Not just about the money....

Here is an article I wrote for the ISS Newslinks.... It will be out in about 2 months.

Not Just About The Money
By Cristiana Jurgensen


The international teaching “gig” is really one of the best things going for educators. You are able to enjoy relatively small class sizes, kids from all over the world, great travel opportunities, and in many cases, earn more money (once you include all the extra benefits) than you would at home. But nothing good comes easy. Finding the right school to match your needs takes research and preparation. In the seven years my husband and I have been in this business, we have talked to many people about their experiences and here are some words of wisdom we have come across.

Most importantly, evaluate WHY you are going to your first (or next) school.

Perhaps you are looking for a specific location. Years ago, when we first started this gig, my husband wanted Costa Rica more than anything in the world. Sure, we had never actually been to San Jose, but he wanted it. Turns out we took Brazil (Salvador, Bahia) instead and once we visited San Jose and realized how far it was from the beach, we were glad. Once we almost took Bucharest, Romania until I read that for four months a year there is less than 3 hours of sunlight a day! So if you want to go to a place based on location, make sure you know what you are getting yourself into. A great way to do this is just to type in the name of the city and the name of the school and so a search. You will come across all kinds of interesting things… blogs, tourism information, news articles, web sites, etc. Devote time to each location to really get a feel for it.

Another reason people pick schools is based on it’s reputation. Is it an IB school? Is it a powerhouse school? Or maybe a laid back school? Small school or big school? Oil school or embassy school? What is the school climate? Not all schools are for all students and the same goes for teachers. Maybe you have a family… does it have all the grades your children will attend? Many schools require that you live on campus or a compound. How do you feel about that? Our first year living on a small campus while great for our young kids, was quite a shock for us! What kinds of students will you have? Are they mostly expats or rich locals? Take all this into account, because trust me, it makes a difference in your day-to-day quality of life.

Sometimes people pick schools because of career opportunities. Maybe you want to move up the ladder? Or try a new grade? Sometimes you may have to go to a smaller, lesser-known school in order to try something new. Once I got offered a principal position at a small school in Turkey. I had never even heard of the school, and the pay (even as an administrator) was well below what I had been getting, but they were willing to give me my first admin job. Explore all kinds of schools and don’t feel like you have to stick with the big name ones!

Quality of life is a huge factor for most people when deciding where to go. What do you enjoy doing? Do you like to go out and enjoy the nightlife? What about sports? Or cultural events? Live music you thing? A friend of ours is a singer. Her locations are based heavily on if they have opportunities for her to sing with a choir. Quality of life is really hard to put a price tag on. We once lived two blocks from the beach and trust me, the money was awful, but we loved every minute of our time there. This aspect, I believe takes the most research when you are deciding on your next school. One of the best ways to find out about life in your new place to find someone who has actually lived there. Recruiting videos and tourism web sites give you only a small slice of life. One time we decided on a school because a teacher who had worked there told us that the little kids on the compound were always wandering into her place. We had little kids at the time and that is exactly what we wanted. But imagine a single person with no kids. After teaching all day, they would probably want to come home to peace and quiet. This school would not work for them. So ask around. The international teaching community is actually pretty small, there is probably someone who knows someone who has worked at the school you are researching.

And of course, there is the money. Sometimes you go to a school simply based on its package. This is not very glamorous, but it happens and this is where you need to be the most careful. I have heard countless stories of people who are disappointed once they get to a school because of money. Not because the school misrepresented or was not honest, but because the teacher did not research the situation enough. For example, who would have thought that a box of local brand cereal could cost $12 in Lagos, Nigeria? Or that you have to pay your own local taxes in most Asian countries? Or that the dollar could devaluate by half within 3 years in Brazil? Do you get paid in local currency or in dollars? Do you pay your own electricity? How about transport to and from school? Local insurance or international insurance? What you see on the salary line of your contract is not all that matters. Ask questions and dig deep. I have gone as far as checking local grocery store web sites to see what I would be paying for a week worth of groceries for my family!

In the end, the people hiring you want you to be happy at their school. So, don’t be afraid to ask questions! Once I asked about the beach and was told that I would have to wear a full body wetsuit if I wanted to relax on the sand! See, glad I asked! Take your time and begin the research very far in advance so that by the recruiting season gets in to full swing, you will be all set. Also, keep an open mind. You never know what you will find out. Maybe a country you never even considered a few years/months/days ago will start to become really attractive! Don’t for get the web! There are also many websites that help teachers understand the business. A person favorite of mine is run by Pam and Igor out of Portland, Oregon. It is called joyjobs.com and I recommend it to newbies and veteran teachers. A wealth of information for a very small fee. Lastly, don’t be afraid to go with your gut. It something feels wrong, it probably IS wrong and steer clear. But on the flipside, maybe everyone thinks you are crazy for wanting to move there… but if it works for you… go for it!

Cristiana Jurgensen