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Living overseas

Whether you're considering emigrating or an expat abroad, you'll find likeminds on this forum.

Original poster

Where would you go? Thinking of looking for contracts abroad.

29 replies

Thedogsmells · 06/03/2018 08:26

DH is a chartered engineer, and we both have teaching qualifications. We are thinking about looking for work overseas, but don't know where to start! We have three kids who are home educated at this stage, they are 7.5, 6 and 4 months.

Where should we look/avoid? Any experiences to share?

OP posts:
TheHulksPurplePants · 06/03/2018 09:53

The UAE. Loads of jobs for teachers and engineer's.

ClaudiaWankleman · 06/03/2018 09:58

Definitely not the UAE. Horrible place in more ways than one IMO.

You could probably earn a lot in China, but quality of life may suffer long term (not necessarily though - depends on you).

I think NZ and Australia have lots of engineer roles on their needed lists. I’ve never been so don’t know what it is that draws thousands down under but I would love to find out one day!

Germany has always been a traditional spot for engineers, and I would imagine there is potential in places like Texas/ Canada/ anywhere where oil extraction is a large part of the economy.

SandLand · 06/03/2018 10:06

What do you want to gain from moving abroad?
Places that offer awesome quality of life and adventure are rarely the ones where big money is paid.
So, is it mainly about a lifestyle, or a savings account?

If you wish to home school, check that is legal where you consider going. If you want to put the kids into formal school, check they will be accepted without previous school reports (mainly the oldest).

It can be an amazing experience (says she in a country much hated on mn)

TheHulksPurplePants · 06/03/2018 10:10

You could probably earn a lot in China

Yes of course, the UAE is horrible. BUT CHINA!!!! now there is a WONDERFUL polluted, corrupt, cesspot for human trafficking, female infanticide, child labor, sweatshops country Hmm

ClaudiaWankleman · 06/03/2018 10:15

And improving every day, unlike UAE which seems to take a step back every time I look.

TheHulksPurplePants · 06/03/2018 10:17

And improving every day, unlike UAE which seems to take a step back every time I look.

I suggest you look outside the Guardian and the Daily Mail.

ClaudiaWankleman · 06/03/2018 10:21

I get my information from personal experience. Have spent, and continue to spend, a lot of time in China...

TheHulksPurplePants · 06/03/2018 10:22

Great. And I take it you also spend an awful lot of time in the UAE as well since you claims it's only going backwards and not changing?

ClaudiaWankleman · 06/03/2018 10:30

I’ve transitted through a few times with overnight stays. Friends have returned from working there with not much good to say about it. Sometimes deal with Dubai based companies for work. No, I’ve not lived there, but with a legal system like that I wouldn’t want to...

TheHulksPurplePants · 06/03/2018 10:32

I’ve transitted through a few times with overnight stays.

Ah, well then, obviously you're a font of accurate knowledge on the country. Hmm

but with a legal system like that I wouldn’t want to...

Yet, you're ok with the Chinese legal system?? Confused

ClaudiaWankleman · 06/03/2018 10:37

Ignore the rest then...

Chinese legal system doesn’t criminalise homosexuality, or proscribe dress codes etc. Yes, it has major issues but I am confident in China’s forward momentum. I don’t feel the same about most of the ME and I don’t think that it’s a good place for expats to be. OP asked for places to avoid.

If you’ve got a reason to avoid China, share it. I won’t be getting as offended as you have been.

ggirl · 06/03/2018 10:38

We lived in Bermuda for a while after we got married , we're not engineers or teachers though ..but lovely place to live and worth looking into.

TheHulksPurplePants · 06/03/2018 10:58

In regards to criminalization of homosexuality:

www.independent.co.uk/voices/uae-middle-east-dubai-gay-trans-queer-lgbtq-rights-east-west-divide-language-a7856746.html

www.newsweek.com/revealed-worlds-most-unwelcoming-city-gay-people-probably-not-where-you-629597

The UAE also doesn't proscribe dress codes, it asks people to respect the culture. If you don't then the worst thing that will happen is that you will be asked to do is leave the business establishment.

As for reasons to avoid China, I'm not the one claiming it's better than the UAE, even though it routinely ranks lower than the UAE in human rights rankings.

halfwitpicker · 06/03/2018 20:51

I'd avoid China and the UAE.

