 Mid-December has already arrived, and I can feel Christmas and New Year’s not only whispering in my ear, but knocking at the door, saying, “Let’s do this.” While I’m sure another travel blog focusing on Katowice and their family-friendly Christmas Market would be preferred or an exposé on running the gauntlet of three different markets in Krakow, for once, I’m going to leave my storytelling to the side and simply let the vlogs speak for themselves. The truth is, I’m tired. It could also be this blasted cold I've had for the last three weeks, or the fact that this time of year always makes me reflective and protective of my time. With a few days remaining until we go on break, a wise teacher will focus on health, self-preservation, and choosing the right spots to end things on a high note before the well-deserved, desperately needed vacation begins. Don’t get me wrong, being in education is a blessing. I’ll be the first to write that in twenty-plus years of doing this job with a stint in the Navy in between, there’s something undeniable about working with students on their lifepaths. We don’t just teach subjects, we teach right and wrong, or, as some educator turned author wrote many years ago, “middle-class values.” Rather than dwelling on what those values precisely mean, the focus should be on teachers being part of a process that helps little ones find their way to becoming inquisitive, productive, and mindful adults who can make a difference in the lives of those around them. This is a powerful position with great responsibility. I don’t lose sight of this aspect of my chosen career field, especially not after working in some of the more challenging public schools in New Hampshire, where some students didn’t have hope to do much more than their parents did. Life circumstances, especially during the holiday season, put things in greater perspective. With students who don’t know where they are going to sleep on a given night, where they will eat if they aren’t at school, and if they have to subject themselves to abusive relationships to exist simply, there is something said about taking a moment and being there in a positive light for these kids, especially. Even now, I can recall several students (now over eighteen years ago) who were homeless. For that matter, I can still recognize the faces of some, even from two years ago. Yet they managed to succeed enough to graduate, then navigate their way out of their trying homing situation. At the same time, I wonder what happened to many of my students in those towns; it's easy to look back to other teaching positions in more affluent communities in the boarding and international world. The stories are different, but the role remains the same, being there in a positive way to create change. I hope and trust I don’t lose sight of this aspect. Honestly, even as I get ready for Ugly Sweater Day and a stint as Saint Nick, where this guy is going to don a fat suit to bring some added joy to the day across grade levels, learning to be grateful for what we have is equally valuable.  This sums up Tangier perfectly. Note the smoking section, door still open, and the air blowing the smoke out for all to share and enjoy. To that end, I’m looking back at this year. I’ll be the first to share that Tangier and I are not besties. Far from it, this city rubs me the wrong way, and at some point, I can share why, but in short, it’s not for me. The incessant noise, for one, is trying, and the runner in me cannot develop a routine that works between the terrain and the atmosphere. No matter how many times I tell my left ankle the tiled sidewalks can’t hurt you, it refuses to listen. What Tangier has done is helped me get back on my writing track. I don’t want to brag, but honestly, I haven’t written this much in years. Krakow didn’t help much with my writing because I was off practically every weekend, exploring Poland and other parts of Europe for my travel vlog. Maine was more of the same with journaling in between, but nothing as creative as I did in my old house on Lake Winnipesaukee. To recap, I’ve written three different books this year and am currently halfway through a fourth. Granted, I have taken a bit of a break this past month, rightfully so. Who else writes around 300K words and doesn’t need a bit of reprieve? That’s probably wise, don’t you think? Even these blogs, I’ve been writing concurrently with Double Cross since late August without any break. It’s time to take a few weeks to decompress and spend more time with family and friends.  My traveling companions enjoying the sunrise in Poland Travel-wise, it’s been a mixed bag. I had to come to grips with the fact that Tangier and Ryanair had changed their itineraries, and what had been weekend-friendly options for trips had shifted to less appealing ones. Then again, I finally got out of Tangier and saw a few different places in Morocco, so perhaps Ryanair killing that Lisbon Friday-to-Sunday flight was a good thing. Still, I managed to check off some travel goals: Malaga, Tarifa, Gibraltar, a return to the Baltics, Poland (of course, 2 times), and some excellent excursions to Liverpool, Wales, and Morecambe. I’ve already booked the following slate of trips from Finland, Aix-en-Provence (tried to go last year but was sick), Mongolia (yep, you’ll see how cool it is, literally coldest capital on Earth), a return to Carcassonne, and Liverpool between now and the end of the school year. I expect some fun travel vlogs with walking tours and commentary that show way too little research, poor assumptions, and my schtick, which some find undeniably charming and others, not so much. Then again, it’s fun and a break from the classroom. It also fuels the writing by living and experiencing new places and sights. Really, I am amazed by family and friends in the States who have never left the country, let alone hop in their cars and explore