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Location, Location, Location!

Posted: Thu May 16, 2019 8:59 pm
by dragonguy
Do we have a detailed list for specifics about the locations of schools? Similar to our ever evolving Top Tier list, and our list on what subjects are in the highest demand, LOL.

Yes, I know how to use Google Maps, I’m not talking about that and yes, there is some specific info in the paid member forum, but it’s sporadic and sometimes tricky to find, and it would take forever to read and dig all that info up on all the schools. The info on Search is pretty vague as well.

I’m looking for details….how long does it take to get to the airport and what’s the best way to get there? What are the nearby fitness options? Best cafes, restaurants, bars, nightlife in the area? What’s the dating scene? Details on location transportation? Get a car or motorbike? Where do most of the staff choose to live, couples? Couples with kids? Singles? Cost of living? Other “lifestyle” info. Pros and cons about the location.

This is cool to share this info in the open forum, correct?

I’m mostly interested in Tier 1 and 2 schools in Europe, Asia, and Latin America but I’m sure there’s lots of educators out there interested in other regions and schools.

I’m not looking for info about admin, salary/benefits, the politics of the school, facilities, etc. Straight up, details about location, location, location!

Re: Location, Location, Location!

Posted: Fri May 17, 2019 5:41 am
by Thames Pirate
Honestly, nobody has all that information unless they have worked at a school or researched it extensively. Putting it on here removes some of the anonymity. I don't know that you will get a lot of responses, especially if you are just looking for someone else to do the research you could do yourself.

When we are interested in schools, we use Google Maps and other searches to find the information that most interests us. The availability and prices of horse boarding, lessons, and competitions is an example of something I look up that is not useful info here--but nightlife is not my scene. I don't store the information, though. We might strike a school off our list, but if it's all within our acceptable levels (and acceptable is different for each person and even for us varies from city to city) we don't revisit the information.

Your best bet is doing your own research once you have narrowed down your list of cities, schools, etc.

Sorry that isn't as useful as you had hoped. Maybe some people will be able to give you at least a bit of information. Perhaps if you narrow down the request and name specific schools or cities? Someone might be willing to google it for you, particularly if they might be interested in that school.

Re: Location, Location, Location!

Posted: Fri May 17, 2019 6:27 am
by Heliotrope
What @Thames Pirate says.

I sometimes use this website to read about cities if a good school has an opening but I don't know enough about the city it's located in. Most reviews are by embassy staff, but it will nevertheless give you a sense of the different cities, and how it is to live there as an expat: https://www.talesmag.com/real-post-reports/all
They also have a section where parents review schools btw (Real School reports).

Also, https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/ is a good website for cost of living and other data.

Response

Posted: Sat May 18, 2019 5:54 pm
by PsyGuy
I concur with the previous contributors. What youre really looking for is a combination of a cost of living calculator, a travel wiki and a regional expats site for the destination. Soliciting all of that as a global index in one forum topic, I dont see that happening and even if some contributors started that it would get buried pretty quickly.

Re: Location, Location, Location!

Posted: Mon May 20, 2019 2:30 am
by Illiane_Blues
Yes, almost everything can be found online if you take the time, and hit the sources @Heliotrope provided in his reply, along with some expat Facebook groups for specific cities when your search narrows and you're looking at one or two specific cities.

What might be mildly interesting though is to discuss some cities where the location of the IS makes accepting a job there less appealing.

For example, there's an IS in Istanbul that I've heard good things about, but the commute takes most teachers an hour each way because it's so far out.

Also, there's a small school in Japan in the middle of nowhere (Karuizawa) that sounds like a good school with decent pay, but too far from anywhere interesting, unless you enjoy hiking.

But not sure if there are many ISs where the location within the city/country would deter ITs, assuming the city/country itself isn't the real deterrent.

Re: Location, Location, Location!

Posted: Mon May 20, 2019 2:37 am
by Heliotrope
There's a very good IS in Beijing that is so far from downtown that I wouldn't want to work there, apart from the air pollution concerns which are reason enough not to go there.

Re: Location, Location, Location!

Posted: Mon May 20, 2019 5:27 am
by MartElla
Ideal situation = tier 1 package, cheap country.

Savings = Gold
Quality of school = Gold
Travel Opportunities = Gold

There's not many gold ticket appointments in the world. It's where you can save money, enjoy your work and enjoy great travel opportunities.

Start the list.

Re: Location, Location, Location!

