International Opportunity
You have a teenager beginning 10th grade.
You recently uprooted your life, rented out your new home, and relocated to a new area so she would be in a better school district.
Your teenager loves the new school.
You started a new job with a promotion.
You don’t like the job as much as your previous job.
Determined to stick it out, you expressed concern with boss.
You’re offered an international opportunity.
One year, all living expenses paid.
One year salary, tax free.
Up to three years max.
What would you do?
EDIT TO ADD:
To my family and real life friends who read this blog, I have NOT made a decision. Y’all know I’m chicken! LOL I just wanted to know what others would do if presented with a similar opportunity. If I break camp, you will be the first to know. Promise!
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Work to achieve, not to acquire.
And as always, BE FABULOUS!
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If the job wasn’t in Baghdad or Iraq, I’d already be packed.
depends: are you going to be even unhappier, with your daughter uprooted again (and with the prospect of being uprooted again a year later), and moving hither and thither– twice (going/coming back)?
I’d think about this one really long and hard before I did anything irrational.
I would say no. When Baby Girl is in college, then I would go maybe.
You are one bad mamajama!
I’d take that job and run. This sounds like a great opportunity and those don’t come around every day. For one, it would make you and your experience all the more desirable to your present and future employers. Babygirl may hate it and I understand your concern about uprooting her right now but living abroad will be a wonderful learning opportunity for her. There is a certain polish that children who have either traveled extensively or have lived abroad possess that you can’t teach in a classroom. She will look back and thank you for it. I’m a recruiter and those resumes are the ones that catch my eye and the eyes of my colleagues. It shows that you are adventurous, unafraid to step outside your comfort zone and actively make stride to improve yourself.
YES! I lived overseas for 4 years, and while I did not have a child to consider, I think that living overseas was enriching in so many ways. Now that I am back in the States I keep looking forward to the day I will live abroad again. It`s a difficult decision to make, but I think the positives (new culture, language, people, ability to reflect on American life) will outweigh the negatives (finding a new school for your daughter, townhouse management, etc?)
Oh my goodness, go for it! I was an exchange student in high school, and it has opened so many doors for me. This would be an amazing opportunity for your daughter. It would definitely be a different experience for her, but you won’t regret it. Please email me if you would like to discuss further. I feel sooo strongly about this one and I would be happy to chat with you more about it. I am in the DC area as well.
Jenny aka “Asset Gatherer” at assetsandliabilities
I would do it. I see this as a great opportunity for you and her!! Think about the advantage this would give her when she goes to college…having lived abroad she will have such a different perspective on things. It would make her more attractive to recruiters. Yes, teenagers have it hard adjusting, but being a teenager is hard no matter where you live!!! Now if your daughter was like a juvenile delinqent or something I would say no, but you always speak well of her so I say at least think about it! Congratulations, I would love to live abroad!
I think that it would be the opportunity of a lifetime for you as well as for your daughter. It would also look great on a resume and in the long run, I think that it would only help you career wise. It might also be a plus if your daughter could list that she studied in a foreign country on a college application. You are so lucky. I was on my knees praying just the other day to get an opportunity like yours, preferably in Italy. Also, I guess it would depend on where you would be moving. Are you going to an English speaking country or somewhere that you will have to learn a new language? Regardless, I would go for it and roll the dice. I would hate for you to look back years from now and wonder “what if?”
Of course you’re going to run all the pros and cons, so I won’t bother telling you to.
But I would point out that job satisfaction (or the lack of) is often a product of company culture, and that culture can cross borders as easily as you can.
Is the chance at a new experience somewhere new and exciting worth the risk of doing much the same job somewhere else, only without your support network nearby?
Is the chance to broaden your daughter’s horizons in an amazing way worth the risk that she might not get the attention and academic preparation that she’s receiving at this new school?
I can’t answer that question for you. I can say that, were it me and my daughter, I probably wouldn’t risk it.
…unless you are going to Iraq the income is not tax free. I know Congress just changed the law last year relating to earning income overseas–you should check that out first.
Oppurtunity only happens once… take it !!!!!!!!
To Commenter before last – if it was the UK (I’m thinking England particularly) I believe that she would not have to pay tax to our Government here so if her salary going into an account here it would be tax free.
I “think” this is correct because sometime last year the US diplomats based here were complaining about paying the congestion charge (charge to use roads in central London during peak hours). Their argument was that they do not pay tax here and the congestion charge is a form of tax.
Maybe God’s opening a door?
No advice for you this time Sweetie but I know you’ll make the right/best choice for you and yours. And you know I’m in your corner no matter what.