their own areas. Understand me: I’m not saying they are complacent, but when we settle into our routines, stagnation can kick in unless we find new goals and experiences to challenge us to move forward. It would be hypocritical to tell my students to read if I’m not reading books. The same is true of writing: I can’t tell them they don’t need to improve it if I’m not modeling the same behavior. If only I could convey the countless ways I use math every day, then some would stop asking Siri for help. By the way, she’s not as good as she thinks she is because she never explains the process. Ridiculous, right? Even AI wants to take shortcuts. To that end, we are bringing this year to a close. Personally and professionally, I hope you have found growth and success in your lives these last twelve months, and that you have found ideas to push yourself to try new things or to stimulate your minds in ways that improve your world and the lives of those around you. As for me, I’ll keep plugging away, teaching, writing, and traveling. Stay tuned for the next round of adventures, and oh, the new book that will be out in February. Happy New Year and Merry Christmas. Jonny
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Surviving Your First Year Teaching Abroad A native welcoming me to my apartment in Brindisi You decided to take the plunge to become an international school teacher. You looked for a position and got one. More importantly, you made it through the paperwork process and likely have packed your bags and are now on your way to this exciting new opportunity. There’s a lot to take in, process, and experience, but it’s also time to take a deep breath and make yourself at home. That’s the key to all of this and the focus for this last edition of this International School Teacher series. Flexibility and Resilience on ArrivalYou land in your new city, and then what happens? For me, it was a blur those first few days. I had an overnight flight from the States, followed by an extended layover, and it wasn’t until mid-afternoon, after a full twenty-four hours of traveling, that I finally walked out of customs with my bags in tow. There were people there to greet me, but that’s not always the case. At one school, there was a manager of pickups at the airport. Literally, this guy just stood at the arrivals area and then called specific taxis for each staff member who was arriving. I wasn’t a big fan of this approach, simply because I expected my principal to welcome me, let alone the director, as had been done the first time for me in Brindisi. You have to prepare for anything upon arrival. Your phone might not work unless you've purchased an eSIM, such as with Sailey or another provider, to tide you over data-wise until someone shows you how to buy a local data and phone plan. Then again, there are no guarantees on that end. Only one of my three stops had a plan ready for me upon arrival. One said we would go the next day or the day after, and the third was worthless. There was no initiative on that person’s part, so I found myself going to the mall and activating a SIM card I had bought online without any assistance. You will get the full range of assistance, and frankly, there’s no rhyme or reason as to whether you will have the pampered effect, let you figure out everything entirely on your own, or somewhere in between. Housing: Finding Your Sanctuary AbroadI was spoiled going to Italy. I simply moved into the old director’s apartment. They picked me up, showed me around, and gave me the set of keys with a night’s worth of food and a cold beverage to welcome me to the city. Poland, on the other hand, was not as functional. From the outset, I found the apartment independently and contacted the broker without any assistance. I was also the first new staff member to get an apartment at a solid price. The drawback was that when I arrived, I was on my own, because for whatever reason, my local contact at the school didn’t show up at the apartment at the agreed-upon time. When they did arrive, they simply sat outside in their car, preoccupied with other thoughts and duties. I had already signed the contract by the time they had decided to ring the doorbell. I can frame it that way, because it's precisely what happened. The taxi dropped me off in front of the apartment. I had already sent a text to my realtor, who, surprise, surprise, went on vacation and had his partner cover the listing. That guy was late, so there was no translation help available. Instead, I met my landlord, an elderly man, alone without assistance, and for the first twenty minutes, we didn’t even click on using Google Translate. It was more a hodgepodge of Italian, a few Russian words, Polish, and lots of hand signals. I don’t tell you this to frighten you, but if you’re going overseas, you have to be flexible. You also need to be able to set boundaries for yourself and be willing to take a stand on things if they don’t feel right and you don’t think it’s going to work for your energy. That might sound like a sidebar, but it’s not. Here in Morocco, I was placed in an apartment in the middle of the city, a short walk from school, but on the loudest street corner in the entire area. Sure, it met my school’s housing allowance, but at what cost? A crossroads for traffic, with people waiting for rides and buses out front, the apartment's aesthetic charms meant nothing when I saw the single-pane, cracked windows, the broken wall sockets, and my favorite, a jazz club underneath my bedroom. However, I ended up there; this wasn’t functional for the school year. As a teacher, I need to rest and recover, and there was no way this apartment was going to allow me to do so. I’m also a planner, and I had enough money aside to navigate a quick move. Literally, the day before school started, I had already moved into a new apartment with a water view, and thankfully, it had