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International Expat

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  1. Definition: to avoid answering a question; to stall; to waste time. Stop beating around the bush and join www.internationaleducators.com today! Let's stop beating about the bush and make International Educators the best free forum for teachers around the globe.
  2. Welcome Jennifer. We are glad you are there. Where have you been other than Saudi?
  3. The Secrets To Finding A Good Bangkok Tailor for International Educators As a new school year starts and both teachers and administrators begin to get ready for a new year, I think important for international educators in Bangkok to understand the ins and outs of the tailor world in the Land of Smiles. One of the reasons why many people come to Bangkok is that you can get a great deal on great clothes, made juts for you. And that's a good thing! But the downside is that you can also get seriously ripped off. It's like any other trendy tourist thing. Once the locals figure out what the tourists are looking for, they'll try to get them to overpay for cheaper versions of it – and figure they won't realize they've been taken until they are back home. With this in mind, we want to take a little time to explain how to get a great suit in Bangkok at a good price without wasting your money. You can end up with a suit that will make you look like a million bucks, but only if you know how to go about it the right way. • Avoid any place that advertises suits for $40 or $50. The truth is that you can't get a good suit that cheaply. Good cloth itself would cost twice that much. When you ask how much a suit will cost, expect to be quoted anywhere between $400 and $700. Any quote lower than that means the tailor is running some type of scam. • Ask how long it will take to get your suit made. If they say they will have it done that day or the next day, walk away – it's a rip off. It takes a minimum of three fittings over at least four days to create a good suit that really fits. If they are simply going to do one fitting, then they are not going to provide you with the great suit you are looking for. • Ask around at your school, and when you see well-dressed English-speaking people in the city. The locals know who the rip-off artists are, and will steer you in the direction of decent tailors. • Find out if they are actually a tailor. In many cases, the shop claims to be a tailor but is really just selling cloth. They'll send that cloth out to someone else to make the suit. Those people are not interested in craftsmanship. So, look around the shop itself. Does it look like there is any room for them to make a suit? Or does it simply look like a fabric store? • Trust your instincts. If anything about the tailor seems off, go somewhere else. There are plenty of good tailors in Bangkok; you don't have to settle for a place that makes you feel off. • Be prepared to haggle. When it comes to settling on the price of the suit, the tailor will respect you more and provide you with a better suit if you haggle the price down a bit. If you don't try to haggle, you'll look like someone they can rip off. • Feel the fabrics yourself. And when you go to your first fitting, make sure the fabric you picked out is the one actually being used, and not a cheap imitation. Get a swatch of the fabric when you order the suit, and bring it to compare. Over the years, I have tried at least 15 shops. Some were successful and some were not. However, there are three places that I have used with great success over and over and never been disappointed. I have dubbed these the three best tailors in Bangkok. I have had both shirts and suits made there. I would recommend any of the three to anyone. Three Best Tailors in Bangkok for Educators Tailor on Ten Tel +66 84 877 1543 Area: Sukhumvit/Asoke http://www.tailoronten.com/ #93 Sukhumvit Road Soi 8,, (near Nana station), Bangkok 10110, Thailand Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TailorOnTen/ Trip Advisor Reviews: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g293916-d2163355-Reviews-Tailor_On_Ten-Bangkok.html Rajawongse Clothier Tel Phone: +66 2 255 3714 (Jesse or Victor, proprietors - father and son) Area: Sukhumvit/Nana Address: 130 Sukhumvit Road, Near Soi 4, Bangkok, Thailand Trip Advisor Reviews: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g293916-d510303-Reviews-Rajawongse_Clothier-Bangkok.html Website: http://www.dress-for-success.com Narin Couture Phone: +66 2 251 9237 (Khun Narin, proprietor) Area: Sukhumvit/Nana Address: สุขุมวิท 11 1 155/1 สุขุมวิท 11/1 Khlong Toei Nuea, Watthana, Bangkok 10110, Thailand Website: http://www.narin-couture.com/ cc InternationalEducators.com 2016
  4. New to the area and need to find a good teacher supply store. Any suggestions?
  5. Welcome Ginny! You have chosen some interesting places. Did you like the Middle East? I know Tokyo is going to be a big difference. I love the city and I love Japan. My first trip there was nearly 20 years ago and I felt like I had stepped into the future. I hope you share some of your adventures with us.
