An Expatriate’s Journey Of Self-discovery

Expatriate years offer a wonderful time and opportunity to reinvent oneself. As an expatriate you want to hold onto those parts of you that you love and that work for you, no matter where you are. But while you trail around the world, you have the very good fortune to pick up new skills and/or explore hidden ones to add to the tapestry of your life.

Yes, it is true that as an expatriate you do miss your home, friends, family, and the sense of community and security you had before relocating abroad. Traditions that have been part of your life for so long have to take the backseat to new conventions and customs. The "norms" back home are not always quite that current in one’s new host country.

In South Africa I am one of the crowd, in the USA I was the girl with the accent, in Israel I was considered nave, in the UK I was mistaken for an "Aussie" and in Korea I, like many other foreigners get a small taste of what life must be like to live life as a celebrity – always get pointed or stared at just for having eyelids, having a western nose and for merely being a foreigner.

When I started my life as an expat I had no idea that I could be perceived so distinctly by different cultures. It also does not take you long to discover that the measures for acceptance back home are quite different elsewhere and so we get to reinvent ourselves. Depending on your outlook this could be an adventure and journey of a lifetime- discovering all the aspects of the whole person that you are.

Yes, expatriate life may be accompanied with many trials and tribulations, but it is not without an equal amount of plusses, happiness and living a life that is anything but ordinary.

You may want to use the time to take stock of who you are and who you want to be. Here are some questions to ask of yourself. Some of the questions may be ones you already know the answer to, others not.

* How do people see me?
* What image do I project?
* Do I hide behind an unexceptionable persona to avoid unnerving others?
* Do I walk away from the passions of my life to suit someone else’s?
* Do I dress to please others, save money or to fit into the crowd?
* Have I wanted to go blonde, but am nervous of the criticism?
* Am I fearful of looking too sexy?
* Am I living in a style that is acceptable to me?

If you have reflected on these questions in the past, these are questions that are due to resurface while living abroad. There is no better opportunity to address them because it is a particular point in your life when you can leave the restrictions encouraged and accepted within your society behind.

In a nutshell your expatriate years could be your destiny. Put yourself first and not do not settle for anything less than your life has to offer.

Quote Of The Week 

"After all these years, I am still involved in the process of self-discovery. It’s better to explore life and make mistakes than to play it safe. Mistakes are part of the dues one pays for a full life." Sophia Loren

By: Kimbles

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Kimbles is the resident writer at Xpatpals.com. An expatriate advice resource for expats living all over the world.

Being in a relationship with a Gori : Expat On The Edge

I recently wrote an article (see Virtually Yours: A chat room love story on this blog site) about an American women who fell in live with an Indian man 20 years her junior. They have been in a …   Read more…

Can I work as an Electrican in Oz once Qualified ??

I do not need a skilled visa as I can easily get a spouse visa, but after looking online at ex pat chat rooms etc I am starting to think I may have made a bad decision re-training as a sparky i…   Read more…

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The Ideal Candidate For A Teaching Job Abroad

A teaching job abroad can enrich your life and add money to your pocket. But do you have what the recruiters are looking for? Do you have what it takes to thrive living abroad? The answers to these two questions must be answered before you continue in your plan to teach abroad.

It might be tempting to skip over this article, sure you are indeed the right person for the job, however, there is key information included in this article which will help determine your employability, your motivation for beginning this quest and your preferences for what kind of position you’d like.

Single or married with dependents?
Teaching couples are the most sought after commodity in international schools because they are the most cost efficient to hire. They are hired together and require only one living allowance.

Singles would come next, and are especially attractive if they are willing to share housing. Also, some schools will only hire single people. Towards the beginning of the new academic year, when schools are becoming desperate to fill their remaining vacancies, single teachers become even more attractive because they are usually very mobile, in that they have no dependents to make arrangements for.

Couples with children would head up the bottom of the list. One or two children are not an unattractive prospect for most schools, but you might find that you will not get extra benefits for having more than two children. Some people I have worked with that have three children have reported that they have had to pay tuition fees for their third child.

Teaching couples
Teaching couples and teachers with dependent spouses and/ or children should apply early on in the process when there is more flexibility. If you are intending to find positions as a teaching couple, you are not likely to be very successful to attend job fairs towards the end of the season.

It is often the case that one member of a teaching couple will find the perfect job, whilst the other member may have to make do with an acceptable or part time post.

Single teachers
Single teachers are able to find positions through to the beginning of the new academic year because they can fill school’s unfilled or unexpected vacancies easily.

