The International Schools Review Forum

Situation:

Offer in China for $4000 total package, MYP Science, but separated most of the time from wife and baby

or

Offer in Thailand for $1800 total package, AP Chemistry, wife and baby join as less pollution for baby b/c job is not in BKK

never had IB training yet...

Advice??

Thailand!

That sums it up nicely :)

Lifestyle for sure-- assuming you can support your family.

Can live yes, save no

Go to Thailand first, for the experience and training. Then try to get a job at a school that will provide a better quality AND money ratio.

You think AP chem is more valuable than MYP science?

I think having the wife and baby are more valuable than what you teach.

Is that $1800 before or after taxes? Definitely take lifestyle over money as long as the lifestyle doesn't cripple you.

Both after taxes...total packages, nothing else, beyond insurance and flights....

What you think is more valuable tho, AP or MYP?

Wont cripple, but wont advance....our house is paid off, but keeping our car loan would prove too much, need to sell off our car if Thailand...

China allows to keep car, house is paid, and save maybe 20k a year

Also my ego factors into things as well....I have an MEd and soon an EdD...why should I be working myself and not advancing...

Sure the wife and baby come to china for a month or two, then go home for month or two....Not so bad, far from ideal, but not bad....

Also this is my first and probably last child...so there is that to consider, seeing him grow.

In this case China. You dont know how it will be in China, and you may change your mind about the viability of your family being resident with you in China. With 1800 vs. 4000 the Thai IS has to be a bottom tier IS, and the Chinese IS appears at least to be 3rd tier. The Chinese IS is going to do more for your career and resume than the Thai IS.
MYP and IB is more valuable than AP, especially if you can move to DIP in your second year. There is far more potential in the China IS appointment than the Thai appointment.

I don't understand the people who train hard to join a notoriously poorly paid profession and then go seeking money.

Obviously life-style, but if you're even asking whether you should miss out on your baby's growth for a couple of thousand dollars then maybe you're not that easily swayed.

Thats not the "life-style" reason I got into teaching.

I wasnt sitting on my couch thinking, Hey I could live poorly in Thailand if I was a teacher. I got into teaching because I like helping children expand their minds....

But sustaining one's own life, along with his wife and baby is a big concern.

Thank you for your reflection of how I perceive the world. How is your world with such a stick crammed up your butt?

Apologies if my post sounded harsh - obviously if you can't live on the lower salary then you have no choice. But missing out on the early stages of your child's life is a huge thing. I know someone who is in that situation at the moment, relying on Skype most of the time and it's truly miserable. You won't ever get this time back.

If you think you are going to have a good lifestyle in Thailand on 60k baht/month with a wife and child, you are going to be very disappointed and in for a shock. I wouldn't touch either of those offers.