  6. Welcome Darwin! I'd love to know more about your school.
  7. Welcome David! Phuket is beautiful! I have many fond memories from the area. You have access to some of the most beautiful beaches on earth. Please feel free to post a link to your site or school.
  8. Welcome Ladybug. I bet the weather is a big change as well. What is the difference in the behavior of the kids in UK and Middle East?
  9. Welcome Ekta. I have spent a great deal of time in India. I love the country. Which city do you live in?
  10. Win $4,000 USD for the summer of 2017! We are having a Forum Contest at InternationalEducators.com. The economy is struggling in most parts of the world. People have lost retirement investment and their portfolios are down. Many have said they are unable enjoy their summer this year as it is cost prohibitive. We are here are help with our Give-A-Way. The prize: A round-trip ticket from your city to any destination of your choice (up to 1500 USD). Plus, we will get you an American Express Travelers Check or a prepaid ATM for 2500 USD. You can use that $2500 for hotels, meals or barhopping from one place to the next. It is up to you what you do with the prize money. So, the prize is an airline ticket up to 1500 (we book for you) and 2500 to spend! So, a total of up to 4,000 USD! It is a chance to have a free trip during your summer of 2017! All teachers deserve a wonderful summer and we want to help one person have an extra special summer! The way to enter: 1. Join InternationalEducators.com 2. For every 100 posts you have on the site, you get one entry into the contest (up to 5 entries). For each review you post, you get one entry into the contest (up to 3 reviews). 3. Contest beings today and goes through May 30, 2017. 4. If you have over 100 posts on May 30, 2017, you will get one entry for each 100 posts. For example, if you have 400 posts on May 30, 2017, that is four tickets you get for the Lucky Draw. If you have 400 posts plus 2 reviews, that is six tickets for the Lucky Draw. 5. To qualify, the posts must be reasonable quality. One or two word posts will not count. While this post is in the main forum, there are other forums here as well and all qualify. In the first week in June 2017, we will have a drawing and the person whose name comes out of the hat will be the winner. This drawing will be held in Bangkok in front of any local teachers who wish to participate. ***The drawing will be held at Bourbon Street Cafe at 8:00 PM on Friday, June 2. We hope that you sign in and spend some time in the forums and if you have a review to submit of a school you have worked at, there is no better time than the present. Again, thank you for your support and we hope you have a wonderful school year! Be sure your first post is in the Introduction Forum so that you can then post without Moderation! The staff at InternationalEducators.com
  11. Having worked at the school for 2 years myself, I can say that the above review is very consistent with many people's feelings on the school. However, I never feared for my life. I felt very safe in the school and the city. I know others did not and I don't discount their feelings. It was just not my own experience. I also felt that Mr. Will and Mr. Ken did a great job with the school and tried to move it forward. However, both of them are now gone. I don't know what the future holds for the school at this point. I also agree that the students at TWA are great. I hope the school starts moving in the right direction.