Age (at both ends of the scale)
Age might be an issue in some countries because of visa requirements, but usually more mature people are attractive to international schools because they are believed to be stable.

On the other hand, many schools operate a salary scale that makes less experienced (which frequently means younger) teacher financially attractive to schools.

If you are used to being on the top of the pay scale, you might want to ask if the salary step you start on is capped. I have heard that some schools require all new teachers to the school to start on the same salary step, regardless of years of experience.

Qualifications and experience
Some sources of information on teaching in international schools state that you have to have a degree in education, a licence to teach and two years experience. This is not true at all. You will need some kind of qualification OR experience, but there are opportunities for almost everyone.

If you don’t have two years experience, then you will need to pay close attention to the sections on finding a job through job advertisements. You will probably not be invited to attend a job fair, as two years experience is one of their selection criteria for candidates. This doesn’t mean you are an unattractive candidate for schools, just that you aren’t necessarily going to get a job through a job fair.

If you have a Bachelors’ degree and a TEFL qualification you will be able to teach in an ESL position in most schools. The nature of your Bachelors’ degree is usually inconsequential; many countries expect this basic level of education to qualify for a working visa. My first teaching job was in a private language school in Taiwan when the only qualifications I had were a Bachelors’ degree in business and a TEFL certificate that the ink was still wet on.

If you have no teaching qualification at all, and no experience in teaching children, you will need to look at the section titled ‘What employment opportunities are there for my non-teaching partner?’, look into getting a TEFL certificate or one of the many non-government organisations that sponsor or offer internships in teaching in different countries.

If you do not qualify for your dream job now, do not give up in defeat. There are many opportunities to increase your qualifications both by going back to university full- or part-time, or distance learning online. Use this book to help you discover what qualifications you need to get your dream job, and go get them.

Your situation does not need to stay stagnant, there are always options to try. If you absolutely must get overseas now, then you should seriously consider TEFL as you can get a qualification to teach TEFL in 2-4 weeks full time study. Again, with TEFL qualifications there are distance and part-time options available.

Easy-going, flexible and adaptable people
Recruiters are looking for people who will cope well with the move, living in a new culture and fit in seamlessly to existing staffing situations.

Here are a few personal qualities that recruiters are looking for in candidates:

* Good sense of humour
* Easy-going
* Flexible
* Adaptable
* A good team player
* Positive outlook
* Can do anything attitude
* An optimist

Recruiters are only going to employ people who they judge to be able to thrive in challenging environments and in the midst of culture shock. It’s fine to suffer from culture shock, but you must be able to function in your job whilst going through the shock of moving countries.

There is a reason that recruiters are looking for these qualities in applicants. They are needed! It’s tough enough learning your way around a new city in your own home country, now imagine going through that learning process in a different country where you don’t speak the language and can’t read any of the signs.

If this sounds awful to you, rather than an exciting opportunity, then you probably aren’t the right person for a position at an international school. There are lots of opportunities for you to work in a country more in line with what you’re used to. I started out moving from the NZ education system to living in the UK and working in the UK education system. Check out the resources and links I’ve put on my website about finding a position in NZ or Australia.

Teaching in NZ and Australia

This is a better option to maybe work your way up to working in a really foreign environment. Don’t try and be what you aren’t when applying for positions with international schools.

Your children’s education
If you have children you will need to consider how they will adapt to the new situation.

If they are going into Year 11 (Grade 10), it is not advisable for them to enter either the IB MYP or the IGCSE system because both of these programs finish a program at the end of this year. The IGCSE exam is the culmination of two years work, and the IB MYP will only offer certificates to students who have completed two years in the program and studied all 8 subject areas.

Students are able to sit IGCSE exams without being in school for the full two years, but they will need to complete extra study in order to make up for missing the first year of the course.

Students who do not complete two years in the MYP program will receive a Record of Achievement for their final year.

For your older children, the last two years of high school in a British curriculum school or an IB Diploma school also comprise of a two year course. You will need to investigate the possibilities for your particular circumstances once you have identified schools you would like to apply for. Remember that you can ask questions as a prospective parent before you even apply for a position.

Understanding your goals
It is important to understand what you are trying to achieve by making this change in your life. This will help you to focus your job search on securing the position that will enable you to meet your goals.