Tweennightmare · 07/03/2018 04:42

I loved living in Kuala Lumpur . Fairly cheap to live (well compared with Dubai which is where we are now) , great food, culture, fairly westernised , fabulous as a base for travel.
Ignoring human rights issues wouldn’t recommend UAE as it is just becoming too expensive, economy still not great and way too hot in the summer!

TheHulksPurplePants · 07/03/2018 04:45

I wouldn't recommend Dubai, but if they are engineers and teachers Abu Dhabi would be a good choice. ADNOC, ENEC and the government funded uni's pay well.

coolwalking · 07/03/2018 04:58

New Zealand, Auckland has a massive teacher shortage. The reason is that it's expensive to live here but engineering will pay very well.

Wouldn't say homeschool is common here.

And it's the size of the UK but less than the population of Scotland. Great opportunities and great community.

Cavender · 07/03/2018 05:01

We are really enjoying living in Texas but you really need sponsored by a company to get a visa to work in the oil and gas industry.

I’m pretty sure you might need further study/qualifications to be a teacher in a public school here too (although private school might be different).

There is a large homeschooling population in Texas though you wouldn’t lack support in that area.

If you are planning to work in the USA (or anywhere really) you need to think seriously about medical insurance. It’s very, very expensive.

Johnnycomelately1 · 07/03/2018 05:14

Hong Kong could work, but you’d both need to work to have a reasonable quality of life so home schooling is out ( it’s also technically illegal although not enforced on expats- the reason is to ensure that older kids aren’t being kept out of school to mind younger kids/grannies). If you teach you would get a massive school fee reduction for that school.

However, reiterate what a pp said. It really depends on your reasons for wanting to live overseas and how long you want to stay.

ShanghaiDiva · 07/03/2018 05:21

I have lived in the corrupt cesspit (as it was so charmingly described up thread ) of China for 10 years. There has been a huge growth in international schools and therefore opportunities for teaching. However, China is becoming increasingly expensive as a place to live. As previous posters have mentioned - what's your motive for moving? Save money? Different culture? Travel?
For China, main issues ar pollution, healthcare and education IMO. For anything requiring surgery you would need evacuation to HK or Bangkok which is expensive!

Kotare · 07/03/2018 05:21

I've read that the process to get teaching qualifications recognised in NZ can be very long. But lots of jobs here in Auckland. Cos it is too expensive

We love Auckland but if I came to NZ now I'd go to another city.

Original poster
Thedogsmells · 07/03/2018 08:14

The move would definitely be more for lifestyle than cash, though obviously we would need to be able to support ourselves and come home sometimes. The kids may go to school, they may feel differently about it as they get older.

All this said, not sure about the guilt I would face from my parents, taking the kids from broader family etc 😬

OP posts:
TheHulksPurplePants · 07/03/2018 09:32

All this said, not sure about the guilt I would face from my parents, taking the kids from broader family etc 😬

It's hard being overseas away from family. Especially when parents start aging. Several of my friends have had to deal with going back and forth for a dying parent, and they really struggled.

tomhazard · 09/03/2018 13:02

A large Asian city like Bankok, Hong Kong, KL or Singapore. We've done a number of these places as a teacher and an engineer!

dontevenblink · 09/03/2018 20:19

DH is an engineer and I'm a teacher and we are in NZ. I've not taught here but am just about to start a return to teaching course as I've been out for over 6 years. Your teaching qualification will be recognised as it is on list of recognised qualifications, so is a fairly straightforward process, I can pm you links etc if you want. There is a shortage of teachers here in certain places, particularly Auckland and rural schools, there was an article on news last night about Northland not being able to find teachers. My dc's teachers have told me there is a shortage of relief (supply) teachers here (we are in one of the regions). In terms of homeschooling I know if people that do here. The schools are much more relaxed than the UK and more emphasis on the outdoors though so they might find they want to attend school.

We've found engineering to be more valued and better paid in the discipline DH works in than the UK. We came out to Christchurch in the aftermath of the earthquake and have since had a job transfer for another project. I know companies are often looking for well qualified engineers, particularly for certain types of engineers. If you pm me I could send you company DH works for and a couple of other suggestions of your DH wants to get in contact with them.