Hey guys,

I was working for a University in Dalian about 5 years ago and the situation became toxic in the 2nd year of the contract with my boss punching me over a disagreement about payment. I left the same day and never looked back.

Now, I have a new passport and I have Accepted a job at an international school in Guangzhou for Aug 2020.

If the school in Dalian reported me back in 2015 with my old passport info, will I have any issues getting a work permit in Guangzhou?

@wrldtrvlr123

Yes, it was a bit of luck for sure and being in the right place at the right time. Location definitely played a part as this a hardship location. That is a good point. I am hoping the two years will make me eligible for some of the better locations.

Currently, I am working as an Athletic Director/PE Teacher (secondary) at a reputable IB international school in South Asia. This is my first job post-certificate which will put me at two years experience going into my next job shall I pursue another. I have a couple questions that I would love some advice on:

1. I am looking to get into a more cosmopolitan area in Asia such as Tokyo, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Shanghai and Seoul. I am open to any region in the world if Asia does not work out. What do you think are my chances? BTW, I am a 26-year old American male.

2. As I was hired via Search before, I tend to think they are worth the money. Which fair would you recommend based on my information?

I really do appreciate your advice!

I finished TR about one year ago and landed a great job at a school in Pakistan. The program is very useful and practical. They worked with me when I was doing my student teaching in China and guided me through how to find an acceptable school. Luckily, I had an awesome mentor who really showed me the ropes. I recommend you register with Search Associates once you are finished with the program and have your credential. This will not only give you access to a fair, but more importantly it vets you as a candidate to the schools and they can see your confidential references and make a more informed hiring decision. This strategy worked for me and I could not be happier with my situation. Good luck!

@psyguy

Thank you so much for recommending the NJ route. I will complete my first year here and then submit the documents necessary for getting a standard license in NJ which is good for life and has no PD requirements.

@medellinHeel

I obtained this job by signing up for Search and sending out my CV to a load of schools all over the world knowing I could not be too picky with location for my first international post. Marieh is completely right when talking about Pakistan. The package here is crazy good! Safety is not a concern where I am posted.....that cannot be said everywhere in Pakistan. My advice would just be learn as much as you can from researching this forum and going to a job fair and doing loads of Skype interviews to practice your interview skills. Good luck! TeacherReady was a huge success for me.

Ben

Psyguy,

I have completed my license through TeacherReady this past January. I am currently teaching in Pakistan. How would I transfer my Florida certificate to a NJ or CA teaching certificate? What are the advantages of the NJ or CA renewal process?

Hey guys, I have a much better and cheaper way to do this.

First, if you are an American citizen and have an American bank account that accepts mobile check deposits then this method applies to you.

Next, go to the main Bank of China branch in your province with a Chinese national you trust and withdraw and give them up to $5000 (depends on your limit per check set by your US bank) worth of RMB. They will deposit it into their account and then proceed to fill out the forms for a 'demand draft' (they will know the form. Then, they will use the Chinese nationals ID to withdraw from their account for the check. This is essentially a cashiers check that is issued and states BOC branch in New York City, USA. The cost for this check is 50RMB. It takes about 30 min from start to finish. Once finished, just simply take a photo of the front and back of the check using the app on your phone. I have used this method about 10 times......by far the cheapest and safest way to transfer money out of China for American citizens.

I hope this helps! Most people are completely unaware of this method. Psyguy please don't refute me on this.....it works.

@marieh: please send me an email (bendetwile2@yahoo.com) so we can talk more.

Thanks for all the tips and information! I really appreciate the help.

@marieh: How would you recommend going about getting a cook and housekeeper? What is a ballpark figure for monthly expenses? Are there lots of activities to do around town to fight the potential boredom?

Michelle,

I am sure it has changed drastically since then. I will be in Islamabad. From my research and the the people I have talked to at the school, it seems to be a pretty safe city assuming not doing incompetent things. I am looking forward to climbing the foothills of the himalayas. What experience or knowledge do you have for Islamabad?

Also, any recommendations on travel within Pakistan that you found interesting? I really appreciate your feedback.

I am headed to Pakistan in July and just want to hear some experiences from others who have lived and taught there. I am very excited for the opportunity and ready to embrace the new change. I am sure there are mixed feelings, but any personal experience is much appreciated!

@MOC

Thanks for the input and I will take your advice. All the things you have listed are already in my game plan for the recruitment process. I was just emphasizing the importance of first impression and social skills that many other teachers have no idea how much that influences a hiring decision based on very limited sample size. If the director has good vibes after interviewing that applicant because of their charming personality, then that applicant stands a pretty good chance to get a second interview where the technical aspects can be discussed. The appearance and personality is the key into the room.

@shadowjack,

Thank you, I appreciate your kind words. Yes, I was accepted into Search about 6 months ago. I was pretty surprised to be honest, but I guess they see my age and single status and think I might have a chance of making them some money! I have also been accepted into the Bangkok fair this January, which is very convenient as I will take my girlfriend on a holiday there once the fair is wrapped up. I think as long as I keep an open mind and do my homework on the schools it will be a positive experience regardless if I land a job or not. I know a lot of people will tell me I am a bit too ambitious considering my qualifications, but I have always loved a competitive challenge and this is definitely the holy grail in the teaching world. I will update this forum throughout the process.....hopefully with good news:)

Thanks for your replies everyone. I have already been accepted into Search and will submit my request to be accepted into the Bangkok and Hong Kong fairs. I appreciate the advice given to highlight strengths. What kind of schools attend UNI? Location?

Hello all,

I will be receiving my teaching license this coming January from the state of Florida via the Teacher Ready program. I passed all the exams and specialize in P.E. Currently, I am doing student teaching part-time at Dalian Maple Leaf International School in China. My full-time teaching position is English teaching at Dalian Maritime university. By the time the fairs come around in early 2015 I will have had more than 1 year of teaching experience (part-time) at an international school, and over four years of English teaching at the high school/university level in Thailand and China.

I am 25 years old and in great shape. Also, I am willing to put in two years at a hardship location teaching P.E. to get the necessary experience to obtain a more desirable location for the next contract. I know international schools are a business and image is crucial in order to bring in customers (students). I think my physical appearance is much better than my paper credentials to be completely honest. With that said, My plan is to go to the Bangkok fair on January 9, and then fly over to Hong Kong and go that fair the following week. My hope is that I can use my charisma and athletic build to make up for my lack of experience and in turn land a few interviews at the schools tables. What do you guys think of my plan? Any advice is greatly appreciated as I have been following this forum for awhile and respect a lot of the posters on here. Sorry if I am coming off in a negative way, I am just trying to be as realistic about the situation as I can be.

Thanks,
Ben