PsyGuy wrote:
> Short Answer: No.
>
> Long Answer: Nope.
>
> Really Long, I like to read long esoteric, niche write ups that delve into
> minutia but are mostly for the sake of being verbose almost entirely
> academic.
>
> Not really.
>
> First, youre a tourist teacher and the ISs that you would be interested
> that are going to meet your requirements have pretty good instincts for
> picking that up.
>
> Second, those requirements are going to make you essentially unemployable.
> Based on what your making now in AUS with your resumes your looking at a
> haircut of half/50%, maybe a little better and closer to 40% what your
> making now and while an OSH package assuming you get a full one adds to
> that youre losses in pension arent going to make up for it.
>
> Third, your resumes are nice, but when you get to the metrics of it its
> 8/13 years experience (and really nothing beyond 10 makes much difference
> in IE, with salary caps) advanced degrees and pro.edu. credentials. Which
> is all nice but again, at the ISs your going to be remotely interested in
> that resume is going to be very common if not on the lite side.
>
> Fourth, speaking of those ISs you are effectively saying you want capital
> cities to explore and entertain you (not much to do in the rural regions
> and country side that isnt going to be done in a weekend or two). You're
> going to want substantial domestic help since you want a cleaner and a cook
> and unless your going to wait a number of years until your infant is school
> age your going to need a nanny/caregiver. While you can find cheap domestic
> help in some regions its usually because the region isnt a first world
> country which rarely can offer first world coin (there are exceptions like
> TW for example). Youve got a traveler ratio of 2:5 which is more than the
> 1:1 staff:dependent ratio but with a baby thats more like a 1.5:5 since ITs
> with infants tend to have much greater incidence of absences. Youre just
> two expensive.
>
> Fifth, you also have some very narrow preferences which dont fit the
> factors in your requirements. None of the regions in the WE or NE are going
> to satisfy you with the comp and coin and provide you the ability to afford
> what you want all while making substantially less.
> The regions youve mentioned specifically HCMC and BKK will have low cost
> housing and domestic help but not at the level of coin you would be
> remotely happy with. Tokyo has a very flat income differential in edu, and
> while you could possibly at one or two ISs make a level of coin you would
> be comfortable with the costs of living in Tokyo where those ISs are is
> going to cut significantly into your compensation and those ISs can go a
> whole year and not recruit anybody, you could go a decade or a whole career
> and not see both a maths and a Sch.C vacancy become available. Abu Dhabi is
> a maybe if all the planets and stars are aligned its possible you could get
> a package and offer meeting your requirements but its a jumping on one foot
> while trying to shoot an arrow through a hoop from a km away type of
> probability.
>
> So what is there:
>
> THE GOOD
>
> Executive Leadership; Your requirements are obtainable at the level of
> executive leadership or even in some well funded senior leadership
> appointments. The problem with that is I see nothing in your resumes that
> would indicate you would be marketable for that type of position. There are
> thus two options I see for the near future and one for a more distant
> future:
> 1) You do some immense networking and you find a group of AUSs that want to
> start an AUS IS and they hire the two of your to be their founding
> leadership.
> 2) You start your own edu business, not an IS but with your backgrounds you
> could hang shingles out as a AUS Uni. consulting outfit and/or a
> Tutoring/ESOL/Testing cram ES. You dont need much you get a two level
> residence you live out of the top and work out of the bottom. Its a longer
> plan though like 5 years.
> 3) You start making that transition to leadership. You can get a
> superintendent credential from MA in the US by taking an online literacy
> exam and you can get the Harvard Certificate in School Management and
> Leadership (CSML) for USD$2K in about a year. If even a lower tier IS gives
> you HOS you can appoint your spouse to junior/senior leadership and you can
> meet those comp requirements of yours.
>
>
> THE BAD
>
> There are some regions not on your list that can meet some of your
> requirements if your willing to sacrifice something. Those regions are
> Switzerland, The Kingdom (and some other parts of the ME), and potentially
> China (if you find two different ISs in the same city at upper tier ISs).
>
> Virtual teaching. Its possible you can take advantage of numerous regions
> freelance/digital nomad visa programs. This is the easiest way you get into
> the WE/NE/EU region and allow you to actually travel during your tenure.
> You dont need the domestic help because you work remotely from home.
>
> THE UGLY
>
> Off Circuit; There are many, much more than on circuit ISs that could meet
> your requirements. The problem for the most part is its going to take a lot
> of work sifting through private/independent DS websites to find them. Many
> of them only advertise locally and often there is a language barrier if you
> arent in an English/International Academy.
>
> You waste a lot of time and take your shots hoping you get double
> appointments in one of those very small number of highly competitive
> regions and cities elite tier ISs.
>
> Japan isnt going to be that complex for you as @Spawnboy99 indicates. The
> reasoning being that the ISs youd have to ask those questions at are going
> to be non-starters for you to begin with. They arent going to have the coin
> or comp thats going to meet your needs, which you are only going to find at
> 1 to 3 ISs in Japan, and all of them are in Tokyo.
>
> The first year in JP tends to be very cheap in terms of taxes and social
> insurance costs as they are based on your previous years earning which in
> your first year your previous year is zero. Taxes in Japan even Tokyo are
> going to be less than AUS.
>
> Japan has two leaving taxes. A departure tax thats a ¥1000 per person but
> it also has an exit tax for high net worth individuals. Its VERY unlikely
> it would apply to you.
>
> JP taxes all compensation regardless of being an allowance, salary, or
> tuition/fee waiver.
>
> Housing tends to be very expensive and a 4LDK for you and your family is
> going to be on the very high end and have limited availability. Its not
> difficult to find housing in Tokyo. There are plenty of English websites
> and property agents that can help you very easily. The old system of key
> money, security deposit, guarantee, and 2-3 months rent still exists but
> there is plenty of modern expat housing that doesnt have so many costs.
>
> In summary, what you describe really is a very rare scenario in IE.


