Thanks to the people who responded to my question about Singapore accommodation. I found the contributions to be informative and accurate. I now have a comfortable apartment within a twenty minute commute from my new school.

Having recently gained job in Singapore, do any contributors have an idea of accommodation prices?
Single, so a small studio apartment would be ok. Use an agent, or private search?

ISHCMC? I.B. madhouse in a hard ass city, recently acquired by new owners. Move it down your list and check again 12 months from now.

You'll be offered a position. If your partner is an elementary teacher, then sooner or later they will receive an offer as well. Administrators sometimes keep elementary positions available as they tend to be filled by partners (usually female) of priority ‘hard to find' staff (usually male) in the high school section. Examples may be science/physics/language/music/math where the male fits the subject area and the female slots conveniently into the elementary school. The occasional glorious role reversal or exception of course, yet these are still relatively rare.

The Bangkok fairs are very ‘early’ and hence don’t have the edgy market place urgency of real positions needing to be immediately filled, with the exception of the ‘hard to find’ roles mentioned above. Few administrators refuse the offer of a week or more in Bangkok luxury hotels before settling back into school life after the Christmas holidays, adding to the non committal air.

As for ‘top tier’, ‘second tier’ or many tears schools, think beyond the pay scales and your daily teaching experience. Whilst these are obvious fundamentals they don't address the main question, which is why are you going to stay in this particular city and country for a few years of your life? If you can't think of an intrinsically rewarding, enduring reason beyond the immediate school social/political environment - e.g. a particular activity or area of personal interest - then your precious years with your family may be better spent elsewhere. Many complaints about schools mask a much deeper personal malaise, unrelated to the school itself.

With Skype and cell phones, who really needs these expensive and time consuming recruiting ‘fairs’ anymore? Let’s all guess…

Any readers have advice about Australian taxation arrangements? Is it better to declare as "Non resident for tax purposes" or remain resident? I'm at an international school in Thailand - three years so far and intend to stay for at least another year. Income from Australian sources approx AUD5,000 per year. No dependants.

Premcenter is a family. Some liken it to a community.

It’s interesting to see that my original post ‘Another year over....’ and its subsequent responses are still eliciting references. Certainly it’s a clear indication that this forum provides valuable opportunities for teachers to freely discuss topical matters.
Just to clarify for a moment; my original posting was obviously laced with humor. Interwoven with the jests were some serious points. I reiterate the main focus, which is to use caution when exploring international jobs. Part of this process is to fully exercise your opportunities to ask probing questions. Yes, there are many good schools. By the same token there are some real shockers. There are some truly energizing leaders, but also mean spirited resume fillers, whose preoccupation is with personal power and financial gain rather than education. This includes not just management but some of the fellow teachers you’ll eventually be sharing your staffroom with. If asking sensible, probing questions elicits defensive answers from management or staff, cross the school off your list at least until you’ve found the information you need.
Similarly, the blindingly obvious: each country has its particular advantages, attractions and difficulties. Decide which set of variables best fits your specific goals and interests. Take a line from the recruiters and find which schools’ pieces ‘…fit your puzzle…’, rather than the other way around. Ask not what you can do for the country, but what the country can do for you.
You wouldn’t dream of walking into a hotel room and buying an expensive house or car located thousands of miles away, on the strength of a salesperson’s patter and a convincing video presentation. Yet accepting a job far away from home at a recruiting fair often amounts to much the same risk. The car may turn out to be exactly what you wanted. Or it may be a complete lemon - too small, too big or an energy guzzling behemoth which simply doesn’t meet your needs. Obviously the ideal option is to visit the school in person, yet this is beyond the scope of most teachers.
Remember that you’re about to give up a few years of your life. Yes, they may become some of the most exciting and rewarding years. Commitment to the obligations of your contract is essential for both the employing school and yourself; breaking contract never looks good. Use whatever means are at your disposal to thoroughly do your research in order for this commitment to be fulfilled on your part.
The International School of Timbuktu can seem like an exotic and intriguing idea at a hotel in Boston, London or New York, especially when you still don’t have a job lined up yet. Just remember that your time at IST will probably be mostly spent with Mary from Montreal, Mike from Melbourne and Annie from Auckland. Life outside IST may become confined to partying at each other’s apartments or the occasional dinner at an expensive hotel restaurant and glimpses from the school bus window at six thirty in the morning. For some, belonging to the club is just what they want. For others it can get lame. Caveat emptor.
The pirate ship - in the original posting is also more than humor. Many schools operate in an isolated bubble, frequently “…meeting the needs…� of their wealthy clients. They have to do this to survive, since most international schools are ultimately commercial enterprises. Many of them achieve admirable educational success and credibility simply through the strength and dedication of their hard working, diligent teachers. Yet some schools pay little more than lip service to local labor laws and national educational requirements. This can be liberating, especially to those with recent experience of national curricula and stifling regulations in a nanny state but it can also leave teachers completely at the mercy of their principal / director / superintendent, who in turn is often at the mercy of her/his respective governing board. Evidence suggests that the average tenure of a director in international schools is about eighteen months. Imagine the pressure some of them must be under, especially in startup schools, and it’s not difficult to guess why they’ve often little patience for nagging questioners. Yes, there are some chronic whiners in staffrooms around the world, but relatively very few and rarely are the complaints completely unjustified.
To speak out can sometimes mean not just professional suicide in your current workplace but also well into the future incarnations, since personal references from administrators subsequently influence your ability to gain decent jobs. Militant is one word you’re unlikely to see or hear in most international schools. There are no teacher unions or external managing government organizations to support you if things turn really bad, hence perhaps the popularity of the anonymous postings on this website. Maybe there is a correlation between perennial malcontents and postings on this site, but personally I doubt it.
Ultimately you are on your own, often surviving on your intuition and wits. International school teaching can be a wonderful experience. Many are fortunate enough to have built a satisfying career from it. They are generally a savvy, tenacious breed. Good luck, best wishes and please; be careful.