double-pane windows that provided enough noise control to keep me sane. Sure, it’s way over budget, but you need to decide what’s important to you when you are on this overseas journey. I’ve done this rodeo before, and I know how important it is to recharge, rest, and get some downtime. If your place is stressing you out, then you’re not going to last the school year and will likely pull a runner. The number one most important thing is finding the right place to stay. You don’t want to be so far away from work that it becomes a commuting nightmare, even if the school provides transportation. I had teachers who commuted one hour each way, and let me tell you that eats away at your free time. This year, I have a twenty-minute walk, which is terrific. Don’t compromise on your housing, as it will be your sanctuary, your home, and your spot when school is not in session. I can’t stress that enough. Building Daily Life and Community This bear is sporting some Italian clothing... what a fashionista Expect the unexpected and for things not to make sense, especially with the local postal service. In Italy, I had a friend mail a postcard from Brindisi, and it took four or five months to arrive. No joke. We didn’t even bother using the mail because even our utility bills would show up a month or two after the payment date. Poland was a bit better and comical, but if you had a package on the way and weren’t at the apartment, they weren’t leaving it at the door. No, you would need to visit the local office the next day and present an ID for pickup. Morocco, let’s just say my mom was going to send me my pillow, and that was going to be $400.00, so yeah, that’s a firm no-go. While the postal service is unreliable, other delivery methods work just fine, and even better than at home. Jumia isn’t too shabby in Morocco, and I never had an issue with Amazon Italia shipping stuff to my school, or any shipping in Poland to those wonderful Paczkomaty. Grocery shopping, the way we feed ourselves, as long as you find your local stores, you’ll be good to go. Whether that meant an outside market or a physical grocery store, I never had any issues finding places within a short walking distance that were functional and had everything I would want for sustenance. Then again, I also don’t go out of my way to buy all Western, American-brand foods. If you only want those, they will be priced at a premium; then, what’s the purpose of leaving in the first place? Be prepared not to see your favorite brand, but expect to discover some equally yummy alternatives. Likewise, understand that you are likely in a location where walking is how people get around. Goodbye car culture and hello exploring by foot, and a taxi if you want the added price. I have to say this because it’s a shocker for some. You have to plan your trips accordingly, because how many bags of groceries can you comfortably carry back from the grocery store? Did that thought even cross your mind? Socializing is a big topic of the day and is essential to many. Over the years, most schools have established a chat group that shares activities and events, enabling people to meet up and engage in activities together on weekends and in the evenings. You get out whatever you put into it. Some people want to be part of a built-in social group with fellow educators who share a similar living situation. In contrast, others will put themselves out there and initiate connections with the local community. Either one works well, but ultimately, your actions will determine this aspect of your living experience. No one is coming to your door to ask you to do things. You will have to meet people halfway at the very least and make an effort. Embracing Travel, Health, and the Long School Year Regardless on that aspect of life, expect some periods of loneliness and homesickness. A school year is an annual cycle as are our holidays that many of us so often cherish with loved ones back at home. If you can’t get home for the season, find ways to use technology to stay connected. Just be happy this is in the 21st century. Even twenty years ago, video calls were just getting started. Even now, I remember being in Brindisi and having to schedule Skype calls for our weekly check-ins. Now that WhatsApp is more common, along with FaceTime, Zoom, etc., it’s just a matter of syncing up times and connecting. Likewise, advances in technology have also made daily living significantly easier. If I don't know a word, I can use Google Translate to communicate with people around me. This is far better than sign language and a word-by-word translation with a pocket dictionary. Yes, that was me in Italy. As you embrace the seasons and holidays in your new country, I want to stress the importance of getting out of your new home and traveling. That doesn’t mean you have to travel outside the country, although many of us do, as it’s cheaper to explore other places once out of the United States, with substantially shorter flights. Seriously, see what the different regions of your new home base have to offer. When I lived in Poland, it was extreme, but I was visiting a new city or two every month. Something was exciting about hopping on the train and learning more about my host country’s history, culture, and the people. I wanted to do the opposite of what I did in Italy, which was take a few select local trips and a few international trips while paying off my debts. Whatever you decide to do, take advantage of your proximity, because you don’t know whether after your job ends, you’ll return to this area again. One caveat to your travels, or more like a pearl to share, is to ensure you are up to date on your vaccines and other recommended shots. I had a colleague in Moldova who was bitten by a dog and had to choose between immediately beginning the four-shot series of rabies shots or waiting a day or two and checking on the dog to see if