Good advice, thank you.

I probably can slow down School B since they are 12 time zones away. The back-and-forth tends to be on opposite ends of the clock. Damn, if we get offered both... Ai yi yi. I want both BADLY. We're just hoping that fate steps in and makes the right call for us.

School A said it would be the end of the week, and today is Wednesday. Maybe I will wait until tomorrow or Friday and see what School B writes back. I am being totally presumptuous at this point, after all.

THANK YOU, PsyGuy!! Thank you for that concise explanation. It sounds amazing for my kids, who will be in PYP, and perfect for my husband and me to transition into since we'll be MYP. Perfect!

We all have our top choice schools for various reasons. I'll call mine School A (first choice) and School B (second choice, but only by a spiderweb of a hair). My husband and I are a teaching couple.

School A: We've gotten a bite. She said they'd be in touch later this week. I have a strong sense that we're good contenders for this job (for whatever gut feelings are worth). We fit the description of their ideal candidates. It is an off-the-radar school with low competition compared to the big IS names, and the odds of this opportunity coming up again are slim, because it's a very small school that happens to have two jobs for us.

School B: We're actually sending back & forth e-mails with the principal, and I think she likes us (our letter made her laugh out loud). We feel we have a good shot there too. A very good shot, by the tone of the e-mails.

There is a big part of me that wants to e-mail School A and say hey, we've gotten a little interest from another school, but you're our first choice... can you, uh, move this along any faster? Obviously not in those words. There's plenty of material for me to stroke their egos because they are #1 after all.

Should I?

I know, tough problem to have... **DISCLAIMER:** I am well aware that we haven't gotten any offers yet. I'm just wondering if a nudge to School A would be out of line.

I don't have any IB experience, and I've been doing a fair amount of reading on the subject to prepare. What I'm finding is a description of what I strive to do already in my (American) classroom; similar philosophies about educating the whole child, differentiation, etc. Can any of you with experience in both systems give me a few comparison/contrasting bullet points of major differences you've noticed firsthand?

Like: "In the US, _______. In IB, on the other hand, ______." What I really wish I could see is videos: Here is how X is taught in an American class. Now, here is how X is taught in the IB system.

Thanks!

Is it true that being a teaching couple is an advantage?

UnCloudy wrote:

> Can you say where your dream job is?

These are really great, you guys. Keep it coming!

I found this sort of poignant for myself:
JScott wrote:
I wish someone told me how hard it is to connect with
> my old life whenever I return to my home country for holiday. If you
> embrace this lifestyle, it will change you. It appears that returning
> 'home' and being able to connect to your family and friends, your own
> culture, and daily life again may prove to be quite challenging, if not
> impossible. This is not a good or bad thing, it's just that your outlook on
> how your life can be changes.

...because my husband and I both grew up military, so the "coming home" part has been our whole adult lives. We've both spent 20 years as disconnected, third-culture outsiders, so going back out there with other expats technically will be going "home" for us, finally. ;) PS: SOMEONE PLEEEEASE HIRE US FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT IS HOLY. (Did I just say that out loud?)

Hi Fraisninette,
Mainly we just don't want the responsibility. We love the idea of just cutting (what is the expression, when you cut the rope that's tying a boat to a dock?)-- cutting... that, and setting sail with no strings attached. Then we can really focus on our new country and new life. Wheee!

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shadowjack wrote:
> MizMorton,
>
> You "have friends who have travelled the world."
>
I know, that sounds privileged and flaky, but 90% of them actually did live in these places.

You're right, Sid & Jack, and thank you for your input. I will have another look at the countries you suggested. :)

What do you wish you had known when you first started teaching internationally?

I am just starting the process, and it's like poking holes in a dam. Each time I poke for information, I get a deluge. I've learned so much that I can't help but wonder what I don't know!

Thanks for your help!

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Me too, UnCloudy. Deleted.

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