Not the "normal" topic, but I suspect many good ideas could come from this group.

Our high school, like many international high schools, sponsors a week without walls, a chance for students and teachers leave campus or the country and experience new things. No doubt many of you have been on these trips more than you care to count. I've just been on a handful and thoroughly enjoyed them. Our school (in Asia) seems to be stuck in rut of same or similar overseas trips each year, and I'd love to shake it up a bit this year with some new ideas I can use and share with others. Curious what destinations any of you have gone to that were unusually good experiences/locations for your students. Of course service learning is always popular in IB school like ours, but we're open to adventure, cultural and educational trips too. I know there are many companies that offer trips, and many are very good, but we'd also love to look for other connections to organizations that might be off the radar but providing rich opportunities for students. Any suggestions in Asia/Pacific region would be most welcome.

They have big allowance.

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Both are being held in the DC metro area one week apart in June. A trip to DC is reasonably convenient for us, but would rather not pay the $ to attend both if we don't need to. Any insight on which one is "usually" the better one to attend?

It's been quiet of late. And not heard much chatter about teachers saying how bleak, or not bleak, things are at schools in our new economic reality. From what I've read, fewer teachers were hired, and those that snagged new jobs (for the first time or merely moving between schools) secured positions earlier than normal; and i read there were more applicants for these few jobs, which is not surprising...but...

Now that the hiring season is well over (for the most part) i'm curious to hear the status of schools.

1. Did more teachers than normal stay put this year, not wanting to risk moving during this period of uncertainty?

2. Are schools seeing no/few/heaps of students moving back home as expat parents are sent home because the company can no longer afford to keep them overseas?

3. Are people holding their breath for next year, thinking the worst is yet to come as far as teacher cuts?

I'd love to hear some real world reports.

I keep hearing of more teachers getting jobs without attending a recruiting fair. I suspect with constant improvements in communication technologies this trend may continue, saving money and stress for teachers and admins alike. Common threads to pulling this off seem to be contacting schools well in advance of the fair season, and being such a catch that the school does not want to let you get away. The tricky part to me seems to be how do you break it to the schools you are contacting that you won’t be attending any of the fairs and if they want you, they’ll need to interview over the phone, or similar?

I agree, the practice of “allowingâ€

I agree, no right answer, but Christmas was when we loved to travel, if the funds were there. We never went back "home." That's what summer break was for.

My information on the school is 3 years old, so not worth sharing.

Very good years.

My sense is that most are offered April/May, which is still too late for many folks. But I doubt there will be many offered this year with so many schools closing in June.

Just before we moved overseas, I finished most of my teacher cert in the states.

I've not taught there, but spent some time there a few years ago as a tourist and saw the school, but as they said, a new one is under construction. It's a lovely country and Vientiane is fine. Nothing slick and fancy, just real, and very cheap. I was there two years ago and found the internet to be high speed and quite dependable. No doubt it's even better now. It's certainly a place i'd consider if the job was right.

The official hiring of new teachers does not start until the annual transfer process has been completed.