it was still alive. I would have been more relieved to know I was already inoculated as opposed to wondering if the dog was in fact rabid or not. The point is, get a list of vaccines you might need before your move, and then this becomes a non-factor. Either way, be smart when you are out and about, whether in your new city or exploring other ones. Finally, as you go through the highs and lows of your first year teaching overseas, expect to be exhausted and to experience the same range of emotions you have at any other school you have worked for before. School will be a constant for you, a known factor in your day, and you can rest easy knowing that kids will be kids and the days and weeks will tick away. That’s a certainty. Everything else will fall into a routine, and you’ll find that by spring, you’ll be well-adjusted. By the time school ends, you’ll be ready for a break, to return Stateside to visit family and friends, but also ready to return to your new home when the break ends or you’ll be onto another. The adventure is whatever you choose to do with it and that’s all that matters. Hopefully, this four part series has served its purpose. If you want to see more of my first experience overseas check out Brindisi and Me.  The Hardest Part of International Teaching Isn’t the Classroom My hometown elementary school is just like every other school I have taught in - four walls, classrooms, teachers, and students. What’s the hardest part of international teaching? It’s not the classroom. The kids are kids, the curriculum is curriculum. The real challenge begins the moment you sign that contract — and suddenly your life becomes a blur of paperwork, packing, and patience as you prepare to start over in a new country. I recall my first international school assignment. This was a several-year process. Offered a position with a company at a February conference, I didn’t feel drawn to the location being offered. I said I wanted to wait and see if any other schools they managed had possible openings. We agreed to remain in touch, and I waited. Spring transitioned to summer, and to my dismay, nothing opened up that fit my criteria. As another year began, I maintained an open channel with the same company. By November, I was instructed to reach out in mid-December to get first dibs, if you will, on their list of openings. From there, the process went quite fast. By the end of December, I had identified five different schools that fit my criteria, and so I reached out specifically regarding their schools in Belarus and Kazakhstan. I have a background in the language and have always been interested in exploring that part of the world. Alas, a day or two passed, and I received a series of emails from one of the hiring team members. They didn’t want to offer me Belarus, but instead a position in Italy, of all places. I never saw that happening. Honestly, my heart was set on former Soviet Union countries, so when they suggested that southern Italy would be a great match, I found it funny simply because this was never on my radar. My mother was pleased, but for me, it took a week to wrap my head around going to a location I not only hadn’t considered, but didn’t feel a pull to. As many international school teachers will tell you, be open to any location, because you never know what that school will bring in terms of professional and personal growth. That seems a no-brainer, but it remains solid advice. Paperwork: Your First Big Test AbroadAfter formally accepting the position and signing my contract, the fun began. The paperwork trail started the moment I signed and continued for the next eight months in a series of steps that, even for me, is boggling. For many countries, you can’t just show up and apply for the right to work. I wish it worked that way, as it would have mitigated any drama, but as you are agreeing to teach and live in a country for multiple years, there is a different path that you are expected to follow. If this is not followed exactly as prescribed, it can result in deportation and a fine for the school. What I remember about the Italy process is a blur, and yet I know I had to get all of my transcripts, copies of my degrees, teaching license, background check, and a few other items to get the ball rolling. Once those were sent off to Italy, whether by airmail or email, waiting became the common theme. Patience (and Persistence) with Visas You have to be patient, but eventually you will get to the airport as Freddo, the Arctic Fox did on our way to Italy. A valuable lesson ensued, one on the importance of patience when faced with this application process. Countries frequently revise their legal codes, and procedures sometimes become more complicated or less so, depending on the government in power. As I shared in my book Brindisi and Me, I had to go to the police station upon arrival to complete my paperwork, and this was only after I picked up my right-to-work form and number. While most of these things are out of your control, if you don’t have the paperwork ready to go, you’re just delaying the process. One thing I would suggest to make your life easier is to make sure you have a current passport. Honestly, don’t even play the it’s got six months card. You need to double-check that it doesn’t expire during that first school year. Why subject yourself to a delay that you could have taken care of well beforehand? Some countries allow entry with less than six months remaining on your passport, while others will reject you immediately. You can’t count on border patrol being charmed by your Yankee accent to allow you in for this permanent stay. Knowing this, keep an active passport with a cushioned expiration date. Second, when conducting your background check, ensure that your school provides you with the timeframe for this document. In Italy, I was fine with a generic FBI background check, as long as it was conducted