Since 2007, Cath Bae and Jeff MacRaild have been living their best life teaching abroad, with the help of Search Associates (SEARCH). Years ago, as the couple finished their first overseas teaching post, they yearned for personal and expert advice for their second move. A friend recommended SEARCH, and Harry Deelman answered the call. Jeff and Cath have been working with Harry and his SEARCH partner Margaret Deelman for 17 years. Cath says,
We completely lucked out with Harry… As we were new to the whole job search within the international circuit, we asked him many questions. He’s been so patient and honest with us. Margaret also was vital in our applications, advising us with points on what we needed to brush up on.
Cath shares a pivotal moment from her middle years. At age 11, she emigrated from Korea to Australia with her family, with “some mastery of the alphabet and some old English conversational sentences.” When she greeted a classmate with a “How do you do?” the fellow student looked at Cath strangely and laughed. Experiences like this only sparked Cath’s curiosity:
I wanted to see the world. I wanted to see how the rest of the world lived and experienced life. I love that we have an exceptional and exotic life seeing the world and working with diverse groups of amazing people.
Jeff comes from what he calls “a family lineage riddled with teachers.” Naturally, as a teenager, he was determined never to become one. The challenge was that a variety of jobs to do with his degree in science never felt right. Now, after 24 years in the classroom, he says,
Teaching was the thing that made me want to keep coming back for more. It’s a game of strategy with rules that are subject to change, part art and part science, part relationship and part performance. Truly, never a dull moment.
After Cath and Jeff’s first overseas teaching appointment in South Korea, the Deelmans helped them land positions at Taipei European School, Taiwan; Qatar Academy Doha and American School of Doha, both in Qatar; and The International School of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. This June, the couple landed in Brazil, so excited for a new adventure.
Early in their career, the couple attended mostly Bangkok fairs, which are large and bustling. Having secured two posts using the SEARCH platform, this couple appreciates both options:
We love job fairs, but we also love not needing to attend one. We once walked away from a job fair without jobs, which was scary and deflating, though it worked out in the end. Job fairs are exciting and provide so many opportunities to connect with other professionals and administrators, but they do take a toll on our emotions and energy.
Cath, who loves checking out data on SEARCH member schools, admits, “time spent in anticipation of where we might end up next can be quite addictive.” Sometimes, the sheer number of daily updates can make her gasp, but after 22 years of teaching, she reminds herself,
It’s great to know that so many exciting and suitable positions are available for me.
Cath and Jeff met at church in their home country Australia, she, visiting for the first time, and he, returning after time away. While working at a private school undergoing some rough patches, Cath was thrilled to meet a fellow teacher. In Jeff, she found a mentor and friend.
This talented couple considers themselves lucky to have been well sought after. In their searches, they focus on high caliber schools rather locations. Jeff and Cath do a lot of online research, specifically seeking schools with great reputations interested in investing in their teachers. The success of this couple comes from not just their talent but also their outlook:
At times, it was after interviews with unsuspecting schools that made us reconsider our options because the interviewer’s vision of the school led us to dream…At times, we did not know if the school we signed with was the right one until we got there—and until we made it right for us. Looking back, there have been no schools that were not the right school. One way or the other, each school helped us to grow and appreciate the learnings we received.
Cath and Jeff love teaching abroad, seeing the world, meeting students who are unique and worldly, and being supported by great administrators and plenty of resources. Another highlight: being able to work in the same school, keeping to the same calendar, and sharing friendship circles.
If you are considering joining the international school circuit, Jeff and Cath recommend,
Jump in! See the world; be willing to work hard and to make a difference. Ask fellow teachers onsite about the school. Read everything about the school.