Whoa!
If it were me? I’d have to respectfully decline. I couldn’t be away from my kid for a year and I wouldn’t want to move her again so soon.
What country? Yes, I think that matters. What are the job responsibilities? How does your daughter feel about it? Is there an American school close enough to the job site? How much travel within the new country is required? Have you ever traveled to another country where English is not the first language? Do you pick up new languages easily? Is English the official language of business? Lots of questions to consider? How often will they fly you back to the US for visits?
Wow. Depends on where you’re going, I guess, but I wish someone would drop that kind of opportunity on me. But it’s hard to be far from home… and how is the income tax free????
Lots of good points already made by others. Also, you would then need to pay someone to take care of your house? Honestly, if it was me, I probably wouldn’t do it. But I’m a chickensh!t sometimes – and you most definitely are not!
That sounds awesome to me, but I’m not a mother. I’m guessing that if I were a mom, I’d talk to my daughter (who is old enough to have an opinion of her own) and see what she thinks, then marinate on it. If she didn’t like the idea and was really attached to her school and friends, I think it would be harder for me to go. But if she was the independent, “Ma, let me go clear across the country without you for the summer” type, she’d probably be down, too.
That said, provided the job didn’t put me in a war zone, the cultural difference wouldn’t put my daughter at an educational disadvantage in school, and I could handle my rental house with a reputable property manager, I’d be so gone!
what does baby girl think? will job provide international schooling? i have one friend in particular who went to HS school abroad because of her parents’ work and LOVED it. yes there were rough points, but overall she had a great experience. remember at international schools everyone is the “new kid”. (plus it gave my friend a definite advantage in college apps).
You’re the mom but I’d run the idea by Baby Girl and see if her eyes light up or sink down. Let her know that you are evaluating the offer and haven’t decided. It might be an amazing opportunity for her but only you, as the mom, know if BG needs this time at the new school she loves or if she is resilient enough to withstand such a change. I wouldn’t count on wanting to go overseas with BG in college – if anything you will want to be in the country to get to her when you can! It could be an amazing adventure for you and BG, financial aspects aside. I’d weigh it from that end more so than the money end. You’re doing so well financially and will come out ahead regardless.
All things aside- do it. You are in a good place- stable enough to make a change without causing too much turmoil. Plus, think of all the doors you will open by being in another place and space. It’s scary at first but think of how globally experienced you will become.
This opportunity was offered to you because it is the next step in helping you to fulfil your path and purpose in life. Think of it as a crossroads…you can continue with life as you know it and still have success or you can take the path less travelled, learn the lessons and have a tremendous amount of sucess. Also, think of the exposure that your daughter would get…a chance to be truly immersed in another language and culture.
The decision is yours, but make it from a place of love and not fear. You will be truly amazed at your abilities.
I commented earlier about having lived overseas for 4 years. I did not pay taxes for the time I was abroad. There is an income cap however. At last check I think it was 75,000 but I think the limit was raised. Also, I paid into the pension, unemployment, health insurance, etc., and when I left, was able to recieve a 80% refund of the money I paid. I have to apply to recieve the other 20%. So ultimately, although that moeny was a part of my salary, It was nice to get it back.
Money would not be my motivation for going though.
In the end, you will make the right decision!!
GO, GO, GO
It is the huge opportunities that scare us to death that are the ones we should take.
And your babygirl would benefit so much from a year abroad.
GO, GO, GO
If you are a government employee planning on working overseas – I would ask a lot of questions. We’ve done a few stints overseas and had to pay taxes. Also, recently, I have heard you do not get your “locality” pay and the “cola” payments were very low or non-existant – unless you are going to a harzardous duty area. We did not have a child when we went. I would also find out what type of “living standards” you can expect if you do go and determine if they are tolerable, beyond expectations, etc. and weigh all of the pros/cons. Best wishes. I enjoy your blog immensely.
Congratulations! Now take the job. It is an experience of a lifetime for you and your daughter. Don’t let fear deter you. Teach your daughter about seizing unexpected and amazing opportunity, and about stepping out on faith. As long as the country is not a dangerous place for you to be, what do you have to lose. It will also make your daughter a better candidate for colleges and universities, and teach her how to make it in a new and strange place. That’s great practice for being a single and strong-minded adult away from home for the first time. Do it! And continue to rent out your first home whie you are at it. No need to stop earning money.
“Will you regret it if you don’t do it?” This is the question I ask myself whenever I’m thinking of making major change in my life. Of course, I add prayer to the mix :)
BTW, love the blog.