during the school year in which I applied for admission. The Italians were fine with a PDF copy. Meanwhile, in Morocco, I had to ensure that my check was completed within a few weeks of my pending arrival and that it was printed on the specific type of paper. If you don’t ask for specifics, this is an easy area to screw up the application process and cause headaches during the school year when your thoughts should otherwise be focused on your lovely students. The most significant piece of advice I can share is to be proactive. For Italy, I wasn’t allowed just to show up and use the Schengen agreement. Because I would be working, our process was to apply for a multi-visit visa. Unlike some countries, where this can be done via mail, the Italians want to see your face. They also want to waste your time, but that’s a story for another day (there’s an entire chapter on it in Brindisi and Me) Honestly, I had to visit the consulate in Miami to drop off the paperwork for them to process everything and return my passport with the new multi-visit visa page. I wish it were simple, as in just showing up and dropping off everything. But it doesn’t work that way, or at least it didn’t in 2017. You had to schedule an appointment, and the only way to do so was to use the wonky website. Rest easy knowing there were no appointments for me that fit my timeline. The first one I found was a week before I was due in Italy. This was three months out. Instead, I had to perform daily checks for several weeks until an appointment became available for the following day or later in the same week. This was stressful, and all of my colleagues had to deal with the same fiasco. There was one option to show up for 8:00 am and hope they could take me, but there was no guarantee, as I saw firsthand when I was onsite meeting with the officer. If you can’t keep your documents in order and be on the ball with these applications, then you might as well stay put in the United States. This is the easy part, because once you arrive, there is so much more to process and take in between the new position and getting adjusted to life in a foreign country. Packing Smart: What to Bring, What to Leave BehindBefore we can even focus on this new life, what else should you have ready for your big move? That’s easy, pack too much. Pretend you are going to college for the first time, and pack your entire room up to be transported. I’m not kidding, you could take my approach and pack less, but you might forget something you really like or need to have with you. On all of my moves, I have only brought three bags with me, full of clothes, medicines, vitamins, soap, and pictures. Each time I wanted to gather all my books, CDs, and miscellaneous items that make a place feel like home, but I also realized that there’s an added cost to shipping additional items. This is something you will have to consider. Take a moment or two, to decide what can be left behind and what must accompany you on the journey. My stuffed animals and pillow had to make the trip, while my two boxes of books remained behind under the guest bed at my mother’s. Then again, I woefully underpacked for meds on my first overseas assignment because I just assumed the country would have the same things we had in the States. Isn’t that a joke? Don’t get me started on my third posting, which is now in Morocco, and how that story continues to unfold in the same way. Thankfully, I learned at this stage what I need to stock up on to get through the year. Walmart, anyone? Learn the Language Before You LandThe more you can plan for and have those things ready, the easier your life will be when you leave for the airport. If I can provide any further advice, I recommend getting Rosetta Stone or Duolingo on your phone and studying the language of the culture you will be residing in. There’s something said about being familiar with the dialect, as it makes you feel more welcome, more understood, and you don’t have to rely on your phone to have a simple conversation. I studied for an hour a day from January to August to prepare for my trip to Italy. Now, did that help me learn the language? Let’s just say I reverted to Russian at the first hint of Italian from those around me. Maybe you’ll have better luck. Lastly, I recommend getting a multi-currency card, such as Wise, which allows for easy transfers of money from your American accounts to an intermediary card that facilitates currency conversions. This has been a lifesaver, especially when transferring money home, paying in local currency wherever I’m staying, or visiting. I don’t have to worry that my bank card at home will be compromised. In a similar vein, for those with credit cards, I would suggest having a card with no foreign transaction fees that you can have available should you need it during your teaching assignment. Final Thoughts: Be Proactive, Be Positive On the school bus, heading to work in Brindisi, Italy. I’m confident there are more tips to share, but for right now, these were the big ones in between getting your job and the steps that lead up to that fateful flight. Be proactive, be positive, and ask questions. If you do those things, you’ll be fine.
