Moving your teaching career overseas - vaccinate, vaccinate, vaccinate!

If you've been living in a developed country all your life, you have probably been innoculated against TB, Polio, Tetanus, etc. But are your vaccinations up-to-date? When was the last time you had, say, an Oral Polio Booster?

4. Vaccinations and a vaccination certificate

You are going to be living and working abroad, which means that you’ll be exposed to all sorts of new organisms. Check with your doctor or with a travel clinic to see what vaccinations are recommended for the country to which you’re moving and be sure to let them know that you’ll be living there long term rather than just going on holiday for a week or two. If you’re traveling to Thailand for a holiday the recommended vaccinations are different to the ones recommended if you’re staying here a while.

Get a vaccination certificate to prove what vaccinations you’ve had and ask your health professional to make a note of when you’ll need to get any booster shots. Many vaccinations are good for a number of years, but some need a series of shots before you are covered for any appreciable length of time.

If you've got kids and you're moving to Asia, think about getting them vaccinated against Rabies. There are a huge number of dogs and cats living on the streets and I know of two children that have been bitten and had to be innoculated later (not that the animals are rabid, but you never know when you'll come across a carrier!)

Moving your teaching career overseas - vaccinations

You can't afford to leave your medical records at home when you are moving your teaching career overseas

Even if you're as healthy as a horse, you still need to take your medical records with you when you take up your teaching post overseas.

Why? Because it gives any physician treating you for the first time a head start... Be prepared as Sir Baden Powell would say:

3. Medical records and adequate supplies of medications

Anyone in your family that has an ongoing medical condition should request a copy of their medical records. For your children you should have or get a copy of their vaccination record.

Additionally, take a two month supply, at least, of your regular medications with you. This will give you plenty of time to check out the provision of medical services in your new country and to find and register with a new doctor.

FYI...

Some medications are sold under alternative brand names in different countries. It took me ages to figure out that Tylenol was the American brand name for paracetamol. Ask your doctor for alternative names for your regular medications before you leave home.

Moving your teaching career overseas - doctors and nurses

Moving On Out – Top Ten Things To Take With You When You Move To Your New Teaching Job Abroad.

Once you’ve secured your new teaching job abroad, you’ll probably have several months to get yourself organized before taking up the post. Here are the top ten things you need to take with you when you move overseas. Read this now as some of these can take time to prepare properly!

1. Passport (valid for at least the length of your contract)

You may think this is an obvious one considering we’re talking about relocating your whole life to another country. Tell me, do you know when your passport expires? Mine expires in 2015.

Depending on where you’re living, a new passport may take up to 6 months to get. It’s not wise to rely on the ‘estimated turn around’ time on the form as in the past both the UK and the USA have had extremely long delays in issuing new passports to their citizens. Of course, if you’re running short of time you can usually apply for an express service, at a ridiculously inflated cost.

So, go now and check when your passport expires.

It’s better for you to have a passport that’s valid for the length of your contract because it’s a real pain to have to get a new one issued from a consulate or embassy abroad. Trust me; I’ve had to do it!

Moving your teaching job overseas