Teachanywhere says Eid Mubarak

Notes from the General Manager by Diane Jacoutot

One of the pleasures of international teaching is celebrating holidays abroad and Sunday marks the first day of Eid Al Fitr, the celebration at the end of Ramadan.  Ramadan, for those who do not know, is one of the five pillars of Islam and is a holy month which marks the period in which the Holy Quran was revealed to the Prophet Mohammed.  During Ramadan, Muslims are expected to strive to a higher level of spirituality to nourish the spiritual side rather than the physical side of themselves, and this is achieved by fasting during the hours of daylight. This means no eating, drinking, smoking and other pleasurable activities from sunrise to sunset. Even drinking water is not allowed.  In addition, Muslim virtues are emphasised such as charity to the poor, patience, steadfastness, etc.

Ramadan ends with a three day holiday and celebration, Eid Al Fitr, the Feast of the Breaking of the Fast. This is time for family celebrations, outdoor prayer, large gatherings and the giving of money to children. This year Eid Al Fitr runs Sunday, Monday and Tuesday and these are bank holidays in the UAE and many other countries.  A traditional greeting is “Eid Mubarak” meaning roughly “May you enjoy a blessed festival”.

If you are fortunate enough to be in a Muslim country for Ramadan and Eid, I encourage you to participate wherever possible. If you are invited to a meal or celebration by all means go.  Your hosts are understandably proud of their culture and heritage, and by inviting you to participate, are sharing this with you.  Understanding another culture by firsthand experience is hopefully one of the reasons you have gone abroad in the first place. It’s what makes living abroad so much better than just going on holiday.

Speaking of holidays, I should also mention that World Teacher Day is coming up on 5 October and to celebrate this year Teachanywhere is having a fabulous competition to celebrate.  We are inviting schools and classes around the world to send us their poetry, artwork, videos and essays celebrating those who make such a difference – You!  

 Please see www.teachanywhere.com/worldteacherday for more information. The winning class, judged by a respected South African artist,  will be presented with £500 of free school resources.

All the best

Diane Jacoutot

General manager, Teachanywhere

Ps. Apologies to all of Ireland. Ireland has actually won 9 gold medals, not one. I should fire my researcher (me) and hire a new one (someone else)! Thanks to all the Irish readers who gently pointed out my error.

Teachanywhere: Olympic Success

Notes from the General Manager by Diane Jacoutot

The Olympics are drawing to a close this week, and as someone who loves all things international I have loved every minute of it. Whether it was Ireland winning their first gold medal ever (Anne Marie was going wild in the Teachanywhere office yesterday), Usain Bolt’s historic 200m win (Nick was going wild in the office as well), Michael Phelps’ amazing medal count, the first brave Saudi female athletes, flawless Chinese divers, or Kazakhstan’s 6 gold medals, it’s been a feast of national and international pride.

There were calls in the paper yesterday to make the 70,000 Olympic volunteers a national Sports Personality of the Year, which is quite an honour here in the UK. Having been to some of the events I can say that they certainly deserve recognition as unsung heroes.  Pink jacketed “Games Makers” have been absolutely everywhere and incredibly helpful to the millions of visitors who have come to the games as well as those wandering around London doing touristy things. I met some lovely ones in Trafalgar square last weekend and they gave me great directions to a restaurant I was trying to find which I would imagine was somewhat outside of their call of duty.  Extending the friendly hand of welcome makes such a difference when you are new to a place and I was proud of the UK for doing it so well.

It is precisely that hand of welcome that international teachers experience when they arrive in their new country, and one that is just as unsung.   International schools will have representatives meet you at the airport, and take you to a hotel or your new apartment. You will then meet the other new international teachers for an organised orientation that covers culture, language, and everyday necessities such as setting up bank accounts, residency paperwork, medical forms, curriculum and school policies. It’s so ironic that many of the fears teachers feel before embarking on their new jobs abroad are so unfounded – the lifeblood of an international school is an international teacher and you are welcomed with open arms.   I was corresponding with a teacher yesterday who is about to embark on a job in Kuwait and I told him how jealous I was – I love the feeling of excitement tinged with trepidation that accompanies the start of a new journey. I love the challenge of working in a new environment where you don’t know precisely what’s around the corner, because once you overcome personal and professional challenges in this way, the rush of satisfaction when you turn the corner into the relative unknown becomes quite addicting. 

