The International Schools Review Forum

Be sure you find out the truth about the cost of living in a country before you go.

Living and teaching overseas is a great life. But after a summer in the States I am reminded that the cost of living in America is far less than in many third world countries, and the standard of living, much higher. It appears that over the past ten years many first world amenities have become available in the third word, but at a high price. Why should amenities and merchandise cost more overseas in a dirt poor location?--- because they can get it and for no other reason. So, it?s the old law of supply and demand.

Lets be honest, much of the wealth earned overseas by the well-to-do local population is acquired only because certain groups are connected to members of the government that pass contracts their way. In addition, much money is made in illegal ways. Money earned the easy way is easily spent without regard to the price of the item being purchased. This may work for the uneducated population sending their two children to our $14000 a year school while the rest of the country lives on $200 a month. And, for us teachers, we are paying the same price in many countries as the extravagant class because we shop in the supermarkets and eat in the restaurants and fly places at much inflated prices.

Many an international teacher has found themselves in a culturally dead part of the world paying inflated prices for what little taste of culture is available, yet earning wages far less than would be offered in the States. This is not a cultural experience because no culture exists in the country where they are living. Do your homework and find out all you can about a location before you agree to go. I would like to remain anonymous but I?m currently in a place so devoid of any ethnicity and culture that white bread and butter would seem exotic by comparison. In trying to be Westernized all was lost here, except high inflation.

I?m going to have to drag myself to the airport and back to school this year. This has never happened to me before and I'll be sure it does not in the future. I advise you to be sure it does not happen to you.

Must be pretty scary!

On what continent is your school?

We had very similar feelings abroad regarding money issues.

When we returned to the states to live (we just refer to it as our next post, actually), we were pleasantly surprised to find that food was much cheaper in our area. Eating out is spendy, yet shopping and cooking is unbelievably less expensive with much healthier choices. We do miss authentic ethnic foods, however. Utilities, internet, etc. is cheaper as well. Add to that that my husband's medical insurance is outstanding (compared to what we had to pay out of pocket abroad), and his retirement plan, too. We definitely pay less for cost of living stateside than abroad -- compared to all 3 posts. Granted we now have a mortgage and car insurances, yet our standard of living far outweighs what we experienced in 3 separate posts abroad (continents of S. America, Africa and Asia).

There are so many 'deals' in the states. It's a full time job researching it all, yet you can really find excellent bargains from everything like cell phones to car insurance to mortgage rates. Living in smaller, quieter towns outside of major cities is where you'll find the best deals. We are a 2 hour drive from a major city and the closer you get the more $$ you see. We've heard this from many international friends who have returned to the states.

We do make more money than we did abroad, yet we didn't have a mortgage then either. And we didn't have college tuition for ourselves or our kids to dish out at the time. Taxes aren't as horrific as everyone talks about abroad. With a mortgage, kids and a home business, we hardly pay anything to Uncle Sam. We really built up our retirement while living abroad and so that has been a big perk that most of our family / friends here didn't get to do.

It's different for everyone, I guess, and you have to weigh the pros and cons of why you are working and living abroad.

It's been my experience that sometimes you need to work at the lower paying schools (get some years under your belt) before you can get hired at the schools that make it worthwhile, financially, to teach overseas.

If your only goal is to make $$$$, then you may be disappointed again and again. You learn over time, though, how to live abroad and manage your finances in such a way that you can come out pretty good if you just stick it out.

Just my 2 cents worth!

Teaching overseas is NOT for everyone. Depending where you go, you have to deal with language barrriers, "wierd" & "strange" cltures & traditions, power shortages, lack of supplies, corrupt police, crime, islolation, etc,....

All of this, and I haven't mentioned the issues concerning the schools, which can also exist in the states. It may even seem worse because of all the other stuff I listed.

I know when we first arrive in a devloping Sub- Saharan country, we didn't think we make it to December, BUT by December, we were prepared to go the distance. We had a lot of bad experiences, BUT we really enjoy the experiences.

I am not sure what you mean by cultural dead spots,... I guess I don;t see how any place that is not the states can be anything but alive with a different and unique culture. While the African attitude drives me nuts sometimes, I also envious of it too. It seems to me you are not allowing yourself to embrace a "diffferent" culture as good, but rather as different & bad. I could be assuming too much,..... ????

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