Lessons From Your Country

Five Lessons I Have Learned From Living in Barbados

January 7, 2022

I regularly pinch myself, particularly on my commute to school, where I pass turquoise waters and white beaches, green monkeys crossing the roads, and fruit vendors offering coconuts and pineapples. Do I really work and live here? I do, but of course, like all places, there are always lessons to be learned!

Lesson #1: Barbados is not the place to save money

You will be told before you arrive: Barbados is an expensive place. Of course, like anywhere, it depends on your lifestyle, but it is true that most things here are pricey. Your rent, car, and grocery shopping will dent your balance the most and are unavoidable expenses. Not having a car here is not an option, and I quickly learned that my romantic idea of having a little scooter in Barbados is absolutely not an option due to the conditions of the road here.

Lesson #2: People do get bored

During my interview, the principal told me that people have left in the past because they got very bored here. At the time I thought to myself “Who in their right mind would get bored of living in paradise??”. However, what I didn’t consider is, that an island like Barbados might only be a paradise for people like me. I spend every spare moment in, on or under the water. I surf, scuba dive and sail almost on a daily basis and if I didn’t have all these hobbies there may be a chance that I would actually get bored, too. Leaving the island is not as easy as I thought when I first got here, which may have been another reason for people to seek other locations.

Lesson #3: You have to accept ‘island time’

I am a very patient and laid-back person, so this has not really
been an issue for me personally, but I know that some people
struggle with this. Whenever you need to go to an office or
government facility (eg. bank, car registration, national ID office),
it takes a long time. We are talking about hours and hours of
queuing, often outside the building you are trying to enter. This is
often due to the local processes, which still include the filling in
of paper forms, rather than the digitalisation of processes. You will
often find yourself trying to get any of the bureaucratic jobs done
during the school holidays, as it is almost impossible to fit it into a workday, without having to take time off.

Lesson #4: Stay connected

Barbados is a very small island and although there are some private schools, there is only one International School, so there are no local collaboration or networking opportunities. Although there are some international schools in the region, there are no existing links or connections to any of them, so I have had to make much greater efforts to stay connected to colleagues than ever before.

Lesson #5: You do get to live in paradise

Despite the few things that one might have to get used to, Barbados truly is a paradise. The sun shines every single day, even during the ‘rainy season’, the ocean is always warm and there is a lot of fun to be had, especially if you enjoy getting to know the local spots. I moved here as a single female, and I have had no issues making friends and feeling connected, especially through my hobbies. There may not be a huge package with the job, but one of the benefits is certainly that I live a fairly relaxed life in the Caribbean!

This article was submitted by a guest author and ISC member who currently works at The Codrington School (Int’l School of Barbados)in St. John, Barbados

continue reading

Lessons From Your Country

Is Teaching in Norway for Everyone?

January 3, 2019

Norway is often a country that people dream of for a holiday destination, its fjords, mountains and forests are universally admired, rightly so!  When visitors do arrive, they generally find exactly what they expected, natural beauty, friendly people and great food.  Norway never disappoints visitors, at least not when you come prepared and forewarned about the weather!

Strangely enough, Norway is NOT on a list of must go to places for international school teachers seeking to develop their careers.  To be honest, I would never have picked Norway as a place to teach, it never entered my head.  I was used to how things worked in Asia, having worked in both Singapore and China. I had worked in the UAE and to be honest, like most, Norway and other Scandinavian countries did not even register as a possible destination.

I had been thinking about trying to land a position in Europe, to gain exposure to new schools, but also because the lifestyle would be so different from what I had been used to in Asia and the Middle East.  My idea was to go to Italy or perhaps Switzerland, however, while trolling the internet for open positions, I found a couple of vacancies in Norway.  It seemed such an unusual place to work, so I did not hesitate to send in an application.  As a teacher with a trailing spouse and two children, often, schools balk at the idea of even considering me.  The beauty of Europe is, if you are a solid teacher, you will have as much opportunity as the next person. 

After a couple of interviews, I was on my way!  I could not believe it!  I was given information on how to get my working papers sorted, it was a long, but not difficult process if you already have most of all the required documents.  My advice to anyone considering Norway as a place to work, start this process BEFORE applying for jobs.  You will need to have your degree qualified by both NOKUT (the people who check that degrees are valid and real) as well as UDIR (the Education Ministry.)  This process is free, but lengthy.

