Spring 2008 Issue > Expats’ Advice to Educating Children Abroad
Know Before You Go: Expats’ Advice to Educating Children Abroad
The Motsinger Family
Joe and Joan Motsinger are American expatriates living in Singapore and they’re enjoying their third year in the country. They are among the lucky few who get the opportunity to live and work abroad. The couple has three children being educated in Singapore. Joan Motsinger is an employee of a large multinational corporation that sends 30 to 40 employees to different countries each year and she has been in their employ for 23 years.
Choosing a Location
After passing up previous opportunities to work abroad, the timing was finally right for the Motsinger family to relocate. A main concern (at the time Joan declined and when she finally accepted an overseas assignment) was the children, now aged 10, 5 and 3. Before leaving the U.S., the Motsingers wanted to be sure their children were old enough to handle the change. They also wanted some assurance that the educational system in the country they chose would be of a standard acceptable to them.
They did their homework. They got feedback from colleagues who had completed assignments in different parts of the world, did their own research on various countries and then decided Singapore was an ideal location. It is one of the best locations for expatriates, in Joe’s view. Because it is heavily influenced by the West and English is widely spoken, he felt that the family could enjoy a comfortable standard of living. Singapore has become pivotal to the world because of its geographic location, prominently at the intersection of several busy trading routes. Companies representing over 120 nations operate in Singapore making theirs one of the busiest ports of call in the world.
Choosing a School
Every company offers different relocation services for their employees. Joan Motsinger and her employer agreed on a robust transfer package for her family. It is one that includes their children’s educational expenses–the most important aspect of their agreement, according to Joan. Joe is able to be a stay-at-home parent, monitoring the children and relieving Joan of that extra duty, which then allows her to focus on work. Other benefits include time off work to return to the U.S., to visit family and friends.
When asked about the employer’s role in paying for their children’s education, Joe says, “nobody messes with schooling!” Their children attend the Singapore American School (SAS) which, according to Joe, is a well funded institution with approximately 3,300 students. They study Mandarin along with their normal lessons, which are all otherwise delivered in English, and the curriculum keeps them in line with the American school structure.
This "American" aspect of the educational system is important, Joe explains, because their children will eventually return to the U.S. and will need to assimilate back into the American system. When expats decide on schooling for their children, determining factors include the number of children in the student body, whether the institution is private or public and the type of children admitted into the institution. International schools are preferred by expatriates because the requirements of some local schools (depending on the country) are very difficult to meet within the limited time most employees have when moving abroad.
For the Motsingers, not having to deal with a difference in language meant their children would not fall behind in their studies. Plus, the international school curriculum ensures they won’t have difficulty assimilating to secondary and tertiary institutions upon returning to the U.S. When asked if the transition has been difficult for the children, Joe, using his experience to judge, says “children follow the parents’ lead. If the adults have difficulty settling in and are uncomfortable, then their children will be too, and the reverse holds true.”
The Pay Off
The Merlion Statue
Joe continued, “it’s an intense life when a person moves abroad, but it pays in ways you may not realize.” His children will be bilingual and multicultural, which he believes will be the greatest benefit to them later in life, when work and work relationships will require and depend on it. In most countries expatriates have the option of hiring child care personnel, but Joe did not want to “pay someone else to raise the children” and so, chose to be the parent who stays home. According to him, the experience has made them a closer family and they are enjoying everything the culture is teaching them.
His wife is experiencing a great degree of job security. Joan’s company is pleased with her performance and she can extend her assignment year by year if she so desires. Upon returning to the United States, Joe will have the option to revive his career with Habitat for Humanity, where he’d had six successful years prior to his Singaporean adventure.
The Merlion statue is one of the most well-known tourist icons of Singapore. The lion head and fish body of the creature recalls the story of the legendary Sang Nila Utama, who saw a lion while hunting on an island.