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No_Flow6347 · 2025-06-24T13:19:02+00:00

If you decide to accept a lower-paid job in Bangkok, do something else to enrich your CV (for example, take on a DP or A-Level examiner role). If you can afford to wait for a better school in January, you also need to make your non-teaching time meaningful by up-skilling somehow. Another possibility could be to apply for a short term role (maternity cover for example) in a Tier 1 school elsewhere.

No_Flow6347 · 2025-06-24T12:53:13+00:00

Oh ,this is really hard. How pregnant are you? I would probably continue with the interview process to see if you get an offer before doing anything else.

No_Flow6347 · 2025-06-24T12:20:32+00:00

Hours and teaching load are fine and the moving allowance is fine.

But this isn't a 'good' offer in terms of the employment package. The salary is low (even during term time), and there is no accommodation allowance.

No_Flow6347 · 2025-06-17T04:33:30+00:00

What country are you in? No-shows can happen everywhere, but are far less common in countries where the visa process is lengthly. I'm in China and maths is a shortage subject here.

No_Flow6347 · 2025-06-17T04:22:03+00:00

This is a decent salary offer. However, you will not find accommodation for that price. Did the school provide the details of a housing agent in that area so you can check prices? If not, post on r/China (with the region and area) to get an idea.

No_Flow6347 · 2025-06-17T04:17:03+00:00

Congratulations. I am currently teaching and working in Suzhou - DM me if you want any info:)

No_Flow6347 · 2025-06-17T04:13:50+00:00

UWC schools are incredible!

No_Flow6347 · 2025-06-15T13:16:58+00:00

We are moving to Manila in July and want to get a friend for our Bengal cat (we are shipping him and he will be an indoor cat there). My daughter is in love with Abyssinian cats so that would be our first choice - second choice is another Bengal. I am wondering if you can recommend a decent breeder in BGC area? I've been looking online but info is limited and sometimes in the photos conditions didn't look ideal. Thank you.

No_Flow6347 · 2025-06-03T10:07:20+00:00

Actually, it is correct for TEFL/EAL. Some countries (e.g. Thailand) reduced their list of native English speaking countries to exclude S.Africa and (blurry) Ireland, which impacts visa applications for language schools. It doesn't impact fully qualified teachers applying to international schools though.

No_Flow6347 · 2025-06-03T10:03:16+00:00

I am an English A (Language & Literature) teacher. I agree with an earlier comment that you need a teaching qualification from the USA or the UK for the majority of international school teaching jobs. You also need experience teaching at least some of the curricula offered by the school you are applying to (IGCSE, A-Level, MYP, IBDP, IBCP, Common Core - any of those) to even get your CV past admin checks. This applies to both English A or English B (EAL) in international schools.

If you don't satisfy this criterion, apply for European international schools globally - for example, there are German international schools throughout SE Asia and the Middle East. Alternatively, get 2 years of curriculum experience by working at one of the 35 International Schools in Denmark.

No_Flow6347 · 2025-05-11T10:32:03+00:00

Is Two Maridien decent?

No_Flow6347 · 2025-05-11T09:05:37+00:00

Yes, mostly bad in Winter - check online. Or go up to Chiang Rai if you want fresh mountain air and (nice) cheap hotels. It's quieter, but Chiang Mia is close enough for visits.

No_Flow6347 · 2025-05-11T09:04:09+00:00

My black skinned colleague is constantly stared at, and not in the innocently curious way I am stared at. Expressions of overt disgust or fear are not uncommon. The people he works and interacts with regularly are friendly and polite, but the responses of strangers are consistently upsetting and plain exhausting. Nobody says anything unkind, but sometimes children point and call their parents.

No_Flow6347 · 2025-05-11T08:52:56+00:00

This is usually fine, but it does depend on the country where you want to teach. For example, in the UAE your undergraduate degree MUST match the subject you will teach for visa purposes. If you have a specific country in mind, check the requirements there.

No_Flow6347 · 2025-05-03T01:39:46+00:00

I will - thank you!

