Staying international or going home?

[sciteach]

Hi all,

As I normally give my opinion - I thought that I'd ask other peoples opinions and experiences for a change.

Currently, I'm working at a school which is reasonably comfortable but I've come up to that common 3 month hump which normally marks the end of the honeymoon period. I've lived in a couple of countries and this current dip is much more shallow than any other country I've lived in - but it's got me thinking of my medium term plans.

My current choice is basically work at my current school for 3-4 years and possibly work into a position of lower responsibility or go home at the end of my contract. I'm not so much interested in what people think I should do - but I'd love to hear any personal experiences people may have had with deciding to teach internationally for the long haul or what it was like going back home and getting a job after teaching overseas for 5-10 years.

Like always - thank to anyone in advance who shares their story....

[fine dude]

I'd take culture shock (at every level) on any day than the one in reverse. I'm happy with my international sojourn that I might even retire abroad. For me, only three things matter. First, does my school offer decent pay and benefits ( health insurance, flights, and pension), so that as I approach my retirement, I don't have to regret for picking the wrong school or schools?

Second, how safe is the land, air and water where I live (seriously)?

Finally, do I have enough professional freedom at my school?

Other things don't matter much.
There is no perfect admin or ideal students (even in Singapore).

[marina]

What percentage of international teachers are single? fine dude, you sound single to me. If not, I am assuming your children would be in your priority list, as in their education, safety, etc. I never got a response to my recent post about evaluating good international preschools and international schools, and I assume it was because many on this board have no children. To the original poster, if you have kids or want to have them, you may want to move back to your country of origin, at least for a while to have some support.

[shadowjack]

Sciteach, do you really want to go home. We went home. Twice. Each time we got the bug, tried to resist, and then headed out again. Now we are out permanently it seems :-) Yes, we have moments where we struggle. Yes we have moments where we are not fond of our school (although our current one is great). But in the end, we muddle on and it all comes out alright in the end. You will make a choice, or need to make a choice after your 2 year (or one year) contract ends. Stay or go? Seems you are already leaning towards going, and there's nothing wrong with that.

Marina - first of all, my policy has been I would never work at a school that I wouldn't want my kids at. So far so good. Kids are grown and flown the coop, policy is still in place.

As to preschools, not all schools offer Pre-K. Many start at KG 1, which is still 4 years old. If you are only shopping for Pre-K schools, you are limiting your range, but there are quite a few out there. If you are on Search, you should be able to find them.

Good luck all!

[whynot]

How much do you miss home?

I spent years overseas, both on the circuit and doing 'other things', never missed home, like shadowjack I went back twice and then headed back overseas again. Thought I'd be on the road forever. And then unexpectedly I got weary, not from being in a classroom with kids - that's still keeps me going - but from not having any roots. As an international teacher, you're almost always temporary. If you're ok with that, and are happy taking the good things from your life in a country and then moving out, sounds like it's for you.

In my own case, through personal circumstance, I'm able to live in my spouses' country, a 'nice' country, with a visa. I'm sure we might be having further adventures of some kind, but for the most part we'll be staying reasonably close to home.

[neehow]

I'm in the same predicament - to go home or not. Will be finishing up 2 years in June. I like my school and kids are good but the city and environment are not the best - particularly when I can barely see the sky outside! Here with my wife. I am on a 2 year leave of absence from stateside teaching job. At this point it's kind of a wash, really miss home sometimes and pine for summer when return. Othertimes, looking diligently at TIE Online listings and putting out feelers for international jobs in other countries. I know once I return will start get the wanderlust itch. Perhaps a country more expat friendly and cleaner and closer to natural beauty. I gather there are others in the same predicament. Would like to hear how you solved your dilemmas.

[sciteach]

Thanks for comments guys. It will give me some food for thought....

[bish180b]

This is a great question and a tough one to answer since their is so many variables to give a finite answer...

I have been home for 5 years and a day hasn't gone by where I haven't thought about being abroad. Having said that I am in a way better position financially and I love the school I work at. Outside of that everything else sucks.

If you love the school you work at and you love the city you are in and the money is good...going home can really bring you down.

It's difficult to find the perfect combination...city/school (staff, students, money, parents, workload) and once u do I suggest u don't take it for granted.

[PsyGuy]

I have never been back home aside from holidays. I dont think i could anyway, im not up to date on state requirements and legal aspects of education, curriculum and assessment.

[Route66]

I have been internationally teaching for only 2 months since August.... its very early days and maybe too early to really say but I think if or when I decide to return home I doubt I will stay as a teacher. The current UK education system especially in inner London schools seems depressing. so if I go home I will probably have a career change.

