As someone who had their teacher parents spend 4 years in Saudi while I was at college- don't worry. You'll be instilling self-sufficiency, and individual attitude, and they'll grow up quicker.

I was always amazed at my friends who brought laundry home, couldn't manage a bank account and were seemingly helpless.

Give you kid the opportunity to come overseas and join you when they can. Encourage them to travel and share in your experiences.

It was tough when I said goodbye in August, knowing I wouldn't see them until June- but I ended up doing so much more than my friends. With all the technology and communication tools, you'll be in touch.

Get you IB experience now. Wait on a family, then make a move to better paying job with better benefits. Once you child arrives, having good insurance will be important. You'll also be more attractive to good schools without dependants.

[quote="shopgirl"]My other concern was if I wanted to switch to a better paying school after two years, would that bring down my chances of getting a decent salary in the next school. Would they expect to pay me a lower salary than someone with similar experience and qualifications because my previous salary was so low?[/quote]

I would think they other school might see you as a better candidate as you've already lived in the country and proven yourself at school they know. As long as you know what you're making, and believe in what your worth, what's to loose? Put your time in the lower paying school. Learn the country and get the experience. Then if you want, make the move over. There are many people who make the jump from a lower paying school to a higher tier destination.

[quote="PsyGuy"]Was that a double entendre?[/quote]

Depends on the 'sport' you're playing

Brazil: Were Even the Ugly Can Score

They can use that for their Olympic motto..... :)

[quote="oxpic"]I am looking for a friendly city with a rich local culture to work in for my next post.
How is your city and where have you lived that you felt that you mixed with local people?[/quote]

Jakarta and Bangkok for the incredible culture, warm people and rich history.

[quote="redster"]I go with the school over the city. If you don't like your days and take home work that frustrates you and can't stand being around the people you work with, then perfect scenery, food, cost of living and culture won't make it a good place to be. If your school is great, the kids and colleagues a blast and every time you think of school brings joy then you and your compatriots can put up with almost anything in the living environment. I remember side splitting laughter over no electricity, water and other hardships as we all helped each other get by.[/quote]

Yes, you make the best friends in the worst places. Nothing's better than no electricity, a little corruption, dysentary and the occasional flood to bring people together.

Yes

Well I taught in a location that I loved, but the job wasn’t one I liked. The school was great, it was just the specific job. Wasn't happy.

On the other hand grew up in Jakarta- dirty, polluted and crazy crowded. Ended up loving it. Those kind of places create environments where you develop life-long friends. The community gravitated to the school because often that was the only thing going on.

Actually not to be glib about it... I did see personal bias growing up in an international school. You had individuals who brought bias to the table, examples being Japanese bias toward Korean, Indian/Pakistani friction, white/black South African bias and friction, Javanese towards basically every other Indonesian ethnicity (and all of them toward the Javanese)- and many others. My student body consisted of nearly 50 different nationalities, all major religions and so many languages.

The difference being though that most of those bias came from the parents. Rarely was it reflected in the students. I believe that was in large part because we all were 'forced' to socialize together at school, and that cancelled out the ignorance of bias. It's kind of hard to hate on someone when you're dating their sister.....

And I think that's a great part of international schools- it's such a mix. You'll have individual bias. It just won't be tolerated in general by the general population- especially the students because they'll know different. They'll just accept the differences and use that to their advantage. I think that's one strength of TCK's and those that make this a profession.

In terms of staff and bias towards you... of course you might run into someone. I'd have a hard time though believing that they'll hold any major position at any major school for long with any type of bias.

As a male elementary teacher, I'd have parents- especially South Asian parents expect me to be very strict- even tell me I could use corporal punishment on their kids. While there were a few I'd have loved to put over me knee at times- there was no way. And when I told them that my classroom management skills were more 'subtle', they were disapointed. One even told me I was a 'soft' American. I guess that's a bias.

It won't be. And in the rare case of someone doing so, they will be beaten.


Seriously though, just as anywhere, you'll have the rare idiots. However in an international setting with an international student body, it won't be an issue. In my experience you wont' be Asian-American- you'll be you (IMHO).

Can't hurt to try... Plus, can your wife contribute in terms of filling some kind of non-instructional position? Can you offer to pick up cost of two kids? If you can offer a unique solution to a hiring problem for a Supt, then maybe....

I've got Adobe Acrobat Pro- which can do this. However here's a free solution (I haven't used it. If it does not work, Google a solution):

http://www.mergepdf.net/

If you're in a pinch, you can email me your docs and I'll merge. Let me know. (Not sure if I'd email my docs to a stranger, but then again thought I'd offer....)

Yes- do a couple of years in China and then move up on the ladder to a better school. Getting your foot in can be the biggest challenge.

I grew up in Jakarta, and in the twelve years I lived there, was in Bali many times (spent two summers there...).

The aggressive selling in Kuta is unique to that location. You won't get that in Jakarta. You will get, sometimes, aggressive panhandling though. You'll also get smokey situations (the smell of clove still brings me back 20 years. That, diesel fuel and large trash dumps...).

Jakarta is a loud, polluted, crowded, hectic, hot, sweltering, frustrating place that can drive soft tourist mad. I loved it and still consider it home in many ways. The Indonesian people are incredible, the friends you'll make will be life-long friends and you'll come to appreciate Jakarta in many ways. Bali is definitely not Jakarta- and I couldn't live there.