(PM is disabled?)
In the words of Bob Seger, "I ain't pretty, but I ain't shy"
They never changed wording on contract (does it need to go back to the board?) but I was given verbal assurance that they would cover more shipping, and cover some more utilities. Small increase that makes me feel 1000% better. We'll see if they are righteous men. Lot of "wait, see" in this racket.
Keep the faith, Cicero!
BACK TO TOPIC:
Do I want to be massaging 200 lbs in 4 conainers (+2 suitcases) into and out of an airport? I would need a pick up to get there, 2 porters, and a pick up truck upon arrival.
On the plus side- more security?
On the downside- Customs? They would want to rifle the entire thing. Where would I hide my handgun and drugs and King James bible???? (J/K uptight teachers!)

I have found a shipper that will send 200 lbs (90 kgs) of books and clothes from NYC to the Middle East for 200 dollars. During the process we started with a quote of 400lbs for 250 dollars (I didn't know how much my stuff weighed until I got the essentials containerized) and it didn't really matter where in the world I was going.
I put my stuff in 8 rugged flip-top boxes. There are other container choices, but this worked best for me.
Is 200 lbs for 200 dollars a good deal? How much would the airlines charge if I showed up with 4 extra suitcases at 50lbs each?
I am also driving my stuff down to the docks so there is no forwarding or shipping in the U.S.
Is this a good deal?

Now I see why this site is ghost town. Smug, self-important commenters seem to smother any discourse.
Let me point out your mistake. I did criticize the pay scale for PE and their contributions to the educational mission of a school.
You, not me, extended my comments to denigrating other subject areas, and assuming that I put my subject area above other. I never suggested either of those ideas, and I deny them.
Now you both seem to making judgments about the 'type' of teacher I am and what my future overseas will be. Aren't you the omniscient rulers of all you survey?! Well done.
A better more positive contribution to this website would be to put up a defense of PE and leave your attacks on my personality and my dismal future out of it.
You may have good arguments and could persuade me otherwise, but spending a great deal of effort to be offended ( I don't find people that disagree with me offensive. Why do you?) doesn't address any goal of this forum.
Because of responses like yours, I understand why nobody says anything of consequence on this site and nobody is willing to name their school. Your writings are belligerent, and self-rightous, but you are probably nice people. I judge the act, not the actor.
Good Luck and enjoy your summer!

RedRider- you are putting words in my mouth and trying to make me look bad. I never implied anything that you are saying. Please read my post again.

All very good points, gentlemen. I do not have all the answers. You can point at any system and notice the problems. Does that mean the current system is without problems? I will stand my ground on PE. You can doll up the language all you want- they play sports with kids. You could hire anyone you want, and the kids would learn (self-directed) and get as much out of it if you had a PhD., or the Pope, or an 18 year-old.
As far as more/less pay causing friction- every office/jobsite/school I have been at in 30 years has had it's conflicts over pay. Are you telling me that every department chair you have EVER worked with deserved the position and the pay?!?!?!?! God bless you, and you are a very lucky teacher.
This could be another thread- but this is why the teaching profession suffers the slings and arrows. Why don't better teachers get more money? I know for a fact that I am not the best teacher in my school. I also know for a fact that I am not the worst teacher. Why do we all get the same salary?

But isn't that why many of us are stepping out of American schools? (begging the pardon of Brits or others) My personality is not suited to lock-stepping up the salary ladder for 25 years. I'm accepting a salary that is just about the same as what I'm leaving, but I expect some advantage on the tax front. After a 2 year contract, I expect to move up with this school, or look again for something better. The same process could be followed in the States, but there would not be as many choices or freedom. (Also, I've worked in urban, suburban and have always found more pay is always cancelled by higher cost of living)
As far as feeling bad that some teachers get more money than others- I wouldn't feel bad. Right now there are salesmen, lawyers, IT guys, etc. that make more money than me. Doesn't bother me. If you are in demand, and have special skills then you should be able to negotiate and EARN more pay. If I may boil it down; it has always bothered me (and gotten me in trouble with union officials) that a Physical Education instructor gets paid as much as me. Coming to school in shorts and watching kids toss a ball around is equal to what I do??!! We are all brothers and sisters but we also need to keep our house in order and understand that fairness cuts in two directions. I guess I'm getting off topic. I'm just saying that there are models and realities of unequal pay and you can buy into whatever system is best for you. Myself, I want to work hard, compete, and secure what I can in the market place. Negotiations and contracts are only business tools. They are not chiseled in stone by a a burning bush.