  12. When you decide to teach abroad, you have to be prepared for any eventuality. While things should go well most of the time, sometimes things can go wrong – and you have to be able to deal with them. One of the most common potential problems is becoming sick while you are abroad. You'll need to see a doctor, but you may not speak the language. And even if you do have some language skills, you may not know medical terms in the language because you won't have had any chance to use them before. But, you'll still need to be able to communicate with the doctor and get treated. So here are some things you should do to make sure you can get safe treatment if you are sick while traveling abroad. · Medications have different brand names in different countries. And many times, pharmacists don't think twice about giving you the generic version of the medication. If you have to take any medication regularly, Google the name of it in that country and write it down so you can explain to the doctor that you are taking it. This can help prevent potential medication interactions. · The same goes for anything you may be allergic to, medicine or otherwise. Find out the local name for those things, and have it written down so you can simply hand it to the doctor without having to go through a huge explanation. · Find out which doctor in your area is going to be the most helpful. You should be able to ask your fellow teachers what doctors they use and which ones they avoid. Do this before you get sick, so that in case of emergency you have the name, number and location of a doctor with a good reputation. · If at all possible, bring a native speaker with you to your appointment. That way if you have questions, they will be able to ask them for you. Many hospitals that cater to expats have a full staff of foreign language speakers. But, if you are not in one of those places, it is better to be prepared. · When you do get your prescription, Google the name of the medication before you take it – so that you can make sure the doctor understood you and gave you the right thing for the right problem (and also to prevent possible drug interactions). · Ask when you make your appointment how much it will cost. Some doctors will try to take advantage of foreigners who don't know what medical care should cost. Once you get the cost, ask a local person if the charge is reasonable, or if the person is trying to scalp you. · Get the doctor to print out a description of what is ailing you. This is helpful for getting time off of work, and also will allow you to have a better understanding of the actual problem. · Make sure you have travel health insurance, so if something major happens and you get stuck in the hospital, it will be covered. · Once you go to the pharmacy, ask the pharmacist if he or she can clarify any information about using the medication. In many countries, they are far more helpful and responsive than actual doctors. cc InternationalEducators.com
  13. A lot of articles about teaching abroad focus on what it's like for the person doing the teaching. But not everyone who decides to teach abroad goes to another country alone. Many of them bring their spouses along with them and in a lot of cases those spouses aren't teaching abroad themselves. This means that they will face their own specific types of challenges that can lead to a lot of stress down the line. With that in mind we wanted to discuss some things that can make life easier for the spouse of someone teaching abroad and the issues they should consider. · Decide if you really want to go with them. Living abroad isn't for everyone. If they are only going to be away for six months or a year, visiting them a few times might be better for your mental health and relationship than living there with them. · Find out what your birth control options will be in the other country and how you can get them fulfilled. Becoming pregnant or having a baby outside the US can be very stressful if you don't know how to manage the culture and legalities involved. · Read websites with information about teaching abroad so you'll be able to understand the experiences your husband or wife will be going through. This can provide you with some much needed perspective. · Start studying the language as soon as possible. Your spouse, having a work environment, is going to have a much easier time making friends than you will. Knowing the language will make it easier for you to socialize as well. · Try to join a local club. One of the most common – and most social – are book reading clubs. Nearly any bookstore that sells English language books will have a regular book reading club so sign up as soon as you can. · Language exchange events are also a great way to get out of the house and meet new and interesting people while gaining a greater level of understanding of the local language. · Be careful about your drinking. Substance abuse issues are very common in the expat community in general and even more so for non-working spouses in the expat community. If you are in a compound or far away from civilization your spouse may be bored and turn to substances to pass the time. Plan for them and keep them busy. · Find a mobile plan that will make it affordable to keep up with your friends and family back home so you don't feel too disconnected from people. There are many options including Skype, Facetime, Google Hangouts and MagicJack. Each country may have different services that work better. Most of them are free if you are both using the same service. And, if your school gives you a business Microsoft Office account, that may include some free Skype minutes so check it out. cc InternationalEducators.com 2016
