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Time Off
Holidays
International school schedules generally follow the Western education
system, with school in session Monday through Friday, approximately
180 days a year and summers off. That said, international schools
often have longer holidays during the school year and a shorter
summer break, allowing for a more well-rounded vacation plan! Most
schools have a week off in autumn break, three weeks off at Christmas,
a week off in the winter (February time frame), another week off
during spring, and then two months off for summer. For example,
at an international school in China, in addition to several one-day
holidays dispersed throughout the year, teachers enjoy the following
holiday schedule:
- 1 week off in October
- 3 days off in November
- 3 weeks off over Christmas and New Years
- 1 week off in February
- 1 week off in April
- 1 week off in May
- 6 weeks summer vacation(from June 29 to August 15)
Teachers, students, and parents alike generally prefer this schedule
to one with a long summer break, as it provides more time throughout
the year to go on vacation, travel, relax, and enjoy all the seasons
in a country. During school holidays teachers usually use their
excess income to explore neighboring cities and countries, often
together.
Weekends
Teachers overseas use their weekends to relax, travel around the
country, or explore their local area. Inside a teacher's host city,
a typical weekend could include many of the same activities available
in Western countries. For movie lovers, many larger cities have
English speaking theaters, while in smaller cities people often
gather at someone's home for a movie night. Parties and game nights
are also popular.
For other social activities, most cities have many different clubs
teachers can join. An American or International Women's Association
is found in many countries and hosts cultural and charitable events
for female expatriates living in the city. For a more laid back
group, the Hash
House Harriers is a running/social group in which many expats
participate in most major cities around the world.
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