Consider whether
* you are looking for new challenges personally or professionally
* you are looking to make financial gains or take a pay cut in order to give something of yourself to developing communities
* you want to develop new relationships
* you are looking to fund your move to another country in order to adopt a child
* you want to fund personal or professional research
* you are curious as to what it would be like to live and work overseas

All of these goals are perfectly valid and you probably consider that more than one of them applies to you. Or your goals may not be on this list. Whatever your goals, you must be aware of them and keep them in the back of your mind throughout the process that follows.

You might have more self development goals in mind, and working in an international school is a fantastic boost to your self esteem. I know I am an attractive employment prospect, simply because of the many experiences I have had and my proven adaptability.

Secure Your Teaching Job Abroad Today With These Proven Strategies!

Get your free copy of Kelly’s "Escape The Rat Race – Teach Overseas" here.

Posted under Employment

The Wide World Of Golf Jobs

For many outsiders, when asked what golf jobs they can name, a caddy is usually all that they can come up with. The fact is that there are hundreds of different golf jobs on the market today. Obtaining a golf job is as easy today as ever before with the right experience. If you’ve ever wondered exactly what golf jobs are out there, or what ones career choices in golf are, this article is for you.

Golf courses are businesses, and as with any other business, they need lawyers. That’s right, some golf jobs are legal ones, and a lawyer can be a full time employee of a golf course. Golf lawyers typically deal with contracts for members, real estate deals, and other legal related business.

If you have a CPA, and love golf, why not become a golf course accountant? There are many careers for those in the accounting profession. Golf courses typically have a currency of credit that its members use. This in turn requires full time accountants to keep the books in order. This is a special golf job since the accounting is not just the run of the mill tax related tasks; it encompasses dealing with member dues, pro shop revenue, club house restaurant and bar revenue, and much more. This golf job is a great one for anyone that is interested in being an accountant for a golf club.

Another exciting golf job is that of event planner. There are many golf and non-golf related events that occur at a golf course each year. There are tournaments, weddings, and private parties to be planned. This fact creates a need for full time event planners to cater to the needs of the course. This golf job allows one to enjoy working in a fast paced environment with new challenges coming forth daily.

Since golf courses employ a group of staff members, there is a need for a human resources professional at many golf courses worldwide. If you are interested in human resources, this golf job could be for you. The job fits those that are interested in helping others, and administering benefits, rules, and other important elements to each staff member of the course. This golf job is one that will keep you on your toes, and is in great demand today.

If retail is your thing, than consider working in a pro shop at a golf course. The pro shop can be a lively place for customers, and members of the course to spend their hard earned money on equipment for their hobbies. Pro shops typically allow one to enjoy the satisfaction of a thriving retail environment, without having to work late nights, or major holidays. This golf job is one that can quickly help you transition to management for the shop.

Food and beverage is another segment of golf jobs that are easily obtainable. The food and beverage industry is one of the main components of most golf courses in the U.S. today. One can become a catering expert through working at a course, and serving the various parties, and gatherings that they have each week. This golf job is great for anyone that is interested in working in food service with a twist.

There are literally hundreds of other jobs for those wanting to work on a golf course or in a country club environment. The golf jobs listed above are just a small sample of what great jobs are out there for you to obtain. While being a caddy can still be a rewarding career, people should realize that there is so much more to golf jobs than just being a caddy. For those with the passion to discover the jobs that are out there, a rich reward awaits them.

By: Andy West -

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Andy West is a freelance writer and communications specialist for SDGA. San Diego Golf Academy is a premier golf school with five locations across the United States. For information on how you may obtain a golf job, please visit www.sdgagolf.com .

 
Travel Asia, travel Cambodia, travel Thailand, travel Vietnam.
Play Golf in Pattaya, Chon buri, Thailand. Live in Thailand and Play Golf. Take a TEFL TESOL English Teaching Course to Live in Pattaya, Chon buri, Thailand Sports Jobs, Fishing etc. Read more…

Posted under Employment

Teaching Jobs Abroad – Check the Cost of Living

A fundamental consideration when you are thinking about accepting a teaching job abroad is the ratio of salary to living costs. Here are some important tips to help you make a reasoned, well-informed decision…

There are a number of factors to be considered when you are looking at taking a job at an international school, on the financial side there is:

* salary
* medical insurance
* housing allowance
* annual flights

On the conditions side there is:

* class size
* facilities
* contact hours
* teaching days in a school year

Most of these factors can be taken at face value. However, if you like to travel and want your work to pay well as I do, you may be turning down lucrative positions if you take a salary offer at face value and don’t take the cost of living into account.