Thank you so much for the input. I really do appreciate it.

Here in Australia a Guidance Counsellor is part of the school leadership team and is paid very well. As an 8+ year experienced teacher, the pay is extremely high here too.

We do have connections to an Australian school in the UAE, however, I appreciate that the stars and planets aligning for work in places we want might not happen.

Sounds like we are better staying where we are and enjoying what is on offer here in Australia. Lots to take on board and think about. Thank you so much.

[quote=Heliotrope post_id=63601 time=1674779211 user_id=229797]
You're both highly employable.

Being close to the UK and a high savings potential are a bit at odds with each other. I would focus more on being somewhere with a direct and affordable (relative to your savings potential) flight to the UK rather than geographical proximity, as the countries closest to the UK offer some of the lowest savings potentials. With that in mind, the Middle East comes would make sense, even though imo that's a far less interesting experience than the other countries you mention.

If you don't mind me asking: why do you want to go international? Is it an innate desire to explore the rest of the world and get outside your comfort zone? Or is it mostly financially motivated?
Just asking because you say your current jobs are fabulous, so you might be disappointed with how some international schools are run. Also, be mindful that retirement should be part of the financial puzzle.
[/quote]

It is very much a desire to travel and see the world. Financial gain is a bonus.

Whilst our schools are great we are happy to move on and try other things - definitely aware that international schools may be a let down.

We definitely feel as though if we don't do it now, we never will. But if we stay, will we regret it. If we go, will we regret it.

Hi there,

We are a family of Australians wanting to get some input on our employability and potential income. Particularly in Vietnam, Thailand, Japan or perhaps the UAE.

Husband and wife, 6 year old, 2 year old and a baby.

Husband:
8 years experience across primary school, secondary maths and technology and a year as a maths HOD.
Bachelor Primary Ed, Masters of Ed, grad cert Middle school maths, grad cert senior secondary maths.

Wife:
13 years education experience. 9 teaching high schools maths/science/marine science. 4 years as a junior secondary and middle secondary Guidance Counsellor.
Bachelor of Science, Post Graduate Diploma of Education and a Masters of Education (school Guidance and counselling)
Experience and focus in supporting mental health, LGBTQ+ youth (we are aware this is still sensitive in some countries), developing school policy and wellbeing programs.

We are keen to be closer to the UK to travel over and see family.

We want fun local attractions for our children to engage in. Safety. Ability to obtain affordable cleaner/cook.

We need to assess if this is affordable and worth giving up our fabulous current jobs.