Speaking of personal challenges, for those who have been following the story, my 16 year old son returned home from Tanzania this morning having summited Mount Kilimanjaro and completed a community service project. He’s slightly skinnier, definitely fitter and more confident with a higher tolerance for vegetables, a hankering for a big steak and a newfound love of coffee.  He’s also got a head full of indelible memories and the knowledge that if you set your mind to something and put your fears to the side, you can do the most amazing things. 

 I think I learnt a bit of that myself in letting him go.

Teachanywhere goes Olympic!

Notes from the General Manager by Diane Jacoutot

The Olympic Games are on, and it’s been quite a thrill to be a Londoner this year. Despite the numerous and constant warnings during the run-up of tube chaos, terrorism, immigration and bus strikes, the games have run like clockwork, a few empty ‘grace and favour’ seats aside. I’ve been so proud of the organisers for their hard work.

 Please don’t hate me for it, but I have managed to get some tickets to the games. I’m usually not lucky but somehow managed to win a few in the ticket lottery back in February so last weekend saw Judo.  I’m not actually a Judo fan but my husband and aforementioned mountain climbing son are. Ironically my son is almost to the top of Kilimanjaro as I write this, so my sister gratefully took his ticket and I went along. I really enjoyed watching men and women from the various countries we work with competing – Kazakhstan v Mongolia, Egypt v UAE, Spain v South Korea, Portugal (she was one scary Judo fighting woman) v China etc. And even countries we don’t work with such as North Korea (!) were there to represent their countries and the vibe inside the arena was fantastic – fans supporting their own countries as well as others. (OK, maybe not North Korea but the rest, yes.) Unlike the Badminton players, all the Judo athletes played by the rules and respected each other and the games.

The rules for teaching abroad however, unlike those set by the IOC, are often gray, selectively enforced and changeable and I thought I would update you on some recent changes and trends which are affecting lots of teachers because they are in very popular locations – China and the UAE.

China this year has been really enforcing their 2 year post-qualification experience requirement and this means that teachers who have less than 2 years experience are shut out of international schools in most of the region now.  Even teachers with significant pre-qualification experience are not being approved by the Chinese Ministry.  So if you are interested in the Far East or Southeast Asia teaching in international or bilingual schools (rather than TEFL schools or as a Language Assistant- rules are different there) and don’t have 2 years post-qualification teaching experience at the time you start your new job then it’s highly unlikely we can find you work in this part of the world. If you are having trouble finding teaching work in your home country then I recommend you look first to the Middle East or Africa, then jumping over to the Far East/SE Asia once you have got your experience sorted.

On the UAE front, for all but ADEC Licensed Teacher posts, the Ministry is now (mostly) enforcing rules that had previously been enforced only selectively/rarely regarding educational requirements. Similar to the ‘no child left behind’ requirements in the USA and current MOE rules in Kuwait, teachers who want to work in the UAE (including Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi as well as other emirates) need to have a first degree and teacher training that matches their teaching subject. This means that secondary teachers with a Geography degree who have a PGCE in English and 15 years of experience teaching English cannot be approved as English teachers. At the primary (elementary) level, the Ministry is now looking at teachers’ first degree and if not in Education, it must usually be in something relevant to what you are teaching. This means that primary teachers with Business degrees, Theology or Sports Management (etc) cannot be approved.   Teachers with these degree issues should look at countries nearby who do not have this requirement such as Qatar, Oman and Egypt.

Like the Olympics themselves, international requirements are always growing and morphing which is why many teachers like to work with a reputable agency like Teachanywhere whose business is to stay on top of such things. With our scale and breadth of interaction with schools and ministries around the world we are able to give you up to date guidance on where you will be considered/approved, saving you frustration and wasted effort.  If you have any questions you should definitely pick up the phone to your consultant or email us at teacher@teachanywhere.com.

