It's not the fair that's so important, but whether the schools you're interested in have openings you're qualified for. Seek out a number of schools, note which ones have a job for you, and then figure out which fair the majority of them will be at. Don't get sucked in by all the supercilious rhetoric about "tiers." What's "top tier" for you may be totally different for someone else.

Also, don't be put off by this "dump fair" business. It is a contrivance by one member that distracts one from some good fairs. Schools do hire before the holidays (AASAS, which is mostly schools in South America), usually has its fair in December, and they do hire). And don't overlook the well-run Iowa fair (UNI) in late January/early February. There are good reputable schools there, and they do hire.

I would not bring it up at an interview or on an application. Of course he shouldn't lie, he knows that. If the question "Have you ever been convicted?" comes up, your husband can truthfully say no. I doubt a foreign country would be able to access U.S. FBI files.

When I was interviewing, I had a portfolio with a copy of my current certificate and background clearance card; he might do the same but without commenting on it or pointing it out (that would make an interviewer wonder why).

One last comment: NEVER EVER confide about his record to friends or colleagues you meet along the way. No matter how close you feel to them.

Never went to a private beach when I was living in Muscat, but Qurm beach is quite lively with footballers every afternoon, women sunbathing in bikinis, families (on weekends) grilling and picknicking, people jogging and walking, me--walking and birding along the corniche. Majan beach is very small, so no jogging or walking, but divine swimming and snorkeling just ten minutes from my apartment. Those were the days...

Each country has a different level of tolerance. Don't let the ME-hater paint the region in broad strokes.

I think part of it is an expat thing, and also what mamava said about being thrown together with your colleagues more.

I lived in Ecuador for several years, which is touted as a retiree paradise for North Americans. I met quite a few of those expats or potential expats, and they often expressed being bored or unhappy at home. The potentials had all these grand dreams (become fluent in Spanish, have an organic truck garden, take up painting, etc). All too often, the ones that had made the move and been there a couple of years, after the initial excitement had worn off, were drinking before noon because they were...bored and unhappy.

So I think you need to ensure you already have interests, or the flexibility to develop new ones, before you insert yourself into a school overseas. It'll be fun playing tourist the first few months, but eventually you'll be spending weekends at home, and what will you do? In another country with a large expat population (workers, not retirees), I joined the women's guild just to get to meet people who weren't my (hard drinking) colleagues, and even created a plein air painting group under its auspices.

As an avid diver I looked into the school on Grand Cayman and did some research about living there. Being an island, everything is very expensive, and goods somewhat limited. And as a very small island, there's not a lot to do but dive and/or drink. The school's package at the time wasn't very good, so I sought employment elsewhere.

At a previous school, we used a program called Peer Coaching in which you ask a colleague to come and observe you in action, then provide feedback. There was a specific format for pre- and post-observation discussions. When I had problems with a difficult class (how is it--two badly behaved students can influence the rest of the class, but not the other way around??) I asked a colleague who was familiar with the students to come and observe, and his feedback was very helpful.

So instead of just finding colleagues to vent to/with, seek out one who seems to have it together and see if he or she would be willing to observe and give you feedback.

FCAQ does assign buddies; AC, at least at that time, left you to your own devices. Don't know about any others. But certainly the schools will let you know.

Congrats on your new job in Quito. I lived there several years and loved the city, the school, and the country.

I lived in Batán Alto, on the eastern slope a little above the flat part of the city. I liked having the enormous Parque Metropolitano almost in my back yard; it was a ten-minute walk to a major supermarket (downhill); I would take a cab to get back home. There are small bodegas and bakeries in the neighborhood for basics.

Several colleagues lived in the flat part near Parque Carolina. The area especially around República del Salvador and Portugal had nice apartment buildings as well as good restaurants.

If your school is not assisting you with finding housing you can walk around neighborhoods you like and look for Se Renta signs. My school provided us with local "buddies" to help us find places, get utilities turned on, and set up Internet accounts. A good friend at another school said their main options were the administrative assistants' relatives' apartments--avoid those.

My school in Oman didn't start the school year until after Ramadan. So it really does vary by school/country.

Those negative comments all come from the same, uninformed source. There are a number of good schools that recruit at UNI. I found that schools were actively hiring, not just fishing. I came away with several offers and chose a good one. I have met experienced teachers there who prefer UNI to the big meat-market fairs.

Okay, Oman's laws are different from Abu Dhabi. You have to have your "ration book" to make a purchase at a liquor store in Oman. It's not just a card. It is issued on the spot when you submit your documents at the agency that grants them. It has your picture in it, and pages where the store notes each purchase for the month.

Anyone of legal age can consume alcohol at the nightclubs; one doesn't need any sort of permit or license. But indeed there is zero tolerance for drunk driving, which is why most of my colleagues always took cabs for a night out.

Vandsmith, you may have misunderstood by what I meant by having a liquor license--it's simply for purchasing alcohol at the stores (what my UK colleagues called "bottle shops"). You didn't need it for buying drinks at a bar.

I have a good friend on a compound outside of Jeddah and she loves it. She has three kids and a trailing spouse and they live in a 4-bedroom villa. The kids can play outside freely and safely and there are other kids to play with. She can drive within the compound and do her shopping easily.

I hadn't thought of pork as a big draw, but you can buy it in Oman in the large groceries like Carrefour and Al Fair. And you don't have to drink alone; the big hotels and a few nightclubs serve alcohol.

Keep in mind that driving off the island that is Bahrain means driving to Saudi, and women will have to comply with Saudi law (can't drive, must wear an abaya and hijab). Same with Qatar--a friend in Oman couldn't drive to Doha to visit her brother because she would have had to cross through Saudi.

Oman can't be beat. I really liked the more "human" scale of Muscat--none of the buildings is over 6-7 stories tall. It is pretty liberal; alcohol can be purchased once you get your license for it (looks like a WWII-era ration book). Omanis are incredibly friendly and helpful. Loved being able to swim and snorkel after school each day, or walk on the beach, and go diving on weekends.

The school I was at wasn't all that great; it was not an international school per se and was under Ministry oversight. Yet a number of the Western teachers stayed on for quite a few years. As a department head I had to deal with the MoE who thought my standards were too high (!). But I had a great apartment for free, and was able to save nearly 50% of my salary. Travel to other countries was pretty easy on Oman Air.