[PsyGuy]

@Route66

Many an IT have thought the same, but many ITs and DTs get into education because they really cant do anything else with their education, and after being a teacher they usually find that outside starting their own business they are pretty much stuck in education in one form or another.

There are some very nice independent preparatory schools in the City of London.

[senator]

I taught overseas for some years then returned home to the U.S and have stayed. My main reasons were:

Pension plan - Int. Schools do not really offer any decent financial plans for teachers when they get older

Longer summer vacation - 11 weeks as opposed to 6 plus or minus overseas - I love starting work in September and always hated having to fly back to Asia at the tail end of July.

Easier to find another job - Overseas, you give notice in December - or earlier - and hope like hell something decent opens up for you either at a job fair or through interview. There was always a strong chance that you might get a job at a school that would be a downgrade either financially or professionally or you might end up in a real shitty country. Here in the U.S. I can send out resumes around April and never have to give notice unless I get another job. This process goes on until late August and unlike at international schools, favors the teachers rather than the school admin.

Time - I have a lot more free time and have traveled more as a U.S. public school teacher than I did when I was an IT - and I traveled A LOT when I was an IT

Standard of living - I have a great life here in the U.S. Good, clean, healthy, inexpensive food, water, and air, quality health care, a plethora of things to do - unlike Saudi or Africa or even China - and if you don't spend money foolishly, a person can save a lot as a single or as part of a two paycheck couple.

Also, most of my colleagues here are much more down to earth and sane and stable - fewer prima dona, "I'm wonderful because I'm an expat" types here.

Once the "Hey, look at me, I live in a foreign country, aren't I special and different" period was over, and I had traveled to 50 plus countries, the cold, hard facts were that teaching in the U.S. has it all over the world of IE.

The drawbacks for some, of course, would be that as an American public school teacher you have to not only know your subject but also have to be good with discipline and know how to lead and control a classroom, which, as I have seen firsthand, are skills that many IT's lack.

I'm sure I'll get responses from others disagreeing, but these are my reasons and that is what the man - or woman - asked for.

[wntriscoming]

Senator, interesting reply. It's nice to hear some of the pros that a returning teacher has found in the States. All I have ever heard is how those who have returned can't wait to leave again! Or, that they couldn't find jobs.

Thanks for sharing your 2 cents.

[PsyGuy]

1) Many ISs dont offer any type of retirement or pension plan, the goal is typically to find a WE IS that nationally provides a social insurance program that includes a pension and retirement. Aside from that DSs in the States just force you to manage your money with their program. A diligent and mature IT who has fiscal responsibility can do it themselves and maybe even do better.

2) Thats true to an extent, but DSs are starting earlier, and the difference I have found is the amount of PD time, ISs may provide weeks of PD as opposed to a DS that provides only a few days. You can also work overseas at a DS (especially in WE) and have a long holiday as well.

3) Travel and lifetime is more a function of the IT than the IS. A number of ITs prefer 3rd tier ISs because they basically dont have to do much, and make a lot of discretionary time for themselves. Its much easier to travel when your already abroad as opposed to having to fly from North America. Its a day in flights each live anywhere in We and your looking at journeys of hours compared to days from North America.

4) You can get inexpensive food anywhere. A plate of vegetables and noodles in Asia is less than the cost of a happy meal in the States. A plate of sushi in Japan is $1, you cant find that in the States at that price. ive never seen a kitchen in HK, SG, or JP that wasnt anything but clean, and sanitized. You can eat healthy anywhere, though it does take time to find those avenues in some locations.
How much do you pay for air? Water well sure in some countries you cant or shouldnt drink the water from the tap, but I would drink bottled water just about everywhere.
You couldnt find something to do in China? Okay some of the providences can be boring, but you can find just as many back water towns all over the states. There is just as much to do in HK as there is in NYC.

5) Thats more a function of the region and ISs vs. DSs. There are private independent DSs in the States that require notice of intent before the winter holiday. Foreign DSs would be very similar to what you would find Stateside. You also dont find tenure very much in the States anymore which is still common in much of WE.

6) Agree being an IT tends to swell the brains and egos of many. I see it as a combination of two factors, one educators are respected in many regions, really respected. Most noob ITs just arent use to that after constantly being the scapegoat for everything. The second, is the often low cost of living that allows ITs to live a much higher quality of life. Lastly, being an IT is much more isolating, you leave your friends and support group and either become a homebody, socialize with other ITs or try to make friends with locals (and the language barrier can be an insurmountable challenge).