Job Discussion Forums

[Solid Scotsman]

Hello,
An American here looking at Hong Kong as a future teaching job. Currently I have my Master's in TESL and 6 years teaching experience stateside.

Interviewing with Teach Away and, though I know nothing's guaranteed, just had some questions about HK living expenses and salaries.

1. Salary is estimated between $22,985 - HK$48,400 per month not including a 14,245 living expense. Does this seem like a reasonable amount to live fairly comfortably with a family of five? My wife won't be working because my eldest is 5 years old, and my wife wants to homeschool the three of my kiddos to cut costs.

2. I know to not expect Western Style living accommodations (read: teensy Asian apartments), but we are looking to get a two bedroom place at the least. Does the 14,245 seem like enough to cover that sort of housing?

3. Is Teach Away a legit organization? I know it's ultimately up to the schools who gets hired where, but I'm wondering if I'm getting the best benefits for my experience?

4. Finally, I know the schools allow a teensy bit of say in where one works and lives, what would be recommended for a family of five?

5. (Really I promise this will be the last of my initial questions lol!) Am I insane to think that I could afford to decently support my fam of five on a HK ESL salary?

[Joshua2006]

[sistercream]

I don't know about TeachAway, but a few other random comments -
as well as which end of the pay scale you are on, how you would manage financially would depend on where your assigned school is and where you live. For instance, if you want to live within walking/ easy commuting distance of a school on HK island or central Kowloon it would be VERY difficult to fit you budget and your family in the same equation (by the way, "typical" 2nd bedrooms here are between 36 and 50 ft sq - even with double bunks it takes a LOT of juggling to fit 3 in that space). But if you end up in the outer New Territories or on one of the islands you could even get a place with a small yard for the same money.

Home schooling is technically illegal in Hong Kong, but the government cuts some slack to expats as waiting lists for international schools are so long.

[Solid Scotsman]

Gotcha guys thanks. We might start leaning towards the UAE. My wife really wants to homeschool our kids since we're looking at being globetrotters. Our ultimate goal is mainland China, but I'm worried that might be too extreme for our little ones (age range of my three 4 months-5 years).

[Zero]

Maybe I will get flamed as usual for saying this, but Hong Kong is known as the graveyard of expat marriages. And mainland China is just as bad if not worse. If you want a place that will be gentle on the marriage, I recommend the Middle East.

[Joshua2006]

[oxi]

[Serious_Fun]

[quote="oxi"]