This is our 2nd effort teaching on the International School’s circuit (circus). Our first experience involved a short 8 week stint at a school in Malaysia (not paid and our contract never signed by the owner) followed by almost two years at a school in China. We headed home as Charlie was born in Beijing and we felt that we owed him the chance to breathe fresh air and recognise the sun as more than an orange blob in the sky.
The life as a teacher OS can be an amazingly rewarding one.It is so surreal in some ways and quite difficult in other (1st world) ways.We earn lots of money compared to the average local.But it’s a lot less than if we lived at home and a lot, lot less than other expats living here and a lot, lot, lot less than the parents of the local kids that we teach.We can live in a lovely house and we can travel to great places.
International Schools don’t, generally, work like schools in Australia.For one, they are often ‘for profit’ institutions.And, often, the owner seems to want to make money more than creating an amazing learning environment.And often the choice of administrators can be seemingly short-sighted with a lack of inspirational and rational people around to take on the positions.
However, the staff at International Schools are generally very good.They become your family as well as your friends.You love them.When they are sad, you’re sad with them and when they are enjoying life, you’re in there with them too.
The kids are often lovely, so behavioural issues are not a problem.
A really strange things happens when you want to change schools/countries.You often have to resign from your school in November or December before you’ve had a chance to secure a job somewhere else.So you’ve effectively taking a risk of being jobless and ‘country-less’ every time you decide to move.So every October/November/December/January there are a selection of teachers (maybe 30% to 50%) walking around in a state of anxiety. Then, hopefully you secure a job and the whole moving to a new country thing starts again.
So all in all, we love our life here. It’s a great experience.