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Our new blog series will review the most informed member-submitted comments from a specific month. This article looks at the ones submitted in March 2025.
We ask our members to submit detailed and valuable comments. With these informative comments submitted to our 73 comment topics about each school, ISC is the place to get the information you want fast!
So here is the list for March 2025 that we thought stuck out as the most informative comments:
What is the most challenging/difficult part of living in the city?
“The ‘smokey season’ which can last for greater or lesser periods each year from January-May consists of days and weeks on end when the air quality index is above 150 USAQI. The children spend weeks on end cooped up in air-purified classrooms and halls as the air is too toxic for them to go outside…”
“I found a company that organized transport for my large dog. They connected a kennel in the country I was moving from to a kennel in Laos. The kennel in Laos drove to Thailand to pick our dog up from the airport and drove him back outside of his crate so that he would be more comfortable…”
Describe what kinds of teachers work here (local vs. expat, qualifications [or lack there of], etc.) and staff turnover rate. Is there a native English speaker or nationality requirement? Is it LGBT friendly country/school?
“Teachers are all expats I think, a lot of the support staff are qualified teachers in the Philippines but prefer to work as a learning assistant as the benefits and working conditions are better at the school than in local schools. LGBT friendly in school, a bit more complex outside, there’s a huge and active LGBT community but many still hide it from their more conservative church-going families…”
Details about the maternity benefits of the host country and school.
“The school offers the minimum that the country offers – 16 weeks for the birth giving person. The parter gets 2 weeks. Adoption leave is also 2 weeks. The health insurance covers everything for pregnancy and birth – it’s entirely free and very high quality care and treatment. You can have a weekly scan if you wish but the standard is monthly which is still much better than back home. You then get 16 free visits from a midwife to your home after the birth to support you and your new baby…”
Are the expectations high of teaching staff? Are there extra curricular responsibilities? Describe workload details.
“Workload fluctuates throughout the year. There are at least 2 parent-teacher meetings in the academic year. Disciplinary matters can add to the stress as different children have different needs. This means filling out details on line and speaking to parents as need be. Exam season is busy with invigilations…”
What are the airports like in this city? (arriving, departing, shopping, customs, etc.)
“The international airport can be hit and miss, sometimes it can be a breeze to check in and security is quick, other days it can be a nightmare with lines out the door of the airport just waiting for check-in and security. Always err on the side of caution and turn up early for your flight…”
Describe their hiring policies and procedures. Share your interview experience. Any hiring restrictions? is there a particular curriculum experience required? How about single parents/number of dependents sponsored?
“The school is committed to hiring foreign teachers. There are mostly single teachers with no dependents. The interview experience was straightforward and moved pretty quickly. An offer was made, and I had about a week to decide if I would accept. Teachers with no IB experience are frequently hired. It is a great place to get your foot in the door with the IB program and gain valuable experience…”
Tell about your experience with the local banks and dealing with multiple currencies.
“The school transports weekly to a safe currency exchange, or will exchange currency from USD to MM kyat at school. Faculty are paid in nice, crisp, $100usd bills. This is extremely beneficial, as the currency exchanges only want $100 bills, and they must be new and in perfect shape! They will accept some lower denominations ($50’s), but they will give you a lower exchange rate. Unless you are exchanging a huge amount of money, it doesn’t really make a lot of financial difference. But if you are coming to work or visit, bring brand new US 100’s! I don’t now how they are with other countries currencies…”
“Oberoi International School (OIS) has a well-structured New Teacher Orientation Program designed to ensure a smooth transition into the school community. Here’s what new teachers can expect:
✅ Warm Welcome & Induction: New teachers are welcomed with an orientation that introduces them to the school’s philosophy, IB framework, and teaching expectations. It also includes sessions on school culture, policies, and technology integration.
