#1 – You get more fluent in the local language.<\/strong><\/p>\n Sometimes it is hard to get yourself to attend language classes when you first arrive. It is difficult giving up two evenings of your work week to go to these classes. Waiting a few years until you are more established into your new life in your host country is sometimes a better option for some international school teachers. \u00a0Although it is not the case with everyone, staying longer in the host country will also provide you with more authentic opportunities to acquire new words and phrases. \u00a0You never know when you will learn your next new words, but if you provide yourself with more opportunities and put yourself in more situations with the local people, you will certainly learn more of the host country language.<\/p>\n #2 – You make more long-lasting local friends.<\/strong><\/p>\n In so many countries, it is down right a challenge to make local friends. Many international school teachers just find friends among\u00a0other international school teachers at their school. The reason being that it is sometimes scary and nerve-racking to get yourself out there and meet the locals. Additionally, you got to get yourself out and get to know\u00a0A LOT of locals too because we all know that you can’t be everyone’s<\/em> friend that you meet. \u00a0You have\u00a0to meet a lot\u00a0to find a few good ones. \u00a0You don’t always find a good match every time you are out and about in your host city. \u00a0Also, locals don’t necessarily want to invest their friend-time with foreigners that are going to be leaving in a year or two. If you are staying around, that makes you more desirable in terms of friendship material.<\/p>\n #3 – You save more money.<\/strong><\/p>\n Your first and second years at an international school can indeed be costly ones. You need to buy so many things (excuse me…did somebody say IKEA?) for your new home. \u00a0You also make some stupid purchases during these first few years when you don’t know the best places to go and get the best deal. \u00a0The longer you stay could equal the better savings in your bank account, especially if your international school is giving you a great salary with excellent benefits. Why leave when you’re potentially making the most money in your teaching career?!<\/p>\n #4 – You get to do more special projects at your school.<\/strong><\/p>\n When you first start at an international school, you are just getting your feet on the ground. Because everything is new, you typically stick to doing what you know and that’s that. You are still doing a good job, but you find it a challenge to start any special projects. \u00a0After your third and fourth year, you have more ownership in the school. Being more familiar and comfortable with your international school allows you to be more creative and make some of your ideas come true. Once you have built a strong\u00a0trust, after a couple of years with your administration and the PTA, they will then support you in these new ideas. \u00a0The key is to keep the ideas and inspiration flowing. Here is one special project idea as an example: why not get beekeeping<\/em> started up at your school?<\/p>\n #5 – You build stronger collaborative partners at work.<\/strong><\/p>\n Some research related to co-teaching in schools state that it can take a good two to three years to get to a high level of collaboration. \u00a0You need time to build those collaborative relationships, and sometimes one to two years is not enough. \u00a0Also, if you stay at an international school for longer than two years, you also get to know your colleagues better, both professionally and on a personal level. \u00a0All of that teaching at a specific international school then is time well-spent, as it will only strengthen your collaborative relationships.<\/p>\n #6 – More time for more of your home country family and friends to visit you.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Why is it so hard for some of your family and friends to get their act together and visit you? \u00a0The fact is that many of those friends and family need time to plan. They need time to save their money, find the right time to visit you, and get the time off of their work. Many people are simply not able to figure that all out in one to two years. By the third and fourth year, the stars will align for some of them to finally visit you. \u00a0What a shame if there is a missed opportunity for your friends and family to check out a potential new place in the world! \u00a0The best part is that they won’t even have to pay for a hotel or guide services as they will have your place to stay at and you to happily show them around.<\/p>\n #7 – You get more\u00a0time to travel around your host country and visit all the spots you’ve been wanting to see.<\/strong><\/p>\n During your holidays, it is easy to forget about checking out more of your host country. Indeed, you are too busy planning to see the other countries that surround your host country. \u00a0If you are not on a tropical island, buying a ticket to one sounds more appealing then\u00a0just staying in your\u00a0host\u00a0country. \u00a0Even if your host country is a small one, there are still countless cities to go visit. \u00a0The more you see of your host country, the better appreciation you have for it. \u00a0You learn more about your host country culture as well and how the locals are living in different parts of the country. \u00a0Traveling around to more parts of your host country also helps to you feel more like a local too because you know more about them and their culture.<\/p>\n #8 – You get to make your home more yours<\/em>.<\/strong><\/p>\n It takes awhile to make a home your<\/em> home. In some countries, you are placed into a furnished house\/apartment. Making other people’s furniture your<\/em> furniture takes time. If you move into an unfurnished\u00a0place, then you must buy stuff to put in there. If it is new, then that stuff also takes time to then make your home your home. \u00a0Sure, some international school teachers ship their own furniture to their new host country and they need less time to cozy up to their new surroundings, but a home is indeed more than just furniture. It takes time for memories to be created\u00a0in your apartment\/house.<\/p>\n #9 – You get more time to eat out at your favorite restaurants and find new ones that open up.<\/strong><\/p>\n It is the best feeling to go out for dinner in your host country. Going out\u00a0and enjoying really tasty food at your favorite restaurant, yes! What a shame to find that\u00a0one\u00a0place after a\u00a0year, and then leave the following year. And then if you leave after only two years, you are maybe not there enough to check out the new ones that pop up. Then you hear from your ex-colleagues that they are still going to your favorite restaurant and you get those seconds thoughts of did I leave that city too soon?<\/em><\/p>\n![\"7016641865_d5bd754029_z\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/7016641865_d5bd754029_z.jpg?resize=540%2C405&ssl=1\")
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