Yeah, sounds fair enough dealing with it that way. Makes sense to clear it up before you get there rather than having it hanging over your head as a worry. I don't think it necessarily needs to be mentioned at the interview stage, maybe when discussing job offer is a good time.

I don't have pre-existing conditions but I did recently ask for full health insurance details before accepting my new post this year. I think it's an important part of the package and the longer I've been overseas and the older I get, the more I realise how things can strike out of the blue and the need for good cover.

Good luck with the job, and I agree, if the offer is rescinded then you're better off not being at that school anyway.

There's no need to tell them at the interview, but I would ask about the heath insurance before accepting a post. I always ask, it's quite justified and schools should be willing to answer questions. You don't need to tell them about your history, people get ill overseas and you want to know that if it happens you'll be looked after.

With regards to how it's dealt with at schools, I knew quite a few people that had health issues in Cairo; cancer, mystery viruses and various surgeries, they all had no problems being treated (overseas if necessary) and getting time off (up to pretty much the whole year) and then returning to their job. At my own school, full pay only continued for 6 days and then was reduced to about 75% I think for a further 84 days. After that you didn't get paid.

[quote="Tundra_Creature"]Location probably wins for me by just a nose, but even then it honestly depends on how bad the school is. If the school is average/somewhere inbetween, then I'd certainly choose location, but if the school is absolutely appalling, then I'd choose school over location.

In short... can I choose a little from column A and a little from column B? :P[/quote]

I pretty much agree with this. I wouldn't go to a dreadful school just because it was in a good place. I've always kind of weighed it up, applying to great schools in locations I wasn't so sure about (never really know what it will be like until you get there) and I've lowered my school expectations slightly for places I've really wanted to go.

Whenever I've shipped stuff the shippers have come and packed everything for me. I've just made piles/areas of things that needed to go.

With regards to shipping papers, I'd agree with the others, scan it if possible. Do you really need to take it all? One good thing about moving, for me, is that it's a good chance to de-clutter.

[quote="nikkor"][quote="old grey wolf"]
Here is my list

ESF Hong Kong - pays well, but can be a little stifling!
[/quote].[/quote]

I's also add to that, they have very large classes in primary.

Good news psychris, now you can start looking for a cheap flight.

Re. the policy thing, it's always stated in my contract rules about time off. I was offered a job at an American school which gave a couple of paid personal days but I've not come across this in British schools.

[quote="PsyGuy"]I dont get the Skippy PB either, but its scary isnt it. I hear the same thing all the time. About the only thing thats worse is Brits and their vegemite.

[/quote]

The vege/marmite thing is a bit different to complaining about not being able to get Skippy's PB, as it's not about a brand, you can't buy a local version. In any case, if you have a favourite food/drink that won't be available in your new home, stick some in your case.

[quote="IAMBOG"]PsyGuy said: "They have a lot of vacancies because they have a lot of turnover, in all fairness its not a horrible school, its just after 2 years teachers want to move on the a better school and region."

Sdak said: "The school has only been open from Sept. of 2011 - so how could anyone have been fed up after working there for 2 years? Really. Its enrollment has skyrocketed. Hence the additional teachers."

That's hilarious. Keep 'em coming PsyGuy. You should do stand up.[/quote]

Oh that is brilliant, made me laugh, glad I read this thread now. Makes me wonder how/why psyguy continues to claim his is data is right, when clearly it wasn't in this case. At least it gave us a chuckle.

If it's your best mate, go for it. I would, and I know others that have done it. Your school might say no though, in which case it's out of your hands.

I was in Kuwait for a couple of years. I enjoyed it at the time, and met some great people, however I wouldn't return. The savings aren't that great, you can get just as good a salary (if not better) elsewhere. Also, I ended up spending most of my salary getting out of the country every long weekend and holiday as there just wasn't much to do there as a single woman. But, for 2 years it was fun, kind of like being back at uni with loads of house parties, and it was an easy way into international teaching with no previous experience.

I just don't think that we can use Search as a judge of whether a school is any good.
There are quite a few excellent 'British' schools that I know of that don;t go through Search, and as Psyguy says, there are some rubbish ones in Search. S I don't see what the Search argument would be. All we know is Search has some good and some bad schools. There are also many schools, again, good an bad, that don't go through Search.

Ichiro - Harrow is a posh UK school.

Hong Kong schools often only give you flights every couple of years (each contract) Some don't give you any flights, others fly you out and that's it. It's not necessarily the place to go if you want massive savings.

[quote="relaxedjkt"]Well, firstly, I said it's NOT really a British school (the owner is Singaporean if that helps), and secondly, if EVEN Search won't handle it, what does that tell you?

Clear enough?[/quote]

Nope, not really.
Many (most?) international schools have owners from the area of the school. Many are run as businesses. The point is, if it is following a British curriculum it's classed as a 'British' school, and they often don't go through Search. Are you suggesting that the other 'British' schools around the world are run by the British government?

[quote="relaxedjkt"]
If they aren't a Search school that might tell you something about them. [/quote]

I don't get that comment. Are you suggesting that any decent school would go through Search? I'm not sure that's necessarily true of British schools.

Congratulations on the job.

Nordanglia have a couple of schools there and have a guide that you download, it might have some useful info for you:

http://www.bisshanghai.com/

There's loads to do in Shanghai. Enjoy it.