Before I end this blog, I would be remiss to share that Brindisi and Me spent quite a bit of time on my transition to life in Italy. If you're interested in learning about these experiences, feel free to take a look at the book. As for this series about International School teaching, we have one more to go, living in a foreign country. We’ll focus on that the next time around. How to Find International School Teaching Jobs  International School Teaching is a unique experience that I highly recommend to any teacher who has lived the public school dream in the United States. I’m not saying do it forever, but consider a two-year stint to experience living in another culture and exploring another part of the world. Even before embarking on this cycle of international assignments, I had already traveled extensively, dating back to my college and high school years, so the concept of living overseas wasn’t as foreign to me as it is for many. Then again, my preconceived notions about what certain places would have and how they matched up to life in an affluent part of New Hampshire are another story entirely. Still, I’ll be the first to say that each stint teaching overseas has given me a greater perspective on life outside of the bubble, and I think it not only improves my classroom teaching but also allows me to share with my students that they are part of a global community. We can’t lose sight of that in 2025, not with the internet and social media. We can’t shut ourselves off from everywhere else, even if people want to do just that. To that end, we are here for round two. You’ve decided you have the experience, the credentials, the education, and the motivation to live overseas. The big question is how to find a suitable position. Note that I wrote 'suitable,' not just a position. That’s the key to all of this. You can find any job with a cursory search, but what is the best fit for you? Here is a list of websites I’ve used and would recommend when doing your search. Where to Start Your Search Teacher Horizons - I discovered them this past year, as my current employer utilizes them, and many schools in Morocco do as well. What I like about the website is its search database, particularly the ability to search by school type. If you want to keep it broad, there are over 4100 schools to research. Focus on the kind of curriculum you want, such as the American curriculum. That will narrow down your list to a thrifty 700+ schools. Alternatively, you can open the door with your QTS and explore the abundance of British curriculum programs available on that site. Suppose you actually create a profile and upload your CV. In that case, you can gain access to the benefits, including salary information, the overall package, and perks such as a free round-trip flight, housing allowance, and even retirement contributions. This site is thorough and easy to navigate. What I appreciated most was the section on frequently asked questions, where current or former staff members shared their insights into life at their schools. Not all schools have these sections, but those that do give you a nice look under the proverbial hood. If you have no idea where to start or what’s available, I would say this is a good option, especially since it’s free. Then again, I enjoy conducting research without incurring any costs. Speaking of free, if you are doing this search for the first time, you don’t have to pay to find a job. Let’s be clear on this because I feel like, through word of mouth, the “in” thing is to immediately jump on the Search Associates, Schrole, ISS bandwagon, which you do not need to do, to find a position. You can and are welcome to, but you will incur a fee to access their listings through their services. Frankly, if this is your first rodeo, there are plenty of free alternatives with ample schools to choose from and research. My motto is this: if I have to pay to do this, when I can contact the school directly, that’s a waste of money. A better alternative, especially for American educators, is to review the State Department's listing of Overseas Schools. That’s how I started my research in 2008. I visited the website and clicked through each school associated with the U.S. Department of State. I figured that if the US Government were contributing to these schools through tuition payments for the employees of embassies or consulates stationed overseas, then those schools would be acceptable to me. Let’s be honest, would it hurt to do an initial search to see what those schools are and actually click on their websites? Not at all. You will find that many of these schools post openings, and you can contact them directly through their listings. Perhaps it’s old-school, but I prefer the direct approach for a couple of reasons. This shows initiative, and it also sets you apart. These schools that work with various hiring services receive a large number of potential interviewees, but it’s also a shared pool. By contacting the school directly, you may receive a valuable email that could lead to a job, not just this hiring season, but also in the following one. What do you know, they just found out there’s an opening in June, and you are now on the list to be contacted. Again, I’m in favor of researching schools and contacting them directly. You don’t have to do it, but it doesn’t hurt your chances. Recruitment Fairs and Services  If you want to use a service and are based in the United States, a valuable experience would be to check out the University of Northern Iowa Overseas Teaching Fair. This year marks their 50th anniversary of hosting a hiring fair, so they know what they are doing. If memory serves, they are the oldest fair in the world for international teaching positions. I recall hearing about them in 2002, when a colleague of mine was seeking a teaching job for the upcoming school year. He attended the fair, had several interviews, and then accepted a position, which he held for four or five years in Central America before transitioning to another post in Central Europe. It works. I have used UNI twice and have secured positions directly through them or as a result of their connections. What’s nice is that if you register early, it’s free. Scratch that, on their website, after October 1, there is a $25 charge. Then again, that’s still reasonable because it provides access to schools in their database that will be attending their fair in early December. The way it works is that positions will be posted from the time some schools sign up, up to and after the fair. You can express interest in the positions and be considered