For example, when I moved to Poland in the late 90s I accepted a job that only paid 900USD a month. It doesn’t sound like much, does it? I can tell you, I lived well on my money. During that year I explored Poland, spent Easter in the Czech Republic, went skiing in Austria for two weeks, started a Masters through distance learning and saved a little as well.

How did I do this? Well, the cost of living was quite low in Poland compared to other countries in Europe. I regularly had two thirds of my salary left after I’d paid all my expenses for the month. As I said, it’s the cost of living that makes all the difference.

Some countries have a high cost of living and some don’t. I know that’s a clumsy statement, but consider this… If you were to rent an apartment in Tokyo it would cost you 673USD a month for around 20 m2. That’s small! In Bangkok you can rent a 44 m2 furnished apartment for 337USD a month. I hope you can see that this kind of information is as valuable to your decision-making process when accepting a job as the actual salary figure itself.

When you are evaluating whether a package is worthy of accepting you will be looking at several issues. You will probably want to avoid taking a pay cut, and here are some tips to help you with your decision making:

* Make a list of the financial commitments you will need to meet while you are overseas. When you have shortlisted positions, check with the recruiter that the salary offered will enable you to meet them. Ensure you know the USD equivalent of the amount you need.

* Go online and check the price of rental properties in the area you will be living in. You will be able to assess whether the accommodation allowance will need supplementing from your salary.

* Check the "Big Mac" Index. The "Big Mac" Index is a surprisingly accurate comparison of cost of living which works on the principal that a McDonalds Big Mac should cost the same in every country. It is an excellent way to get a feel for the comparative cost of living in the country you are looking in which you are looking to work. You can access the Index here:

Big Mac Index

* If you are looking to travel while you are teaching abroad make a travel plan of the countries you want to explore and when you want to visit them. You can investigate how much this will cost and sort out a budget by using the internet.

There is much information to consider when you are making life-changing decisions such as signing a contract to teach overseas. Don’t sign anything until you are sure you have all the facts. I have included a list of questions to ask the recruiter at the interview in my book.

Get the insider secrets to securing a teaching job abroad today!

Newark Advertiser
Power jobs go abroad. “Staythorpe is an important and positive project being delivered in the UK, creating UK jobs, keeping the lights on and bringing £10m a year.   Read more…

Chances of actually getting a permanent VISA
Does that indeed guarantee that I would get one or might it still be a wasted application fee (which at >AUD 2000 is hefty). While not having a current job offer I am sure I’ll find something. Read more…

Posted under Money

Best Paid Overseas Teaching Jobs

To ensure you land the best paid overseas teaching job you need to consider more than just the salary being offered. Benefits and income tax can either significantly add to or subtract from your savings potential.

Here’s how… When looking for the best paid overseas teaching job it is easy to be blinded by the salary being offered but this may prevent you from making the best choice if saving money is your primary concern. Here are two tips to help you find the highest paying teaching job abroad – net.

Teaching jobs abroad come in many shapes and sizes. You can teach English in private language schools, teach at universities set up for local students from the host countries and, you can teach at international schools which are set up for expatriate children. The most lucrative position is usually teaching at an international school for expatriate children. There are over 4000 international schools worldwide so there is plenty from which to choose.

Salary and Benefits

When considering a teaching position abroad it is important that you consider the overall package rather than simply the salary offered. This is what makes an international school teaching job the best paid teaching position abroad.

Some benefits offered by many international schools that can add to the overall package are:

* flights paid from your home to the school’s location at the beginning and end of your contract. Depending on how far your home is from the school, this benefit alone can save you several thousand dollars.

* housing allowance. Often international schools will pay you a monthly housing allowance, or even provide accommodation for you in an apartment or a housing complex. When you are offered a housing allowance you can usually find yourself adequate housing for the amount you are paid, and sometimes you can even end up with a surplus.

* end-of-contract bonus. International schools want you to remain for the full length of your contract and are willing to give you a financial incentive to do so. You may be able to negotiate an end-of-contract bonus of 10-15%.

Income Tax

Another consideration when considering teaching positions abroad and attempting to evaluate which one will be the most profitable is how much tax you will have to pay. Countries have the differing tax rules, for example in Taiwan you may only pay 10% tax, but in Poland you will have to pay closer to 20%. Therefore it is important to find out how much tax you will have to pay and establish how this will affect your overall take home salary.

Also, some benefits are taxable as well, so it is wise to check whether the dollar amounts you are quoted are gross (before tax) or net (after tax).

