Hello everyone,

I am a teacher who is actually looking for a change from the US classroom and am exploring working overseas. I was quite elated to see the huge world of expats out there and then disappoined to think that I may not fit the typical age range of those who 'typically' are part of this 'world'. Is there anyone over 50 who can share their experience with me? I'd love to hear from you, if you fit that description.

Hi Jeb and welcome to the forum.

Believe me, there are plenty of ex-pats over 50 - don't let age put you off doing what you want - I believe that nobody is too old.

By the way, try posting on the Dubai country forum, where you will get a lot of advice. You can access this forum by going to the home page and scrolling down.

Michelle

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Thank you! I suddenly began to think about my age as a factor, as one of the recruitment companies that I am looking into stated that they do not employ people over 52. Believe me I did not think of myself as old until that sttement then I started to get second thoughts. So thank you very much for that vote of confidence. I needed it.

Your welcome

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Are you planning on teaching, perhaps in an international school? If so, you should check into the various job fairs held in Iowa every year. You also might want to reconsider countries if it will make it easier for you to find work.

If you are interested in Japan, you will find that many language schools will not hire anyone over 35. I think they have a different attitude toward age partly because the retirement age there is 55. Anyone getting close to that is seen as old.

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Hello,' Thanks for that information. I did read something about the age in Japan that concerned me. I am open to other places, but since I have a child, I want to go where I will have access to a high standard of schooling. i am also interested in connecting with other single expat parents. Anyone oth there or am I the lone ranger ?

I honestly wouldn't recommend Japanese schools for a foreign child. The Japanese not only don't celebrate diversity, but condemn it. The child that is different will be bullied unmercifully, and the teachers may well encourage it.

Japanese schools are very rigid and demanding. Children are pressured to perform. Parents don't send their children to bed but urge them to stay up at night and study. I don't know how old your child is, but an older child would have a hard time adjusting. The language is hard to pick up. The way courses are distributed are different. It takes 18 months to learn as much Japanese as one can learn in 3 months. If you have an older child that has not been on a fast track mathmatics program, your child will probably be far behind. I don't think US schools have started requiring calculus for high school graduation. Japan does (as do European countries).

Also, a lot of teaching jobs are at night. There are no babysitters in Japan, as it is the mother's responsibility to be available at all times. Even if there were babysitters, you wouldn't be able to afford them. If I were taking a child to Japan, I'd want a private international school. Maybe some other people here would have a different opinion, but that is mine.

Most teachers in Japan teach ESL, which generally pays enough for one person to live and maybe save. The key word is 'one'. The salaries are designed for young people just out of college looking for an adventure.

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Thanks you very much!. my child is only 10 and we are Black so we are definitely going to stand out. I noticed a lack of diversity when viewing school sites. I am looking at exposing her to a higher standard than what she is receiving here but I certainl would not want her to be frustrated or/and alienated. She loves school and has had positive experiences thus far. I do appreciate your response.
thanks again.

I realy would drop Japan from consideration. I don't think taking a black child there would be wise. Some people think the Japanese are the most racist people in the world. I have been told, to my face, that I am inferior, not as good as the Japanese, and asked why I'm not ashamed of being 'mixed', the mixture being Irish, Belgian, French, and Dutch. It was a long time ago, but becoming more tolerant isn't even a goal there.

For instance, the word that we are commonly told means foreigner, 'gaijin' is actually intended as an insult, somewhere along the lines of the N-word. I was asked once why we continue to use it once we know the connotations. I told them that it essentially means 'not good enough to be Japanese' and since we don't want to be Japanese...

What else? OK, while I was there a girl was killed by a school guard because she was late. They close the scholl with one of those big rolling gates, and the girl was trying to sneak through. The guard slammed the gate shut anyway, killing her. The country was outraged, but the guard thought he was doing the right thing.

Your daughter will be taught the 'right' way to draw a tree, a flower, a cat. Imagination is activelly suppressed. Most Asian school systems are exceptionally rigid, and Japan is no exception.

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It saddens me, how much racism there is in the world. It's no wonder that the Japanese joined forces with Nazi-Germany in WWII.

Fight racism!