You could consider continuing to pay the minimum and look at the returns you could get by investing your excess money elsewhere. Look at the interest rates on your loan and on potential investments. It may be worth while to get more return on investments than putting it into the loan.
Just a thought.
Good luck!

When I was there, I think flights were reimbursed, and there is also a margin for a housing allowance included in your pay. I am currently in the ME and the pay is truly fantastic, so comparisons financially don't really make sense as it's a whole different ball game. Stavanger will definitely be a place where you have to watch your budget for a month or two, but once you are settled into the whole Norwegian groove, it isn't hard to budget. The rental houses are not huge but they are well maintained and the landlords are very up front and straight with you. The allowance should cover a decent place. Just ask. The current administration there is beyond great so if you are in negotiation, just talk to them.
Health care is excellent and free. Like everywhere, it may take a while to find the right places and the right people, but virtually everyone speaks extremely good English.
There were lots of Coloradans there at the same time as me (a couple who met there and got married, no less!) They loved the lifestyle.
There were also couple with whom we are great friends who started their international career there, direct from the US. It started them off on a great career. They are now at THE premier school in KL.
All round, just a great place. Scandinavia is probably the most kid friendly area on the planet. In Norway, they have rules about the number of play grounds and open spaces they have to have per houses in the area. There were 9 little parks within stroller distance of where I used to live. You could probably cycle the length and breadth of Norway on cycle paths without hitting the actual road!
Anyway, I must stop going on. Good luck!

OK, Suad Al Kindi as far as I know, is the deputy head at Awsaj.
Awsaj used to be called The Learning Centre and is a special needs school. Qatar has a lot of problems with consanguinity, with many families having mild to profoundly disabled kids, and lots with learning difficulties. This is where their kids go. There are some wonderful, HIGHLY trained and motivated staff there, mainly western and some local.
It could be that this guy has been tasked with running a new school.
I shall try to find out. I know nothing about him other than his name and his (previous?) job.

OK, host country students 95%.
This tells you almost everything you need to know.
These are my thoughts (and it's conjecture but based on 5+ years in the country.)
1. You will get paid very well.
2. the kids will vary from very nice through to total spawn of the devil, having experienced no parenting, no limits and brought up with nannies, drivers and credit cards at their fingertips. Few will come from families who genuinely value education, particularly a western education.
3. If the admin if pukka international then they will probably keep the board and parents off your back and the school will probably develop and run in a fairly decent fashion.
4. If it is part of the Qatar Foundation then you could do very well there, if it is NOT part of the Qatar Foundation don't even think about it.
5. Ask to be put in touch with teachers who are already there.

Doha is a funny place. I've personally had enough, but many folks just love it and stay for ages. It's boring, but pretty safe and the money's great. It's a situation where asking a million questions to ascertain whether you are a good fit is crucial.
Keep asking questions! Good luck!

Cindioeo, stay frosty! I agree that you will end up where you were "meant to be."
I only started in IS's when I was 35, and I am now 49. I start at a new school next year and so looking for jobs after that might get tricky, so I know how it feels on the age front. We hope to stay at the new school to graduate our kids, then after that our choices will likely be limited by my age.
However, I don't know of ANY school or country that actually bars recruitment of staff below the age of 50 (maybe Mongolia has the lowest limit?)
At some point in this whole process, some school is going to realise that they are desperately in need of someone just like you and they will be grateful to have you.
Whilst the "feeding frenzy" of recruitment happens around the fairs in January/February, there is plenty of recruiting done a long time after this. Personally, for singles, I think that March is the charm. Whilst schools will favour teaching couples in the first instance, their mosaic needs to be completed by a combination of singles and couples.
Your job is out there! Good luck and keep us posted. XXX

I taught there for several years and I can confidently guarantee that it is one of the best places to work in the world. You have a degree of tax sheltering for a total of 4 years, after that you have a variety of options.
If you are disciplined, you can actually save some money. I think the saying is that you can do two of the following; live well, ave well, travel well! But probably not all three.
Norway is staggeringly beautiful, clean and safe. If you are outdoorsy or raising young kids you could hardly be in a better place. I suppose the only downside is that long, dark winters can affect some people badly.
The school is very good indeed. Moving forward and developing without having a million mad initiatives going on at once. There's a great mix of excellent "long timers" and younger staff, and brilliant admin. The kids are a mixture of locals and ex-pats, with many from the oil industry and the NATO base up the road.
If you get an offer, take it.
Of course, now you are all asking "why did you leave?" The answer is that after 4 years and the cessation of the tax benefits, changes in the contract mean it is difficult to keep a financial footprint in two places. Secondly, the rest of the world was out there!
But seriously, Stavanger is awesome!

Damn you are lucky to be American! I'm British and I'm sick of dressing up as Queen Victoria! LOL

I'd say chance your arm and get recruiting. Maths and Physics are high demand subjects and your experience has got to count for something. I'd say everyone in the IS community is aware of the situation in the US. Leap into action and get your ducks in a row with regards to recruiting materials and get out there. You never know! Good luck!

As far as I know there are Qatar Academy, Qatar Academy Al Wakra, Qatar Academy Al Khor.
Can you be a little more specific? There are new schools constantly springing up to meet demand in Doha and many of them have similar names.

