Thanks you so much for your feedback. I suspect you are correct. I am hoping to spend my last 15 yrs teaching abroad.

I am going into my first International Teaching Position. I will arrive in Abu Dhabi in a few weeks to start a two year contract with GEMS American Academy. I have read a few things online about GEMS teachers being overworked. Anybody have any feedback?

Also, I'm coming from a pretty rough rural school here in NC so I am hoping that either way GEMS will be a big improvement. But I was wondering about the students in Abu. Will I have to deal with apathy and discipline problems? Media overload that keeps kids too distracted to take part in School?