Finally on the subject of income tax, you should check with the tax department in your home country to establish what your tax commitment to them will be. Simply not living in your home country does not mean your government will not require you to pay tax there, for example, the government in Holland expects citizens who teach abroad to pay ‘wealth tax’ on any assets they leave behind.

This information is difficult to come by for most international schools in the initial stages of the recruitment process. Some international teacher job fair organisers require member schools to complete some of this information in their vacancy listings, but others do not. In order to ensure you have the required information to make the best decision possible before you sign a contract for a teaching job overseas, make up a set of interview questions that will cover this ground.

For more detailed information on securing the best paid overseas teaching jobs get Kelly’s Complete Guide to Securing a Job at an International School – now completely revised for 2008!

"Escape the Rat Race – Teach Overseas" available FREE!

Posted under Employment

The Secret To Moving Internationally

The biggest secret I have found to moving is to stay calm, my stomach always used to churn every time we would say: ‘Let’s look at moving to London, Perth, Colorado….’ I would have this rush in the pit of my stomach and wonder how we were going to cope with the challenge.

Now, I take it one step at a time. What do we do first, what do we need to know before we make the decision, how does the family feel about a new culture, different schools, a new home and most importantly new friends.

So, where do we start? Usually with the most important questions, why are we moving and do we really want to change from our comfort zone, once you have been able to answer these questions and you have more positives about leaving than staying (and the answer to this could be as simple as being offered a job in a new country), then you need to start researching the place you are moving to.

Questions start surfacing such as will we fit in and be happy in a new country, what is the education like, medical facilities, culture, politics, housing, work conditions, transport and entertainment? How many expats like ourselves will be living there, will our life be normal or will we have to adjust too extremely, and are we happy to do this?

This is where I start searching the internet. Wikipedia is a great site to get an overall overview on any country in the world and it will cover all the basic factual information for you, including geographical location, population, historical background, religion, culture, education, economic situation and political info.

On getting a basic understanding of a country, I would then start looking at government sites and gathering information about the ease of moving to this country. What is required from a governmental legal perspective, including visa’s, whether a spouse can work on entry, how long a spouse needs to wait before starting to work, what legal rights do you have in the country, can you take your pets with and how does this work, what furniture can you take with (some countries do not allow wooden furniture into a country if it has not been treated) these government sites will cover any and all questions of this nature for you.

Finally and probably more importantly are the forums and blogs you can find, where expats can inform you of what to expect and you can ask any question and expect an honest answer. These sites can come across with mixed emotions from people who are enjoying the move and loving the country to those who hate every minute of their stay. The relevant question to ask here is why….why are they enjoying or hating it and then make your own decision?

The above would be the questions that the spouse that stays at home and cares for the children, however the bread winner wants a different question answered. They want to know what they should be earning in the new country and this is where an international cost of living salary calculator like xpatulator can be relevant to you.
Xpatulator gives you the answers you are looking for dependant on the questions you answer in the Cost of Living Calculator. It will determine what your salary in the new country should be to maintain your standard of living.

Why, you may ask? Because $100 000 may sound like a fabulous salary, however if your cost of living in the country you are moving to is extremely high, it may not cover your costs on a monthly basis. With the calculator, you can determine whether or not you will be able to afford to live in the new country. The calculator will work out the salary you should be earning if you have to cover all costs, or if your company will cover some of those costs for you. They also cover the Negative Cost of Living and Negative Hardship. What are these you ask with horror? Negative Cost of Living refers to a location that has a lower cost of living than the country you are living in and selecting to use this will result in a proportional decrease in the salary required e.g. if you had to move from London to Zimbabwe you will find the cost of living will be lower (negative difference). Negative Hardship refers to less hardship in the new location e.g. if you had to move from Zimbabwe to London you will find that your quality of living will be easier (negative difference).

So before you disregard the importance of what you need to earn when moving to a new country, take all aspects into account. At the end of the day what you will earn, will determine the school, home, medical facilities and entertainment you will be able to afford. So the secret to moving from one country to another, may be your emotional stability and happiness in the new location, however this is often determined by how much money is sitting in your bank account.

By: Steven Coleman

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Steven Coleman runs the most comprehensive international relocation calculator available, an internet service that is used primarily to calculate expatriate salary levels for international assignments, which can be found at www.xpatulator.com

Real Estate Blog – Top 5 Tips for International Relocation

Moving Back to the United States After a Few Years Abroad or Relocating to a Foreign Country? There are plenty of guides that focus on less complicated local moves. Here are a couple good ones:…   Read more…

Posted under General