I used a website (Finn.No) to help find an apartment and waited for my papers to come through, eventually, starting work on a temporary permit (1 year.)  Eventually, of course the agreements from both NOKUT and UDIR were complete and I became a longer term visa holder. 

I have been at my school for the past 3 years.  I think, for me, this is the most amazing country to teach in, if you can handle the cold and dark in winter of course, and the sun and warmth of summer too!  As a family, there is no shortage of amazing experiences to be had here in Oslo: long hikes around a multitude of lakes, forests and rivers, ferries along the Oslo Fjord and of course, winter comes with skiing, skating and other winter activities.  Christmas in Norway is delightful. If you are like me, from the Southern Hemisphere, a white Christmas will be a novelty! 

My school is a privately owned organisation that is supported by the government.  This means we must meet certain Norwegian standards as far as curriculum and number of days taught.  I have only positive things to say about my school.  However, on a broader scope, international schools in Norway are fast developing.  There are 2 English speaking schools in Oslo, plus others in Asker, Trondheim, Bergen, Kongsberg, Tromso, Arendal, Alesund, Stavanger and Moss to name just a few.  Choose carefully, remember, Norway is a huge country and the population is not great. 

I have found I have had great PD and certainly, within the IB world, there is great connectivity between schools in Norway, ensuring that new ideas flow and are shared.  The teaching hours are great and at least at my school, we do not offer out-of-hours programs (this is because there are so many opportunities for children to be involved outside of school) which frees me up to prepare and concentrate on my own programs.  Holiday times are magical, the biggest issue is to decide where to go!  Prague, Rome, London or stay here in Norway and see this amazing country (don’t forget to get up north to take a look at the Northern Lights.)

If I were to pick a negative to living here, it is quite simply the cost.  If you do not have two incomes, it will be very difficult to get by.  A single teacher should manage, but a married teacher, with a non working spouse will find it difficult.

Would I come again?  Absolutely!  Teaching in Norway has been the best decision, as a teacher and as a parent, that I have made.  It’s true, I have not saved much, but, the experience, the lifestyle and the work life has been second to none.  I think it will be difficult to find anything better than this, anywhere.

This article was submitted by ISC member and guest author, Shane Blackbourn. Shane is a PYP5 teacher at Norlights International School in Oslo, Norway.  This is his third year at the school.  He is married, with 2 daughters who also attend the school. 

continue reading

Lessons From Your Country

Five Lessons I Have Learned From Living in China

June 1, 2017

Lesson 1: Manage your frustration

If you came from a place with an easier transition – any big expat city really – then China brings frustration to a whole new level. Other than Hong Kong, most Chinese citizens do not speak English, there are ever-changing bureaucratic regulations to stay up on, and even taking a cab is a challenge when drivers regularly reject you or change the fare.

In my first few weeks in China, I would often plan a wonderful day out to explore and end up coming home early, tired and angry.

But there’s so much to love in China and so much to see. Instead of getting frustrated, China has taught me to redirect my frustration into patient curiosity. Instead of a cab driver ripping me off and getting angry, I try to find a clever way to win the situation without letting my temper rise – that might mean using my few words of Mandarin to say childish things like “No,” “I don’t like,” or “Too expensive.” Sometimes it also means just accepting the circumstances you’re in, moving on, and laughing.

Lesson 2: Smartphones save the day

Given the frustrations above, you need life hacks to navigate without losing your mind. There are now apps that you can speak into in English, and Mandarin comes out of your phone (and the other way as well). Google Translate can translate Mandarin characters with enough accuracy to understand the context, and there are apps for finding your way around the subway, bargaining at the markets, renting bicycles, paying at stores, and of course for learning the language.

Owning and mastering a smart phone makes your life exponentially easier. Staying up to date on blogs that showcase apps, or reading expat newspapers giving tips and tricks, is a worthwhile use of your time. And when you find out something, share it! On Facebook, in the workplace, wherever. I’ve found that many of my hacks are new to the people who have been here for a while because they just found a different way to deal with their needs.

