A few entries that we would like to highlight:<\/p>\n Why We\u2019re Moving to\u00a0Qatar!<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cHow it happened: <\/em><\/strong>Not long ago, we attended the Search Associates International Teaching Fair<\/a> in Cambridge, Massachusetts. We holed ourselves up in our hotel for four days to avoid the snow and ice storm headed for Boston, met dozens of directors and recruiters from international schools around the world, made great friends with other teachers (some who are in a nearby city in PR!), had multiple interviews with dream schools, and landed an incredible offer with Qatar Academy in Doha, Qatar<\/a>!<\/p>\n Life really does surprise you: <\/em><\/strong>I\u2019m not going to lie, when we first started our job search last fall, Qatar was not even on our radar. We barely knew anything about it! I admit I was also a little nervous about accepting an offer in a country I knew next to nothing about (Joey was sold when he heard they would supplement a leased car \u2013 a nice one). But remember how life plops opportunities into our laps? This is what happened here. The director happened to be a University of Minnesota alum (like Joey), they hit it off the night before recruitment started, we scored an interview, clicked with the director and principals, and voila!\u201d<\/p>\n It has typically happened to all veteran international school teachers.\u00a0 There are definitely places that we tell ourselves which are definitely not places in which we will live.\u00a0 But low and behold, we find ourselves living in those places and having a great time.\u00a0 It just goes to show that you really don\u2019t know about places you don\u2019t know about.\u00a0 Well maybe you have even visited these places, but you truly don\u2019t know what it would be like to actually live there.\u00a0 Also, there are many other factors to consider than just living in the city.\u00a0 If your job is very fulfilling or your work colleagues are very welcoming and friendly, you could most likely have a great time living anywhere in the world.\u00a0 There is so much to learn and appreciate about a people and their culture.\u00a0 Many people don\u2019t know very much at all about China and their culture, but I am most appreciative of my time living there\u2026and I never thought I would ever go to actually live there.<\/em><\/p>\n This is where we live: CBS Feature on\u00a0Qatar<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cTypical questions we hear when we tell others we live in Qatar:<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 \u201cOh cool! So\u2026 where is that again?\u201d (Code for: I have never even heard of that country.) Just because we\u2019re nice (not to mention teachers), we\u2019ll give you the answers:<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 Qatar is the tiny peninsula bordering Saudi Arabia and the Persian Gulf. Joey and I like to call it the \u201cthumbs up.\u201d Oh, and if you\u2019re still wondering how to pronounce \u201cQatar,\u201d guess what\u2026 So are we! Everyone here says it differently. I personally enjoy the British version the best. Sounds like \u201ccat-ar.\u201d (But you have to say it with a charming British accent, of course!) Check out this 60 Minutes Overtime called \u201cQatar? Easy for you to say\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n I always say that the majority of the world doesn\u2019t live like international school teachers.\u00a0 Most of my family either live in the same city that they were born in or in the city right next to that city.\u00a0 A high percentage of\u00a0 the world basically live where they grew up. I think that is a fact.\u00a0 Because of that fact, and because most people don\u2019t travel very much (e.g. my own family), people tend to have a lot of questions and misconceptions about life abroad.\u00a0 Actually, many times my family and friends from home don\u2019t have many questions about the expat life for some reason.\u00a0 However, when they do, it is definitely similar to the ones that the teachers at Teach. Travel. Taste get.\u00a0 Usually there is at least one question about \u201cSafety.\u201d\u00a0 The next one is definitely related to where is that place in the world. The last one can be any number of other questions related to some possible misinformation (or limited information) that person has learned. Hopefully, those friends and family will take a risk and buy a ticket to visit their expat family member and check out the city and country for themselves for a firsthand learning experience.<\/em><\/p>\n Why We Can\u2019t Seem to Write Blog Posts\u00a0Anymore\u2026<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n We officially moved to Doha, Qatar on Aug. 19. It is now Nov. 24 (Happy Thanksgiving!)<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cIn that amount of time Joey and I have published a grand total of SIX blog posts. For those of you that read our blog last year, you might remember how we were writing blog posts on nearly a DAILY basis! Wow, how times have changed.<\/p>\n While we know we need to write more, the reasons we\u2019ve been too busy to blog can also be described as our token \u201cWhat I am Thankful for\u201d<\/strong> Thanksgiving list. They are one and the same. Here goes:<\/p>\n \u2022 Our job is rigorous, exhilarating, exhausting, time consuming, demanding, and ridiculously rewarding. Our school does a fantastic job of ensuring our students are getting an excellent education and we are the facilitators in their learning experience. There is also tons of Professional Development available for teachers. So much that (dare I say it) we are almost PD\u2019d out!