Re: Teaching in Florida
 

That's the funny thing, you really don't much more daylight. I'm a little north of FL, and during the winter it's still dark before 6pm i.e. before you can get home and do anything, and that is pretty much true from when the clock go back in the autumn until they go forward again in the spring. But the kicker is that the summer days are much shorter than in the UK. Even in the middle of summer it is dark by 9pm.

Re: Teaching in Florida
 

This much is true, there's not nearly as much variation in daylight. I dare say I miss those balmy summer nights in June. Besides, what a lot of people find out about FL is that in summer evenings, guess what everyone does? Stays inside, out of the humidity and bugs, watching TV. Some things never change wherever you go.

Re: Teaching in Florida
 

8 1/2 years. And yes, it is everything I thought it would be...The same day to day routine as before I moved here. I honestly didn't think living in Australia would be any different to where I was before. Just that the seasons would be "backwards" and the accent would be different.

I think you need to take a look at what it is you are really hoping to achieve by moving overseas. Life doesn't somehow magically become wonderful just because you are in a different country. You still have to get up to go to work every day, you still have to clean your house, do grocery shopping, pay the bills, etc. None of that goes away by living elsewhere. Please don't get me wrong. I like where I live and I'm mostly happy to be here. However, even after more than 8 years Australia will never feel like "home". I will always, no matter how long I live here, be a foreigner. I will always have people ask where I'm from and how long I've been here and do I like it. My sister, who also lives in Australia has been here for 30 years. People still ask her where she's from and if she likes it here. :rolleyes: But you know what's really shite about being an immigrant? After a while the place you came from changes too and you could end up feeling like a foreigner there as well.

Seriously, the US is not the place you want to be making a bad wage. From what I understand teachers in the States do not make a great deal of money and there are not great benefits - and very little if any social safety net. If you are looking to make a change and get some sun why not look into moving somewhere in the EU for a few years. Teach at the English schools in Spain or Greece or somewhere else warm for a few years. Being from the UK you have access to a lot of lovely places where you don't need a visa.

Re: Teaching in Florida
 

Wouldn't Sydney be more mild then Perth?

Re: Teaching in Florida
 

I'd take 6pm over 4:00p...lol

Although once the first day of winter here, things obviously start to change, up to a 4:41pm sunset now, and it's not dark at 7:30am anymore...woo hoo

For comparison, Miami gets about 2 hours more daylight then we do up north here, winter is still winter and the days are shorter regardless of where you go in the US.

But Miami does get a later sunset, 5:52pm today.

Re: Teaching in Florida
 

Not necessarily. Sydney is very humid and I'm not a fan. Parts of it remind me of Vancouver's downtown east side. Actually, a lot of what I've seen of Sydney reminds me of Vancouver.

And for the OP (or me for that matter) to get a job in Sydney that pays enough to live is near on impossible. Especially as a teacher. There just are not teaching jobs in the cities and as for me, my children live in Perth, my job and most of my friends are in Perth so this is my home.

Re: Teaching in Florida
 

Generally true and I often state that myself.

CA is pretty good though.
Start on 40K, 85K after 14 years.

And medical benefits are fantastic, and spouse shares them.

Re: Teaching in Florida
 

Starting on $40k is "pretty good", and $85k after 14 years? :confused:

On one hand you're saying the money for teachers is poor, then quote figures saying that isn't bad. For comparison, in NC I believe teachers start on around $33k, possibly a little more, and I know make it into the $55k-$60k range in the same sort of timescale as you cite for CA, yet the cost of living here is much less than in CA. ...... Oh, and NC has a reputation for paying teachers badly - a couple of years ago NC was the worst paying state in the US, bar none! :o After a bit of a bump this year I think we're now only 48th! :thumbsup: :o

Re: Teaching in Florida
 

Yes, generally I think it's poor, including starting salary, but if you can stay until you're in the 80K region and you live somewhere like Inland Empire, Antelope Valley, Riverside, then the money can go a long way. Still it does take a while to get there often in a hostile admin/classroom environment.

And I did mention the benefits. Mrs Hotscot has been getting surgery by some of the top people in the country at Cedars Sinai. The kind of surgeons listed in Top Ten on Forbes for example. (Non mortal issues but damned uncomfortable/inconvenient.) It's been interesting watching the invoices from the hospital and the demands on us to pay $30.00 a time. (With a cap of $500 on our deductible.)...That does colour our attitude a bit.

(Plus because of her 403b and 457 plan, and her age, she can put away @ 46k a year tax defered.)