Getting Ready

There is a large pile of paperwork to getting ready for this type of gig. For example we need to get a visa from Malaysia that allows us to work in the country. The college takes care of the paperwork but we still have to provide them with the documentation including:

• Curriculum vitae or resume
  
• A clear copy of your passport (the page that has your photo, passport number and other personal details) – Please ensure that your passport has a validity of at least 16-18 months, otherwise the Malaysian Immigration Department will not be able to endorse your work permit and visa


• Staff must be at least 25 years of age and documentation must be provided. (Passport)
  
• Copies of all academic qualifications, including transcripts
  
• A copy of your Ontario College of Teachers membership or Letter of Standing
  
• A medical report or statement of health from your doctor
  
• Penal/criminal clearance from a police report (can be easily obtained from your local police – allow 3 to 4 weeks if you live outside a city)
  
• 8 passport-sized photos
  
• Documentary evidence of teaching experience (letters from the school boards or school principals indicating the number of years of teaching experience) Experience related to teaching would also apply.
  
• Statement of marital status to allow for specific contract allowances and details

Once we got all of this together we delivered it to Bill Roach who arranged for the college to receive it.

Next we determined our departure date and we had to contact a travel agent in Georgetown. She made the reservations for our flight and sent us the electronic ticket. (More about the flight later.)

And then! we contacted several travel health clinics regarding an evaluation of the immunization requirements for travel in the area. We had already been to our family doctor for the medical certificate we needed for the visa and Kim started the Twinrix vaccine for hepatitis A and B. Bill had this one a couple of years ago because of his work on ski patrol. We set up an initial consultation with a clinic that is affiliated with Toronto General Hospital. The nurse who saw us made her recommendations along with a detailed explanation of the risks of both the vaccines and the diseases. We accepted her recommendations and a couple of thousand dollars and three visits later we were as protected as we could get.

In early April we received our initial tentative teaching assignments. Kim is teaching English Lit and ESL while Bill is assigned Business Management. We are contracting to be at the school for 30 hours in a five day week and to teach for 18.5 hours. Basically this is three 70 minute classes per day out of a possible five periods. The rest of the time is dedicated to planning, marking, and administration.

Bill went down to the Ontario Publications store and retrieved all of the relevant documents (and then some). We have the curricula, exemplars, expectations, and other support documents. From the web we downloaded specific profiles and then we contacted acquaintances in high school to arrange to get copies of "THE BINDERS!"

With email addresses in hand we contacted our respective department heads and obtained local outlines and the local selected text book information. Nothing left to do but read and plan.

Oh, yeah! packing...