Lesson 3: Explore your country

China has to be one of the greatest countries to travel in. The Gobi desert, the Yellow Mountain, the Tibetan Plateau, and the Mongolian Steppe are so vastly different and so worth your time and energy. Not to mention the monuments in Beijing, the water towns outside Shanghai, the walled city and warriors of Xi’an, and the pandas of Chengdu. Did you know that James Cameron’s movie Avatar was inspired by the landscape of Zhangjijie? China is seriously beautiful and my list could go on and on.

To truly understand and appreciate China, you need to explore. Meet the Muslim cultures in the Northwest and the Buddhists in the Southwest. Visit ice castles in the North East or go to beaches in the South East. Eat Sichuan Hotpot in Chengdu or eat roasted Scorpion in Beijing. The landscape changes, the food changes, the people change, and your perspective on China will change.

Lesson 4: Don’t always listen to what you hear about a country

I know our first source of information on a new home is to talk to those before us.   I also understand the irony of this lesson as I write a blogpost telling you what it’s like to live in China. But here me out: your experience will be different – often in a good way.

I was told, and believed, that China was crowded, polluted, pushy, and dirty. To me, none of those claims stacked up to the level I expected. Is China crowded? Yes. But not if you know where and how to avoid the crowds. I regularly am walking in downtown Shanghai thinking to myself, this sure doesn’t feel like the most populated city on Earth. Is China polluted? Yes. But my home has an air purifier, and in Shanghai from Spring to Fall, the air is similar more to a big city like LA or New York. Are the Chinese pushy? At times. But you can predict those times like when you’re boarding or exiting a plane. The rest of the time, the Chinese are thoughtful and observant. Is China dirty? It can be. But it’s much cleaner than you would imagine, particularly in the cities.

Lesson 5: Love where you live

After moving from the glitz and glam of Dubai, Shanghai felt like a downgrade. It felt like we had lost the amazing lifestyle and the ease of living we were so fortunate to have in the UAE. That thinking held us back for several months and stunted our adjustment. A year later, we’ve finally formed a new appreciation for our new home. We’ve bought locally made furniture, hired a local to help with our housework, explored the alleys and temples of small towns, tried 1000’s of local dishes, met locals in our neighborhood, and fallen in love with the uniqueness of China. In one year, we have stories that can last a lifetime and I know after summer break we will be longing to return.

This article was submitted by a guest contributor living in Shanghai, China

continue reading

Lessons From Your Country

How to Enjoy Life in Japan (Part 2)

April 8, 2017

What does Japan have to offer expats that other Asian countries don’t? It doesn’t offer much bang for your buck. Even a position at a major, affluent international school in Tokyo can’t offer a salary that compares to Singapore. Nor will your salary take you as far as it will in a place like Laos or Thailand.

So why choose Japan?

The depth and breadth of culture in Japan is unparalleled in Asia. China might be older, but thanks to the Cultural Revolution and the current penchant in China for tacky modernity, you’ll have a harder time finding it. But in Japan you can easily find it, at almost any street corner. Japanese are proud of being Japanese, and will bend over backwards to show off their culture to foreigners. There’s a surplus of Japanese TV shows that capitalize on this theme. “Why did you come to Japan?” follows Japan-obsessed foreigners on crazy odysseys throughout the country. It starts by following gaijin as soon as they land at the airport, often with the intention of backpacking to some remote area, studying some obscure Japanese art, or attending something unique. More often than not, the locals take great care of these vagabonds, inviting them into their homes, taking them great distances, and generally honoring these guests. Japan is very hospitable.

But not always.

You’ll probably have a few experiences like this at first. But once the honeymoon wears off, you’ll notice that in daily interactions, especially big cities, Japanese are actually avoiding you. They don’t want to sit next to you on the train. No small talk at the bus station. They aren’t interested in talking about politics. You’ll hear the dreaded, “Ah, nihongo joozu, desu ne!” This means you speak good Japanese. It sounds like a compliment, but when you’ve heard it for the tenth time in one day, you’ll realize it’s an insult. A micro-aggression. Yes, they are complimenting you the same way you would a trained dog. Congrats, you can badly pronounce several words of our language, now piss off. You’ll discover you have few Japanese friends, and feel isolated from society.

What do you do?  How do you get past this hump and enjoy a long-term stay?

