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Teachers moving

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Lmoorebc
  1/26/2017 12:55 EST

Hi everyone! My husband and I are interested in moving to the Bahamas (hopefully Abacos area) at the beginning of the next school year. Do you know how hard it is to find a teaching job or job in the education field? We both teach elementary/middle and have several years experience. We will also be bringing our 6 month old and 3 dogs (2 of them large). Are there any rentals that will accept that many pets? In addition, I've heard that crime has risen recently. Is it really that bad? We've both lived in the Caribbean before (St. Thomas and Jamaica) so we are familiar with island crime, but in our experience it has mostly been local/gang related. Any advice/contacts would be greatly appreciated!

breija
  1/28/2017 13:43 EST

Good day, and welcome to EE! As teachers, you will need to look to the private schools for employment, as the government schools do not hire expats (please correct me if I am wrong, fellow EE'rs). That said, Grand Bahama and New Providence (Nassau) are the only islands with private schools (again, correct me if I am wrong). You would need to start the process beforehand, as you are not supposed to be living here when the process is started. However, you can come visit to see what is available.

Crime is high, but if you remain aware of your surroundings, just as anywhere, you should be ok. Most violent crime is between people who are known to one another.

Many young families chose to live in a gated community initially so that they can feel safe while they get the lay of the land.

Feel free to PM me with more questions if you like.

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clcizme
  1/28/2017 14:20 EST

Breija: Just want to correct you, there are lots of private schools. Abaco has two that I know of, Eleuthera has Island School and another one I can't remember the name of at the moment.

To the original person: Crime isn't close to the level of Jamaica (we lived there previously as well). You will feel much safer here (especially if you lived in Kingston or MoBay). I can't look at the original post, but did you say which Island you were looking to live on? Breija is correct in that you have to apply for jobs and so on before you can move here, but it is good to visit the island you are considering and see what is available to you. If you are looking to teach as your full-time, support the family, career, you will definitely need to apply with one of the private schools. GBI has a few of them, Lucaya is the IB school (best pay if you have the credentials to work in an IB program), Sunland Baptist, Mary Star of the Sea, Alpha-Omega, there are a few more that I am not recalling at this moment. But, the government schools do hire expats, there is a teacher shortage in the Bahamas. But, there is no advancement opportunity as the upper-level is restricted to Bahamians.
https://www.ministryofeducationbahamas.com/careers-at-moest
The job listings will state if they are open to foreigners or only Bahamians. I think that the best thing is to come and experience the place, look at the educational offerings, and then decide if this is the right move for your family. Hope this is helpful, if I can provide you with any more info, let me know. Blessings.

clcizme
  1/28/2017 14:27 EST

Posted below and then read your full post. Heres the Abaco school listing;
Agape Christian Schoolhttp://www.agape-school.com
St. Francis
http://stfrancisabaco.com
Angels Academy
http://www.angelsacademyabaco.com
Lucaya International (GBI)
http://www.lisbahamas.com
Hope that is helpful.

breija
  1/29/2017 11:45 EST

Thanks for all that clcizme. I knew about the Island School, but did not think there were any private schools on Abaco. I also was told that the Ministry only hires Bahamians, so that was also helpful to know that they do hire expats.

breija
  1/29/2017 11:51 EST

Sorry for the misinformation. There are quite a few private schools here on New Providence. Tambearly (Primary), St. Andrews (primary & secondary), Windsor Prep (P & S), and Lyford Cay School (P & S) are the IB schools. There are also many other P & S schools that are private and are primarily attended by Bahamian students.

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William Russell's private medical insurance will cover you and your family wherever you may be. Whether you need primary care or complex surgery, you'll have access to the best hospitals & doctors available. Unlike some insurers, we also include medical evacuation and mental health cover in our plans (except SilverLite). Get a quote from our partner, William Russell.

William RussellWilliam Russell

William Russell's private medical insurance will cover you and your family wherever you may be. Whether you need primary care or complex surgery, you'll have access to the best hospitals & doctors available. Unlike some insurers, we also include medical evacuation and mental health cover in our plans (except SilverLite). Get a quote from our partner, William Russell.
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clcizme
  1/29/2017 12:51 EST

No problem. That's what we all are here for, to help each other out. ??

Lmoorebc
  1/29/2017 13:52 EST

Thank you for all the help! We've applied to private schools in several different locations, so we'll have to wait and see now...

Any ideas about rentals? Do most people just buy a house? We have 3 dogs, 2 of them big so I'm not sure whether any rentals will allow them.

breija
  2/3/2017 16:29 EST

Typically, because they are coming on short term contracts (1 to 3 years), expats will rent. You are correct that it may be more difficult to find rentals that accept 3 dogs! Most gated communities have policies allowing only 1 dog. However, you could work with an agent to see what they can find you.

Properties that are in safe areas are not inexpensive. That said, you may have housing allowance if you are offered teaching position(s)

You can check some of the real estate sites for both rentals and properties for sale. hgchristie.com and sirbahamas.com are good sites. There is also information on these sites about the additional closing costs. Also, as a foreigner, you would need to apply to the Bahamas Investment Authority to purchase. You will likely be granted permission, but it just takes a bit more time than simply putting a downpayment down and having a closing date.

Feel free to PM me if you have any other questions. We purchased so have been through the process.

Lmoorebc
  2/8/2017 11:47 EST

Thanks so much for the info! Any idea of the salary for a teacher at the international schools? I've seen 25-35K for the public school positions but can't find anything for private.

My husband has 10 years experience and his masters in education.

clcizme
  2/8/2017 15:11 EST

Depends entirely on which school and what position in the school he has. ??

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William Russell's private medical insurance will cover you and your family wherever you may be. Whether you need primary care or complex surgery, you'll have access to the best hospitals & doctors available. Unlike some insurers, we also include medical evacuation and mental health cover in our plans (except SilverLite). Get a quote from our partner, William Russell.

William RussellWilliam Russell

William Russell's private medical insurance will cover you and your family wherever you may be. Whether you need primary care or complex surgery, you'll have access to the best hospitals & doctors available. Unlike some insurers, we also include medical evacuation and mental health cover in our plans (except SilverLite). Get a quote from our partner, William Russell.
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Lmoorebc
  2/9/2017 06:46 EST

He would be a general elementary classroom teacher. Not sure what school, just wanted a ballpark idea and to see whether there's a difference between the pay of the public schools and private.

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