Wishing you and yours Olympic glory,

Fifty Shades of Teaching Overseas

Guest Notes from the Recruitment Manager by Matthew Peck

I saw my Mother at a family lunch last Sunday.  All was most pleasant, the usual family catch up until my Mum took great delight in announcing she had joined the masses and read the “Fifty Shades of Grey” trilogy and “loved it”.  Having a general understanding of the novel’s content I responded as only a son could “Yuk Mum, too much information”!  The very thought of my own Mother reading so called Mummy porn was obviously not one I relished – but perhaps I should not have been too surprised to hear that she had joined the “Fifty Shades” bandwagon.  Like any popular craze, word of mouth (not to mention the anonymity of reading it secretly on a Kindle!) has helped sales of the books rocket in to the stratosphere….. and it’s clearly fulfilling a need!

At Teachanywhere we have witnessed similar popularity explosions when it comes to location choices for our international teachers.  Dubai being a prime example.  And why not?  Dubai has everything a modern westerner might need.  Bright lights, big city, - affording teachers an ease of living.  I visited Dubai for the first time last year and was similarly dazzled by its various attractions.  Who wouldn’t want to live here?  Well, erm – me actually…  - great holiday destination but not enough substance or traditional culture to sustain my interest – but hey that’s just me – we are all different after all and I am certainly in the minority.  Here at Teachanywhere, our goal is to help teachers be as flexible as possible when it comes to location in order to afford them many more chances of securing a great teaching role (after all there are only a certain number of reputable schools in one location like Dubai and a huge number of people are vying for them!). 

Like Fifty Shades, Dubai clearly has a market and its wealth of western style malls, restaurants and facilities will always attract large crowds and word has very quickly spread.  But what about the rest of the Middle East region?   Likewise – could there be a more gripping, better written book out there that deserves success on a par with Fifty Shades but has perhaps suffered from poorer marketing and lets face it a slightly less tantalising hook!?  Undoubtedly.  Similarly, are teachers missing out by going for the obvious location (when we ask prospective teaches “Why Dubai”? the answer is so often “because I have heard it’s nice”)?  What of Kuwait – the cultural gem of the Middle East where close knit expat communities enjoy a more traditional international experience?  Or Qatar – host of the 2022 Soccer World Cup, the Dubai of 10 years ago where smoky souks merge with the latest glitzy nightspots? Or even mysterious but stunningly beautiful Oman – where white sand beaches, mountainous terrain and tropical splendour all combine to provide a top class destination to live and/or holiday?  The Middle East has so much to offer so many and we want to make sure everyone is suitably informed.

Of course Dubai deserves its reputation as I am sure does Fifty Shades.  But as I remarked to my Mother as we battled with Auntie Sheila’s Pavlova - “why not read a first time novelist next?  Look beyond the most popular – imagine the joy of discovering a great writer unknown to others” (plus I selfishly prefer to imagine my Mum reading about 18th century romance rather than 21st century bondage but thats son's for you!)  and this I urge to all prospective international teachers.  It’s a big wide world out there – certainly with more than fifty shades!  Don’t just limit yourself to the obvious (because it’s nice!) .   Go for broke and try somewhere new…….  You might just become the trend setter!

Teaching Abroad: Apron Strings

Notes from the General Manager by Diane Jacoutot

I know what your parents feel like.

My sixteen year old son left this morning for Tanzania to work in a village building a playground and then to climb Mt Kilimanjaro. I'm simultaneously anxious, bereft and proud.  It's a strange combination of emotions.

At first when he told me his intentions over a  year ago, I was bursting with pride. A travel group had come into his school and presented to them the idea of 3 weeks in Africa - a combination of community service and physical fitness... and my son took to it like a duck to water. Ha! I thought.  This is my DNA in action. (every parent loves it when a child takes after them in a good way). I have a son who sees the benefit of reaching out to help those less fortunate and also does not shy away from challenges. So I went along to the information session and signed the cheque.