Make Japanese friends. This sounds odd, but many people have difficulty doing this. Many expats don’t have any close Japanese friends, or even a loose circle of Japanese acquaintances. These are the people that have the most difficult time in Japan and leave the soonest.

This is because most Japanese people generally won’t make friends on the street. Japan is a very group-oriented culture, and Japanese grow up learning to make friends within strict confines. From the moment a young Japanese child enters school, they are taught that the group membership is paramount, and individualism is not welcome. They spend all their school life dressing in uniforms and following tight regimes, only to graduate into the even more regimented world of work. Uniforms become unofficial dress codes, and the company they work for takes over their life. You strictly socialize within your company. You even vacation with them. Having worked at a Japanese company, I’ve had the weird experience of going on a company sponsored vacation with my co-workers. After many all-night bouts of drinking, we all literally took a bath together. (Google Japanese public bath etiquette after you read this.)

Herein lies your hope. Once you find a group to belong to, you’ll never lack for want of social contact. You will be invited to do everything with your group. The Japanese, familiar with this way of socially orienting themselves, open up like flowers. Indeed, you may find that some get too personal with you, too quickly.

So how do you maximize your life in Japan? How do you truly experience the beauty of Japanese culture? Join a club, organization, social circle, team sport, or group activity. Find a special interest group. Go to those late night drinking parties. Go flower blossom viewing together. Join the cheesy group vacations. Learn ikebana (flower arranging). Practice chado (tea ceremony.) Choose any Japanese art, join the classes, let the group take you in. Join and become Japanese. You will not be disappointed.

This article was submitted to us by an International School Community member guest author.

continue reading

Lessons From Your Country

How to Enjoy Life in Japan (Part 1)

February 23, 2017

Japan is unique among Asian countries. Many expats, even those who have lived in Asia for years, struggle living in Japan. I’ve seen families leave after only a year. What makes Japan so difficult? Is it the culture? Some secret only known to the initiated? The answer, while it may seem obscure, is simple.

Japan is not Asian.

I don’t mean this literally, of course. Metaphorically, however, it is true. Japan is the America of Asia, and the key to enjoying life in Japan is to understand this. It’s not that Japanese speak English well. Most can’t. Nor is it that Japanese eat mostly Western food. They don’t. In fact, culturally, Japan is perhaps one of the most enigmatic countries in the world. You can spend a lifetime in this country and still not understand all of the intricacies of a simple business transaction.

So what is it that makes Japan un-Asian?

It’s economically Western. Things aren’t cheap here, and it pisses people off. Yet no one bats an eye at the high price of living in Western Europe. Why? It’s a trade-off of salary for lifestyle. Yes, your salary might not go far in Vienna, Paris, or Stockholm. But generally international teachers move there for the culture, not the money. Asia, in contrast, remains one of the premier locations for expats wishing to live a lavish lifestyle. A typically international school salary puts you in the top 1% in countries like Thailand or Bangladesh. Top salaries in China soar over top salaries in Japan. Working at a major international school in Tokyo or Osaka, you can expect to be firmly middle class, at best.

The teachers I know who leave Japan after a few years are those who are used to having nannies, hired help, frequent vacations to beach resorts, and people catering to them as something special. This kind of lifestyle is unaffordable in Tokyo. Take traveling, for example. In Japan, hotels charge per person, not per room. And it’s not uncommon to be charged $200USD per person, per night. Nor is transportation cheap. Bullet train tickets from Kyoto to Tokyo run upwards of $150, one way. Just accommodation and transportation for a weekend trip could be well in excess of $1,000. You can live a good life in Japan on an international school salary, but not the same expat life you could in other Asian countries. Much like living in Copenhagen, this means going local. Don’t buy all American products at jacked up prices in Costco. By local, Japanese products. Eat, drink, and live like a local, and perhaps you can live an upper-middle class lifestyle.

Coming to Japan from developing Asian countries, expats lose considerable social and economic status. They find themselves unhappy, and return to the Asia they know and love. Cheap Asia. English Friendly Asia. Cater-to-foreigners Asia. So why stay? What does Japan have to offer, if not generous salaries and a super affluent lifestyle?

The answer is, of course, culture. Part II coming soon…

This article was submitted to us by an International School Community member guest author.

continue reading