Search found 25 matches

by Heimtun
Thu Jan 11, 2018 2:43 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: "Country of Origin"
Replies: 11
Views: 15617

Re: "Country of Origin"

Our school calculates an average cost by pricing a few round-trip routes back to the home of record listed on our contract and offers a cash allowance by the end of January. We can then do with it whatever we wish, no receipts needed.
by Heimtun
Mon Oct 16, 2017 10:11 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Recruiting Fairs - teaching couple - what to do with kids?
Replies: 14
Views: 21579

Re: Recruiting Fairs - teaching couple - what to do with kid

wrldtrvlr123--re: We also found our favorite restaurant in the whole world around the corner from the hotel and manage to pass through BKK every few years just to eat there a few times.

What is your favorite restaurant in Bangkok? Please do share...
by Heimtun
Sat Mar 11, 2017 10:11 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Telling the kids
Replies: 42
Views: 69987

Re: Telling the kids

We broke the news to our kids (one middle school aged) that we were moving to a country that they had absolutely no schema for, and there aren't a lot of wonderful stories to read online. We let them choose the few things they would bring along. Luckily, our school has a wonderful library, and Kindles provide an unlimited library on the go. Many of their friends thought moving abroad was weird, but our one son's friend who had lived abroad while his father was a Peace Corps country leader was super supportive and excited-- a godsend to a child that is always hesitant with change.
I echo the junk/comfort food statement; having some treats arrive in our shipment was a fun morale boost, and we also leave room in the summer to prioritize them coming home and hanging out with the friends that they do maintain contact with.
Having a strong family unit and talking about all the things that won't change (i.e. that you'll still all be together) may help. For what it's worth, my oldest at first agreed to two years abroad but wanted to be home for high school. It only took one year at a great international school and traveling more than ever before for him to say that he doesn't want to be back for high school. What a gift to open up the world for your children, building resiliency along the way! I'm excited for you.
by Heimtun
Mon Dec 05, 2016 7:22 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Do teaching couples pay the Search fee twice?
Replies: 9
Views: 17382

Re: Do teaching couples pay the Search fee twice?

@overhere has a good point--lack of availability at the Cambridge fair was the reason we ended up in Iowa (and like @overhere, we were also hired at a great school despite having three dependents). Plenty of top notch to very worthwhile schools attend the UNI Fair; if you can brave northern Iowa in the winter for a few days, I think that is your best bet. Keep us posted...
by Heimtun
Sat Dec 03, 2016 1:59 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Do teaching couples pay the Search fee twice?
Replies: 9
Views: 17382

Re: Do teaching couples pay the Search fee twice?

Yes, the Search fee is per person. Are you looking for jobs for Fall 2017? If so, you are likely too late to start the process of signing up with Search, so TIE would be the way to go. If you're looking for the future--There will be plenty of people here that will tell you you'll never be hired with 3 children, but I say go for it. We have three children, and because we decided at the last minute to attend a fair, we ended up going to the UNI Fair, which is in Iowa in the US. It sounds like you're in Europe; not sure if there are avenues outside of Search/ISS when you're in other countries, but Search is worth a shot. At the fair we attended, we were hired at a top notch IB school with a wonderful community; we are now in our second year and have signed on for another year here. I think the likelihood of staying in Europe will be smaller; there are far fewer schools that will hire larger families, but there are still plenty of options outside ME (which is the one region I wouldn't consider as well). Good luck--if you have teaching abroad firmly in your sights, you can make it happen.
by Heimtun
Sat May 21, 2016 7:05 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Same-Sex Trailing Spouse... Worth Attending a Fair?
Replies: 6
Views: 9447

Re: Same-Sex Trailing Spouse... Worth Attending a Fair?

My husband and I went to UNI in 2015, and with three dependents, we knew that the statistics showed there was a slim-to-none chance of scoring a decent job somewhere. We ended up having interviews at all our top choices, and got an offer at a wonderful school. Not in the most desirable part of the world, but I'd venture to say there are much worse. We're just wrapping up our first year, and we've had a terrific time exploring new lands while saving more money in a year than we did in our entire adult lives combined in the States.

The morale of my story is--go for it. While some admin may have 'traditional' values, they all don't--my school has all kinds of people from all kinds of places, and that's part of what makes it such a nice community.
by Heimtun
Tue May 10, 2016 8:08 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Banking
Replies: 10
Views: 13101

Re: Banking

@wntriscoming, my school in South Asia does the same--direct deposits USD in our home bank account, and we can designate however much we want in local currency in our local account.
by Heimtun
Sat Jan 02, 2016 9:32 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Our "Ichiro" was a hit at the AASSA fair!
Replies: 32
Views: 45047

Re: Our "Ichiro" was a hit at the AASSA fair!

Congratulations on the successful fair! We are a semester into our first international school experience, and it has really been everything we hoped it would be. You have so much good ahead; enjoy!
by Heimtun
Mon Nov 02, 2015 4:37 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Search vs. ISS and 3 Dependents
Replies: 16
Views: 20130

Re: Search vs. ISS and 3 Dependents

I'm not sure whether it makes a difference whether the three dependents come from a) a trailing spouse and two kids, or b) two teachers with three children, but we fall into the latter category. Our positions are not highly specialized or sought after--no IB Chem--but on our first try at the UNI Fair, we were hired by a fantastic school that offers a desirable package. The location requires some adventure, but that's what we wanted, and we're thrilled to be a part of our school community.