<\/p>\n \u2022 Our friends here in Doha.It\u2019s hard to believe we just met these people a few months ago. Expat communities are known for being open and inviting because when you think about it, we are each other\u2019s family for now. No matter how close you remain to your parents or siblings back home, at the end of the day, it\u2019s your neighbor or colleague who will be there to help you out when the transition is tough.<\/p>\n \u2022 Too many activities! Last week I supervised the Press Team at our International THIMUN Conference. On Sunday I went to yoga while Joey went to soccer (oops, I mean football!). Yesterday I went to yoga, then immediately on to Zumba. My arabic class recently ended, and I\u2019ve already had to turn down the opportunity to join the local wind band because I simply don\u2019t have the time. Last week I saw a sign for Italian language lessons and had to give in to my voice of reason that I will have to wait until next term. The opportunities to get involved are everywhere!<\/p>\n \u2022 Travel dreams come true here. A couple weeks ago we traveled to Sri Lanka to hang out with elephants, climb a sacred mountain, and relax on the beach. For Christmas we are going to Thailand. February and April travel plans are in the making. What more could a couple of travel addicts want??<\/p>\n \u2022 Skype, Facebook, and Gmail.If I have a free hour at night and I have to choose between writing a blog post or chatting with my BFF\u2019s or family, you bet I\u2019m going to ditch the blog post. Joey is even better at skyping his fam than me. It\u2019s fairly normal for me to hear him shouting, \u201cYOU\u2019RE a monkey!\u201d at the computer, then hear the adorable reply screech of our niece, \u201cNo, YOU\u2019RE a monkey!\u201d (Monkey = term of endearment in the Kaufhold house.)\u201d<\/p>\n I love the one about having your \u201ctravel dreams come true.\u201d\u00a0 Coming from the heart of an international school teacher.\u00a0 Traveling to me is a dream as well.\u00a0 Luckily, the lifestyle of an international educator affords us the opportunity to make this dream become a reality.\u00a0 Where are you<\/strong> traveling to this year??!<\/em><\/p>\n Check out the\u00a0Qatar Academy<\/strong><\/a> profile page\u00a0on\u00a0International School Community<\/a>.\u00a0 Currently, there are 20 international schools listed in Doha area on our website, with 11 of them being schools that have had information and comments submitted on them.\u00a0 Check out the submitted comments about this schools here<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n If you are an international school teacher and would like your blog highlighted on\u00a0International School Community<\/a>\u00a0contact us\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Are you inspired to start up a blog about your adventures living abroad? Our 17th blog that we would like to highlight is called \u201cTeach. Travel. Taste.\u201d\u00a0 Check out the blog entries of these international school teachers who work at Qatar Academy. A few entries that we would like to highlight: Why We\u2019re Moving to\u00a0Qatar! […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[8],"tags":[42,271,186,32,1163,1164,751,60,104,287],"class_list":["post-603","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-blogs-of-international-teachers","tag-expat-life","tag-international-educator","tag-international-school-teacher","tag-international-schools","tag-living-in-doha","tag-qatar-academy","tag-teacher-blog","tag-teaching-abroad","tag-teaching-overseas","tag-traveling"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2flVT-9J","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":5788,"url":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/international-school-teacher-blogs-jazzystan-two-teachers-work-kazakhstan\/","url_meta":{"origin":603,"position":0},"title":"International School Teacher Blogs: \u201cJazzystan\u201d (Two teachers that work in Kazakhstan)","author":"ISCommunity","date":"November 17, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Are you inspired to start-up a blog about your adventures living abroad and working at an international school? Our 46th blog that we would like to highlight is called \"Jazzystan\"\u00a0 Check out the blog entries of these international school educators who work\u00a0in Kazakhstan A few entries that we would like\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Blogs of International Teachers"","block_context":{"text":"Blogs of International Teachers","link":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/category\/blogs-of-international-teachers\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"teacher blog","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Screenshot-2016-11-17-21.31.31.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Screenshot-2016-11-17-21.31.31.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Screenshot-2016-11-17-21.31.31.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3080,"url":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/blog-httpbanyangloballearning-wordpress-com201212185-tips-teaching-abroad\/","url_meta":{"origin":603,"position":1},"title":"Blogs for international school teachers: \u201cBanyan Global Learning\u201d (Provider of educational services to K-12 schools in Asia)","author":"ISCommunity","date":"April 12, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Our 36th blog that we would like to highlight is called\u00a0\u201cBanyan Global Learning\u201d\u00a0 Check out the blog entries of this organization that currently works with a variety of schools in Asia (e.g. Taiwan). 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<\/a><\/p>\n
\n\u2022 \u201cThat\u2019s in Dubai, right?\u201d
\n\u2022 \u201cAren\u2019t you scared???\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\u2022 No. Dubai is part of the United Arab Emirates. Qatar is not.
\n\u2022 Qatar is one of the safest places to live in the world. (Separate post on that coming later\u2026)<\/p>\n