's a 3rd greater, all of them blond and Scandinavian looking so I'm sure they're going to stick out like a sore thumb. We hear however that racism is minimal in PR so that's a plus.
We're looking for information and help to find areas that are safe to raise children in. We expect to be able to pay between $1300 and $2000 rent or mortgage plus we have budget for sending them all to private school, about $27,000 per year. Which neighborhoods can you recommend from Old San Juan to about 30-45 minutes drive out of the city?
I speak some Spanish but my children will have to learn the language and that's the other reason we would send them to private schools as it seems they teach in English with the exception of history class and of course Spanish.
I believe it is important to know where in San Juan your H will be working. From there you can pick a good nearby private school. Exactly where will your H work?
If you are a person with nordic features I would not worry. PR is a rainbow with all available colors. You will not stick out.
The crime is mostly on the druggies. MAke sure you live in a gated community or a secure apartment building.
If you are in downtown Saint John may be a good bet. Another great school would be San Ignacio, a Jesuit school.
But the most important thing to know is: The address of his job. From there you can figure everything.
A nice place to live if you are working in old San Juan would be El Condado.
How did I miss putting Baldwin on the list. Absolutely! Baldwin is one of the best English only schools on the island and in an ideal setting as it is suburban unlike St. Johns and Robinson. The Academia del Perpetuo Socorro I know little to nothing about other than I hear it is great school, however the location is also urban.
I agree with the other poster who stated to search based on the location of your husband's job. Traffic can be quite heavy in the San Juan area, Guaynabo, Bayamón, etc. So, being as close to his job as possible is ideal.
Best of luck to you and your family. Puerto Rico is a beautiful island and I hope you enjoy your time here. God bless!
Thank you for your input. My husband would be in the touristy area of San Juan so if or when it goes through we will be looking at schools in that area. I will keep the information you sent and try to locate an email address for these schools. I can only find a phone number. Baldwin and Perpetuo Socorro both have websites but for the other ones I cannot find websites or email addresses. If you know the links I would be super grateful if you can email it to me. Puerto Rico looks beautiful and incredibly interesting to experience despite the violence that seems to be increasing. I lived 2 years in Naples, Italy in the nineties and that city has it's issues too but nonetheless it was an experience I would not have wanted to miss. Walking inside a volcano - the Solfatara Volcano - is an amazing experience. I'm sure Puerto Rico has numerous of those too.
Thank you for your input. My husband would be in the touristy area of San Juan so if or when it goes through we will be looking at schools in that area. I will keep the information you sent and try to locate an email address for these schools. I can only find a phone number. Baldwin and Perpetuo Socorro both have websites but for the other ones I cannot find websites or email addresses. If you know the links I would be super grateful if you can email it to me. Puerto Rico looks beautiful and incredibly interesting to experience despite the violence that seems to be increasing. I lived 2 years in Naples, Italy in the nineties and that city has it's issues too but nonetheless it was an experience I would not have wanted to miss. Walking inside a volcano - the Solfatara Volcano - is an amazing experience. I'm sure Puerto Rico has numerous of those too.
Best regards,
K.
The touristy areas are Old San Juan, Condado, and Isla Verde.
I would look at this school in Condado
SCHOOL PROFILE
Saint John's School is a college preparatory, nonsectarian, coeducational day school founded in 1915. The school, located in a residential area of the Condado, has an enrollment of approximately 750 students from preschool to grade twelve. 84% come from Hispanic backgrounds, 8% percent from diverse backgrounds and 8% from the continental United States. With the exception of Spanish and French classes, instruction is in English.
The school is divided into two divisions:
Elementary School (pre pre-kinder to grade six)
Secondary School (grades seven to twelve).
Mission
The mission of Saint John’s School, is to ensure that all of our students develop a passion for learning, build strength of character, and contribute compassionately as independent thinking members of society, all within a learning environment committed to academic excellence.
Philosophy
In an environment that blends traditional with modern educational practices, Saint John's aims to develop the intellect, spirit and creativity of every student. The school believes in the intrinsic capacity of each student to develop self-control and self-direction, and it fosters the emergence of leadership qualities, analytical ability, respect for tradition and human reason, development of a sound and responsible value system, and an appreciation of life.
Location
In the dynamic Condado section of San Juan, one block from the beach and in a comfortable urban campus setting.
Saint John's School
1454-66 Ashford Avenue
San Juan, PR 00907-1560
Tel: 787-728-5343
Fax: 787-268-1454
School Code: CEEB 546160
I've always liked the Ocean Park area. It seems very middle class, relatively quiet, and without a lot of the problems of neighboring areas. It is next to Isla Verde and close to the Isla Verde/ Condado/ Old San Juan strip.
David
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