A Journey To Teach Abroad

Summer Of Fun In Kuala Lumpur - Part 1 So, it's been a VERY long time since my last Blog post, with that in mind and the summer here I think it's time to start up again. My plan is to try and add in some bits and pieces about what the family have been up to over the summer, so hence the title. I'm also hoping that this is going to be a series of posts, so look out for parts 2 and 3. First on my my agenda? The Kuala Lumpur Eco Park and the KL tower, both of which happen to be in the same place and are worlds apart from each other. The Eco park is mini rain forest haven in the middle of the city, where as the tower is one of the worlds top (And tallest) iconic towers from which you can see almost all of the city. You really couldn't get any more juxtaposed if you tried. The Kuala Lumpur Forest Eco Park So, imagine that someone plonked part of the rain forest smack bang in the middle of London or New York, you just about have got the idea of the KL Forest Eco...

Bureaucracy And Even More Bureaucracy So, just when you think it's all over, out comes another issue with good old immigration.  For those of you who have been following my blog since the start, you will know that my departure from the UK was delayed by the joy of the Malaysian immigration services deciding to change the way they process foreign workers. It used to be the case that you could simply enter the country on a tourist visa whilst your work permit was processing. They decided that for some reason this was a bad idea and now you have to gain your permit approval letter prior to coming over.  Immigration is a nightmare So, what's the problem, I hear you cry? I already have my permit and my shiny new ID card. The problems comes from the need to get my family here. We were under the impression that those who were going to claim dependent status would still be able to come over on a simple tourist visa and then apply once here, thus giving us plenty of t...

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 ...