I don't think anyone on this forum is ever bored by a nice teaching story. That's why we're all here!
Good luck, and keep checking forums. Your experience is valuable.

I got that question about 5 years ago, in an interview that I blew. Had no idea what they were getting at???? My dumb response, (full of uuhhhs)

"I have stacks of papers on my desk. I have a computer at one end. The students sit at tables."

If the person had said, "Tell us how you organized your room, and the reasoning that went into it." I would have listed all the important things. Describe where you have the class rules. What posters do you have, and why. How do you return papers? Do students have boxes, do they pick them up, do you use file cabinets? How is student seating organized, etc...
It is a mundane question IMHO but you can work it.

Here was my strategy- I would ask for a small amount to be added to the contract, see how they reacted, then ask for a medium amount, etc... Work them in stages. The offer did not include any allowance for shipping. I typed up an e-mail justifying my need for books (heavy) and my professional wardrobe (bulky). Included estimates from a couple of shippers. "No. School has a policy and standard contract" I cut the amount in half, and asked them to split it with me. "No. School has a policy..." I made a final attempt to add 200 bucks to either airfare, or settling in allowance, just to save face. "NO! School has a policy..." I made it to a fourth round, where I asked for some more specific language about dates of salary payment. They gave same response. I was discouraged and they were getting a little snippy about so many questions and "special treatment". I had to pass on offer, but we are still in touch. I am an experienced teacher, but new to international. I am in a bad position for leverage, but look forward to my second contract. It is late in the hiring season, whatever is in the next offer I will be taking. Thanks to all who responded, and the inclusion of this topic in the ISR homepage really generated a full spectrum of views. I understand more and more the deeper I get into this community.

Ichiro, I thank you and your words are valuable. Your time and thought are appreciated by a community of teachers.
Let me clarify something, that I think everyone reading noticed but you may have missed. I did NOT say that teachers are cattle. I DID say that they are, "treated like cattle". There is a world of difference in those two statements.
Secondly, your opinions are interesting and everyone can read them with their own mind. For myself, I love students and love my job. But if you think that I am going sacrifice my own fiscal well-being so that the school can save money, you are naive. I am not a missionary, and I am not interested in working to enrich the owners of a school. I am a professional, who can help students learn with experience and expertise. I will participate in a fair exchange my knowledge and work for money and all that represents. The market place is where you ask for what you want. How you handle rejection, laughing, or loss is your personal business. For myself, I'm going to get paid every single dime I am in a position to earn and possibly join a long line of people who were laughed at on their way to getting everything they want.

I've discussed my counter offer with my home-boys and most think I'm overboard. Still working on it. I've gotten the contract and will be signing it (or not) in 48 hours. I'll post here how it went.

I agree.
If asking for a little more puts them into a tailspin, that is a bad sign for the school that I'm going to spend the next 2 years with.

Haven't seen the scale.
But thank you for suggesting I do more research on other schools in VN. I am familiar with China and the US, but I need to look more closely at the country in question.
Personalities, indeed. That is pure truth and I was hoping it was more generic and universal. This is a school with a full HR dept. so I'll assume it more professional than the others that have had teachers in their off time interview me.
Thanks Red, you are a credit to this website!

I have had doors open because of the state cert. when I know that the school is not confirming validity. One school, very new and in China, admitted that they get fake credentials (but didn't seem to know how to check credentials). Those are just observations related to your post. If I'm not too nosy- why don't you just get the state cert? If you don't want toaddress it, just ignore this post. Good luck, regardless!

Thank you, Overhere.

I thought that might work, too. The moving fees are exempt from taxation in Vietnam, but I'm hoping the housing stipend is too. I'm hoping to bump up the housing allowance. That is nice, but that doesn't really help me. I need that salary to go up. Here's another thing I was going to ask for on the backend, in stead of salary- school gets me a cell phone and pays the bill, or Hi-speed internet. I need those to do my job well.

I know how to negotiate, but I was just wondering if schools find it offensive. Do you see my question? I guess I'm pretty committed to negotiating because that is my personality, but I want to know if I'm tripping emotional land mines instead of business land mines. Or if that is an unknowable factor, how 'bout how common it is? I'll let everyone on this forum know how it goes. Somebody needs to post here.

I'll take that as a start. It doesn't hurt to ask. I was curious if they had any impatience. Will they be offended just by the idea that a teacher is asking for more than they offer? In my private U.S. world, I don't think it is anything negative. But in this position I have to worry about other cultures and also international school culture. So far, I see teachers being treated like cattle. I guess I'll just try to moo a little louder, and see if I get the hammer. Thanks for responding JISalum, this ol' board is a little lonely.