✅ Starter Kit & Technology Support: Teachers receive a MacBook laptop as part of their onboarding kit, which is essential for lesson planning, assessments, and collaboration within the school’s digital ecosystem. OIS is a tech-forward school, integrating tools like Google Workspace, ManageBac, and AI-assisted learning tools.
✅ Comprehensive Support System: The orientation includes mentor pairings, where new teachers are connected with experienced faculty to help them adjust to the new environment. There are also sessions covering HR procedures, school expectations, and well-being resources.
✅ Professional Development Opportunities: Early on, teachers are introduced to the school’s continuous professional learning programs, including IB training, leadership workshops, and collaborative teaching initiatives…”
Describe what kinds of teachers work here (local vs. expat, qualifications [or lack there of], etc.) and staff turnover rate. Is there a native English speaker or nationality requirement? Is it LGBT friendly country/school?
“This is a school with local staff. They greatly appreciate any teacher from abroad or any teacher who can teach in English. Some staff have been at the school for decades. Staff are highly qualified and experienced, with degrees in education and some with postgraduate studies from universities from abroad, including Harvard. The cultural level is generally high. Teachers might come from wealthy families so they are well-travelled and can bring their experiences to the school. LGBT is a delicate matter. If a teacher is LGB, they are expected to be discrete and students should not have any awareness of their teachers’ personal lives, generally speaking. The country itself is not too LGBT friendly. LBG is legal, but there is no legal marriage. There is a stronger bias toward gay men than lesbian women. You will usually be left alone unless you are very open and in a dodgy area…”
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Around the world, there are countries (like the Philippines) that have a bustling international school scene. Many times there is an American school, a British School, and an international school that uses an international curriculum.
The big question always is…how do the comments about each school compare to each other? This feature of the ISC website helps international teachers discover the best-kept secrets among international schools.
This blog series looks at comparing some of these comments, all coming from international schools in the same city.
The average amount of money that is left to be saved. Describe the survivability for a family of four on one salary.
“You can live pretty comfortably, to be honest but it depends on your lifestyle. If you only live on foreign/imported brands and shops then it will probably be too expensive for one salary but if you mix and match with local products, which are much cheaper, then a lot larger families survive on considerably less than a teacher’s salary…” – The British School Manila
“It is very possible to save a decent amount of money working at Brent due to the lower cost of living. A couple should have no problem saving 10000 USD together each year, some can save much more of course…” – Brent International School Manila
Describe the school’s location in relation to the city center and to the teacher’s housing. How do staff get to school before and after school?
“There is no teacher’s housing but many teachers live not far from school (5-10 min). Only a few choose to live on the other side of the island and take 20-30 min to get to school…” – Boracay European International School
“Most foreign hire Faculty live in Prominence One, in two or three bedroom school owned townhouses so there is no commute…” – Brent International School Manila
“In honesty, this is one two-sided coin. We are in a very green area of Manila; however, the main thoroughfare that we must use to get anywhere is a traffic nightmare (as is much of Manila). The government acknowledges the problems but doesn’t have a real solution as yet. Cars are “coded” by license plate ending digit: 1-2: Monday; 3-4: Tuesday; 5-6: Wednesday; 7-8: Thursday; 9-0: Friday driving restrictions. There are “windows” where the restrictions are lifted for some of the cities in Metro Manila…” – German European School Manila
“The school is in a very good position – in a city called Bonifacio Global City. BGC as it is fondly known is modern and vibrant. If you chose not to go out of this area you would still find everything you would need. However, with some other very nice areas close by there are always malls and outdoor spaces. If you want to experience the real manila then you would need to venture further out of these areas. Traffic is the major issue in the city but living close to the school solves this issue…” – International School Manila
What types of budgets do classroom teachers/departments get?
“For budgeting this year we were told if it was a “need” we could request it, at the actual budgeting time there was a more realistic approach applied but for most things if you can justify how it will benefit students and the school, they will consider it seriously…” – The British School Manila
“Resources are distributed based on the class needs. Budgets are not huge but if you really need something, you always can get it…” – Boracay European International School
“What you need is what you get within reason. Leaders generally have control of budgets but anyone request them…” – International School Manila
Details about the staff housing or the housing allowance. If there is no housing allowance, how much are rent costs and utilities?
