Thank you for the insight. Sounds like a nice place.
Do you know anything about the new school that GEMS is opening there?
Do you, or does anyone else know who the Principal will be of this school?

Thanks,

HM

Thank you very much for the specific fair advice. I too am leaning toward this fair, just am concerned about currently being in my first international assignment without IB experience. Seemingly as you said, it might not be as much of a problem in SPED.
I will certainly take your suggestion and follow the schools that will be scheduled to attend each and also take this into consideration (hopefully being so early in the season there won't be too many school pulling out or positions already being filled prior to the fair).
Thanks again,

HM

-BUMP-
Thanks to all that have replied. I really appreciate the insight. Does anyone else with personal experience with the job fairs listed in the original post have any opinions?
Thanks,

HM

Any information anyone has on this soon-to-open school and/or the area would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

HM

Thanks for your thoughts.

Surely there must be more people with an opinion…

Please keep in mind the fact that I really would like to take the admin route…If you were in my position…which would you chose?

Search Fairs

Leadership Fair November 22-24 (not sure if I would receive an invite given limited leadership experience/or be a viable candidate)
Melbourne January 3-6 (No real information on Search site at this time)
Bangkok January 8-11 (I have no IB experience)
Hong Kong January 16-18 (Primarily Asia)
Cambridge February 5-8 (The best bet???---Too late in season???)

Thanks to all that have an informed opinion :)

I am looking forward to recruiting season for the 2015-2016 school year (amazingly enough begins in 6 months). Being careful not to reveal too much about myself:

Over 12 years of teaching experience.
Certified in Special Education and a core subject
Master degrees in Special Education and Ed. Leadership
Geting administrative experience in my first year in an international school presently (writing/revising manuals, accreditation team duties, etc.)
Married with non-teaching spouse

My Goal:

1st To get an administrative position as a Special Education Coordinator or junior administrator (with ability to save some money).
2nd If unsuccessful in first goal, to land a teaching position in a good school to set myself up for getting an administrative job for the following contract.

Preferred places to work in order of preference (with better air quality than in northern China):

Middle East (countries that are not terribly restrictive to women, UAE, Oman, etc)
South/South East Asia
Americas

I am registered with Search Associates. My question:

Should I chance the administrative fair (would I even be given an invitation) in Kuala Lumpur in November? If not, which fair should I go to weighing chances of getting my preferred job and total fair costs?

Thank you for your consideration.

HM

Thanks wntriscoming,

This is the type of information I am looking for…everyone please keep it coming. I know that BKK is not far from some beaches, and not terribly far from some nice beaches. How about JKT? How far, or given the traffic how long of a drive would it be to get to a beach good enough to warrant what I am guessing might be a trip of several hours each way.
I am familiar with the cost of air travel from BJ, how do prices compare traveling around SEA from BKK and JKT?
Also, I hope that anyone with anything they think might be relevant to the discussion will simply add it.
Thanks

I am trying to get a handle of how the air pollution between Beijing, Bangkok, and Jakarta. compare. Any information would be helpful. I am hoping for a compare/contrast between the three (or the two that you might be familiar with).
Could anyone also compare/contrast level of pollution and quality of life between any two or all three?

Thanks,
HM

Hello all,

I am also interested in any information that anyone has regarding this school. Your assistance would he greatly appreciated.
Cheers,
HM

Thanks all...
PsyGuy, I was referring to mamava's comment about the the quality of the construction coming into play when determining if the air purifiers would be effective. If I am in an apartment that is fairly well constructed (no air leaks through windows and doors and something approaching an "optimal" ventilation system...whatever that might consist of (I hear that there are many newer apartments being built with very good air filtration systems)...would I be naive to believe that I could keep the air in my living environment relatively safe?

I would suggest signing up with Search Associates and attending the Bethesda Job fair June 21-23. The membership will give you access to the job bank and the job fair. Ordinarily, I would probably not advise this job fair because it is so late in the hiring season. Your situation being what it is, this maybe your last/best hope. I have read before of a number of people walking away from this fair with decent jobs. Give them a call and ask to speak to the associate in charge of the fair.
Good luck!!!

Edited to add:

I've just checked out the search site there are 36 positions advertised for Elem. 1-3 in IB schools (three of which are in S.Korea), 25 positions Elem. 4-6 (one of which is in S.Korea). Only 13 SPED positions left, no Elem. in the countries you are searching for in IB schools.

I hope this helps...

My respiratory problems aren't that bad...though definitely an allergy sufferer. Mine respiratory problems manifest as a bad sinus drip and the resulting cough. That said, the cough can get bad at times when the exposure to the particular irritants that are problematic for me are at high levels. I will be going to one of the larger cities near the coast. I've spent a month in Beijing before in the winter time, and really did not feel any ill effects, but I spent most of my time indoors. I do not take part in a lot of outdoor activities...at least not in the city. I imaging that I will be spending the majority of my time indoors and will try to get out of the city environs as much as possible.
I plan to be in a newer apartment. I am hoping the quality of the construction will be good enough to allow me to keep my living environment relatively free of particulate contaminants.
I am being so naive to think that I will be able to live in a major Chinese city if willing to be proactive and realistic about what I can and cannot do to make my living environment "livable"?

Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to reply. This is actually my greatest fear in moving to China. I have respiratory issues as it is, and am concerned about the pollution. Even though the issues I have here are environmental and not man made, I have had great success and seen a huge difference in my well being when using purifiers versus not using them. I pray that the use of purifiers will allow me to work in my "city" without issues.

I will definitely be buying an air purifier or two. Are there good ones readily available at a reasonable price for filtering the particulate from the air that seems to be the greatest problem?
If so, which brands/models would you recommend?
If I buy in the US and bring with me, will I run into big problems with the power conversion issues...or will they run properly?

What are your experiences/recommendations?

Thanks...

Does anyone have any information about this school?