Yup, Syriah law is being implemented fast and HARDLINE. It WILL affect and apply to non-muslims and expats as well as the local community - in fact, there is a whole section of the newly written legal code specially for the non-muslims. For example, if you host a . at your house where alcohol is served, and a muslim guest happens to be in attendance, YOU can be liable for a $2000 fine for 'corrupting a muslim' by serving alcohol in their presence. The laws and guidelines are currently being extended to clothing for all as well... Dress codes are being touted, friends of mine (female) are being told they can't wear sports tops that show their shoulders when working out in the gym, and pretty soon if your style of dress 'offends' anyone you will be fined. Increasing levels of extreme 'modesty' (but only for women ofcourse) are being actively encouraged. More recent changes (they are happening almost DAILY at the moment) include making it a crime under syriah law for any non-muslim to SAY 'insyallah' and 'asalamailaikum' (or however you spell those words -sorry) in public - we're not 'worthy' and will offend Islam, apparently, by saying them in public - and to ban any playing of music anywhere during the Friday prayer times.... so, does that mean you can't drive around in your car with the stereo on? Have the radio on in your own home? Who knows....

Anyway, anyone considering moving to Brunei any time soon needs to do plenty of research to look very carefully at the question of whether they think it's for them. An excellent source of 'on the ground' info is the local paper, the Brunei Times (www.bt.com.bn) which allows comments to be posted on the stories within it. That will give you a flavour for the local mentality as well as a good insight into what's happening there at present. In a nutshell, there is VERY widespread and outspoken discontent towards the changes being imposed by the dictatorship regime, and in my humble opinion, this is only going to end up going one of two ways: either the population will lie down and accept it, resulting in Brunei becoming an extension of Saudi or Pakistan, or there will be some sort of revolt... meaning Brunei will go the way of Egypt and Syria. Either way, it is all very very sad for those of us who know the country well and are helpless observers as the Bruneian people and culture are forcibly changed into something nobody seems to want or like.

[quote="BellaLuna"]So it doesn't look like CfBT accepts teachers from the U.S., correct?[/quote]

Bella, that's correct. Apparently (so I heard), the cost of an employment visa for a US national is prohibitive, and so the company doesn't employ Americans.

CfBT, as I understand it, pays more and offers a higher housing allowance than ISB; JIS may be the best paid option of the three.

The key differences are in the day to day logistics: in ISB and JIS, you are in an international school context; with CfBT, you are in a local school context. This has obvious connotations for what and who you're teaching. Also, the international schools run Mon-Fri with a 'proper' 2-day weekend; if you're working for CfBT, your 'weekend' is a split one: you get Fridays and Sundays off but have to work Saturdays.

The other difference, if you have kids of your own of school age, is that as a CfBT teacher you will not have the same school holidays as your own children, and this can be a real pain... especially if you end up teaching exam classes (ie. O Level/IGCSE or A Level). Come the July/Aug long holiday for the international schools when your own kids are off, you will be up to your ears in mock-exam marking. In addition, as a CfBT teacher you are only allowed to take leave during the govt school holiday periods, which can mean a 'family holiday' results in you having to take your own kids out of their school during their term time.

It sure is a peaceful and beautiful place to live and work if you enjoy the simple life - lots of lush jungle to explore, beautiful beaches (although the litter issue will depress you), a slow pace and low cost of of life, no 'nightlife', etc. It's also a good place if you have younger kids (teenagers may be bored).

I have been here for a while working in the govt system. The package offered by CfBT is not to be sniffed at, but it is probably not a good gig for anyone especially ambitious or career-orientated...

Bottom line: it's an easy ride, well paid, and a pleasant enough place to live (albeit pretty boring, with some frustrations at how inefficient and incompetent some institutions and departments are), where your kids can receive a good quality education in the local international schools.

NB: Syriah law is being brought in... no one knows exactly when.