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International School Manila Review from March 2016


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In all of my years of teaching abroad this is the best school I have ever taught at. In fact, I can't think of anything negative to say at all about the school itself. The experience here won't be for everyone, but many people, I suspect, will consider it their dream teaching abroad experience.  The package is by far one of the best of any international school.

The best part is that unlike many international schools, the administration does not get in your face all the time! They trust their teachers to get their jobs done, so you don't feel like you always have Big Brother watching you. You can just get on with helping the students learn English.

The school has excellent, up-to-date resources. Technology is abundant and the curriculum makes sense. If you want to get involved with extra curricular activities you can, but you also have the freedom not to do so.

I found the other teachers to be friendly and helpful. There is a really great sense of community among the faculty at the school. And the students were ready to learn every day. From a professional standpoint I was highly impressed.

For my first year there I was assigned housing by the school, and that was OK. The second year was better, because I was given a housing allowance that allowed me to be able to afford the apartment I really wanted. The re-signing bonus helped as well!

I found I was able to save a lot of money while working here – enough so that I was able to travel around Asia quite a bit during school breaks. The cost of living is not that high, and there is a great scene for single people.

So, what are the drawbacks? Quite simply, Manila itself.

The city is dirty. The politicians are corrupt. And petty crime ranging from pickpocketing to minor muggings are common. You have to be on your guard and careful at all times. The city is also crowded, and homelessness is a huge problem. 

For some people I knew, this ruined the experience because it made them feel bad to be living the high life surrounded by poverty. Plus, some people who were not used to big cities couldn't handle not feeling safe.

I wasn't bothered by this, because I've lived in cities in South America that had similar problems and I'm used to it. And I liked the fact that Manila is in a location that makes it very easy to travel to beautiful places outside the city.

As with anything else, your mileage may vary.

Edited by Barbara_PYP
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