Hey everyone, I have a question regarding life insurance. I am a US citizen and will be teaching in an international school next school year outside of my home country. I am in my late 20s, single, with no dependents. However, I would like to have life insurance just to be on the safe side if only to make sure my family back home would not need to be financially burdened if something happened. I did a cursory Google search regarding acquiring life insurance while one lives abroad but I would like to see if any of you can tell me what your experiences have been getting covered. Sorry for the morbid topic but I just want to have all my bases covered!

@santacruzin1

Got it, thank you! Very informative!

@tommypizza

Damn, you mean they filed/helped you with the taxes, or the base salary + perks were laid out as the net sum you would get and they dealt with the taxes? I saw one of the upper tier schools in HCMC offering some sort of shared tax burden, but I still think they were asking the employee to pay for some. Good on you though!

And that makes sense regarding gross income, 50K plus housing in Vietnam is a very comfortable package! If you are still there I hope you are enjoying Tet!

@tommypizza

I'm assuming before taxes correct?

@PsyGuy

"That means you feel much less like a clerk and more like an IT."

You made my Monday PsyGuy! Thank you again for the information, your post was direct and to the point and gave me the information I was looking for. I did well in DE, but went for IT for a change and I am trying not to psyche myself out thinking the failings in DE will be the same in IS. Of course mileage will vary and I will roll with the punches if they come, but it is refreshing to hear your words!

@fine dude
Huh, sounds a lot like what I do now in DE, minus the weekend workshops/trip. Much of what you described has been common for me, and many of my colleagues in DE. If the same is true in IE, but they compensate better for it (depending on location ect.), it seems from what I have read to allow for a better work life balance. It seems from how I see it a net gain from what I am doing now.

@shadowjack
That’s a helpful breakdown! It sounds like from what you are saying that in IE as opposed to DE the school gives you more time to adequately do our job! Haha Of course I have never been one to snub my nose for doing SOME work on my off hours, but in DE it has been the norm 4-5 days out of the week for the vast majority of the year, even after cutting the usual corners and making better systems for my workload.

Also, thank you for the Bangkok Job Fair thread, it but informative and entertaining!

@PsyGuy

Thank you! This helps a lot as well! PsyGuy, from what I read in the forum you are a learning support / special education teacher correct? If so did you teach LS/Spec. Ed. in DE or made the subject jump in IE? I ask because I have been teaching LS/Spec. Ed. for several years in DE and have gotten a job set up for LS/Spec. Ed. at an upper tier 2 school in Asia for next year. I read most of what anyone has written on IE LS teaching already in the forum but wanted to ask if you, or anyone for that matter, taught LS/Spec. Ed. in both DE and IE and get their take on each end.

Sorry if I am high jacking the thread!

A follow up question to this. When one says the work load is a lot for the elite schools, how does this compare to average to below average domestic schools' (for those who taught domestically in their home country) work load and work life balance? From my experience working domestically, as well as conversations and observations with fellow colleagues, we are worked to the bone and not compensated in the ways elite schools provide. Is there really a stark difference between the two or are they the same but we just get better taken care of at the elite schools?

Thank you PsyGuy! After several interviews they did not request anything more than my one pager, and offered me the teaching position! Now the planning begins!

Hey everyone, another question from a first timer. When schools ask for a CV/Resume what exactly are they asking for? I have a long form CV (pretty much anything of merit I have ever done in my life) that I created for when I apply for summer adjunct university jobs that is about 5 pages long. I also have a 1 page resume for regular job interviews. Which one of these forms are HR departments looking for? Should I send both or keep it to just one? I have the 1 page resume on all my major recruiting website accounts but also attach my long from CV in the "Other Documents" section for good measure.

Bummer man, I hope the new spot will be less taxing on your life!

Thanks for the advice, I'm hoping I can keep it, already applying so hopefully it won't cause issue!

Thank you all for the beard advise! Let's hope the remainder of this school year's issues are just as trivial!

Didn't work out with the whole email thing at your current school? :/

Hey, like other users have said, you are not allowed to mention specific schools on this side of the site.
If you would like more information about a school, you will need to visit the Member's Area (the paid section). Their homepage image on the other hand, now that is something right out of a Japanese horror film!

Hey everyone, long time lurker first time poster. I'm submitting my applications and paperwork for the 2018-19 school year for international schools and I had a question regarding men's beards. I'm in my late 20s and I have a well groomed beard at the moment, no more than 1/4 inch in length. Seeing as I have to place a picture on my CV, and on most profiles online for job searches, and will be Skype interviewing presumably, would it be best if I go clean shaven? I am mostly looking for positions in the southeast/east Asia region and I have read in other forums that having a beard may be off putting to some employers and as much as I like my beard, I would rather it not be a focus when my credentials, experience, and personality are what really matter. Just wanted to see what all of your experiences are regarding this. First world problems right?