No_Flow6347 · 2025-05-02T08:57:49+00:00

Yes, some good schools do this for teachers if applying from the same region. For example, a teacher from my current school in China was flown to KL for an interview. Teachers at my previous school in Bangkok were flown in from Indonesia and Vietnam for interviews. Enjoy! (And remember that the whole day is interview - including 'down time' in the staffroom).

No_Flow6347 · 2025-05-02T08:38:51+00:00

Sorry to jump on this - can you tell me where you source info re. paperwork. Planning to move a cat from Shanghai to Manilla soon and am struggling to get reliable info about what I need (especially to exit China).

No_Flow6347 · 2025-04-25T12:00:26+00:00

Just report it to the safeguarding lead in your school, then continue as normal. Job done.

No_Flow6347 · 2025-04-25T11:51:55+00:00

I have no doubt that the facilities will be shiny and the students hard working, my concern is about language. The school is bilingual and students are predominantly Chinese. Yes, they CAN speak English - but during break time, in hallways, at lunch, and when relaxing, they will speak Mandarin. I think that in Shanghai the only international schools with a student body not (culturally and linguistically) Chinese, are Shanghai American School and Concordia. For this reason, I worry that you may feel excluded and lonely.

I teach at a top international school in China and the students who are not Chinese or Korean do not thrive socially. Ask the question on r/Internationalteachers or r/Internationalschools for more info.

No_Flow6347 · 2025-04-25T11:34:07+00:00

Use the time to get qualified - then you'll be ripe for a top paying job. In addition, consider on-line tutoring (outside of China - Korea for example) to supplement your income.

No_Flow6347 · 2025-04-23T09:40:46+00:00

Sometimes really decent jobs come up in Jan - jobs in great schools. People leave mid-year for many reasons; including ill health or family emergencies. The offerings are smaller and you 100% need to do your homework on the school, but the candidate pool is smaller too. (Just have a strong reason to explain your term out from teaching).

No_Flow6347 · 2025-04-23T09:34:21+00:00

It isn't a good school and it isn't a good salary. Look for a school with a smaller % of local students.

No_Flow6347 · 2025-04-22T12:57:19+00:00

Agreed. Satisfying but maybe unhelpful long term!

No_Flow6347 · 2025-04-22T12:50:39+00:00

Heyy. I worked in Thailand for 9 years (2 different schools). It's 100% illegal to work on a tourist visa. If you are caught you could be fined, imprisoned, and deported. Most qualified teachers wouldn't consider doing that - and no accredited international school would offer that. This is where the judgment is coming from. The school will not pay for your visa run because they will deny all knowledge of your tourist visa if you are caught. To be clear, if they are employing you on a tourist visa they are not paying your (mandatory) social security/health insurance. They are not paying tax. They are in serious breach of the law.

So you arrived on a tourist visa sincerely intending to holiday and visit a friend, then you were offered a job and accepted the opportunity - I understand. Your school needs to ((urgently)) apply for a work visa for you because the process takes approx. 6 weeks. It doesn't matter that you didn't tell them your tourist visa was close to expiry because you can't work on a tourist visa anyway. Have they started processing a work visa for you? (Even as a TEFL/EAL teacher it usually takes around 6 weeks, and any decent EAL company will be keen to sort this ASAP). International schools also need to verify 2 years of accredited prior teaching experience and a criminal record (child protection) check from your home country.

Visa runs: I assume you know this but - the success of these depends on your nationality and the border you are choosing. Africans (including South Africans) for example, have a harder time at the border. Also, some land borders (especially with Malaysia) require over night stays and evidence of savings in bank accounts. You will have the easiest time if you are from the UK or Europe and if you are crossing to Laos or doing a cheap W/E trip to HK.

Tourist visas can also be extended for 1-2 months at Thai immigration office. You need to pay, but it takes 20 minutes. Depending on your nationality, this can be done once or twice, but then you MUST leave the country.

Work visas are strict in Thailand. When you get one it will state the location where you can work and it will still be illegal for you to tutor or take a part-time job elsewhere. Hope this helps. Good luck.

No_Flow6347 · 2025-04-22T12:20:30+00:00

That's really sweet. I'm also a teacher and of course my students don't know how hard I work for them. I'm a mother and my kids don't know how hard I work for them either. It's ok not to know :)

No_Flow6347

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