I'm currently in my second year at a school that offers one year contracts. It is not an easy lifestyle here in Venezuela, but I love it! Also, with the current exchange rate the pay is pretty good. It is a really small school, so if you were hired they would most likely want you to teach at least a couple of classes like library or ESL. If you want a change of pace, you could definitely get that at Escuela Las Morochas. Good luck with your search.

-Amanda at http://teachingwanderlust.com/

I've never worked there, but from their website, this school looks like one I would definitely want to work at: http://www.asbindia.org/. Good luck with your search!

-Amanda at http://teachingwanderlust.com/

I have never worked there, but a student of mine used to go to school there. She was the sweetest kid and she was fully bilingual (I think it is a bilingual school) by the time I had her in second grade in Oregon. I spoke to her mom who raved about the school and said I should try to work there. She said it was a small school on the top of a mountain and the only downside is when it rains and all the mountain roads get super muddy and hard to pass.

Sadly, that was in 2010 and I have lost contact with the family. I too am interested in hearing back from other teachers who might know more about the school.

-Amanda at http://teachingwanderlust.com/

I think ESOL can be a great career, especially with the right training. I just blogged about this a couple of weeks ago: http://teachingwanderlust.com/2014/03/0 ... al-school/

I think Search and ISS are equally popular. Joyjobs.com is another site you could check out if you are interested in applying to schools directly. Another approach would be to Google international schools in Colombia and apply to those schools directly via email.

-Amanda at http://teachingwanderlust.com/

You can try registering with Search Associates or International Schools Services. The bigger schools register with those recruiters. If they are more money than you want to spend, you can try applying directly to schools via TIE Online.

-Amanda at http://teachingwanderlust.com/

I feel like your special ed qualification might qualify you to teach at a lot of schools as this is becoming more and more in-demand. At each of the three international schools I have taught at they have not had a formal special ed program, but all schools had students with special needs. Generally, there is a very low special ed population that is admitted to the schools. However, at the school I was at in China, they hired someone on the year that I started so she could create her own program. So, even if the schools you are interested in applying to don't have a program, and you have the experience and education for it, you might be able to persuade them that a program is necessary for their school so they should hire you.

There are many 3rd tier schools and schools that offer very little in pay where you can gain a couple years of experience as a mainstream classroom teacher. I have seen ads for teaching in public schools in Abu Dhabi, Vietnam, and China where you might not be in an international school, but you could gain full-time classroom teacher experience. If you are interested in getting started and not worried too much about the pay I would suggest looking at Latin America or China.

Good luck!

-Amanda at http://teachingwanderlust.com/

I have never attended a job fair and I have never taken advantage of the recruiter databases. I have still managed to send my resume, cover letter to random schools and get replies. Sometimes, I have even asked for tips on how to improve my application to certain schools that I really want to work at in the future. I have received jobs at four different international schools this way.

-Amanda at http://teachingwanderlust.com/

Two years ago I lived in a suburb of Beijing with housing paid for, single no dependents, student loans back home, traveled every vacation, and still managed to go shopping at the local markets most weekends for knock offs and local groceries. I only made 20K RMB. China can be really cheap if you don't . too hard!

I like the idea of using my own classroom for the lesson and just uploading the video to youtube. This way schools can see how you interact with students, classroom management, and teaching style in general. We also have very slow internet in my part of Venezuela so it makes using Skype rather difficult.

@roamer- I can't speak for the Ukraine, but from talking with some expat teachers in Venezuela from three different international schools, most of the unrest is outside of the expat areas. Today there was a road blocked off close to my house by protestors, so I just drove around it and got home a half hour later than I had planned. Other than road blocks and trouble finding certain products, my life remains the same.

Have you tried contacting teachers who are currently at the school you have signed on for? Usually you can find teacher contact info on school websites and it would be best to hear from people at the exact location that you will be teaching at. For example: teachers in Caracas might have a lot more to say than the teachers I have spoken to in Maracaibo, Valencia, and here in Ojeda.

Good luck with your decision!

I knew some people who worked with me in Venezuela last year, they dropped my name, I sent my resume and cover letter, I interviewed a couple of times on Skype. I also had a joyjobs website with a teaching video, pictures, recommendations, etc.

I like Joy Jobs because they create a simple website for me that is more appealing and user friendly than the one on TIE. My friend got hired and I've included the link in my cover letter and I've been hired (but I don't know if JJ had anything to do with it or not). My friend said she was hired at a school in Pattaya and she just used Joy Jobs. I also like that they provide an international teaching job hunt guide. Other than those things, I think it is very similar to TIE.

As a teacher who is already teaching in one of the countries you mentioned (Venezuela), I've found that as an expat I'm kinda removed from the situation. Getting paid in dollars makes a huge difference and I agree that it always helps to have dollars in hand. I was offered a teaching job in Egypt but it is easier to stay with what you are already familiar with.

I agree with mauriciosaen about joyjobs.com. I have seen schools on there that I have never heard of! That site finds international teaching jobs that are not yet posted elsewhere. Love it!