I am in similar shoes, and also Hungarian. Currently teach in Beijing with a non-teaching wife and child. Where are you now?

Hi guys,

Can any of you recommend a reliable, cheap shipping company from US to China? I am in Florida.
Thanks!

Thank you wrldtrvlr. The school is in Shunyi district and the apartment is in walking distance. My wife is planning to do some work.

Sorry, my bad, the salary would be 22K RMB a month. I looked at the wrong row on the salary schedule. According to you Psyguy it would still be very little. I might need to reconsider than.

Can anyone tell me how far would 17K RMB a month would go in Beijing. The salary is net and housing would be provided.
We are a family of 3. I have a 5 year old, who would attend the school where I would be working.
Is it possible to live on this amount of money? Could we save any? We have no bills, loans, credit cards debt to take care of at home.
Thank you very much for your responses.

Hello expats,
I have been applying for international positions since the beginning of October. Unfortunately have not had much success yet, although, as far as I know it is still pretty early to get a position at this time of year for 2012-2013.
I am registered with Search Associates and been invited for the Cambridge job fair which I am really excited about. At the same time I would not be too disappointed if I could get a position before the fair, to save some money.
Every day I receive the emails from SA about the new openings, and apply to those that are interests of mine. Probably I have done 10-15 applications so far. I email a letter of interest, attach cover letters, resumes, references to the email I send to schools, and complete the application forms on their websites.
In some cases I do not hear back from the school at all (happened in 2-3 cases), and mostly I receive a thank you email and a"we will contact you if you match the criteria and are a fit for the school". Is it the normal procedure by schools at this time of the year? My concern is that my applications end up in a folder and nobody will ever look at them.
Should one expect more concrete, and encouraging emails from schools and maybe even potential inerview opportunities after applying in early November? Maybe I am not competitive enough?
By the way I have 10 years experience teaching in Hungary, England and the USA (all of these in the public education system) . CUrrently I am in the States. I have MA in Ed. Leadership, BA in Elem. teaching, ESE, ESOL certified. I also hold an EU passport. I am interested in the Far East and Europe.
Thank you!

Many of you on this forum are already at Intl. schools. I am sure a most of you went to job fairs and secured positions there after successful interviews. How did you it? Please tell me about the job fairs (how many interviews did you have a day, were you required to fill out tests, suveys, questionnaires etc.). I am planning to attend the Cambridge Fair and some info would be very useful.
Thank you guys, have a good week at work!

That was the funniest post I have ever read. I am glad you have stopped at 6:30 though. I do not want to know what you do between 6:30PM and 3:30AM LOL.
But you really have a relaxed day there. I mean it sounds surreal.
I wish my job was like yours.

Thank you mathgym. As Psyguy said he was not a head, neither a principal, "just" a "junior" administrator. Maybe it is an AP type of position, is it Psyguy?
Are you a principal mathgym, AP or director? Do not really get the difference between the director and the principal. Is the director more over finances and the principal is responsible for academics? As I understand most of the Intl. schools have their own school board, so I am guessing the director is the link between the board and the principal, but I might be wrong.

PsyGuy, is it very different being an administrator at an Intl. school than in an American public school? I guess you do not have as many discipline problems there than you would have in the US public school system. How about staff meetings, PD, testing, staff evaluation etc.? What is your normal daily routine, and how did it look like when you were a teacher?
In the school where I am at right now- and I guess it is true for all American public schools- I am EXTREMELY busy. I hardly have time to go to the bathroom and every minute of my day is pre-planned. The pressure is huge from administration and everybody is stressed out. Is it the same at Intl. schools, or it is more relaxed?

Can you explain your last sentence about the white european guy please.
I don't get it.

Would you still recommend going to the Cambridge fair if I went for admin positions as well? I mean, I want to be an administrator in he future- that's why I got the degree-, but I thought due to the lack of experience they would not even consider me for those positions. You sincerely think, that I would have a chance? As I understand you are an administrator, may I ask how many years did you have when you applied? How much more difficult to land an admin position at a jobfair, or through private application and interview, than a teaching position?

Thank you for taking the time to read and respond to my post guys.
I think I fit Ichiro's bill. I have the "tall white american" look. It is great to hear that the accent might even benefit me.
Psyguy, I would definitely be interested in administration. My concern is ,that I only have a few months of experience. I have been the deputy of a private pre-school in England for 6 months, and been summer school director here in the States.

Since I did not know much about the San Francisco fair I thought the London fair would have been the most reasonable financial choice. Do you have any information on the fair in SF? Why is the Cambridge fair is "THE" fair? The amount and quality of schools attending?

I am planning to go to the London fair. I am very hopeful and optimistic.