How competitive is Western/Sub-Saharan Africa?

[ms. anthrop]

Hi All-

Reading through the forum, I've not been finding a ton on African schools. Is it less competitive to get into a decent school in Africa than other places? Any recommendations of great schools or likewise, places to avoid? Heck, anyone taught there recently and willing to talk about it? Good African IS teacher blogs? I lived in N.Africa for 5 years, so I understand that it's not all safaris and sundowners but it is the region that interests me the most.

Thanks! :D

[PsyGuy]

I just don't think Africa is a popular place for most ITs, there are a number of ISs in Africa, Seatrch has 54 schools.

[Rutabaga]

I taught in West Africa for a bit. I really enjoyed it. While it may not be a popular choice for a lot of teachers, at my school, there were a lot of us who had come because we specifically wanted to live in the region. Many of the schools in Africa are quite small. Teachers often end up with many preps, as a result, or multiple levels in classrooms. Internet is often slow. It can be hard to get resources locally. That being said, I thought the experience was fully worth it and would go back. I guess it depends on what you are looking for.

[PsyGuy]

@Rutabaga

So what was it about west africa that you and your fellow teachers wanted to be there for?

[Rutabaga]

For me, it was primarily the culture and the music. West Africa is a great place to live if you enjoy live music. And while I did not choose to live there because of this, the cost of living was quite low, so I was able to save quite a bit, even though at first glance, the salary wasn't that high. I also enjoyed the community there - there was an interesting mix of people.

[PsyGuy]

Ok so that's what yuo discovered while you were there, am. Correct? What was your motivation to go in the first place before you even got there?

[Rutabaga]

I already was into the music before I came. And I had always been interested in Africa. I wanted to experience something different and I did.