I will clarify this misconception about summer holiday pay.

The Chinese mentality is that you need to work to get paid. They don't always pay spring festival to their workers. Be happy that they pay YOU.

Teachers are screwed in this aspect since students get holidays. So teachers usually spend all summer doing worthless and unrelated tasks in a Chinese school so they can continue to get paid. A Chinese teacher will probably get 3 weeks of holidays a year, not much different from others.

I don't think their salary has moved in those two years but living costs have. You should be fine if you are single. But it doesn't pay as well as the Anglo.

Travel in Colombia is becoming ridiculously expensive.

I lived there in 2004.

I visited last year, 2011.

It was supposedly safer, but it's relative. I wouldn't consider Colombia a safe place to be. Risky, yes. But not where your life is in imminent danger at all times like being anywhere near a Chinese road.

Rural in china still out populates major cities around the world.

In Shanghai, we considered Nanjing rural. So go figure.

In Malaysia, one of the main languages in business is English. It is a requirement for any skilled job. Whatever your wife is trained for, she can do the work. Expect local salaries which are crap, unless she can find a company willing to get her her own visa.

Costs in Malaysia are increasing quickly, and expect it to be worse once the ruling . win their election this year. Did I say win, I meant rigged.

You Need a car here, or live by one of the train stations. Or your life will suck, busses are ok, but don't really go anywhere and are stuck in traffic.

I lived in Cali for over a year. Love the place but will never return now. I brought the family to visit friends and there was a massive shoot out around the corner with plenty of dead bodies littered around the bus station.

When I was living there, I saw plenty of dead bodies. I had two people pull a gun on me, and one was just outside a mall.

So it is dangerous enough, and even more so if you were actually involved with drugs. And if you are into the clubbing scene, which is great being the salsa capital of the world, then you are automatically exposed. Though they won't pester you to buy produce if you are not interested.

The school itself has a good reputation in the city. And I had friends that worked there, and they seemed reasonably happy.

There is a considerable danger in Cali, and I would not risk it with family. Bogota is much safer.
The city is a hole, but the people are wonderful. The food gets boring after a while, and is a bit on the salty side (but that's my personal opinion)

It depends on if you stay at a high paying school or not. I was on about 80k (limited admin role) in China and saved a ton. but it is China and I decided not to risk the daily gamble on my kids lives and left. took a pay cut to go somewhere that I know is a nice place. The school is a tier 1 school too.

I was promptly fired from my next job with no official observation and with great surprise to myself, the students and other teachers/staff. Probably some politics and a staff feeling threatened by my presence. The reason they gave was, we have standards....not sure what that means, since there are definitely non-teachers there...

The timing sucked, and was left severely out of pocket after everything and no legal recourse. So my savings took a huge hit, and I still haven't paid for my investment portfolio.

So you need a bit of luck. Quite likely you will run into a prick eventually.

Overhere is right when he said cash is king. Make use of the black market changers and get wads of cash at better exchange rates. You can find one in any major branch of the banks in tourist and shopping areas. They have foreign currency accounts at the bank, so whatever you need, they withdraw from their account so the money is the real stuff. Better than getting it from the bank.

It depends on how often you go back and how comfortable you are with cash. Nobody will rob you in China. Nobody will know about your cash when you get home. Just get someone to pick you up to reduce the risk if you want.

Bank of china has lots of paperwork which is annoying. Agricultural bank is easier. Easiest is to get a local to send it on your behalf. You will find that banks are accommodating to 'dodgy' dealings since it allows them to conduct normal business and avoid paperwork.

Choir seems to be talking about a Chinese school (or business as most of us know) running an American program. All little emperors and empresses and studying to lose their parents fortune. Won't give you any trouble but won't sit their exams once they have their offer and scholarship.

Like others have been saying, there won't be a k-8school since local parents prefer the discipline instilled and patriotism instilled in the local primary schools. And the schools only exist to facilitate an easier transition to universities abroad.

Your best option is to get them to learn Chinese and send them to a local school. The primary system is ok, and their Math will be awesome after a year.

Choir seems to be talking about a Chinese school (or business as most of us know) running an American program. All little emperors and empresses and studying to lose their parents fortune. Won't give you any trouble but won't sit their exams once they have their offer and scholarship.

Like others have been saying, there won't be a k-8school since local parents prefer the discipline instilled and patriotism instilled in the local primary schools. And the schools only exist to facilitate an easier transition to universities abroad.

Your best option is to get them to learn Chinese and send them to a local school. The primary system is ok, and their Math will be awesome after a year.

Boston is downgrading the wars to conflicts like the American politicians so they can say they never lost a war.

Just hope for no full scale American backed Israeli invasion if you're in Beiruit.

Everything is generally more expensive in pudong and more spread out. The big mall and some uber fancy restaurants are near the pearl tower. There are also much bigger parks.

It's not as 'traditional' as puxi, and you will definitely spend more for groceries since there are not as many wet markets on that side of town. I basically went to pudong for western conveniences or to take the kids to the aquarium (which is awesome).

Ifnyou are not to far from the subway, then it's great.

[quote="kfssbjj"]I find it interesting when reading reviews here on ISR that a teacher, while complaing about their school, will state that the school's salary structure is "LOWER THAN OTHER SCHOOLS IN THE AREA." First, I wonder how they could know this information as schools don't advertise their salary structure? Second, if the salary is lower than other schools in the area, then why did they take the job in the first place????? Intersting.....[/quote]

Actually some schools do. And the search database gives a pretty good idea. Part of changing schools is to move up in the world. It is natural to complain, even though in reality, getting the better job was never really an option since they were not interested.

A teacher buddy is only really helpful to find western conveniences, and their favorite watering hole.

Since the debate is about real estate, having someone that is oblivious to the fact that they are overpaying their rent is a bit pointless.

I've always found that local help and speaking the local language goes much further than your buddy who is 'learning' the local language but not really. In China, We paid local rateson our rent (well under allowance so it was a nice addition to my salary). And we got to try local delicacies much more frequently. It is much nicer for a sichuanese person to take you for hot pot at their favorite restaurant and let them order.

So my advise is to suck up to the local teachers ASAP.

Expect all your friends to have moved on. It is awkward for families to hang out with singles, and doesn't really happen unless it's a huge gathering of friends. And they make new friends with more similarly minded people.

As international educators, we have seen and learnt much more. It's hard for many to relate to us. I suppose we should set up our own tax free haven to retire on and make entry requirements 30 years on the circuit.