Hi All
Lots of valid points from OPs here.
My comment on the "ex-pat bubble" is that there is plenty of variation within it! I went as a single woman to South America, I suppose hoping for a relationship with someone interesting, whether local or otherwise.
The ex-patriots I met were extraordinarily varied. Being British I was embarrassed to encounter a load of revolting, leering British Hash Club types who were married, fat and ALWAYS on the prowl. Then, over my years abroad in various countries, I always seem to meet a coterie of bible belt Americans with the trailing spouse wives who found fault in everything. Easy to avoid.
However, beyond these stereotypical types were a fabulous range of people. I have met load of parents who are locals and ex-pats who form a rich community around the schools, and who are a microcosm of how the world could be in terms of tolerance and co-operation. In fact, I find that the IS teachers I meet tend to epitomise the sort of person I enjoy hanging out with. Wherever they are from, they are a self-selecting bunch who are usually up for a bit of adventure, keen to appreciate all that their country of residence has to offer and generally alongside how I tend to feel about a variety of issues.
Right back at the start of my career (I'm about to move to my 5th IS) I married a "bible belt" American who couldn't be further from the stereotypes if he tried. He played in a band (with locals) and has been the perfect companion to me through all our travels. We have two great kids who are probably some of the best traveled on the planet!
I think my message is that if you work in IS's, I think you will tend to meet a pretty cool and adventurous sort of person. I think it is a good way of meeting a potential partner. Good luck!

Hi Psychbean
I taught there years ago and LOVED it. Venezuela is a beautiful, beautiful place. We left mainly because of the devaluation of the currency.

This year 4 teachers I am close friends with moved there and they are having a ball. The director there is extremely good indeed. The school is great.

However, let's not mince words: It is a dangerous place, particularly if you are Venezuelan. The school use a company who are literally "international rescue!" who give you a number to call if you are in any difficulty at all, or even just feel edgy or uncomfortable. We used it once when the wheel of our truck was resting on a drain cover which collapsed, stranding us outside a local theatre. They sorted it all out rapidly.

Its the sort of place where you take the following precautions:
1. Never go out with any valuables on you that don't need to be there.
2. Go to the ATM in pairs at busy times of the day.
3. Lock your car doors when you are inside, and assiduously lock your house.
4. If you are robbed, hand over what you have and don't make a fuss. The chances of you getting physically hurt are slim.

I heard of one or two car-jackings where the people inside were driven around ATMs drawings funds until the money ran out. But they were not physically hurt. I never heard of any home invasions.

The school and teacher housing are in a very nice part of town. There are DEFINITELY places you don't go as you'd be asking for trouble. There are occasional incidents involving ex-pats but most of the statistics pertain to locals.

I think you would definitely have to have your wits about you, but you wouldn't be living in fear. A bigger turn off for me would be the inefficiency of the airport and the cost of flights back to the US.

Perhaps someone who is currently living there could chime in?

Now that's what I call a useful forum!

The fee schedule we were quoted dropped from 6% in the first year to 2% then 1% after that (lower than some of our US managed funds.)

Additionally, "FPI" stands for Friends Provident International, part of one of the biggest investment and insurance groups in the world. They essentially underwrite the instruments sold by various companies as they don't sell direct to the individual.

I agree with some of the posters investment suggestions. Unfortunately, some of them are simply not accessible to non-US citizens, certainly in the form that they exist for nationals.

For Brits, investments such as those outlined by the first poster are the norm. But as I said before, self-education is the key!

Good luck to those who are looking for jobs....or indeed investment opportunities!

The scary thing is that the products they sell are perfectly legal. They are perfectly legal. The even scarier thing is that many financial instruments in the UK are really very similar indeed. To American eyes, they are the last word in rigid inflexibility.

Our family investigated some of their products as a way of diversifying our investments. In the US you can invest (more or less) what you want, when you want. British products, which are mainly based in the Isle of White, have some fairly hefty front loaded fees, a very fixed fee schedule, a rigid payment structure and penalties for any sort of change or particularly for surrender. That's not a scam, that's just how it is in the UK! In return, you usually get quite good ROI (stock market permitting, as with everything of this nature) and funds are also tax sheltered and can be drawn upon anywhere in the world upon maturity. We did the calculations and, frankly, after a hypothetical 25 year run, the UK Vs US was a wash (literally about $400 to choose between them.)

We chose not to invest in any UK instruments, staying with our US based diversified portfolio.

SCI are a fairly standard investments company. Most companies sell similar products. I suppose one could take issue with way in which these products are sold. When I had dealings with them, they were very clear about the terms and conditions. However, my husband is extremely savvy about this sort of thing and asks all the right questions. We never felt at any point that they were being anything other than what they are: Salesmen, selling a fairly standard product.

Concerns about investments and investment companies are fairly universal, whatever line of work you are in. The sad reality is that most people, both sides of the Atlantic, are simply not very knowledgeable about finance. I do think that teachers who move abroad are vulnerable, especially if they get a good job and find themselves with disposable income for the first time. It can be a steep learning curve finding out the best place to put your dosh. Interest rates in bank accounts are miniscule, Americans can still be taxed and Brits AND Americans are blocked from putting money into certain state pensions/investments back home.

If you are from the UK, you should have a teachers pension with the Pru. This is one of the last of the very good national, employment based pensions. If you have one, DO NOT surrender it under the QROPS scheme or any other as it will result in huge losses. Let it sit there whilst you are abroad and start adding money to it to the greatest extent that you can upon your return.

At least, by talking to SCI you will see what is on offer with regards to tax-sheltered investments which are UK based. Use them to explain their products and to educate yourself. You can then walk away. There are plenty of companies out there, and lots of different opportunities.

By the way, I am actually a bona fide IS teacher, not en employee of SCI!

:wink:

I would answer honestly, if someone emailed me.
Being at a school on a day-by-day, week on week basis offers an entirely different experience to the reviews you sometimes see. Plus what's great for some is awful for others.
You have to answer the questions you are sent as factually as possible and avoid going off on one.....