Halfway through the recruiting season...

It has been a very successful international school recruiting season for both myself and my readers, and it's only half over.

I have received about a dozen emails from people telling me that they've found teaching jobs abroad in exciting places.

I want to take this opportunity to thank you for your emails and congratulate you on your success!

Teaching Overseas - Preparing for the move

Teaching Overseas involves moving your entire family to another country and this can be very stressful.

The first step is to get the shipping companies (get at least two quotes) in to do a survey of your shipping requirements.

This making an appointment with a representative of the shipping company to come to your house. You then take them around your house and show them what you're taking with you. They'll want to look inside all your cupboards and drawers to help them estimate the volume of your shipment.

The agent should then talk to you about how your belongings will be packed, what items are prohibited, how long it will take to get your shipment after it's been packed (this is an estimate only) and what documentation they need you to complete.

Remember the shipping companies know that they are bidding for your business. Don't hide the fact that you're contacting a couple of different companies. They'll tell you why they are the best and you can factor this into your decision.

It is a good idea to get the shipping quotes done early so that you have lots of time to make a decision and negotiate with the shipper over the volume of your shipment if you turn out to be over your allowance.

Also, if you want them to come in and pack up on a day to suit you, then book the shipping company early to avoid disappointment because someone else got in first!

Packing up and shipping out to an overseas teaching job can be a stressful time, but remember how exciting it is too!

Teaching Overseas - What to take...

Securing your teaching job overseas is the first step in your journey. Next comes the packing and moving part. The logistics of moving abroad are particular to where you are moving from and where you are moving to but there are some things you need to decide regardless of these specifics.

One of the things you need to do is check the climate where you are going and make decisions about what clothing you are going to take and what you are going to leave behind.

People laughed at me when I brought all my winter clothing to Bangkok, but I can tell you they aren't laughing now. I've been lending out items of my winter wardrobe fairly consistently to people who left all of their stuff in storage.

You don't need to take a bunch of 'out of climate' clothes with you, but it's a good idea to take a selection because you will be travelling for both pleasure and for professional development and you may well end up in countries where the climate is different to the area you're moving to.