  14. No matter where you go if you plan on teaching abroad, there will be challenges. Some of them will be quite serious; others may be somewhat silly. But they are all things that people who teach abroad regularly joke about when they get together. With that in mind, we talked to several people who have taught abroad in various regions, and had a bit of fun creating summaries of how they joke about those places when they are among themselves, and the natives – as well as their employers – are not listening. · The UK. The benefit is that the natives will speak English. The downside is that depending on where in the UK you are, you may not realize they are speaking English. You won't learn another language, but you'll discover interesting and horrible ways to pronounce your own language. Also, you'll sometimes be served warm beer and develop an intimate relationship with your umbrella. · Canada. You may end up learning French, but it will be a type of French that everyone else who speaks French doesn't take seriously. You'll be very, very cold most of the time and will need to learn how to talk about hockey in earnest tones. · The Middle East. Not great if you are interested in sex, alcohol, women's rights or Jesus. Plus you'll spend your days dreaming of the smell of bacon and wondering which people at local cafes are CIA. · Europe. Europe is a great place to learn a foreign language – and then primarily use it to fill out thousands and thousands of pages of bureaucratic paperwork. You'll never know if you need to go to work on a given day, or if for some reason or other there is an odd holiday or strike going on. On the upside, you can see lots of UK and American rock bands for roughly a tenth of what you'd pay in your home country. A lifetime a deep existential ennui is considered one of the more common side effects of teaching there. · Japan. You won't be able to afford anything. · China. Great money and friendly people. But you can't trust the results from Google, and won't be able to read most of the websites you enjoy. On the upside, you can buy pirated copies of any movie or television show you are interested in for next to nothing. · India. Very spicy curry plus unreliable toilets can make for sticky situations. The pay, however, will be excellent and the country itself is beautiful. · The Far East. Lots of chances to travel; your money will go far. You'll have very eager students. You'll learn about fascinating cultures. You'll also never be sure if a given Western tourist you are talking to is there simply because they want to have sex with children. · South America. Wonderful if you want to move on from teaching abroad to working for the CIA – or making your friends back home think that is what you are doing. cc InternationalEducators.com
  15. If you are considering teaching abroad, a big part of that is actually living abroad! In most cases, you won't be in walled off compounds that separate you from the native population. Instead you'll be in a whole new culture that can often seem strange, difficult, and even scary. You know you'll be using a different currency, and you know you'll probably be speaking another language – but there are many other things that you might not expect, but should be prepared for. Let's take a look at some things most people don't know about living abroad before they actually go do it. 1. Your coins will probably have a lot more value than you'd expect. In America, our coins aren't worth much. A handful of coins could easily be worth less than a dollar. In many countries, however, a handful of coins could easily be worth the equivalent of $20 or more. 2. Most countries don't swipe credit cards anymore, and haven't done so for well over a decade. Instead they have you stick one end of your card into a machine that will read a chip there, or you wave the chip across a specific area of the machine. If your current credit card doesn't have a chip in it, you need to ask your bank to update your card. 3. The standard size for condoms is completely different in every country. If you are comfortable in a normal condom in the United States, you might have to buy a large condom in some countries and a smaller one in others. 4. Yes, you should tip in most countries. Some guides will tell you not to tip, but they are wrong. You don't generally have to tip as much as you would back home, but you should always leave something for your drink, meal or taxi ride. You will be looked down on otherwise (and the locals know very well you leave tips back home). Even just rounding up with your change is welcomed. 5. Very often, things like aspirin or sleeping tablets that you can easily get in grocery stores in America are only sold in pharmacies – which tend to have limited opening hours, and you must speak with a pharmacist to buy the meds. Also, not all countries sell their medicine in pill form. Be prepared for dissolvable tablets, syrups, etc. as well as different names for what may be your usual meds. 6. Nobody likes it when you say, “Well, what we do in America is...” They watch our TV and movies. They know how we do things in America, and find the topic super boring. And in many cases, what they do in other countries is equal to or better than what we do in the States – chances are you'll learn something cool! 7. People bring their children to bars, restaurants, and on walks late at night. It's accepted, and something you sort of have to deal with. 8. Unless you are teaching in the Vatican, talking with people about Jesus is likely to get a pint of water poured over your head (or, in some countries, beaten up, shot or beheaded). Keep your religious beliefs to yourself. 9. What you call “beer” the rest of the world calls “lager.” What they call beer is brown, warm, and has a high alcohol content and limited amounts of carbonation. cc InternationalEducators.com 2016
