First of all, I have only been abroad and at the same school for going on 4 years now. So there are many other people with more experience in this than me, and this is all based on my experience and information I have gathered from others along the way.
FAQs
1. How did you get your job? A colleague and former supervisor of mine, Carol, found this job. Then the job was split between schools and a new elementary (PYP) position opened. I applied and I was offered the job.
2. What benefits do schools offer and what do they pay? There is quite a range in pay scales. Some schools are very transparent and publish a scale on their website. Benefit packages vary as well. Most include: airfare to and from the school annually from your home of record, health insurance, housing allowance, settling in or shipping allowances, extra duty stipends. Usually up to 2 dependents can go to the school for free or minimal fees. Some pay in US dollars, some pay in local currency or a mix of both. Some are tax free and some are up to 25% local tax. In my search for our next adventure I have seen a huge range of salaries and benefits. The USD$ amount ranges from 12K to 90K per year.
3. How do you find or apply for a job? I suggest connecting with an agency. There are a bunch. Joyjobs.com, Searchassociates.com, Schrole, TIE, and the list goes on. They are not usually free but they can help you find contacts at the schools. There are also job fairs affiliated with the different agencies. Too many to list so you need to do your own research. I am attending one in Bangkok in January 2017. I have heard stories that the fairs can be very intense, cut throat and stressful. I also hear they have good food.
4. What is it like to be an international school counselor? I was never a school counselor in the states. I only did contracts with individual children and worked with schools on IEPs etc. My job at Developmental Preschool was basically a school counselor at the preschool level, but different. So, I cannot compare it to the USA. But I do know that I am not bound by state-federal requirements and paperwork. I do not have to submit data to show I am effective at my job. There are some things I do not even know about to list here. On a day to day basis I get to help kids. I get to make sure they are calm, content and can learn. The basic foundation of what a school counselor does. I address the usual things: conflict resolution, student anxiety, attachment issues, behavior concerns, anger management, etc. It looks different everyday. One huge challenge though is community resources. There are limited resources for external counseling for families and kids. Very few therapists want to work with young kids here. There is minimal child protective services run by the government. So my protocol for reporting child abuse is custom fit for Bangkok. And often what would get reported in the USA is not reported here, but addressed in very different ways.
5. What is it like to live abroad? It is what YOU make it. You must be open minded, flexible, have a sense of humor and be willing to take risks and be willing to make mistakes. Things will be wonderful and things will be unbelievably frustrating. How you choose to respond is really important. Travel opportunities are much more available. The USA is pretty isolated in it's location and places like South East Asia have so many different cities and countries to explore.
6. How does the school help you move there? Some do more than others from what I am hearing. Talk about this in an interview. There are lots of things that vary school to school since international schools are not one big school district but individually owned and operated! (But if you are too afraid of having to set up internet in a foreign country and unfamiliar language, this might not be for you.)
7. Is it worth it? yes! But the trade off is less time with my family. That is the hardest part. So if you need to spend every holiday with family, need to be able to go and visit regularly, this is not for you. It really isn't for everyone. And there will be moments when you are ready to pack it all up and head home. But then you realize that where you are, you have made it a home. And yes, it was worth it. Another downside, your partner may or may not be able to work in that country. They may find themselves a "trailing spouse" or in a new role of stay at home parent. Don't expect they will have a job. If your partner is a teacher, schools will often hire couples.
8. Should I wait until my kids are grown or I am retired to go? NO!! Many countries have age limits, some as low as 55 which they cannot hire people over that age. So, if you can go now, go now! As far as your kids, think about their personalities and if this type of lifestyle would suit them. Only you can answer that. Also think if there are other things holding you back, extended family, a house, ties to your community. You will have to consider that most initial contracts are for 2 years.
9. Do you feel safe? Yes. We lived here through protests, a military coup and other significant political changes. What I have learned is that the US media sensationalizes foreign news. It really is safe here. If it weren't I would not live here. There have been a few times while traveling that I have felt uncomfortable, but never unsafe. One thing I never think about here, going to school, the movies or a shopping mall and worrying about somebody with a gun. Most days I feel safer here than I did in the USA.
I am sure I will have more to add to this. This year we have decided it is time to move on and explore another part of the globe. Life is short and the world is big!
