I was one of those who made a spreadsheet of schools in the locations I was most interested in. I wanted to be able to compare what various schools/locations offered: the position (I'm certified in several areas), salary (which was not of utmost importance to me), housing (sharing an apt. would be a deal-breaker for me), medical/dental insurance--or the ease and cost of getting local medical care, whether they handled getting me a proper work visa, if they paid for a trip home each year, contact info, and which fairs they were attending. You really have to decide what's important to YOU if you go the spreadsheet route. It made things pretty easy, being able to see at a glance what was out there and who I'd applied to, and for what position, and how/if they responded. It helped me figure out which fair to go to.

I taught it last year; my school had just recently adopted it and I was on the "committee" that was searching for a MS curriculum. Not sure why you'd want to keep your questions a secret, but PM me if you must.

The British School and American International School of Muscat have the best reps. Al Sahwa and Sultan School are decent enough.

Loved living there; great lifestyle, easy to travel abroad on Oman Air. If you're not drinking your salary in the hotel bars you can save a lot of money.

Nothing recent, and not firsthand, but they have the reputation for being poorly managed with poor treatment of teachers. I taught in Muscat for two years.

Try searching for it as Jalan Bani or Jalan Bani Bu Hassan. There's a suq there where you'd be able to buy most things, but it's still a fairly remote town, I think.

Highly recommend American School of Quito for that balance. They take good care of their expat teachers though salary is low. With a working spouse you'll make out fine.

Just make sure you've researched the school and are familiar with the curriculum they use. You don't have to be experienced with their curric (like the IB) but at least know enough to ask intelligent questions about it. Also research the country; when I was applying to a school in the Middle East the question of living in the ME came up during four interviews. It was in a country I had researched and specifically targeted and I could point to exactly why I wanted to live there.

As for resources, if there are things you think you'd be able to use with a different curric, scan them and put them on disk; no point in taking thick notebooks and stuff (as I did for my first overseas posting) if you're not going to be able to use them much. If you get the job, you can always ask to be put in touch with the person you're replacing, or someone else there, and ask if there are materials that are hard to get that you'd be glad you took with you.

They are often referred to as "supply teachers," and there are several placement organizations (do a quick search on the term). If you're not already qualified or experienced I doubt you'll find any work through them. A friend has done a lengthy gig every year since she retired.

All my bills and mortgage are paid by automatic draft, and I"m able to pay my property taxes and insurance online as well. Still, it was handy for my sister to be able to write checks and do things on my behalf on occasion. She handled all my mail; I never had it forwarded to myself.

You might look into assigning a trusted and reliable relative or friend your financial power of attorney, and have all your mail forwarded to him/her. That way, they can handle any unexpected issues that might crop up. My sister did this for me, and she had some of my bank checks so she could pay monthly the neighbor looking after my house.

You can request the USPS forward all your mail, and they will do this for six months. I believe they will continue the forwarding if you re-request it. Change the billing address of your credit cards to the person you're having your mail forwarded to. Before you come home, request that mail be sent to your home address, or just collect it from your relative.

Newchapter, I had the water turned off because the sewer and garbage services are bundled in with the water service (all of which are city services), and I would get charged for them even while away. While our winters are milder, temps can and do get into the teens a few times and pipes can burst. I believe there was a charge to turn the water back on, but I don't remember how much. I say, contact your utility provider and find out what they recommend regarding shutting off the water.

Newchapter, I was in the same situation as you. My mortgage is very manageable and is drafted from my account each month, as are all my bills. If you haven't set this up yet, do so now as it takes a billing cycle or two to kick in.

I did not want to rent out my furnished house so I hired a very reliable neighbor to check on it a couple times a month (mainly checking for bugs or leaks). On occasion she would dust and vacuum and sweep the walkway out front and tidy the yard. I kept the electricity and phone so the alarm system would stay on, but I had the water and gas turned off (so no frozen pipes or gas leaks). Keep the fridge door open, and unplug clocks, lamps, stereo, etc. I also bought lots of sheets at thrift stores and kept everything covered. I took all the artwork off the walls and stored it in a closet.

About a month before my return each summer, I'd email the neighbor to get the house ready, and arrange for the water and gas to be turned on. After hours of travel, I'd walk in, and it was just as though I'd never left--sheets off, house smelled fresh fridge plugged in, a very welcoming beer in the fridge.

I would definitely contact both schools and mention you had been scheduled for/had completed an interview, saw that the job was reposted, and you are still interested in the position. With School #2, you might bring up some pertinent facts from the interview to refresh their memory and demonstrate your continued interest.

Cindi, there is no standard tier system; much of it is based on personal perspectives. I suggest you don't bother with it. My first school in SA I considered a 1, but some would rate it lower because of the package. Research schools and locations, decide what's best for YOU, and don't worry about a silly arbitrary number.

And do hang in there. We've all experienced the exhilaration of the fairs, thinking any school would be lucky to have us (even when it's true), and getting nothing. My last job I got hired for in April or May one year after turning down 2-3 firm offers from desirable schools (they just didn't feel like a good fit though the schools were solid). Just don't settle for something you might be miserable at.

You really have to have good critical reading skills to get anything out of a lot of the "reviews" on ISR. I too was shocked when I first started reading them and wondered if an overseas job was for me. But when I went back and reread them with a more critical eye, I understood that a lot of the writers came across as misfits or whiners who would have difficulties fitting in anywhere. Look at the kinds of things they complain about--are they petty, unimportant things (my favorite was the guy who had to use a cardboard box for a wastebasket), or substantial (like consistent comments about being paid late)? Are they complaining more about the city than the school? Are they relying on hearsay to back up their complaints?

Any good school with a confident administrator will give you contact info for the person you're replacing, or someone else within the school.