Originally posted by JaTo:
#1: Ask to talk to someone who is currently doing that job or something similar that is an American citizen AND that has their family stationed there. Make SURE you get a hold of someone that's been there longer than a year. I would make this a FIRM condition of employment consideration.



Actually, the guy who turned me on to this idea is a long time friend (very long), of mid 50's age, with his family over there. He's been there going on 2 years, and just re-signed for another.
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#2: I felt fairly safe in UAE and Kuwait is a bit similar from what I hear. Throwing a family into the mix in terms of a living situation there could change my mind, however. Tough call there.



Tell me about it. They would be more than taken care of, and a housing situation wouldn't be a worry, but it is always a tough call to involve your children.

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#3: F**k the money aspect for starters; don't let it lead your decision and that's exactly what it sounds like is leading you right now. Consider saftey, quality of life (for your family and yourself), quality of education and entertainment, THEN look at the money. I've turned down positions paying 3x as much as what I make now due to the "demands" that would be placed on me and my wife in terms of relocation.



I am not letting the money "lead" me, but I would be lying if I didn't say that it wasn't ANY aspect of my considerations. Shouldn't it be at least a SMALL part?
Quality of life would certainly be better than now, education would be null for the baby, though I need to look in to educational avenues for my wife, and me.

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#4: DO NOT THINK OF FOREIGN ASSIGNMENTS AS A
VACATION!!!!!!! I can't count the number of people that think this way and end up absolutely hating their stay in foreign countries, as the job keeps them from doing a lot of the fun things up front.



I don't think its a vacation. The vacation would be coming back home. That would be a living, and a change (drastic, at that)

I would LOVE some insider advice on acclimation, and the ways of life in that area. I've lived out of the US (well. never permanently, but the Navy tends to frown upon staying in one place for too long with a ship..)

Quite frankly, the situation as it stands now is this:
The wife is the only one working.. well, WAS working, until the baby was born. She doesn't WANT to go back, and can't go back as it stands as the baby will NOT take a bottle of ANYTHING. So.. she's out of the job-game. I've been unemployed since getting out of the military, and can't find a job for the life of me. I'm over qualified for anything except a VERY specific type of job. Working in smaller venues isn't making enough to support all three of us, either. I tried working two small jobs to add to the income, but that added to doctor's visits, and check-ups, etc, leaves us with no time to make the trip from job A to B to doc to home, etc.

I know part of this is desperation to be able to finalize something that I know will solve these problems, but the majority is wanting to provide a healthy, and stable lifestyle for the baby.

Ray

'99 CSVT - Silver #222/276 In a constant state of blow-off euphoria.
Originally posted by Kremitthefrog:
I like to wear dresses and use binoculars to watch grandmas across the street.