“Housing is provided for expat teachers. The school provides you with a two-story house. If you are single you get a two-bedroom house, while if you are married, you get a three-bedroom house. Although the school provides housing, you need to pay for the commodities. The house comes fully furnished. In the kitchen, you will have a fridge and a stove/oven. The house comes with a laundry machine. The school provides you with bedding, some towels, plates, and cutlery. The aircon is found in each bedroom and in the dining room. These houses are located in front of the school. It is a 3-5 minute walk. The school also owns two to three studio apartments that are 20 minutes away. If you choose this option, the school can provide you with a car. The water bill is 500-1000 pesos a month, and cable tv/internet is 1000-4000 depending on your package. The power bill will run 5000-10000 for couples. The more you run the aircon, the more you will pay…” – Brent International School Manila
“Housing allowances are being reviewed at the moment but generally speaking, the school provides accommodation for incoming teachers and you then get to choose whether you move or not at the end of your first year…” – The British School Manila
Health insurance and medical benefits. Describe your experiences using these benefits and going to the local hospitals.
“The provider is a little annoying to submit documentation to but the coverage itself is pretty generous and the school tops up in various areas (such as chronic conditions). Coverage is worldwide but paid at the equivalent to costs in the country…” – The British School Manila
International School Community is full of thousands of useful, informative comments, 52693 comments (10 Feb. 2025) to be exact.
Teaching abroad as a couple comes with its own unique set of challenges and rewards. From navigating contract negotiations to balancing work-life dynamics in a foreign country, there’s a lot to consider before making the leap. On our website, members share their firsthand experiences, offering objective insights into what it’s really like to work at international schools as a Teaching Couple. These 365 comments provide a valuable glimpse into both the benefits and potential pitfalls of this lifestyle.
We explored our extensive database of submitted comments and uncovered 12 particularly insightful reflections from teaching couples around the world. Whether you’re considering applying together for your first overseas job or are already working side by side in the classroom, these perspectives highlight key takeaways that could influence your next career move.
12.
“SWIS is a full-continuum IB school and prioritizes applicants with IB experience. That being said, if equivalent experience is shown, exceptions have been made. Additionally, SWIS looks for applicants with international school experience and is particularly supportive of teaching couples with or without dependents…” – Shen Wai International School (Shenzhen, China) – 99 Comments
11.
“Staying because of the savings potential within a teaching couple dynamic, safe/clean/convenient Singapore. Leaving because of the high cost of living and stressful workplace…” –Singapore American School (Singapore) – 408 Comments
10.
“This school is primarily looking for inquiry-based, experienced teaching couples. IB experience in the PYP or DP is preferred…” – International School of Islamabad (Islamabad, Pakistan) – 44 Comments
9.
“Foreign hire jobs continue to be advertised on TES, and also Linkedin. The format has remained similar, people are often asked to sing, dance, tell jokes, or something. Various teaching couples have been employed recently. The school helps with dependents’ visas. The school offers two children places without fees.” – Colegio Gran Bretana (Bogota, Colombia) – 221 Comments
8.
“The housing allowance has not kept pace with increasing rents in Bangkok. They have recently dropped the amount provided to teaching couples…” KIS International School (Bangkok) (Bangkok, Thailand) – 529 Comments
7.
“6000 RMB a month housing allowance for a single teacher. Only 7500 RMB a month for a teaching couple with 2 kids. Very hard to find a decent 3 bedroom apartment for this price…” Suzhou Singapore International School (Suzhou, China) – 166 Comments
6.
“Good potential for singles with no dependents and for teaching couples to save while living quite well…” – American International School Vietnam (AISVN) (Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam) – 350 Comments
5.