for those schools, or you can contact them directly using the provided contact information. It’s a lovely service, one with enough information to give any novice to international school teaching peace of mind. My favorite part of the entire experience is that you don’t have to attend the fair to use their services and to get the ball rolling. I interviewed for multiple positions in October and November, the last time I used their service. Newsflash: at the time, their fair wasn’t even until the first week of February. (This year, it’s the first week of December). If I were recommending any other services to newbies that I have used and like, it would be Carney Sandoe & Associates, based in Boston. I have attended their fairs in the past for boarding school positions in the United States, but they also list international schools. That might be worth checking out, especially since they will assign a person to work with you on the schools you are interested in applying to, the subjects, and possible destinations. When I did it there was no upfront cost, which was a plus. TIE Online - The International Educator is also a good website to visit and sign up for. I have used them in the past for research and to gain insight into various job postings. There is a charge, but you might find it worthwhile. I would put Teacher Horizons above this, but it all depends on how involved you want this search to be. Final Thoughts and Next StepsFinally, I would suggest that if you are interested in other people’s questions about international school teaching positions, across the spectrum, take a look at the message board on the International Schools Review. Aside from hours of entertainment, you can get a fascinating picture of what to expect, look for, and the dos and don’ts of the entire international teaching realm. I do caution you that if you subscribe to the school reviews, some of those should be taken for what they are: a forum for disgruntled employees, schools trying to offset those nasty comments, and people who actually had decent experiences. Still, I enjoyed reading them all, bad and good. That’s about all I can share on getting started for your job search. Do your research, get a list of people who will recommend you with current contact information, and apply early and often. Use a service if you think it will help, or contact the schools directly. Either way, be prepared for a lengthy process, depending on your major, experience, and career goals. If you are a single history or English major, it might be a long road. Good luck! In the following two blogs of this four-part series, we will focus on what happens after you get the job and what life is like at your first posting. If you can’t wait for that and want to see what I experienced firsthand in Italy, check out Brindisi and Me. That was a real awakening for me.   My lovely living room apartment in Poland - when I taught in Krakow I need to be honest with you about what it’s like to be an international school teacher. Let’s be as clear as possible. It’s an experience, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for many educators, and I’m living that dream at present. Currently in my third stint overseas, year five (but not continuous), I’ve lived in three different countries and experienced the highs and lows of not being home for holidays and being away from family for extended periods. My family jokes that it’s like I’m back in the service, and these are two-year postings from one location to the next. In a way that summarizes life succinctly. So You Want to Teach Abroad? Here’s What Schools ExpectI could write quite a bit on that topic alone, but for today, to serve my fellow educators, it would be more beneficial to share how the recruitment process works. This isn’t like the public school world, and it’s certainly not like boarding schools either. The hiring process is different, the timeline is different, and there are specific requirements you need to meet to get your foot in the door. This isn’t going to focus on teaching English as a second language, peeps. There’s plenty of content for that crew, and, for that matter, numerous resources are available for educators, far different from what I first experienced in 2008 when I was figuring out how this all works. I want to stipulate that much of this is in the vein that you likely have a dream school that is one of the top schools in Europe or Asia. Before you take any action, temper your expectations with the understanding that there are only a limited number of openings and you’re not the only one applying. With that stated, and knowing that not everyone’s CV is going to check the boxes, but they might still get their dream position, here are some general guidelines to help you on your quest. Let’s do this. Education Requirements for International School TeachersIf you want to teach overseas, you typically need a four-year degree, ideally in the subject you plan to teach or in education. You can be the exception to the rule and have a degree in history with a certification in mathematics. I know someone who falls into that category (this guy), but there won’t be as many countries open to you simply because the visa rules stipulate what educators must have. Trust me on this one; I had an interview for a school in Albania years ago, and we couldn’t take it any further because my certification didn’t match the degree requirements. My experience meant nothing; the diploma did. Teaching Certifications That Open Doors OverseasYou need your certification. Especially if you are coming in as a foreign hire, don’t make your life more complicated than it needs to be. Having a full teaching certificate opens up numerous potential opportunities. Heck, go crazy, also apply for your QTS, which is the English equivalent, and open even more doors. It’s true that if you hold an experienced teaching license, you can, for