I think if you are math or science with at least 5 years experience and a proven track record of being proficient in technology, you shouldn't have a problem. However, with Skype interviews becoming the norm, you might not see some of the big Tier 1 schools at that fair anymore since it happens a bit later.

I was hired at the UNI fair but that was many years ago, prior to Skype. It's a really well-organised fair but in the middle of nowhere. Good luck finding a pub to celebrate your new job! From what I remember, the hotel bar is nice and does karaoke on Saturday night.

Wow! Well-said Psyguy. I've been lurking on this forum for a long time, with an occasional post here and there but you speak the truth about international schools with all their ugly blemishes but also about the beautiful lifestyle they can provide for teachers who are able to make a career overseas.

I have a friend who works there and he calls it "crazy town".

7% is possible . . . one word for you . . . Vanguard! When I dropped my finance guy (yes, I paid the penalties but I'm still "relatively" young), and started up a Vanguard account, it was readily apparent to me how much I was paying in fees. 1 - 2% per year can really put a dent in your retirement over the lifespan of a fund.

Well Mike, if you start with a principle of 700,000 and add 2000 per month (I'm assuming by "we" you meant that you're a married couple) for the next 11 years at a return of 7%, you will almost make your $2,000,000 goal. In the year 2025, who knows what the cost of living will be like. 80K seems like enough to get by on right now but if you want to live a full life of vacationing in faraway lands or visiting your grandchildren and regularly showering them with gifts, it doesn't seem like a lot. As international teachers, we could be in a far worse situation. Think of all those carrying student debt and insurmountable credit card bills. Crazy to think about what the future holds for them. Walmart greeter at 85 years old?

Make life easier on yourself and get a stateside bank account, especially if you are going to open up a Vanguard account. When you open up an account with Vanguard, don't tell them you are a full-time overseas resident. Give them an address of a relative so they don't give you a hassle about not residing in the US of A.

Great advive from Helen Back. Also, admitting that you are "completely ignorant about investing" in front of an investment professional is a sure way to get taken advantage of. Unfortunately, I speak from experience. Just a little bit of education can go a long way. Watch this Frontline episode called "The Retirement Gamble". http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline ... nt-gamble/

BTW . . . if you're pushing 40, now is a good time to start investing. Just be happy you aren't 55 and thinking about this. Good luck!

Yes, going from south to north . . . Belgrade, Bucharest, Budapest, Prague, Vienna, Warsaw, Moscow. I thing people do alright in The Hague, Aberdeen, and Amsterdam too.

And yes, the Andrew Hallam blog and book are well worth the read!

Yes, international school teachers are being preyed upon by these fund managers. Take some time to educate yourself about personal investment and you will be so much better off. I watched an excellent Frontline (PBS) episode called "The Retirement Gamble" that clearly spelled out in detail how high the fees are with managed funds. Yet I find a lot of people, including my colleagues, who are content to have their money managed ("I have a guy who takes care of my money, and he does very well!"). If you take the time to understand the fee structure and how huge of a dent it makes in your nest egg over time, you would run for the hills when these guys approach you.

From personal experience . . . stay far away from Integrated Financial Planning Services if you work in Europe. I learned the hard way but was lucky to get out after only 5 years. Get a book on personal finance and read it. We want our kids to be lifelong learners yet we are sometimes happy in our total ignorance about financial planning.

I've been reading this post with intrigue and usually am just a "lurker" but I must say to PsyGuy, you are ballsy and brutally honest. Your last reply was highly entertaining. Thank you for that. Don't go changing on us!

Okay, I just sent him the message. I hope he gets back to you before you have the interview! Good luck! You could land in a lot worse places than Germany for sure!

I visited a friend who worked down there. Albania is a developing country, plain and simple. The infrastructure is horrible, the streets are full of garbage, and there isn't much to do in Tirana. That said, the cost of living is next to nothing and if you are looking for a place to get your foot in the door of international education, you could do a lot worse.

I second the recommendation for Vanguard. Just make sure you give them a U.S. address.

A friend of mine works there and likes it. He's been there for three years now and has been able to save money. I don't know how much but he seems pretty happy. It's around a 30-40 minute train ride outside Berlin so don't think that you'll be living in Berlin proper.

Give yourself some piece of mind and sell that house. I had major issues with mine but held onto it for sentimental reasons. Ended up losing some money on it when I finally did sell it a couple years after moving overseas but it certainly ended up costing me a friend (one of my renters who did not take care of the place too well) and made me put an undue burden on another trusted friend. (gave him power of attorney)

Interest rates are low right now so in a few years when you figure out where you want to come home for the summers and Xmas, then you'll have enough in the bank to make a down payment.