Does anyone here have some recent info on that school? the reviews are great, but doesn't cover 2006!
I would also like to hear about your experience in living in Manila? Is it cool? Do they have places like jazz clubs, place where to ride horses, etc. What's to see in the country?
(if you were at ISM, how are the appartments? I'm always worried about my "living space"!)
Hope someone can help! have a great day all!
(was the post of Sept 13 a spam? about a strike? weird!)
wherenext wrote:Does anyone here have some recent info on that school? the reviews are great, but doesn't cover 2006!
I would also like to hear about your experience in living in Manila? Is it cool? Do they have places like jazz clubs, place where to ride horses, etc. What's to see in the country?
(if you were at ISM, how are the appartments? I'm always worried about my "living space"!)
Hope someone can help! have a great day all!
(was the post of Sept 13 a spam? about a strike? weird!)
Don't think it was spam. Here is a blog from a teacher about living/working in Manila. Don't know anything about the author, but seems authentic and somewhat entertaining to read. http://denverallstar.blogspot.com/
Here is another one: http://www.ismstakeholders.com/. The ISM community doesn't sound like a warm and fuzzy one at the moment.
Just went and read... interesting! the superintendant is "reinstated" (spelling?) and it seems to be very good news!
I wonder what the former board did...
First time I've heard of a strike in an International School!
I, too, would be interested in hearing more about this school and Manila. I've been contacted by them about a job for next year and they seem quite enthusiastic.
The reviews are great with no rebuttals, so I'm interested to hear any reviews.
I finished my contract there in June 2006. I chose not to renew my contract because the job and Manila were just not for me. But in saying that the school and the city suited many of my colleagues. The school is large having all 3 campuses on site and the facilities are excellent. The administration is pretty good. The Philippines has a lot to offer the right person - great dive sites, cheap shopping, plenty of spa and pamper opportunities for a good price, inexpensive flights both domestically and internationally (if you can get the fares). The staff usually mix very well and there are a number of social things organised. However, the extent of mixing with the rest of the ex-pat community was not what I was used to, and socialising for a majority of the time with people you work, play, and live (most of the apartments used by the school are in the same vicinity; there were 15 of us living in my apartment block) with was difficult. My apartment was excellent - large 2 bedroom/2 bathroom (more for couples and families).
A few people broke their contracts but for the most part, people extended their contracts.
HI,
for the most part I felt safe. My father contacted me once because of a news item he saw (he lives in Australia)- the burning of the Australian Flag because some Aussie politicians chose to make comments regarding the withdrawal of the Philippines' humanitarian contingent from Iraq. I knew nothing about (nothing mentioned at school etc).
During my 2 years there - I heard of one bag slashing at Greenhills indoor markets and one bag snatch. ISM is pretty proactive about safety (eg, school was called off when the coup happened in 2006). Speaking of the coup - I was actually out of the country that weekend and texted friends when I saw it on the news. None replied as to feeling unsafe or restricted. A bomb did go off while I was there (a valentine's day message to the president). It was on a city bus. An unfortunate thing to happen but one that targetted the Philippino locals rather than the expats.
The most unsafe I ever felt was actually during a typhoon. Stupidly, I had agreed with friends to try to catch a boat back to the mainland after a weekend dive trip. The crossing was actually like glass but really could have been very dangerous.
Your safety is your own responsibility. I wouldn't choose to walk home at night - taxis were just too cheap. Or else I organised one of my regular taxi drivers to pick me up especially if I had lots of parcels. If I did walk anywhere during the day, I made sure that I carried my bag on the opposite shoulder to the road, I knew exactly where I was going etc. I once looked up the statistics for crime (shootings, robberies, etc), it was surprising to find out the country that had more crime than the Philippines.
