Here is some info about the schools: https://www.aramco.jobs/LivingInSaudiAr ... hools.aspx (Mods if this kind of link is not allowed please remove it) There is a link on the right side that talks about the different communities. One word of caution is that most job postings for Aramco say Dhahran; that is the company headquarters and district offices for the schools. That does not mean the job is in Dhahran. Applying as a teaching couple it was confusing for us because we saw lots of jobs that matched our certifications but we found out that some of the jobs were on different camps that could be hours apart. Unless things have changed since then, you will not find out the actual job locations until you are selected for an interview.

That's a hard question to answer. There are regions that, in general, tend to have a higher savings potential due to high salaries and moderate costs of living (such as Asia and the Middle East) but even the countries that have some of the highest paying schools in the world also have some terrible, low-paying schools. It's probably better to just look at individual schools since salaries/savings vary so wildly within a country, even within a city.

If those are your only two choices, that is a tough decision. It makes sense to have your family together above other factors. But when you are talking about money vs. lifestyle, make sure you think about what kind of lifestyle your wife will have in Thailand. On such a shockingly low salary (for a certified, experienced teacher) your wife will have to be willing to live much like a local, and she won't be able to afford the expat lifestyle that makes SE Asia appealing for trailing wives/mothers.

I agree with PsyGuy, Sid, etc. Assuming there are no red flags in your references or on your CV, it is probably simply a case of schools not feeling like they need to actively pursue a candidate who hasn't shown any interest. Maybe they wonder why YOU are still looking. Or maybe they are assuming that you aren't still looking even if your profile is active, since you haven't contacted them.

I cannot contribute any information about the school unfortunately. I just wanted to mention that a former colleague used to live in Skopje when her husband worked for the US Embassy, and they loved Macedonia. They commented on the scenery, food, wine, outdoor activities, and people. I saw some of their pictures that were positively stunning. They had to move on because of his job but said that they would have otherwise stayed much longer.

I agree with you, Senator. It is worrying. We found China to be a filthy, disgusting, smelly, crowded, polluted, stressful place. And the people (in terms of customs/society) as a whole? Don't even get me started. My husband and I have put China on our NEVER list. I understand why single men like it, but for everyone else I do not understand the appeal.

If is is Luang Prabang - wow! Beautiful city and country.

Never lived in Doha but we have visited many times.

Yes, there are several movie theaters. Lots of restaurants ranging from fine dining to midrange western chains to dirt cheap restaurants where the low paid workers like to go. Beaches aren't the most amazing in the world but are decent. Our expat friends joined the health & beach club of a big hotel so they can access their beach. Metered taxis (the teal ones) seem to be plentiful in the touristic and commerce areas --not sure about in the outer parts of the city.

9 or 10k USD is the annual salary? My goodness, I have never heard of such a low salary for teachers. I have not worked in China however so I am also curious to hear if this is a typical salary!

Aramco hires single males, and from what my single female friends tell me, you would be quite popular here.

I have not lived in Kuwait but have several friends who have worked there. They reported no shortage of alcohol. :) It sounded like the parties were pretty wild, only they are at houses and not at bars.

I know some people who didn't love the social life in Kuwait. Others have said it is one of the best places they have ever worked due to the close-knit expat community (schools, embassies, military, etc) and all the activities that the expats created for themselves.

I question the accuracy of some school's listings on Search. The Search profiles for other schools we have worked at in the past tended to be slightly inaccurate. Some schools seem to be too optimistic with their estimated savings potential, while others seem to be too conservative with their estimates. It is a difficult thing to quantify since it depends on a teacher's particular lifestyle.

We work for Aramco now and can tell you that the salary figures and savings potential listed on Search aren't even close to being accurate. I am not sure why. It might still be the case that schools in China are comparable or even better but I think it may be difficult to compare using only the information provided on the Search website.

Which schools in China are you referring to?

jessiejames: Yes and no. Aramco itself hires a huge variety of nationalities and the communities are diverse. I do not know if the school system has a hard and fast rule on teacher nationality per se, but they do usually require North American certification. Previously that meant that most teachers were American or Canadian. Unfortunately, there has been an issue with visas for Canadians being problematic the past few years. As a result, at least some of the Aramco principals are avoiding hiring any Canadians, at least until the visa situation improves.

zanyplum: You are correct. Historically Aramco tried to hire couples. Currently, there are plenty of single teachers in the schools and being hired for next year.

Cheery, where are you at now?