I would love to read more positive experiences! This is an interesting thread which counteracts a lot of the posts I have read lately on here about what a miserable disappointment teaching overseas is. I don't expect any miracles, but I do love teaching in my current school. I hope I will be able to say the same about my new school in August!

Another vote for the website above - I spoke with a man a couple of years ago who works through them, and he does exactly like you want.. 6 month contracts all over the world.

If I recall correctly, you will need to pay towards 80% of your children's tuition. Perhaps that has changed but it is something to investigate.

Berlin Brandenburg is unfortunately quite far out of Berlin. A friend worked there last year and it takes them an hour to get there from Berlin itself, where they chose to live. Of course you can choose to live closer to the school if you wish to, maybe in Potsdam, but it is a very different experience. As I'm sure you know, Berlin as a city is great!

Hi sstourle,
Congratulations on your job offer. I'd say go for it. I also worked in Europe for about that wage. No, I didn't save (although I was living in a more expensive place than Vienna) but I don't have any debts - however I did have enough to have a good time which is more important to me! You will still be able to travel all over Europe with that salary. Personally I also really like Austria. If you're an outdoorsy type, it would be fun. Vienna can be a bit quiet sometimes but Budapest is only 3 hrs or so away by train and Bratislava half that.

Be prepared to get police checks from other countries where you have lived (I've had to do this a couple of times before inc. Asian countries and it's not as much of a nightmare as it sounds).

Ecuador is indeed the top place to be an expat, apparently, but I cannot speak for it personally as I haven't yet been. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/pers ... expat.html

The first time I went to Malaysia, my doctor did not advise me to get any vaccines despite recently living and travelling through other parts of Asia BUT I had already had typhoid and hep A shots.

True - but the majority of ISB students still chose to take the IB. Why? Because it is more easily recognised by top universities, which is what most international schools are taking into account. Furthermore the transient nature of an IS student community makes popular curriculum programs like IB a more sensible choice - I moved countries during high school, but my new school used the same curriculum which made it so much easier for me. I don't think my parents would have chosen a school for me that used a different curriculum to the one I had been following throughout my teenage years.

Absolutely - I hope that the OP can find something that would help their job search, but I still advise against tearing their hair out.

Yes, it's thinking positively. I've seen colleagues strike out and have to stay put before, but I thought as part of a teaching couple package, MM would hopefully not find that is her experience. I just personally think there's nothing beneficial to come from fretting in February.

I see. Well, MizMorton sorry to hear your emotions are running high. It might not feel like much consolation but there are still months left before all the - in my opinion - decent jobs dry up, even if some schools you were interested in have filled their vacancies. If I recall it is your first foray into teaching overseas and whilst maybe things didn't work out for you in the January fair, I'm sure you & your husband will be an attractive prospect for recruiters looking later in the season. It is hard not to get tunnel vision when the future feels uncertain but step away from the SA website for a couple of days!

Maybe I misunderstood this thread but I thought MizMorton was commenting on silence from schools, not talking about her associate?

The schools are very small - under 25 students. As a result you will be teaching children across a range of grades. The isolated location of the schools means you will need to be able to speak Spanish, although you teach in English. The school is for expat children, with a transient community.

A friend works at CNG and confirmed a recent job ad got 500 applications in 48 hours! They are no longer the highest paying school in Colombia, but they are very close.