  16. One of the greatest benefits of teaching in a foreign country is that it gives you a chance to live abroad temporarily – or for the rest of your life, if you so choose. But why do people choose to live abroad? They do so for many reasons – some of which may surprise you! Let's look at some of them. 1. You don't feel comfortable in your home country. Some of us just feel like we don't fit in with our culture. Going abroad for a while gives you a chance to get out of your culture, and either find a culture that better suits your personality or, in many cases, makes you appreciate your home culture more. 2. You've reached a life milestone and want to do something new before it's too late. When we turn a certain age, or reach another milestone in our lives, it's a time for self-reflection – and sometimes it makes you realize that you are in a rut. Going away to teach abroad for a year or two can be like a life reset. 3. You are currently surrounded by toxic people. You may realize that many of the problems in your life – particularly substance abuse – are caused by toxic people in your life, but getting away from them while staying in the same place is hard. Going abroad gives you a clean break and allows you to meet new, healthier people. 4. You are questioning your sexuality or thinking of coming out. Exploring bisexual or gay urges for the first time in your local community can be stressful, particularly if you are not sure what you really want. Going abroad for a year can give you time to test out your sexuality where people are not used to you being straight-identified. This can make it a lot easier. 5. You want to make your resume better. The job market is very competitive. Having something stand out on your resume that makes you unique is very important. Living abroad can accomplish that. 6. You have changed your religion. Maybe you grew up Catholic, but now Islam or Hinduism makes more sense to you. Going to an area where there are people who are experienced with your new religion can be life affirming. 7. You want to expand your dating pool. If you have gone through a dry spell, you may simply be in the wrong place to date the type of people you are interested in. Going abroad exposes you to new people who may be much more compatible. Plus, people who travel abroad tend to be more sexually open than people in America. 8. You hate your family. Any shrink will tell you, “There is a reason Americans abroad put an ocean between themselves and their family.” 9. You think Donald Trump may become president. In that case, spending four to eight years abroad is completely reasonable! 10. You are tired of the gun culture in America. Most other countries don't let citizens buy automatic weapons. Your odds of getting shot in a school in Italy are much lower than in the US. cc InternationalEducators.com
  17. Teaching abroad can be wonderful. But, it can also be awful! The difference is preparing yourself for it. It's not something you can simply decide to do one day and then be doing it a few weeks later. If you try to go that route, you'll end up having a miserable time and wasting what could be a life-changing experience. But if you've never done it before, figuring out what you should do can be really hard. Odds are, most of your friends and colleagues won't have experience with it. On the other hand, you don't simply want to wing it. With that in mind, we want to give you this guide to five things you must do before you think about teaching abroad – unless you want your trip to become a total disaster. 1. Find out what certificates or qualifications you'll need, and get them. In most cases this means getting a TOEFL or TEFL certificate, though there are some others that you can look for as well. Many schools won't require qualifications, but in general these are not the schools you want to be working at. If a school doesn't care about their teachers' qualifications, they are probably not a particularly good school – and you'll struggle to deal with the other corners they've decided to cut. If you are going to be working in a true international school and not an ESL center, you will need a current teaching license. Most international schools will require this and it needs to be current. 2. Don't go broke. This is a common mistake people make. You need to have money saved up before you go teaching abroad. You are going to find yourself facing a lot of unanticipated expenses during your first couple of months there. And you will probably have to wait a month before your first paycheck. At the very least, you want to have enough money saved in the bank so you can quickly fly home in case of a sudden family emergency. 3. Find a recruiter. Many people try to apply directly to the schools. This can work out OK, but it can also be a huge mistake. A school is going to try to sell itself and appear as good as possible – and hide any flaws. A recruiter, however, will know more about the school and work to find a good match for each educational institution. This means that you'll be much more likely to find the position that works best for you. 4. Make sure you are physically and mentally healthy. What many people don't realize is that moving abroad for any reason is hard on your mind and body. It requires a lot of adjustments. If you are mentally and physically healthy, this won't be a problem. However, if you are dealing with any mental health issues, the stress could make them worse. And if you are not physically healthy, you could easily injure yourself or become sick because of the stress. 5. Create a rock-solid resume. The good schools have a lot of competition for jobs. If your resume is clunky or not professional, you will only be considered by sub-prime schools that will not provide you with the educational resources you deserve. We will add to this list and update it often. 6. Always try to find out as much information on the school you want to work at before you start the interview process. Check this site and InternationalSchoolReview.com for up to date reviews on schools. Also, do a google search for the name of your school and the word "review." By doing research in advance, you will save yourself headaches in the future. 7. Check to see that the school is accredited and that accreditation is active. Most good international schools will be in good standing by an agency from the USA or UK. cc InternationalEducators.com
  18. Welcome Carrie! Glad you found the site!
  19. Welcome Kristin and Lori. I'm looking forward to meeting you both. I have now added all 3 of you to the ECU group. You can see our special forum at the bottom of the forum homepage.
  20. Welcome Ester. I am happy to meet you! I'm Michael. I am from New York but my sister lived in the UP of Michigan for several years and enjoyed it. I'm looking forward to meeting you in a few weeks. You should now have permission to see the special ECU forums at the bottom. If you have any problems, let me know!
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