Thanks for the recommendations! Did you get maternity leave as if you had given birth? I am not eligible until after the first year, but I anticipate the process taking that long (or longer) anyway.

Yes, I would be adopting a special needs child, but what qualifies as special needs is really broad. I haven't done the home study yet. I will be doing it after I arrive. I am hoping to build a support network there. I do also have other family in Asia and parents willing to fly.

I am a single woman with one child who would be going to the PK at the school where I will teach in China. I have started the process already of adopting a child under 4 from China.

Has anyone had any experience with adoption while teaching overseas, their own or a colleague's?

What is your BA in? From what I understand, there are several ways to get your US teaching credentials online. That would help quite a bit, I would think. My guess is that is the biggest disqualification.

This might seem kind of silly, but this is my first go around and I am coming from a job where I was hired on the ride home from the interview, so I don't have a lot of experience with recruiting/interviewing for schools.

I have interviewed with the principals of two different schools, both of which are desirable to me.

Both school's principals want me to speak to the director of the school. One at SA Cambridge. One via Skype soon.

Is that the final step? Do principals generally recommend one candidate to the director or two or more?

I know that this must vary school to school, but any general insights would help. My experience has been that the principals hire because I have never worked somewhere with a director. TIA.

Wow! Thanks for the long response. I am saving it for when I know to which country I am actually heading. Nigeria is currently in the mix, so I know that the potential to be scammed is high and that many banks view all transactions from Nigeria as if they could be fraudulent.

Currently I live in the US and have a credit union. Having traveled for short stints, I can tell the fees will be unmanageable living overseas.

US citizens - Do you have a favorite bank? Especially those of you that have moved countries and kept the same account.

Just looking online, it seems like Charles Schwab might be the best. Or maybe HBSC?

Slightly related topic then:

Those of you who have been to these fairs, how to female candidates dress? Male attire is pretty standard (suit, blazer and slacks, tie, etc), but what is considered appropriate for women can be a broad spectrum.

Is everyone in blue, grey or black suits? Does it depend on elementary/secondary? Shoes (it seems there would be a lot of walking around)? Better to stand out a bit or blend in?

For reference, I am in my early 40s and fairly good-looking, but not a former model. Enough to be attractive but not threatening. (<-This is according to friends. I suck at self-evaluation.) I look better dressing like Joan from Mad Men, but I am not that gorgeous.

Great info and advice here! Thanks again.

I am on the paid side. This forum seems to move quicker, though. Since posting, I have gotten three interview requests. One for a school in Nigeria's capital, one in Ho Chi Minh and one in China where the pebbles are golden.

The one in Vietnam has an affiliated elementary including PK. The other two have PK. My son will be four in March, so would qualify. The schools all seem to have good packages. All three have mentioned that teaching multiple subjects/multiple certifications + ESL experience is why they contacted me.

Of course, I haven't interviewed yet and certainly haven't been offered anything. But I am going to Cambridge too. So I am hoping this becomes a moot point!

Thanks again. You've confirmed what I have been thinking. I actually had several interviews with a school that met what I needed, except their pre-K was half-day. Nannies there are half of what I pay for daycare here, so that wasn't an issue to me, but I am pretty sure that they went with another candidate because of my situation. And that is okay. I get it from their side of the equation.

I am going to try Boston, be happy that I have alternatives here in the US, and maybe look at building either IB or AP experience in the next year or two so that if I don't get something that I want this season, I can apply with a school-aged child and better experience.

Thank you! That's the type of advice I was looking for. I am already signed up and going to the SA Cambridge fair because I have a friend who lives 3 miles away and is willing to host me, but my associate made it seem like with a young child that none of the schools are going to want me and, absent the free housing, I should only go to San Francisco.

I am not looking for Western Europe, or even Europe at all. I know the cost of living is high. The ME seems like I could make money, but there might be visa issues even though my son's dad will sign any needed paperwork.

I've mainly been thinking about Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tanzania, Indonesia, Malaysia, Bangladesh, India, Vietnam, Cambodia or comparable places.

I do have the luxury of having a guaranteed position for next year, even if I am struggling a bit monetarily here, so I won't accept a position just to have one if I am not going to have an opportunity to save.

I am signed up with both agencies, and they are both having fairs in San Fran that overlap. It looks like going to both is feasible, with a lot of running around. Advice?

About me: 10 years experience teaching English. History and ESL at the HS level. No AP or IB experience. 18 years (concurrent w/HS for 10) tertiary English. One dependent child 4 yo. Willing to work almost anywhere if I can save more than $8000 a year and it is safe (this is relative as I live in a big city and hear gunshots weekly).