Statistics showed that only 7% of teachers with two or more dependents get jobs at the UNI Fair; not sure what Search or ISS numbers are like...but you are an individual, so don't let that stop you. Go to a fair, contact schools...if you want to make this happen, make it happen; don't let numbers discourage you. And don't let others on this forum discourage you, either.
by Heimtun
Wed Jun 03, 2015 9:11 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Recruitment Agencies
Replies: 21
Views: 30116

Re: Recruitment Agencies

I think PsyGuy is giving the UNI Fair an unreasonable assessment; it is certainly not mostly lower tier schools in Asia and South America. Perhaps that was the situation years ago, but we went this year and were a number of upper tier schools. ISD in Senegal, Walworth Barbour in Israel, AISD in Bangladesh and countless others are well-reviewed and respected. If Europe is considered the end-all-be-all (which it isn't for me), I do agree that there wasn't a strong representation; I remember schools in Germany, TASIS in England and Switzerland offhand.

I'm not saying it's the best fair, but it shouldn't be written off as a junk fair, either. My husband and I got great jobs on our first try; it can be greatly successful depending on what your goals are.
by Heimtun
Wed Apr 15, 2015 2:28 pm
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: ITs with more than 2 kids?
Replies: 26
Views: 26615

Re: ITs with more than 2 kids?

We were also accepted by Search with three kids, but decided at the last minute for logistical reasons to just go to Iowa for the fair and were hired there.
by Heimtun
Tue Apr 14, 2015 1:00 pm
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: ITs with more than 2 kids?
Replies: 26
Views: 26615

Re: ITs with more than 2 kids?

The American International School of Dhaka offers full benefits (airline tickets, full school tuition, appropriate housing, etc) for families with three children. We are heading there with our three children in a few short months, and I have been incredibly impressed thus far with the friendliness and the level of support given to new employees; they have really gone above and beyond to ensure a smooth transition.
by Heimtun
Fri Apr 10, 2015 6:38 pm
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: International School of Dakar (Senegal)
Replies: 1
Views: 3795

Re: International School of Dakar (Senegal)

I know you're not supposed to have a specific school in mind when you go to hiring conferences, but I kind of had my heart set on ISD. I love how it is like a block from the ocean, wasn't too long of a flight from the States, and we wanted to be in Africa. It is far from the big game parks, but I didn't care.

My husband and I interviewed with them and it felt like a great fit; we were asked for a second interview but they did say the number of dependents a were a problem (they don't take more than two, even with a teaching couple). They ended up not moving forward because of the dependents; it worked out for the best because we accepted an offer from a school we are very excited about.

They have a great art program, a great benefits package, and I wouldn't hesitate going there if Africa in general doesn't scare you off.
by Heimtun
Thu Mar 26, 2015 10:27 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Savings Potential Plus Good Education For Own Kids
Replies: 23
Views: 26198

Re: SAVINGS POTENTIAL PLUS GOOD EDUCATION FOR OWN KIDS

@sciteach--I'm not sure if you would consider AISD a high-paying school (it is to me). I know Bangladesh is considered a hardship post, but a 'hardship post' doesn't mean people don't have amazing, rewarding experiences there--we cannot wait and will also be well-positioned for some amazing travels. In fact, except for extreme proximity to the ocean, this job has exactly everything we were looking for.

Most people on here make people new to international teaching with children feel like they have no chance in hell in getting a job, and I hesitate to deter people from pursuing their passions/dreams. I don't know if my family is an extreme anomaly, but we have three kids, we are new to international teaching (except for a one-year exchange in a regular school in Australia), one of us is brand new to teaching...and we got solid jobs at a great school at our first hiring fair.

So anyone out there with children--believe that it can happen, and make it happen!
by Heimtun
Wed Mar 25, 2015 11:47 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Savings Potential Plus Good Education For Own Kids
Replies: 23
Views: 26198

Re: SAVINGS POTENTIAL PLUS GOOD EDUCATION FOR OWN KIDS

We have three children and so the quality of education was a huge factor when choosing an international school (our last abroad experience was a one-year teacher exchange in Australia, where the school experiences professionally and personally for the kids were horrible!). Even though Bangladesh isn't high up on people's lists, by all accounts, the American International School of Dhaka (AISD) is a wonderful, truly international community with a good quality education. The savings potential is very high (typically 50% of one's salary), and they do cover tuition for up to three children for a teaching couple. From middle school on through high school, there is a week without walls where groups of students camped in Bhutan, plated mangroves in Sri Lanka, etc...they also have a quality sports program where the students have opportunities to travel (such as to Thailand for swimming competitions).
The school's comprehensive benefits package are all published on their website; you should check it out if the thought of Bangladesh isn't immediately a dealbreaker for you. We can't wait to get there.