Seoul is expensive, but most likely you will receive housing with the schools you mentioned. Great infrastructure though - definitely a developed country with excellent health and public transportation. If your husband works at a language school (hakwon), many offer housing in officetels (small bachelor or maybe 1-bed)...if you have housing through a larger international school, they may provide him with a cash stipend instead if they don't already. There are many "key money" arrangements in lots of Asian countries where - if you arrange housing yourself - you are expected to put up large sums upfront to secure the apartment. In Korea, this can make renting anything resembling a family apartment independently very difficult. As in any major city, you get more bang for your buck out in the suburbs and Incheon would qualify. There are affordable options in Busan as well. International schools in Korea generally provide good packages that once factored in against things like housing and benefits are excellent for this region.

We are in Korea right now - two teachers and two dependents...but working at a school that has many staff members currently (and some coming in) with a trailing spouse and school-age kids. Doesn't seem to be a deal-breaker here, and actually having school-age kids is a great benefit as they contribute to the diversity in our student body.

Even with only two years of teaching experience, I would recommend going to a fair. I got my first job at TORF, right out of teachers' college at a decent SA school. You may be limiting yourself if you're locked into Europe, but if SA, Asia or ME is an option, then a fair is a good bet. IMHO, TORF has actually come a long way in recent years with a huge list of participating schools. Many of the 'elites' won't be there, but there are still many, many good schools and decent packages to be found for all levels of experience.
Good luck!

Colombia is absolutely outstanding - if you get an opportunity to land at a good IS take it!
Weather is great (I was on the coast...but Bogota is 'eternal spring') and the people are among the warmest you will ever meet. Many good travel opportunities within the country as well.

Looking into opportunities for 2016-2017 and Venezuela is on the radar. Wondering if anyone out there has any good recent information they can share about life and work there (family friendly, cost of living, recreation, accessibility of commercial goods, savings potential). I lived in Colombia and worked at an IS there in the early 2000s, but only visited Venezuela once with a school team trip. At the time, there was no good budget air carrier to get around SA for holidays so travel within the continent was quite expensive - wondering if this has changed at all either?

Thanks.

Not to worry...printing from the internet is a great option and there are tons of stationary / business supply stores that will print, laminate, whatever you need...though we were there about ten years ago, I remember the selection of ready- made stuff to be pretty decent as well (as long as you are in/around KL)

@spawnboy99

I am an active member if Search, but staying in my current role for the upcoming school year. About a month ago my Search rep contacted us to let us know if it was ok to 'archive' everyone's membership/status (essentially de-activating us) until August. The reason given was that at this late point in the hiring season, they only wanted recruiters/schools to see candidates who were still willing to go over for an August 2015 start. We have been assured that everyone will be switched back to 'active' status sometime in the summer when the new hiring season begins.

Congrats on the great job, but you are completely right to be asking yourself these tough questions about a relationship. I agree with the others on here too who say that only you know your relationship - that much is very true and I can only share my own experience.
After teachers' college, I left for a job in SA - and left a 5 year relationship, because it was something that I had always wanted to do, the opportunity, the experience, and so on. Inevitably, things came to an end - very upsetting at the time, but now - many, many years later - I just ask myself "you left for a year - what did you expect?". In a year, in a new job, in a new country, you will experience so much and it will definitely leave an impression on you, and perhaps even cause you to change somewhat of yourself, whether you realize it or not. Even (and maybe especially) when you come back 'home', the experiences you had when you were 'away' continue to process and affect the way you see your work, your life and the world in general. This is not to say that this is incompatible with leaving a partner at home - change can be good after all - but you do need to know it will happen and expect it.
In the long run, my story ends happily...a few years later I met a great person, also a teacher, who always wanted to get into the international scene. Together we have traveled and taught and will celebrate our ten year anniversary this June. Certainly not the person - or the life - I was envisioning when I left for SA years ago, but boy did I luck out in the end!
Either way, go in with your eyes open and best of luck.

If you're going to KL, you'll be absolutely fine. Just ask around your staff for a good referral and you will surely find a good doctor, dentist, eye doctor, etc. There are many, many very good local doctors trained in the US, UK or Europe. When I lived in KL I dealt with doctors, surgeons and dentists with absolutely no hesitations. And gibwise makes a good point too - cost is generally lower than you would pay at home.

When you leave Malaysia, your EPF will be issued to you in ringett. This is standard issue from the government, they do not issue in other currencies. You will however have no problem converting your ringett into any other major currency. When we left, we were not able to transfer it directly into our own pension savings or RRSP (Canadian), but invested the cash accordingly ourselves back home.

Yes, pay your $165 in Ontario every January and you're good to go. No expiry.

I would have to disagree about South America. Like most places, it would depend on the school, but from my experience and the experiences of other IT friends who bore and raised several children in SA, it can be a wonderful, warm (literally and figuratively) place to work.

I taught at Sunway for two years, 2004-2006 and Taylor's was right down the street so knew some people there as well. It was a great experience in many ways - PM me if you want to chat!
C76

Hi There,

I can't help you with info about the school, but I did live and teach in Barranquilla for a few years. Cartagena, Barranquilla and Santa Marta form a nice little corridor up along the north coast. My experience there was over ten years ago now, but would be happy to connect with you about details - just PM me.

Good luck!

Malaysia is terrific for travel opportunities. Life in KL can be a lot of fun, and yes, the EPF pension scheme is a terrific departing gift. I worked at Sunway College in the Canadian International Matriculation Program about 8 years ago. There is also a similar program at Taylor's College, both schools located in the near suburbs of KL proper. Good pay at Sunway, mandatory savings plan, general autonomy as a teacher, students are generally terrific. As they go to this program primarily just for a year (to get grade 12 credits and ultimately a Canadian High School diploma), most are living in dorms, away from parents and in two years, I don't think I personally met a parent once. These kids are generally shoring up their credentials to get into university, so they want to do well. It was a totally different kind of gig than we were used to, but loved it and wouldn't hesitate to return to Malaysia.