A Journey To Teach Abroad

So I mentioned in my last post that I would be dedicating a whole post to the induction process the school ran for all new starters. I can't over state how amazing the whole process was in helping us all to settle into our new lives in Malaysia. I should also point out that due to arriving late because of the issues I had with the Visa application process I did miss out on some of the bits and pieces (See my previous posts). That said, I was there for the vast majority of the process. Accommodation  Yes, that is actually my pool!!!!  This one is going to be split down into two different areas, our amazing hotel (Note the sarcasm), and finding your forever home. Lets start with the hotel. I literally had no idea that a hotel room could be so small, but it turns out that you can fit a double bed into a cupboard. The hotel that we were put up in was tiny, and the rooms even more so, that said it was very well presented, clean and the beds were comfortable. It was, ho...

Firstly I guess it's probably a good idea to explain the absence of posts over the last few weeks. Since the end of the academic term everything has been a little crazy and time has just slipped by. I have very selfishly spent the time with my family, trying to make the most of the sort holiday whilst also selling, packing and generally trying to sort everything. You wouldn't believe the amount of stuff that you have to do even when it's only you going to the other side of the world.   Life Laundry You know, it has to be said there is something quite therapeutic about being put in a position where you have to get rid of the majority of your possessions. You really are in a unique position to look at your life and take stock of what's important. It also turns out that you wouldn't believe the amount of utter rubbish that can be crammed into a small house. I say that but those who know me will be sat there and probably saying "I told you so!" (I...

A quick update before I get onto what I really want to talk about ... transport. Over the weekend I sent all of the information I had to hand for my work permit application to the school, suffice to say it was substantial. I still have to get my Medical sorted (Watch this space) and a photograph with a blue background, so I'm off to get that sorted tonight (Must remember to shave!). Planes Normally getting to your place of work is quite simple, even if you are relocating within the country. This isn't quite the case when you decide to take a job teaching on the other side of the world, in fact it becomes even more difficult when you want to move your whole family. One of the major hurdles I suspect a lot of teachers will encounter will be with the logistics of booking and organising flights to your new country of residence. One of my first questions to my new Headteacher was 'Do I need to book my own flights?'. In my case the answer was probably not, but due to ...

So it's all been (kinda) confirmed! The offer has been sent and I've accepted it, just waiting for the formal contract, etc. I'm making the whole family up sticks and move half way around the world. Don't get me wrong, I'm really excited, but I have to admit that right now I'm feeling a little more than a bit nervous. As a teacher I always just assumed that my career would begin and end in the UK. I'm not for a moment saying that it's not going to end there, just that if you had asked me 5 years ago where I saw my teaching going, it wouldn't be Malaysia. Interestingly enough, i really do think that there is something to be said for the fact that International schools seem to be able to offer the British Curriculum in a method more akin to how British state schools would like to be able to. It's going to be interesting to see if that is the reality of it or not. I have so many questions about how international schools work, I'm sure I...