But as time has drawn closer, and the reality of what he will do - literally climbing a mountain and then living in an African town where water must be purified and rabies shots are essential- has dawned on me and my parental danger sirens have been flashing red. The nagging questions - what if something happens to him? what if he gets ill? what if he forgets to take his malaria tablets? what about altitude sickness?  and a hundred others have haunted my quiet moments.  I have not shared my concerns with my son, though I will readily admit my husband has heard quite a few and thankfully he's a patient man.

This morning was T-day- The day he left for Tanzania. And finally my son's nerves got the better of him.  I found that by letting him tell me about his anxious feelings, they were instantly less acute and I shared with him how nervous I felt before I went to Africa and to various other previously unknown countries in my travels but how wonderful were the experiences when I got there. This didn't stop me from tearing up, of course, as my husband drove away with Matt in the passenger seat, going to meet the rest of the expedition but at least I held it together when my son was around.  I thought this was an accomplishment because what part of me really wanted to do was grab onto his ankles and not let him walk out the door.

I felt better knowing that in his bag, I put a little secret note. It was stashed away in one of the many pockets of his enormous backpack. It said:

Dear Matthew,

By the time you find this note, you will hopefully be in Tanzania. I wanted to let you know how proud I am of you for going on this adventure and for having the dedication to make it happen. I am sure during your trip you will face many challenges but I can tell you from personal experience that the harder something is, the more you feel a sense of accomplishment in having done it.  It is the hardest challenges I ever faced that I am most proud of having faced down.  It's not easy to remember that when you are feeling tired, overwhelmed, stressed, exhausted and you can think of nothing more instantly rewarding than leaving it all behind. So I am telling you now that you should persevere wherever possible. It will be worth it when you can look back and say, "Wow. I did that!".

All my love

Mom

ps. I hope I don't find this note unread in the bottom of your backpack three weeks and 1 day from now. It would be just my luck. :) 

pps. Take lots of photos.

So I know how your parents are feeling.  No, you are not a 16 year old kid going to climb a mountain in Africa. You are embarking on a much longer journey that will impact many more people and will change your life all the same. Just remember, when you are awash in packing, visas, flight changes, passport renewals and medical checks that your parents and I (and the entire team at Teachanywhere) know it's not easy.

But nothing worthwhile ever is.

Teaching Overseas: To have and to hold....

Notes from the General Manager, by Diane Jacoutot

A woman in New York City splashed out $250,000 on a wedding for her dog. In case your invitation was lost in the post with mine, I can report that Baby Hope Diamond, a pooch belonging to Wendy Diamond of New York, married her paramour Chilly Pasternik in an event that included a $15,000 seven piece orchestra, a $5000 custom made dress (Not much of a market for off the shelf dog wedding dresses then?) and $5000 of sushi. For the human guests I hope. The wedding was planned by Harriet Rose Katz (ahem) who planned the celebrity wedding of Billy Baldwin and Cheyenne Phillips.  Proceeds from the nuptials went to the Humane Society of New York but methinks that’s not the point. Diamond said. "I never need to get married, now, because this wedding has everything." Exactly.

It’s been a week of wedding talk for me. Nick, in our office, is off getting married in the Caribbean as I write this, and Lisa in our office is planning her wedding next year. Yesterday I met with some candidates who were interviewing with a client from Abu Dhabi, and quite a few of them were getting married shortly. One in fact said she was only getting married IF she got the job in Abu Dhabi after being engaged for 3.5 years (so far). Her mother, as you can imagine, is really hoping she gets the job! Me too.

Unmarried partners are quite a thorny issue when you go abroad. Because marriage creates a legal bond between two people that is verifiable and internationally recognised, going abroad as a married couple is far simpler than going abroad as an unmarried couple.  Besides the fact that it’s illegal to live together as unmarried partners in some countries, if you are not married each person must have their own work sponsorship and each must secure their own job before going abroad whereas when you are married, one person can often sponsor the residency of the other ....although in some countries a man can sponsor his wife but not the other way around!

