They say that expectations lead to resentments and that acceptance brings peace. I wish I had remembered those truths before I began my year teaching abroad in Jogjakarta (Jogja).

Jogja is a small university city on the Indonesian island of Java. The city is known for its culture, and the island is known for its fertile land and dense population.

I heard a famous quote once that said, “each child is potentially the light of the world, and at the same time its darkness”. What determines whether a child will follow a path towards lightness and potential or a path towards darkness? I believe it is the role of parents and teachers to guide children towards the path of goodness. But what if that child has neither parents nor teachers? Who then will steer them in the right direction?

Have you ever visited a city and had your mind completely changed about what you expected it to be like? Well Mexico City has done that to me. Let me share how and why this is a must visit city!

I was so excited to actually have a job offer for what on paper looked like my dream job that I accepted without thinking through all of the practicalities!

I was so desperate to leave my stressful job in an inner-city London Primary at the time, that I think I would have taken it anyway even if they had said they wouldn’t pay me, and I’d have to sleep in a cowshed!

“Entrepreneurship can and will be the liberating force for Africa’s economy”

“All our future leaders will need to take human-centred approaches to resolving the challenges we face”

“No, success does not knock on doors. Talks don’t lead to great achievement. Only actions count”

Where are these quotations taken from? Mandela’s autobiography? The Dalai Lama? The FT?

I spent a two year period abroad in Hong Kong teaching music in a semi subsidized international school (Lorway, 2010). The truly fascinating part is what happened to me as a teacher after I returned to my country of origin into my position at an IB International school on the east coast of Canada.

So, why did I skip the country and teach overseas?

I needed air! I needed a change. I had been in the same area for 17 years and felt suffocated, although I enjoyed my job and felt wanted and appreciated at the same time.

By means of a simple introduction, I am an English teacher, aged 31 who moved this year from Manchester, UK to Dubai, UAE, having never set foot in the Middle East before. I must also mention that, although this piece reflects some negative aspects of teaching abroad, on the whole it is an amazing experience, which leaves me with no regrets. You can only fully get to know a culture after living there for one or two years – if you’ve only been a tourist for one or two weeks that’s not enough!

‘Is teaching in IB World schools different from teaching in government schools?’ is the first question that may arise in the mind of a person about to embark on this journey. The story below is going to suffice your inquisitive mind with a simple answer for this compelling question! No, it is not. It requires open-mindedness to understand and embrace different cultures.

My two year old’s future was bright. He would attend an International School, learn Thai and Mandarin, complete an International Baccalaureate and maybe go on to either a US or UK university. We would save money and enjoy trips to Koh Samet every other weekend. I did not think about some of the more pressing issues such as nappies… Read more »