Smart move financially finding an alternative to the Westin. The Westin is primarily for the recruiters. You'll save at least a hundred dollars per night. My only suggestion would be that to maintain contact with recruiters while you're in another hotel, is to buy a local sim card & put it in your cellphone which you'll bring from home with you. The shop will want a photocopy of your passport or at least your passport details, for government stipulated security reasons. Even if you only receive one call on that new sim card, it may well be the call that eventually changes your life. They usually come with a bit of credit, so you can call home with some good news!
Childcare? I'd be incliined to take your children with you unless they're feeling particularly tired & cranky (or you are!), so that everyone is on the same contractual page, so to speak. The basement of Robinson's dept store (adjacent to the the Westin) has cheap, delicious Thai food in aircon. Maccers upstairs if you're desperate.

Presumably your "SEARCH'' person thinks you're in with a reasonable chance or he/she wouldn't have signed you up for the fair in the first place. Wouldn't it be better to contact your Search associate with the questions? As for babysitting; play it by ear; anything could happen at any time.

Another year over and a new recruiting season just begun. Here’s a ‘top ten’ list of warning lights to look for and ask questions about during those all important New Year interviews. There must be more chestnuts we’ve overlooked in the ashes…good luck for 2008!

1. “Compared to local teachers our pay is very favorable.� Subtext; you’d be earning more at home flipping burgers, part time.
2. “We’re looking for teachers with a sense of humor.� The school is a joke, which you’ll quickly tire of.
3. “We need adaptable staff.� The school is in a state of constant upheaval and / or in an unpredictable political situation.
4. “We need young, energetic, dynamic teachers...� You’ll be working twelve hour+ days, in what amounts to a madhouse. Previous teaching experience is undesirable because it is relatively expensive.
5. “We provide local healthcare.� Be particularly careful with this one.
6. “We provide assistance in finding accommodation.� We don’t pay for your accommodation. We might ask someone from the office to help translate, but basically you are on your own.
7. “Provides a wonderful base to explore …… (Insert geographic region).� You’ll want to be on the first flight out each Friday.
8. “Pay and conditions are negotiable, if your pieces fit our puzzle.� These people are unashamed exploiters. Pirate ship ethics apply.
9. “…chance to explore a fascinating, vibrant culture whilst gaining valuable experience…� Your daily life will be like turning over a rock to see what’s underneath, accompanied by a deafening soundtrack. You’ll quickly move on with another bullet point on your resume and a silent vow to learn from your mistakes.
10. “Extraordinary savings potential.� There’s nothing to do, see, or spend your money on after the first week.

Just imagine calling fluffy little Ted 'Jesus' in the mid west. I wonder what the response would be.

Really, only one worth even thinking about from a teacher's perspective; Premcenter. The others in the area pay approximately half of what PC gives teachers. PC is also the only one worth seriously considering for future reference on your resume. American Pacific may be worth considering if PC doesn't work out for you. Both have significant boarding duties.

Agree with ''Grasshopper'' - first & foremost keep everything absolutely chirpy with the HR person. Usually they are the face of private enterprise (your future school) interacting with a ponderous bureaucratic system & must personally front whatever government departments are involved, hence the HR's need to adhere to all the stipulations. The HR will probably be a local with far more clout in that situation than most directors. Suggest that you get the letter, have it notarized by your embassy and / or department of foreign affairs (the more stamps & stickers the better, in Asia red ink is always preferable & a wax seal if at all possible - it will look impressive on the bureaucrat?s desk whilst they ponder your fate) & send it off / take it with you. Usually once you're 'there', it will all mysteriously fall into place. Having your airfare paid to your home because your paperwork ?failed? and is the least likely scenario. Just curious; which country?

Most (i.e.99%) of international schools are businesses, even if they claim to be 'not for profit' or words to that effect. The simple fact is that they are all private enterprises. Approach them as you would approach purchasing a new or second hand car. Few people would buy a car based on a chat with a salesman in a hotel room. Ideally you need to see the vehicle, test drive it and do some research on reviews for that vehicle. At least talk to some people who've driven the same model car. Yet many teachers do precisely the equivalent of purchasing a vehicle based solely on it's name. They sign away two years of their life based on a chat in a hotel room or office. What suits some, is anathema to others - this applies to geography as well. Many schools are honest & last minute changes to their staffing needs are results of circumstances beyond their control - falling enrollments etc. But any school with wildly fluctuating staffing needs must be viewed with immediate caution. Unfortunately, there are schools which are simply flagrant money making ventures. Usually, teachers are last on the list of considerations. Sites like this represent at least some attempt to make information available. Forewarned is forearmed.

Doubtless the comments about the pros/cons of various recruiting agencies will continue. For a price, they will organize teachers & recruiters to be in one place - usually an up market hotel - at one time, theoretically saving the teacher time & money in running around to various interviews. But that's about all they do and needless to say what favors there are tend to be directed mainly towards the revenue producing recruiters. Unless you have large amounts of money to spend on overseas trips & hotels, it's preferable to confine your attendance at recruiting fairs to those scheduled closer to home. 'Search' British branch makes it quite clear that they skew their schools and candidates toward IB schools' needs - if that's what you seek. For most IB PYP schools, previous experience is useful, but by no means compulsory. The IB provides extensive workshops for teachers as in-service training. Suggest you contact the schools directly, armed with a relevant list from the IB and start from there. Despite all the supposed principles, at the end of the day the whole scene revolves largely around private enterprise and capitalist concepts - they're private schools - caveat emptor!