In addition, schools get really twitchy about uncertainty – what if your unmarried partner does not get a job or their job falls through? Will you pull out of the contract and leave the class without a teacher suddenly? It’s not something they or you have control over. And I understand this concern. It is not like a TEFL school where you can cancel class for an evening or two- we are talking about a class of 9 year olds who are there for the day or a bunch of 16 year olds studying for their exams. And you have a raft of demanding parents who are paying for the best education their money can buy.  The stakes are quite high and when the stakes are high, most people try to minimise risk.

So what should you do if you have a partner and you want to go abroad? We usually recommend that your partner get a job first and obviously target places that have lots of international schools, then we can look for a job for you nearby. Make sure your relationship is secure, and your partner’s job is secure.  Ideally, your life will be FAR easier if you get married so do consider that. (No I have not been lobbied by a group of mothers to say that- it’s the truth!)  If you do not wish to get married, then certain parts of the world will be off limits.

So for reasons that are based in international practicality I am a fan of marriage. And for this reason, I raise a glass ..well a mug of coffee actually as it’s only 8am... to Baby Hope and Chilly. I wish you a long and happy (and puppy-less because let’s face it you are both neutered) marriage!  Let the very expensive wedding bells ring.

Teaching Overseas: Goodbye and Hello!

Notes from the General Manager by Diane Jacoutot

It’s been a week of goodbyes. First Bob Diamond stepped down as the head of Barclays bank after his initial anaemic response to the latest banking scandal to merely go without a bonus for 12 months (ie downsize from his typical magnum of Cristal with Sunday Brunch to a mere 75cl bottle this year. What will the neighbours think?) almost caused a riot in the streets. Then Katie Holmes bid farewell to Tom Cruise and his friends from Xenu. And finally in Florida USA, lifeguard Tomas Lopez was bid adieu (aka fired) for saving a drowning man because the man was drowning in a section of beach slightly outside that which Mr Lopez was paid to patrol.

Saying goodbye can be easy, as in the case of Mr Diamond with his hubris and ethics-free lifestyle, but in most cases it’s hard when you say goodbye to people you care about and familiar places to which you have become accustomed.  When you work abroad, saying goodbye is a fact of life. 

Probably the hardest goodbye is when you leave for the first time because you know what you are leaving but don’t know where you are headed and you are less practiced at easing your way out the door.  Family and especially parents often sneak in that special kind of guilt-laden goodbye that only caring parents have access to (do they teach this at Parent School? I wonder). 

“Oh  Diane”, my mother said last time I left, “It was so good to have you home. It’s a shame you live so far away”

With friends you get more of a mixture of sadness because you are leaving and jealousy because they secretly wish they were going too. But this is tempered with promises to visit... and usually they do.

 Of course the flip side of saying goodbye to those you know and love is saying hello to your new school and your new friends.  It may be comforting to know that, on average, international schools change 20% of their staff every year. So you will certainly not be the only New Kid in class. And it also means that international schools are set up to greet you and help you settle in because staff movement is normal and welcomed as a source of fresh ideas. Those who choose to teach in international schools are people who love travel and are unafraid of meeting new people, so you can be assured that you will be saying hello to some very interesting and welcoming people indeed. One of the reasons I really love working with international schools and organisations is that the clients I get to work with and the candidates we meet are so open-minded, bright and balanced that the whole working abroad thing, whilst difficult on one hand because of who you leave behind, is so easy because of who you get to work with.

Goodbye is hard but you cannot have goodbye without hello, just like you can’t have happiness without sadness and light without dark. 

Of course actually saying hello and goodbye and being understood is another matter when you go abroad. So below is a handy cheat sheet for you to start you on your way:

	Hello	Goodbye
Chinese	Nin Hao	Zai Jian
Russian	Zdravstvujtye (zdrah-stvooy-tee)	Do svidaniya! (duh svee-dah-nee-ye)
Arabic	Salaam Alaykum	Ma salaama
Malay	Hello	Selamat tinggal