Search found 1173 matches

by wrldtrvlr123
Sun Jun 18, 2023 5:16 pm
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: HK RT question
Replies: 11
Views: 26353

Re: HK RT question

I was hired by English Schools Foundation (but ended up having to turn down the position) quite a few years back now. At the time I had a BA in a non-education field, a professional US certificate from FL (that I obtained through an alternative route with no student teaching) and a few years teaching in the US + a couple of years teaching in a small int’l school. At that time they seemed quite unconcerned by my credential/background were very happy to offer me a job.
by wrldtrvlr123
Wed Mar 22, 2023 4:21 pm
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Stories of Success
Replies: 14
Views: 69829

Re: Response

PsyGuy wrote:

> WHAT I LIKE MOST:
>
> Having an obscure enough role that requires about an hours worth of real
> work that might actually matter for a full days coin plus OSH benefits.
> Somedays I have to ask myself what my job is, and more often than not the
> answer is my role is a total resource leech in a bloated system.
>
> ADVICE:
>
> Dont confuse what you do with being who you are.

ISS or ET?
by wrldtrvlr123
Thu Oct 28, 2021 7:19 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Vaccination and other issues.
Replies: 54
Views: 169394

Re: Vaccination and other issues.

[quote=PsyGuy post_id=62193 time=1635393663 user_id=68047]
@shawanda

Racist hyperbole aside.

[/quote]

Actually, it's kind of hard to put it aside. And it tends to cancels out whatever good points might be hiding there (if any). It's never pretty, whatever the source and whoever the target.
by wrldtrvlr123
Tue Aug 03, 2021 7:21 am
Forum: Forum 2. Ask Recruiting Questions, Share Information. What's on Your Mind?
Topic: Teaching in Italian International Schools
Replies: 8
Views: 31230

Re: Teaching in Italian International Schools

[quote=Daisyduck post_id=61591 time=1625274479 user_id=229415]
I just spent a year teaching at an international school in Italy. It was miserable. Italy is not all it's cracked up to be and living there is vastly different than living/working there. First two years are tax free, but you actually still pay health insurance tax of about 8%. Italian health system is ok, but very challenging to navigate. Only a few of the most established schools offer benefits like relocation or flights - most schools do not. None offer housing. Salaries are low across the board - I've never been paid so little. Covered our expenses with myself and my spouse working, but literally saved nothing-and we are frugal people. The school did give places to my two children and free (not very good) lunch, those were the only benefits. It is important to be at a school that really supports it's expats because trying to get anything done in Italy is extremely challenging and frustrating.

DODEA is an option to work in Italy - there are 5 DODEA schools in Italy. But getting a position with DODEA is hard and to specifically get to Italy is harder. Plus working at a DODEA school is not the same as working at an international school. Not saying one is better than the other, but they are very different experiences.
[/quote]
Like anything, there will be good points and bad points for each situation and some that will be good/bad depending on your personal situation/view point (e.g. teaching Italian/int'l students vs. American students, working and/or living on an American military base vs. living on the economy, navigating Italian services/bureaucracy vs. navigating US gov't/military bureaucracy). Agree that getting a job with DoDEA in general would be harder than getting a job with an Italian int'l school (with DoDEA in Italy being even more difficult).

Financially, it's no contest. Salaries at DoDEA schools would likely be 3/4 times the salary of an int'l school, so even with paying US taxes, you would come out way ahead. Especially when you factor in that you would be paying no rent or utilities for a nice to very nice place. In addition, you would also receive a post allowance that would add another $300-400 in salary per month, tax free and periodic travel allowances back to the US. You would also have access to facilities on post/base at no cost and where language is not an issue (e.g. clinic, gym, commissary, library, various recreational activities/facilities).
by wrldtrvlr123
Sun Jan 31, 2021 9:23 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Teaching Abroad and Home Ownership
Replies: 13
Views: 21289

Re: Teaching Abroad and Home Ownership

Just to offer something different...

We sold our houses both times we left to teach overseas and have no regrets. It has been very nice not to have to worry about every hurricane, blizzard, hearing from tenants about problems, etc.

To be fair though, we were not really in great financial shape either time and selling was by far the best option for us. Now that we could afford to buy something, it doesn't make great logistic sense for us (although I guess it could make financial sense, depending on a number of factors). We only go back to the states every two to three years and maintaining a residence so we can have access to it for two weeks every three years just doesn't seem worth it.

But, it seems worth it/to work out for many people, so it's worth considering, based on your own unique situation.
by wrldtrvlr123
Tue Jan 05, 2021 7:13 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: TES Community forums are now gone
Replies: 25
Views: 43592

Re: TES Community forums are now gone

A shame if they are truly gone. The TES boards had been much diminished since their "upgrade" a few years back (e.g. getting rid of Opinion, resetting everyone's status/post count, etc.) but were still better than nothing.
by wrldtrvlr123
Thu Sep 24, 2020 3:27 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Teaching Couple - Different schools?
Replies: 4
Views: 8410

Re: Teaching Couple - Different schools?

It is probably not as common as teaching couples being at the same school but it is not all that rare. In large cities, it is definitely doable. We did it in Beijing with me being in one school out closer to the airport and my spouse teaching in the southern part of the city. We found a great apartment complex basically in between our schools and within easy travel to restaurants, downtown, etc. and it worked out well. In our case, my spouse and child were under my employment for visas which made it easier than dealing with both school/HR departments. We had the choice of which health insurance to use and went through my spouse's school for the better coverage.

