I have to disagree with Shadowjack. I think your future looks bright - as long as you are single female with nothing holding you back who is also down for a good time and up for giving head's what they want! With that combination, I see Western Europe in your future. If those characteristics don't apply to you, try an MA in school counseling at Cappella - the doctoral alma mater of many a sleazy heads from Africa to Asia, which is important because you don't want degrees from schools that are real if the heads have degrees from schools that are fake. They will not stand for being out-shined, out-maneuvered, or out-smarted by high quality educators/counselors. Good luck.

I have never seen so many openings in Germany during one recruiting season. Anyone have thoughts on why?

I would dispute PsyGuy on one major point: I was at the London fair last year and I met a lovely fellow teacher whose significant other was going to be a trailing spouse. They also had two kids. Long story short, this teacher got three offers (two at the fair, and one a few days later). So schools do sometimes pick quality over cost, as the family now has their two kids enrolled in the third school for little to no cost. The trailing spouse was location independent because of the spouse's business set up, so that may have helped too.

Y'all, I'm in awe of all the kind thoughts. I am okay, and thank you for sending them.

@reisgio, regarding your prize...how about I meet you in London or Cambridge in January 2019 and I pay for dinner? ;-)

A cursory review of the international news would reveal where I am. But here's a hint: it's what the Portuguese call a "little farm," and indeed, it is full of animals. :-/

They treated me like Mammy in Gone with the Wind. Goes with the territory I guess.

Starting at a school this school year and within weeks the school's neighborhood, and just yesterday, the school's campus itself, descending into a war zone - literally. Utterly horrifying. I thought by skipping on Africa, ME, and South Asia I would at least avoid open warfare. Troops on campus yesterday disabused me of that notion. I learned that it's been almost this bad before, but not for over 30 years. Great city/country otherwise, but if I fear for my life, what's the point?

It will depend. Most will have so so compensation because the compensation is not having to work in a public school. But the rarified top of the industry pays extremely well - much better than international schools. I know many friends making 100k+ at top schools in CA, NY, MA, PA, MD, DC, VA, and FL.

I have had just a wretched time. After rejecting two offers made before the fair, I came in trying to turn over a new leaf. So much for that. Today I had distinction of being asked to an interview at 3pm. While waiting, I overheard the recruiter offer the job to someone else. When that someone else left the room, the recruiter looked at me like he had seen a ghost and said, "I emailed you that the position was no longer available." I was polite and said, I didn't get the email, and when I went back to my room, no email was received. LYING BASTARD. I am going to go throw up, but I will write more about this horror show when I come up for air.

I don't usually kiss and tell but I will if I ever get to London (my flight has a five hour delay)...

I am new to international teaching, but I am not new to this world. Both of these schools misrepresented themselves to me. To be honest, being from the inner city I am very quick to pick up on people because I had to in order to survive. These two schools were very nice to offer me jobs, but I get the sense that both are pretty shady places. Onward and upward. London here I come.

I can't any more. I just found out by doing online research that the head and principal at the other school (not the one that offered me nearly half what I was expecting based on their false Search profile) that I interviewed with and was offered a job at are both leaving! WTF?! Everything about their philosophy and school structure is unique to them. I have no idea how the new people will or won't carry on with the way the school is currently run. Now I have no options because I would never take a job at a place where both of my bosses are unknown to me until my first day on the job. LHM! China and West Africa are out for me. Done.

The best part is that he gave me a week to give him an answer, so I have to respond no later than the day (Jan 12) before the fair I am scheduled to attend. Seems purposeful...

Thanks PsyGuy. To clarify, I have far more experience than the low end number I was basing my expectations on and the offer made was worth just above half as much as that. Very good advice, thanks.

As you may have read in another thread, I was offered two positions. One of the offer letters offered basically what I expected; the other did not. Actually, the offer from the second school was worth nearly half of what the school said it would offer on its Search Associates profile. I am livid because the second school is the one I want, not the first school. Is it normal for offers to be so much (almost half) below the salary expectations listed on Search? Doesn't this just prove the school's leadership lies for a living and I wouldn't want to work there? Help me out here - I am sweating in places I didn't know I could sweat and I got to get back to these schools in a matter of days and I am completely undecided as to what my next move should be.