Another year to play on my favorite beach every month!
Last week my school sent out an email about our intent to return next year. Normally we call this a “Letter of Intent”, but this year it was a simple form to fill out in SurveyMonkey. lol!
This is not an official letter or contract, but it just lets the school know if we intend to return for hiring purposes. I replied right away because I really do love my students, co-workers, and many other things about life in Venezuela. I just hope nothing makes a turn for the worse, before the end of the school year.
Then, because I live in Venezuela, they sent us an email telling us that we had to start thinking about plane tickets. Now this seems like a bigger commitment! We also have rules about not leaving in the early morning or evening, because it is dangerous to drive at these times. This makes the decision to turn over total control to the school to arrange the flights a big decision.
Again, I decided to go for it and just tried to point the school toward a couple of flights that I would like to have since they are currently pretty cheap.
So, while the flights haven’t been booked yet (since I have to let someone else do that), I’ve made the commitment to return for another year.
Wow, that will make five years in Venezuela!
When does your school start asking for a letter of intent to return for another year? When does your school start booking flights?
Teaching Wanderlust 
The end of October seems so early! I’m glad you’re happy at your school – and nice to be close to the beach, too! Logistically though, what if you had decided not to return….you say no, then jump on the international teaching recruitment sites/fairs….what if you cannot find a job at a school you like as much as your current one? Are you stuck moving back to the US or taking a job at an international school you like less? Seems like kind of a big risk!
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Exactly! It is a huge risk! Some directors (especially in hardship locations like Venezuela) will make an exception for you if you can’t find a job, but most of the time, you say you wont come back and they fill your position. Sometimes teachers do have to go back and sub for a year in the US, but that can be a good thing so they have a chance to see their family and friends and get up to date on US teaching methods. You could also use that time to add an additional endorsement/certificate. If I ever went back to the US I would choose to finish my reading specialist endorsement!
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My last school sent the email early November (maybe late October) and we had to make a decision by early- to mid-December. Flights were arranged with a travel agent starting in February I think. It’s definitely a little worrisome leaving one job with no guarantee of another. I’ve only moved once but none of my colleagues have had any trouble finding jobs they really want. It’s nice that the supply:demand ratio seems to be about right in our teaching world.
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Switching jobs as an international teacher is always a big endeavor, but persistence always seems to pay off! Also, like you mentioned, there are always more schools popping up; so even though there are more teachers moving overseas, there are more jobs to fill.
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