The air pollution should also be taken into consideration when thinking about Beijing, it is amazingly bad.

I'm not sure I would recommend Shanghai with young kids. The air pollution is bad and I would think the impact on young lungs is even greater than on a set of old lungs like mine. Just my thoughts, I don't have any science to back it up with, though you can follow the US consulate's air monitoring station on line.

Bratislava had a pseudo counselor when I was there

PsyGuy-Try United and Air Canada

We have always had the major furnishings provided buy everything else has been on us-from kitchen stuff to bedding and bathroom stuff to electronics. We have a place in the states so bringing everything we needed just wasn't feasible. As everyone has said, its very school specfic.

My only comment is that it is out in Qingpu in the western suburbs-the origin of the name maybe? The buildings are newish looking, the gym is a bit of a joke if you ask me and the school is not centrally located or near the metro. You can get on the freeway to downtown easily enough and there is a Carrefour, Decathalon and B&Q located about a km away.

Do not count on getting your first two bags free. That perk is quickly disappearing so make sure you check prior to packing. The cost of extra bags has gone up considerably as well, you might get the first extra bag for $100 but the second and above will probably be more.

The biggest problem with shipping is the timing, and not necessarily what was hinted at above-the length of time it takes for something to move by sea. You often can't take possession of your goods until you have a work permit, and that can take several months. Meanwhile you were on the ball and got your stuff shipped but now its sitting in the port costing you money for them to store it until your work permit is issued.

I would also like to pipe in on the cost of setting up a new residence, it can be incredibly expensive. I usually write off that first 6 months as zero savings months as we try to get everything and everyone sorted out. It can be a little disheartening at points but we've always gotten through it.

Some schools will just hand you a wad of walking around cash when you get off the plane, that has happened to us twice. It certainly took some pressure off those first few days.

Nine years teaching in China and yet to be drug tested.

In China they will cut a SIM card down to size for you. They did this for my 4S. I also had them cut an ATT pay as you go card down that I brought from the States and it worked like a charm.

Shanghai American has pretty decent housing on both sides of the river, though much, but not all, of Pudong's is a bit of a hike from the campus.

The Puxi HS has a new principal and he is adjusting to life overseas and life at SAS. The vice principal is very good. Bigger concerns at the senior admin level where the superintendent is on his way out, albeit kicking and screaming, and the deputy is firmly planted on whatever side you're not.

The issues at the ES have subsided a bit and the current admin is on her way out.

The theater program is very strong. Aida premiered tonight for a weekend run and there is an active thespians group.

Total crap! Schools are not that shallow, no matter what you think. If you have the experience, the good recommendations, the qualifications, the right family situation it doesn't matter where you have worked in the past. If you and the school make a good fit they will hire you.

Besides there are so many variables to take into consideration that making a broad statement that you can't move "up" from QSI is not true in any sense of the word. I have met numerous teachers that have had QSI experience and then found themselves at a better paying, larger school.

From my experience you should look at smaller schools in countries with a large presence of international NGOs, like Bangladesh. I think you are wise to be taking classroom mix into account for your kids' sake. Having worked in both types of schools with my own children enrolled I know it can be a tough go.

We did own homes and twice we sold them before heading overseas. The Residency status was only one factor in the equation. In both cases these were our homes, places that we had fixed up and were very attached to. Personally I found it hard to think of someone else living in our house. I am also not a handyman on that level. If things were to go wrong or if things needed repair upon our return someone else was going to have to do the repairs. Finally, indoor growops are an issue in our area and that had a profound influence on our decision.

Now, having said all that we missed opportunities to sell at higher prices if we had held on to our house for a couple of more years and occasionally as we look at realestate prices today we kick ourselves but I still think the decision was a good one.

As for our RRSPs, correct you can't contribute to them as non residents. You just set up something different and move on.

Good luck with your decision. Its different for everyone and as I think I said before I have friends who own homes and stuff back home in Canada and they don't worry about Revenue Canada.

I would add Concordia to that list.

Most of those schools have multiple campuses and the environment can be very different depending on which campus you are found.

$40,000 is a very good salary but if you are experienced you will be earning more than that at a good Shanghai school.

You can live life cheaply in Shanghai if you choose to. Food can be cheap if you eat local but expensive if you like your canned and other foreign items. If you like air travel and expect to holiday either in the distant reaches of China or SE Asia then that will cost you as well. There are hundreds if not thousands of clubs but drinking can be expensive, even drinking at dinner can be expensive.

You will never approach the lifestyle of the new Shanghai Elite on a teachers salary.

We divested ourselves of everything with the exception of our RRSPs, 1 drivers license, a bank account and CC and of course our passports.