OP, why are you aiming so low? Why ,oh why?

BKK or KL. Fraction of the cost (5-6k is a joke) with at least the same quality. You'll be going to KL so get it done there.

Now or next year? Yes. Go for it, don't take any old crap, and if it doesn't happen there's always next year. Also, it sounds like you are in your "home" country and that you can resign late anyway - so why be anxious? Sign up with Search, as others suggest, and see how it goes -it will cost you zilch if you are in the UK.

And yes it is worth attending the April fair in London because it will tell you clearly where you stand. And geography? There are plenty of jobs, don't believe the hype otherwise.

Seein'TheWorld wrote:
> The really big Latin American cities are not necessarily that nice - or healthy -
> to live in, yet that is where the best schools tend to be. Think Sao Paulo, Quito,
> Lima etc.

I guess it depends on your perspective but I disagree completely. Those three cities are all pretty damn nice in my book. Direct experience of living and working in Sao Paulo tells me that it is a big city with tons to offer culturally (high and low), lots of open green spaces, easy to walk around and safe if you don't strut around in your Sunday best in "middling" areas or stroll around "dodgy" parts of town (just like London, New York or any other megacity - if you live your life thinking you will get robbed at gun point might as well move to Greenland). It's also one of the food capitals of the world.

Caracas has major security issues and is the only place, in my reasonably informed opinion, in South America where a bit of common sense doesn't negate the risk of being done over and it is sensible to feel paranoid.

It's also unethical - to ask for confidential information about a person you have not yet considered as a candidate.

Ah, it's now automated then I stand corrected.

ESF do not always notify you if you are not considered. It is a big organisation and it depends who deals with your application.

kuwaitikid wrote:
> British International School is now called the British School of Jakarta, not the
> British School.

Lol! Yes that's correct and I knew that. I stand, um, corrected.

JScott wrote:
> I am not sure there have been proposed changes of this magnitude before in
> Indonesia. The ability to use money to get what you want and need in
> Indonesia has always been prevalent (and it still is). The powerhouse JIS
> was not able to brush this all under the rug, which to me is the most
> telling. Several teachers at JIS had to really sweat it out while waiting
> to secure work visas for this school year. That said, only time will tell
> how many of these changes will be enforced.

Indeed. The "powerhouse" JIS had to change its name from Jakarta International School to Jakarta Intercultural School and is unable to back its wrongly accused teachers and can't easily secure work visas. The British International School has changed its name to the British School. Both of these schools are powerhouses and JIS is the real deal when it becomes to being a powerhouse international school. If it has to lay its sword down then the others are screwed. But yes time will tell and could well be forgotten when a bit of money persuades some members of government to moderate their views. It might be more than a bit though.

AIS is not the worst but it is not a good school. Most schools in Egypt are terrible. Cairo American College and British
International School, Cairo are streets ahead and are good schools. New Cairo British International School is ok. Any of the others are pretty lousy at best - having American, British, English or International as part of their name means nothing. You would be better off taking a job at a 3rd rate international school in South East Asia or a 2nd rate in South America.

Safe for females? You will get comments and you might occasionally be groped in public. If you can deal with this then it would be okay (just make sure you really are in public when you are in public) and you are unlikely to encounter any physical attention but it can happen. Most Egyptians are just like everyone else - respectful and tolerant, but unfortunately there is a culture of let it happen with regards to women and it's not seen as something worth punishing.

ISKL is not "out of the question" - it is just highly unlikely. Good schools will, as needs be, employ teachers with limited experience etc if it is right for them at the time. You have nothing to lose by applying for a vacancy or sending a speculative application. Also, if you land in KL and get a "local" contract with one of the better schools (ISKL, Alice Smith, Garden, MKIS, Nexus, Australian International, possibly IGB) you will often be earning more than you would with an expat contract at one of the plethora of new imitators. Aim high - aim for an expat deal with a better school, and only then weigh up local contract at a good school versus whatever you can get at a shabby one. Sell yourself! - in a slightly more understated way to British type schools, slightly more overstated to American type schools - but this is a fine line, just be honest and show them what you have.

fine dude wrote:
> Thanks, Sid, Taylor, and Shad.

Apologies for adding nothing. Or did I misunderstand the question?

In the UK a fixed contract effectively becomes a permanent one after a certain amount of time and the employer cannot terminate without "fair reason". Two years but can depend on the job - and as always is complicated and just like in the US depends on how big your balls are and how many lawyers your employer has. I'm sure there are similar conditions in other "first world" countries.

Well, if the video interview takes 20 minutes and it takes 20 minutes to review it, then it would have been a bit quicker for a 20 minute skype in the first place where communication channels were open and clarification could be sought by both sides if one was rambling on.

20 + 20 = 40

The schools with good packages, as far as I know, are Alice Smith, Garden, Nexus, Australian International School, Mont Kiara. ISKL's package is good and them some more.