“The school uses Schrole to post their vacancies and recruit teachers. There are usually multiple interviews before you are offered a contract. Many teaching couples are hired at the school. The school also hires teachers with children…”- International School of Brussels (Brussels, Belgium) – 67 Comments
4.
“Ample vacation time and they usually match with other international schools since there are many teaching couples who are split between schools. No longer has covid interruptions…” – Western Academy of Beijing (Beijing, China) – 216 Comments
3.
“If only one-half of a teaching couple accepts a position, the director will very likely offer the other half a job once they have arrived in Vilnius. It must be remembered that once you are in the country, you will be considered a local hire, forfeiting ALL benefits. teaching couples: make sure to inquire about other positions before accepting anything…” – Vilnius International School. (Lithuania , Vilnius) – 98 Comments
2.
“ISL advertises on the major websites and recruitment sites and has hiring policies as you would expect. The biggest challenge is that they don’t have a “contract deadline” and so jobs are often released one at a time, at random intervals. You can see the effect as most people hired are hired for one job as its unlikely a teaching couple would simultaneously find two openings that match.” – International School of Luxembourg (Luxembourg) – 57 Comments
1.
“They can do sub teaching, and or tutor. For teaching couples with only one “fit” at this school the city may still work out since there are many international schools in the area. We have several couples working in two different schools. This school also has a Chinese sister school in town which is an option (same salary etc.).” – International School of Nanshan Shenzhen (China, Shenzhen) – 90 Comments
If you have an interesting and useful comment to add related to teaching couples at your school that you would like to share, log in to International School Community and submit your comments. For every 10 submitted comments, you will get one month of free premium membership added to your account!
What ISC Members Are Saying: 10 Must-Read Comments from March 2025
Our new blog series will review the most informed member-submitted comments from a specific month. This article looks at the ones submitted in March 2025.
We ask our members to submit detailed and valuable comments. With these informative comments submitted to our 73 comment topics about each school, ISC is the place to get the information you want fast!
So here is the list for March 2025 that we thought stuck out as the most informative comments:
What is the most challenging/difficult part of living in the city?
“The ‘smokey season’ which can last for greater or lesser periods each year from January-May consists of days and weeks on end when the air quality index is above 150 USAQI. The children spend weeks on end cooped up in air-purified classrooms and halls as the air is too toxic for them to go outside…”
Lanna International School (LIST) (151 total comments) in Chang Mai, Thailand
Describe your experience bringing pets.
“I found a company that organized transport for my large dog. They connected a kennel in the country I was moving from to a kennel in Laos. The kennel in Laos drove to Thailand to pick our dog up from the airport and drove him back outside of his crate so that he would be more comfortable…”
Vientiane International School (8 total comments) in Vientiane, Laos
Describe what kinds of teachers work here (local vs. expat, qualifications [or lack there of], etc.) and staff turnover rate. Is there a native English speaker or nationality requirement? Is it LGBT friendly country/school?
“Teachers are all expats I think, a lot of the support staff are qualified teachers in the Philippines but prefer to work as a learning assistant as the benefits and working conditions are better at the school than in local schools. LGBT friendly in school, a bit more complex outside, there’s a huge and active LGBT community but many still hide it from their more conservative church-going families…”
The British School Manila (129 total comments) in Manila, Philippines
Details about the maternity benefits of the host country and school.
“The school offers the minimum that the country offers – 16 weeks for the birth giving person. The parter gets 2 weeks. Adoption leave is also 2 weeks. The health insurance covers everything for pregnancy and birth – it’s entirely free and very high quality care and treatment. You can have a weekly scan if you wish but the standard is monthly which is still much better than back home. You then get 16 free visits from a midwife to your home after the birth to support you and your new baby…”
International School of Zug and Luzern (78 total comments) in Baar, Switzerland
Are the expectations high of teaching staff? Are there extra curricular responsibilities? Describe workload details.
