Job Discussion Forums

[dmb]

[yaramaz]

No, no coffeein Kayseri, merely nescafe with that hideous white powder. However, I have my secret stash of Lavazza from Italy and my stove top espresso maker. I'll make you a fine noisette once I settle down in the 'bul.

[Mystic Eyes]

Cha muir,

Your post was so beautiful it brought tears to my eyes . Sounds like you've got the perfect family setting. I envy you.


Khmerhit,

Incidentally, my son was playing with his Thomas the tank engine train set, and then he sneaked up behind me as I was reading the posts and saw your avatar. Wish you could have seen his excitement!

Mystic

[Gordon]

Cha Muir,
That�s a great post. I just read it this morning. I would also like to hear how other families are coping and thriving overseas. I have had a similar experience to yours, albeit a less simplistic one. I am teaching f/t in a university in Japan and only work 3 days/week. Compared to what life was like teaching in a college in Canada, I have so much time and holidays with my family. F/t university teaching here is not the same as f/t teaching in Canada.
My daughter is now 2 and a half, we moved here when she was only 7 months old. She only knows Japan. Her favourite foods are tofu, wakame and combu (seaweed and algae), rice, and udon noodles. She�s never watched TV, loves riding in the basket behind her mom in the bicycle and enjoys looking at the live fish in the tanks in all the supermarkets. Our life is so simple compared to what it once was. We like raising our daughter the way we want, away from in-laws and not having to justify our decisions. She is learning Japanese as well as English and often asks us �what is English word for�.. or what is Japanese word for �.� It�s very cute. I�m not sure what we�ll do when she reaches school age, as we don�t like the educational system here. Maybe we�ll move out of Japan or do home school.
When considering raising a family overseas, there are many factors to look at. What are the health care and educational systems like? What will your work schedule be like? Housing is also more important and the cost of living. Supporting a family on a teacher�s salary is often not easy, especially if your spouse is not working. We are fine because I make a better than average salary, but in many countries, the pay is barely above subsistence. Everyone in the family also has to be 100% committed to living overseas. I have heard horror stories of relationships and marriages breaking up because of the added stress and pressures of living abroad. My wife is totally supportive and I am about to embark on a master�s degree in a few weeks time. The workload for my wife will be much greater then, she is a real saint. Had we still been living in Canada, I�m sure I wouldn�t be able to juggle a family, f/t work and a master�s degree all at the same time.
Another of the benefits of having a family overseas is that you don�t need to worry about entertainment. I have all the entertainment I need and she is about 85 cm tall. Family life doesn�t change all that much when you move from one country to the next. Many of the routines still stay the same.

If anyone has any questions, feel free to PM me or post here.