the most part, apply online and within a short time frame be awarded a QTS in England. From what I gather, this never expires, and you can teach anywhere in England or, more importantly, at overseas British schools. Didn’t consider that route, did you, now. Why Classroom Experience Matters (More Than You Think) Experience — I’m not trying to bring you down a notch or two, but if you want to be considered seriously for your dream scenario, a minimum of two years is key. I would say if you have three years of experience, ideally at one school, you’ll have more opportunities than someone who simply wants to teach overseas and is marketing their summer camp and intern teaching experience as enough to deal with their first posting. Let’s be real here, as real as possible. Those first few years of teaching at a boarding school or a public school are a safe proving ground for you to learn your craft better, understand and experience the full cycle of the school year, and acquire some classroom management skills. When you don’t have that experience, you were likely hired because it’s late in the hiring cycle, you’re a warm body, and that’s better than nothing. This doesn’t mean you won’t do a good job, but it’s also going to be an uphill battle for many. I must say that this happens more often than you think, because the more qualified candidates receive better job offers. Your employers might not tell you this, but let’s be frank, if I have a teacher with five to ten years of experience or someone who has none, I’m not hiring the new guy to learn their craft and get used to an entirely new living environment overseas if I can avoid this scenario. That’s a way to set yourself up for failure. Then again, if you have a teaching spouse, who is in math or science, that's an entirely different scenario. Let's just pretend you are a single teacher with less than two years experience. :) Location: Where First-Time Teachers Can Actually Land JobsLocation matters. Well, it does, right? I mean, I’m sure you want Europe for your first posting. You can teach in Paris, roam the tree-lined streets, and have a morning croissant on your way to work. Just imagine the ambiance — oh, how amazing! But it’s not going to happen for the majority of applicants, if any. If you don’t have experience, don’t even bother looking in Western Europe. Even if you are a candidate for a position, just realize the benefits are not the same compared to other parts of the world, and with the cost of living, your potential savings are going to be nil. I’m not trying to be negative, but again, this is reality. Without a substantial number three and a degree that sets you apart, maybe in math or science, better yet with experience in middle school ages or IB, you might have a long road trying to find a suitable place for your first overseas gig. It’s doable, for sure. I don’t want you to think it’s not, but you will have to be open to Asia, Africa, South America, and everywhere else in between. Then you have to decide what’s more important: the experience, the money, the overall cost of living, or the dream you have concocted for yourself. Should you have your heart set on a single location and it’s incredibly competitive, all I can say is good luck, and maybe next year or the year after that. International Hiring Season ExplainedThis one caught me off guard the first time around. I expected it to be like the boarding school world, where most jobs would be posted in the spring. Nope, not so much, at least not the schools you dream of going to. I will add a caveat here: this doesn’t mean there aren’t good schools with jobs available in the spring, but these are the equivalent of a good luck dragon that shows up unexpectedly. The bulk of the hiring season begins in late fall and early winter. At one school where I worked, we had to submit our intentions for the upcoming school year by the end of September. I’m not kidding. I had been teaching there for a month, and already I had to decide whether I wanted to return for year two. Other schools do it later, in November or December, or even in January, but for the most part, it’s commonplace to share your plans in the fall so that they can start interviewing and finding candidates. This is really important to keep in mind, because if you don’t know this part of the process, you miss out on the fact that candidates interview for these open positions in October, November, and into January. Two of my three teaching positions overseas were done by the middle of January. The third one was the unexpected gift horse in March. To put things in greater perspective, on my last hiring cycle, I started interviews the first week of October. This also means that you should prepare your CV, resume, teaching philosophy, and reference contacts by September if you want to be ready for the hiring season. If you want to consider more options and be a candidate, this is the way to go. Final ThoughtsA big fan of five things, that’s where we will stop for today. This is just the proverbial tip of the iceberg. We haven’t discussed where to look for a job or what to expect in your first year teaching overseas. This will be later, I promise. We also didn’t dive into the entire transition going from the USA to wherever you are calling your new home. I’ll cover it in a series of future posts. In the meantime, if you can’t wait and are interested in learning more about my experience teaching overseas and indoctrinating myself to life in Italy, Brindisi and Me might be worth a look.  Click on the book to find out more
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Meet Mr. Jon- a traveler at heart who loves a good story and walk. Jonathan has over twenty years experience in independent publishing. While he prides himself on crafting a good story, nothing truly beats an adventure and a camera. 
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