So, where to live, visas, insurance, travel arrangements, school for children, housing/housing allowance (for one, for both, do they add up or does one trump the other) would all be things to think about it. It is not the ideal situation for most people but could be worth it if one person secures a good position but there is not an opening for the other teaching partner.
by wrldtrvlr123
Fri May 01, 2020 9:41 pm
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Switzerland.
Replies: 29
Views: 37651

Re: Switzerland.

My only insight is based on a friend who worked at the top school (opinions differ I suppose) in Switzerland. They were a single teacher with no children and shared that even on a top/near top for the country package, the savings opportunities (in their experience) were very modest (and they were not the type to live large or even do extensive traveling).

Their personal opinion was that the whole experience (i.e. country, school, weather, etc.) was on the grey, not particularly joyful and relatively dreary side and they moved on after a few years.

Like anything, I suppose it depends on your own expectations and personal experiences/perceptions, but it definitely changed the desirability of the country in our opinion. We didn't take it off of the table, but it came down quite a few notches. Which doesn't mean of course that some people might find it a very enjoyable (and maybe even rewarding) experience.
by wrldtrvlr123
Tue Apr 14, 2020 5:44 pm
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Anyone from Teach Now in Hong Kong
Replies: 4
Views: 10813

Re: Anyone from Teach Now in Hong Kong

QTS is generally a UK thing. It is apparently their version of teacher certification (more or less). If you do a search on this board, there are many threads about the ins and out of obtaining it. In short (and probably not doing the discussions justice), if you have a "permanent" professional certification from the US (and other countries), you can generally apply for QTS relatively easily. I'm not sure how the TN obtained certification would fit into that but something in the threads (or from PG, the certification expert) might enlighten you.

On another note, I once was offered a position for the big group of english schools in HK without having QTS (I had a FL certification obtained by having a BA in a non-education subject and going the alternative route).

Good luck!
by wrldtrvlr123
Wed Mar 25, 2020 5:25 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: I Need Advice From Fellow International Teachers!
Replies: 8
Views: 19755

Re: Reply

PsyGuy wrote:
> @WT123
>
> As opposed to what, your belief that the opinion of a non-authoritative
> source carries more weight than mine.
TFF. Classic.
by wrldtrvlr123
Tue Mar 24, 2020 5:08 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: I Need Advice From Fellow International Teachers!
Replies: 8
Views: 19755

Re: I Need Advice From Fellow International Teachers!

Oh yes, I guess I shouldn't really be surprised that your ego (and the belief that your opinion carries more weight than anyone else's, including WHO, the CDC, etc.), would eclipse your tendency towards pseudo-/intellectual/scientific trappings.

My mistake for engaging. Carry on.
by wrldtrvlr123
Tue Mar 24, 2020 3:17 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: I Need Advice From Fellow International Teachers!
Replies: 8
Views: 19755

Re: Response

PsyGuy wrote:
> The Wuhan actually puts ITs in strong positions with late cycle
> recruiting since the pandemic is going to be a likely acceptable excuse for
> ITs nullifying contracts, especially with very late vacancies opening up in
> high desire regions such as WE.

LOL @ "the Wuhan". The use of the term, not the unfortunate pandemic (obviously). It sounds like an older aunt telling you someone has "the Cancer" in a loud, dramatic whisper. Or are you trying to be different by not using the proper name, but not full on Trumpian, by getting out the old black sharpie and scrawling "Chinese" .?
by wrldtrvlr123
Sun Feb 09, 2020 4:15 pm
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: US Expats - IRS form 2555...
Replies: 9
Views: 22261

Re: US Expats - IRS form 2555...

We always used TurboTax and never had an issue. The software was generally up to date and asked detailed questions about our situation, gave us our options, etc. Might be worth a look to see what it has to say about your situation before going to an accountant. We are now with DoDEA, so don't qualify for the foreign income exclusion, etc.
by wrldtrvlr123
Mon Jan 06, 2020 3:30 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Creating fake references
Replies: 26
Views: 51565

Re: Creating fake references

Illiane_Blues wrote:
> h1275 is definitely nothing more than a troll.
> Furthermore, I think it's actually PsyGuy taking it up a notch under a different
> alias, using punctuation to make us think it's not him. Smart, for a troll – now
> he can agree with himself.
======================
He is conspicuous by his absence from this thread. Especially considering that he posts on virtually every thread and has specifically advised people in the past to create fake references to cover gaps or bad experiences (oh, I mean presented it as an option, not advised that they should do it).
by wrldtrvlr123
Fri Jan 03, 2020 8:18 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Creating fake references
Replies: 26
Views: 51565

Re: Creating fake references

Yes, I would agree this sounds more like a wind up than a legitimate post asking for advice (not that there are not people like this or worse out there).

If legit (or at least real) then it sounds like you are way past asking if something is a good idea before making and acting on a decision. You've made choices (allegedly) and wish to continue making the same ones in the future to continue your lifestyle (such as it is, allegedly).Your are experiencing the consequences of your choice and hopefully you will continue to do so.

In your case, your are right, the worse that could happen would not leave you much worse off than you are now.

Good luck to you (and to the people who have to deal with you in the future).