For Love or Money?

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MakeAMessArt
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Joined: Mon Jan 18, 2016 9:55 pm

For Love or Money?

Post by MakeAMessArt »

Can anyone share any personal experiences or advice related to: choosing a position based on savings potential versus choosing a position based on a school that you're very excited about (but that doesn't pay as much)?

Let me know if this has been covered extensively somewhere else.

I am wondering personally, but I think it might be a topic of interest to others new to international teaching. I recognize that this is a decision each teacher must make individually, but did anyone choose a school for money or for love of the school and end up incredibly satisfied or unsatisfied? Any advice about what to consider?

This is my first experience with international school recruiting/teaching/education. I've been lucky enough to receive three job offers (although not necessarily in the most desirable areas), and am attending the SFO fair this weekend (I know posters think this is a dump fair, I'm going anyway, I like San Francisco). I have an offer from Saudi Arabia which would probably be fine, the school would be fine, the pay and savings potential would be fantastic (and I could stand living there, having lived in the ME previously though not as a teacher), and an offer from a very small school in Nigeria where the pay and savings potential are lower, but the school and community would be fantastic. The third offer, Kuwait, I already declined.

Has anyone faced this type of choice? What did you consider? What did you choose and were you satisfied?

Thanks for any insights.
fine dude
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Location: SE Asia

Re: For Love or Money?

Post by fine dude »

Saudi seems to be most reasonable based on what you have in hand. You can find more information about African schools here.

http://www.aisa.or.ke

Did you contact schools in China?
PsyGuy
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Location: Northern Europe

Response

Post by PsyGuy »

@MakeAMessArt

Happens all the time, the forum gets "what to do" inquiries and letters often.

My position is always choose location/region over IS. Coin isnt worth misery or suffering. If you have a hardship location, your life will become your work. If you have a miserable IS but a great location, than your no different than the vast number of people everyday of work in jobs they dont enjoy, you leave and then go do the things that bring you joy.

I would first start by reexamining the saving potential for the Nigerian IS, there isnt a whole lot in that region to really spend lavish amounts of coin on, whereas in the Kingdom there is a lot more temptation and opportunity to spend coin on. You may have more saving 'potential' in the Kingdom, but what is going to matter is your degree of thriftiness. If your a homebody and self imposed monk lifestyle in the Kingdom, than yes under those conditions your actual savings will be very strong.
reisgio
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Re: For Love or Money?

Post by reisgio »

I wish you good luck, seriously. I could never do Nigeria or Saudia Arabia. I need a semblance of freedom in my life and the school and students could be angels at both, but if the society is what those societies are, I would be in constant fear, paranoia, and various states of claustrophobia throughout my time there. You were also smart to say no to Kuwait out of hand. I wish you good luck in SF. Money does not equate with happiness, everyone remember that please before signing on the dotted line. Yet, everyone is different and can stand different environments.
Thames Pirate
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Re: For Love or Money?

Post by Thames Pirate »

I agree with PsyGuy, choose situation over money. Not just location, but workload, working conditions, etc. You have to enjoy where you live, not just be content, and you have to enjoy going to work every day or it won't matter where you live. If you are worried about money, ask yourself why that is so important--do you have massive debt or are you simply looking to have some extra spending cash? What are your spending habits, and if that is important to you, then why IE? If you went into IE for the coin, choose Saudi Arabia, but my guess is that's not why you chose IE. Most of us choose it for the experiences and the people--the way TCKs are different from host country students, the way the educational philosophy differs, and of course for personal growth--seeing the world, meeting cool people, doing new things. My guess is Nigeria will give you more of that, but of course only you can answer that. Remember that many schools in SA are mostly host nation students. If that is a factor, make sure you take it into account. If you want the extra money to travel and you leave SA every weekend, then why be there?

Hopefully those questions help you clarify what YOU want out of the experience. I am not in it for the money, so I will always choose location over coin and work environment over coin.
s0830887
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Joined: Thu Dec 17, 2015 4:46 am

Re: For Love or Money?

Post by s0830887 »

I'm currently working in the same general region as you're looking. I bank about $2000 per month after expenses, car, bills, everything. I'll leave here with enough cash in my pocket to pay for an MA, but as far as my own development...well, my behaviour management skills are increasing daily, but other than that I'm pretty miserable. Cash isn't a substitute for general happiness and ability to go and do things, have a beer, easily chill with friends, etc.
PsyGuy
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Reply

Post by PsyGuy »

@MakeAMessArt

If you can get as @Thames Pirate suggests, everything, than take that, but then you wouldnt be on this forum inquiring upon advise. Most ITs at some point (early) in thei IT career have to make compromises, and coin vs. location is usually one of the most common. Of those I bank on location as being the most satisfactory.

I do disagree to an extent with @Thames Pirate, there are many ITs (later in their IE career) who are in it for the coin and the package while avoiding the pain of DE in their HOR, they sjo up, do the canned Genki dance, check out during meetings and ASPs and collect their coin.
senator
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Re: For Love or Money?

Post by senator »

My advice would be to go for the money early in your career when you are more able to live with hardship. Then, after a time, you will have enough dollars saved to then work at schools you really, like in areas you really like, without any concern for salary.

Trust me, I know too many IT's who went for the location and "lifestyle gig" who are now are getting on in years and wish they had been more financially attuned.
PsyGuy
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Discussion

Post by PsyGuy »

@senator

Im curious if that would actually make a difference? Many young ITs dont know how to be fiscally responsible and conservative. Pursuing coin early in an IT career would just result in a higher level of consumerism.
senator
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Re: For Love or Money?

Post by senator »

Psyguy,

We can only offer advice based on our own past experience. We cannot make anyone follow it.
PsyGuy
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Discussion

Post by PsyGuy »

@senator

Horses and water come to mind...
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