So You Want To Teach In Saipan?

The spring hiring season is approaching for most school districts, and if you are attending an education job fair in Oregon or Minneapolis any time soon you may come across a booth that advertises sandy beaches and ocean views. The people will be extremely nice and will likely offer you a keychain or water bottle as you complete your application and schedule your interview. No, CNMI does not stand for "C-Something, N-Something Military Institute", it stands for the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. After you hand in your application and conduct your interview, you will likely have many questions dancing in your head about this place, as it is 7,000 miles away from the United States and you've likely never heard of it until the job fair. I've been here for the better part of one school year, and here are some answers to questions you may have:

"What's it like living in Saipan?"

This is difficult to answer in a few sentences. It's 85 degrees every day, it rains for about an hour two or three times per week, almost everyone speaks English, and they use the US Dollar. If you're a glass half-full person, you'll love it. If you're a glass half-empty person, well...you'd better really like the ocean. If you're a very active outdoorsy-type who likes to go on hikes, snorkel, ride mountain bikes, and play sports, this is a great place to be.

"How much does it cost to live in Saipan?"

Housing is ridiculously cheap. I have a decent sized 2BR apartment that overlooks the ocean, and that's on a teacher's salary. You can get by very cheap ($250/mo for some places), but I'm of the opinion that it's worth spending a bit more to have a great view. Everything besides housing, however, is more expensive than in The States. Food: Everything from staples such as milk/OJ/bread/butter to quick eats like McDonald's and Subway is 20-50% more expensive here. No dollar menu, no $5 footlongs. OJ is $6 for a half gallon, and I think milk is about the same. Almost everything has to be shipped here from outside sources, hence the cost. Gas: $4.45/gallon, however the longest drive in Saipan would be about 12 miles one way so it's not a huge issue. Insurance is cheap and there is no sales tax or federal income tax (hey now!), so everything kind of evens out.

"What are some of the positives and negatives of living in Saipan?"

+The aforementioned lack of taxes, cheap housing, VERY laid back attitude
-Laid back attitude = gross inefficiency
+Access to any number of beach or ocean-related activities
-No malls, no large grocery stores...not many things here are "convenient", but you get used to it
+Tropical weather is grossly underrated during December, January, February, and March
-Flights to and from Saipan are not cheap, regardless of your destination. Example: To fly from Saipan to Thailand (a couple thousand miles) is the same price as flying from Minneapolis to Thailand (10,000 miles). Flights aren't cheap, so if you think you'll be able to have access to a ton of places once you're out here, well, you'd better be set up with a trust fund.
+Cheap golf on nice courses with amazing views, and they're almost always empty.
+World Class Snorkeling and Scuba Diving.

"What is teaching like in Saipan?"

Like most places it depends on the particular school you are at. Some schools are run well, some are not. The universal themes which apply to all schools here are, once again, good and bad.

The good:

+Students have more respect for teachers here than ANYWHERE in The States. Seriously, the biggest classroom management issue you might run into is a kid talking out of turn, and even then he'll apologize immediately.

+Teachers here are treated like gold. Everyone holds them in high esteem and their eyes light up when you tell them "I teach at (such-and-such school)", as they undoubtedly know someone at the school. In fact, teachers here are kind of like celebrities...kids will run up to you at department stores just to say hi.

+Laid back lifestyle: Autonomy. As a teacher you can get away with quite a bit more here than you can in most districts in The States. Want to go outside for a class period? Go. Want to go on a field trip? No biggie. Want to go off-topic for days at a time? Have fun.

The Bad:

-There is a lack of support at almost every turn. You are the janitor for your classroom, you are likely the toilet paper supplier for students who need to use the bathroom, you are judge/jury/executioner when it comes to almost everything that happens in your classrooms, and if you are having issues with student attendance it falls on YOU to contact parents, etc. Indeed, it is a bit more in-class work than in the U.S., however it's not too much to handle.

-If you are looking for supplies, paint for your room, furniture, or equipment...good luck. If they have a spare extension cord laying around you'll likely have to fight for it, and if the projector bulb goes out, well...let's hope you have printed copies of that Powerpoint, because it will be weeks and months (if ever) before your projector is back up and running. That brings me to my last point:

-Funding here is a major issue. Classroom supplies often come out of the teacher's pocket. I know what you're thinking..."that happens in the U.S. too". My response: Do any teachers in the U.S. have to buy paint, a mop + bucket, and toilet paper for their classrooms? Again, you're dealing with the bare-bones here. The stipend for coaching a sport is $300 (about 1/10th of what it is in the U.S.), and even that may be going away soon. There is constant chatter that at some point the district will run out of money and will be unable to pay teachers, however almost everyone here thinks that that sentiment is nonsense. Still...good to know.

"I've made up my mind and I'm coming out there. Do you have any advice for when I first get to Saipan?"

Save your money up until the day you get here. Your first paycheck doesn't show up for 5-6 weeks, and before that time you'll need to pay for rent +security deposit, food, entertainment/etc, and transportation. Used cars out here are more expensive than in the U.S., so be prepared to spend $4K-$5K if you want something remotely "nice". I bought a 92 Camry when I got here. Almost nothing electrical works, you can only open one door from the outside, and I have to keep one of the windows held up with tape. Almost everyone agrees I got a steal of a deal for $1000. I'm not joking. You can rent a scooter for $150/month, however it rains quite a bit here from July to November, so plan on getting wet every day. There is no public transportation on the island, so no sense in holding out for a cheap bus pass. Hippie.

When you first get here you'll be nickled and dimed to death. $50 for a Tuberculosis test. $35 for an application fee for your CNMI teaching license (note: both of these need to be done before you can teach). $30 for a local drivers license (you need it...trust me), $30 for a P.O. Box, deposits for your apartment, power, cell phone service/internet, etc. I'm not saying you need to roll here with $5,000 cash in order to make it, but don't show up with $50 in your wallet thinking that you'll be fine. $2k-$3k ensures that you'll be able to make a comfortable move out here.

A few quick things for Saipan noobs:

-Rent a car, scooter, or find a ride to the school district's central office on your first full day in Saipan. They will have things for you to do/sign/initial, and the earlier you get those things done, the better. If you wait until the school year starts you will be too busy to handle these things and will likely have to take a day off just to catch up. No bueno.

-Go to marianasliving.com to get an idea of what kind of apartments are available out here. When you land here the school will put you up at a hotel for a few days. Call Cherry from Marianas Living (her # is on their website) and have her show you apartments...she knows just about everyone on this island and the process for setting up power/water/etc.

-Get a P.O. Box on your first day here. You'll need it for when you apply for electricity, a cell phone, a drivers license, etc. Most people I know have their PO Box at Quick Print on Middle Road.

-Get a drivers license on your first day here. You'll need it for just about everything, and the local discount out here can be dramatic.

-I have my cell phone service through IT & E and my bank account through Bank of Guam (make sure you sign up for BOTH an ATM card and Check Card if you go there). I highly recommend both.

One last thing: 85 and Sunny never, ever gets old.

Until the next one...