“Workload fluctuates throughout the year. There are at least 2 parent-teacher meetings in the academic year. Disciplinary matters can add to the stress as different children have different needs. This means filling out details on line and speaking to parents as need be. Exam season is busy with invigilations…”
Budapest British International Academy (69 total comments) in Budapest, Hungary
What are the airports like in this city? (arriving, departing, shopping, customs, etc.)
“The international airport can be hit and miss, sometimes it can be a breeze to check in and security is quick, other days it can be a nightmare with lines out the door of the airport just waiting for check-in and security. Always err on the side of caution and turn up early for your flight…”
EUROPEAN International School Ho Chi Minh City (39 total comments) in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Describe their hiring policies and procedures. Share your interview experience. Any hiring restrictions? is there a particular curriculum experience required? How about single parents/number of dependents sponsored?
“The school is committed to hiring foreign teachers. There are mostly single teachers with no dependents. The interview experience was straightforward and moved pretty quickly. An offer was made, and I had about a week to decide if I would accept. Teachers with no IB experience are frequently hired. It is a great place to get your foot in the door with the IB program and gain valuable experience…”
American School of Quito (39 total comments) in Quito, Ecuador
Tell about your experience with the local banks and dealing with multiple currencies.
“The school transports weekly to a safe currency exchange, or will exchange currency from USD to MM kyat at school. Faculty are paid in nice, crisp, $100usd bills. This is extremely beneficial, as the currency exchanges only want $100 bills, and they must be new and in perfect shape! They will accept some lower denominations ($50’s), but they will give you a lower exchange rate. Unless you are exchanging a huge amount of money, it doesn’t really make a lot of financial difference. But if you are coming to work or visit, bring brand new US 100’s! I don’t now how they are with other countries currencies…”
Ayeyarwaddy International School (118 total comments) in Mandalay, Myanmar
Details about new teacher orientation.
“Oberoi International School (OIS) has a well-structured New Teacher Orientation Program designed to ensure a smooth transition into the school community. Here’s what new teachers can expect:
✅ Warm Welcome & Induction:
New teachers are welcomed with an orientation that introduces them to the school’s philosophy, IB framework, and teaching expectations. It also includes sessions on school culture, policies, and technology integration.
✅ Starter Kit & Technology Support:
Teachers receive a MacBook laptop as part of their onboarding kit, which is essential for lesson planning, assessments, and collaboration within the school’s digital ecosystem. OIS is a tech-forward school, integrating tools like Google Workspace, ManageBac, and AI-assisted learning tools.
✅ Comprehensive Support System:
The orientation includes mentor pairings, where new teachers are connected with experienced faculty to help them adjust to the new environment. There are also sessions covering HR procedures, school expectations, and well-being resources.
✅ Professional Development Opportunities:
Early on, teachers are introduced to the school’s continuous professional learning programs, including IB training, leadership workshops, and collaborative teaching initiatives…”
Oberoi International School (49 total comments) in Mumbai, India
Describe what kinds of teachers work here (local vs. expat, qualifications [or lack there of], etc.) and staff turnover rate. Is there a native English speaker or nationality requirement? Is it LGBT friendly country/school?
“This is a school with local staff. They greatly appreciate any teacher from abroad or any teacher who can teach in English. Some staff have been at the school for decades. Staff are highly qualified and experienced, with degrees in education and some with postgraduate studies from universities from abroad, including Harvard. The cultural level is generally high. Teachers might come from wealthy families so they are well-travelled and can bring their experiences to the school.
LGBT is a delicate matter. If a teacher is LGB, they are expected to be discrete and students should not have any awareness of their teachers’ personal lives, generally speaking. The country itself is not too LGBT friendly. LBG is legal, but there is no legal marriage. There is a stronger bias toward gay men than lesbian women. You will usually be left alone unless you are very open and in a dodgy area…”
Academia Washington (26 total comments) in Caracas, Venezuela