Posted: Mon May 20, 2019 5:33 am
by Thames Pirate
Assuming those are the things that are important to you.

For some, savings are secondary to being near family or where they speak the language. For some, travel is secondary to certain lifestyle choices.

I do think we can agree that quality of school is important.

Discussion

Posted: Fri May 24, 2019 1:06 am
by PsyGuy
@MartElla

Only if "save money, enjoy your work and enjoy great travel opportunities" are important to you. Not everyone cares about savings and could not care less. ITs dont need to enjoy their work, it helps but many will endure a lot for better coin or a better location. I always advocate picking your IS based on the city and the quality of life over the IS, because if your city and location sucks, than your just living to work. Travel means nothing to some people, they are already traveling to wherever their IS is, and depending on that location, they might be exactly where they want to be and nowhere else. Even then travel is pretty much limited to holiday breaks and summer holiday. Otherwise your traveling locally.

Re: Discussion

Posted: Fri May 24, 2019 3:15 am
by Illiane_Blues
For me it's about:

1) The school, since you're there 5 days a week for a big part of the day. An awful school can make your life a lot less enjoyable.
2) The city and country, for weekends and breaks. I used to travel abroad 3 or 4 times a year during breaks, but try to fly less nowadays.
3) Savings, as long as I can save modest amount I'm ok, a higher salary won't make much of a difference.

Discussion

Posted: Sat May 25, 2019 4:21 pm
by PsyGuy
If you have an awful location, than what do you have? Work, that place they pay you to go, to, because no ones IS is so awesome ITs are going to do it for free, and what else. Nothing If your job sucks, than well your like everyone else who has a sucky job but if your location is amazing, than yeah you go to work, it sucks but than you have the amazing city and location. If its the other way around than your escape is going too work.

Re: Location, Location, Location!

Posted: Sat May 25, 2019 11:06 pm
by MartElla
Thames Pirate wrote:
> Assuming those are the things that are important to you.
>
> For some, savings are secondary to being near family or where they speak
> the language. For some, travel is secondary to certain lifestyle choices.
>
> I do think we can agree that quality of school is important.

Secondary, yes. Unimportant, no.

However, I was talking about a general idea of ideal combinations. An individual then has to decide whether or not those work for them, but that's subjective.

I think we can all agree that schools that are good places to work, pay well and with plenty of options for the weekends and holidays have a lot to offer.

Re: Discussion

Posted: Sat May 25, 2019 11:11 pm
by MartElla
PsyGuy wrote:
> @MartElla
>
> Only if "save money, enjoy your work and enjoy great travel
> opportunities" are important to you.

But we're not talking about everyone, we're talking generally. In general, good money + good location + good school is a pretty good combination.

You might then say, ah but what about the dude who is into Thai food or war museums or pilates or whatever the heck under the sun, what about then?

Well, you have to think about what works for you, of course, but generally I think we can agree that for most people a better school to work at beats an awful school, money beats no money and opportunity for travel and things to do beats somewhere with just shopping malls.

Re: Location, Location, Location!

Posted: Sat May 25, 2019 11:12 pm
by MartElla
MartElla wrote:
> Thames Pirate wrote:
> > Assuming those are the things that are important to you.
> >
> > For some, savings are secondary to being near family or where they speak
> > the language. For some, travel is secondary to certain lifestyle choices.
> >
> > I do think we can agree that quality of school is important.
>
> Secondary, yes. Unimportant, not usually. People have loans to pay off, pensions to fund and kids to send to college.
>
> However, I was talking about a general idea of ideal combinations. An individual then
> has to decide whether or not those work for them, but that's subjective.
>
> I think we can all agree that schools that are good places to work, pay well and with
> plenty of options for the weekends and holidays have a lot to offer.

Reply

Posted: Sun May 26, 2019 9:02 pm
by PsyGuy
@MartElla

So your position is to label everything as good and then say its good? Let's try that: good torture + good abuse + good harassment = pretty good combination, if youre into that. Lets try something a little less pathological:
Good school lunch + good uniform + good textbook = pretty good school opportunity. You can do this all day.

Well Pilates ITs and museum fan ITs need to pay bills too, though they might want more time to practice those things than more coin. Nothing is free, ISs that have high salaries generally have high expectations that eat into your schedule.

Water is also wet, comparing a quantity of something desirable always beats zero of that something. even the ITs getting nothing would typically not say no to getting something for it.