The holidays feel like they were three days ago. That's not a complaint. That's just what term three does — no natural break in the middle, reports due before you've caught your breath, the year suddenly closing in.
You had that week, maybe two, where you actually slept in. Where the lesson plans stayed closed. Where you saw people who aren't your colleagues. And then the alarm went off again, and you were back in a staffroom that smelled exactly the way you left it.
So if you're reading this at 9pm with a cup of something warm, still in your school clothes, wondering how it's already this busy again — you're not behind. You're just in term three, like everyone else, everywhere.
Rest properly where you can find it. Term three runs on exhaustion, if you let it.
United Arab Emirates
"Here's how I actually found Eduplace," from a teacher who just got the call.
Name: Aaliyah Abid
Placement: Teaching position, UAE — secured this month
"It's actually quite funny how I found Eduplace. One evening I was searching for international teaching recruitment agencies, and I asked ChatGPT for a list of reputable agencies. Eduplace was one of the agencies it recommended, so I decided to send through my documents and give it a shot. Looking back now, I'm really glad I did because here we are!"
"The interview process was well organised, and I especially liked the Loom introduction video — it gives schools a chance to get to know candidates beyond just a CV. From start to finish, the process was professional, simple to follow, and I'd definitely recommend it to other teachers looking for international opportunities." — Aaliyah Abid
Here's what's standing between you and that countdown hitting zero.
← swipe →
Women's Month. Already underway — expect the marches, the wellness events, the "women who built this country" retrospectives.
Prophet Muhammad's Birthday — a quiet, respectful public holiday, worth planning the term around.
A whole new year, for some of you — the UAE's 2026-27 academic year begins. First-day nerves and all.
Namaqualand wildflowers — exceptional winter rains mean one of the strongest seasons in years.
Send us a picture. Your classroom's first spring flowers, a student's drawing of one, whatever spring looks like where you are. Submit yours →
This Month's Question
Heritage Day, 24 September: braai broodjies, or tjops?
Every SA staffroom starts arguing about whose braai is happening where by early September — so we're making it official. Cast your vote below. We'll report the results (and whatever dissent rolls in) in next month's issue.
Our vote: braai broodjies, no contest.
Every vote enters you into this month's draw for a R400 Njam Eatery voucher. One winner, drawn when the ballot closes.
Braai Broodjies
64%
Tjops
36%
Curious exactly how many days, hours, and minutes stand between now and that finish line? We built a live, ticking countdown clock for it.
SA Phrase of the Month
"Ag shame man"
Untranslatable. Gulf colleagues will ask. You won't be able to explain it either.
Term 3 Countdown
57 days
Until the spring holidays. Not that anyone's counting.
This Month's Question
Load-shedding, or Riyadh traffic?
Reply and tell us which one you'd rather never deal with again.
Whether you're packing already or just curious what it's actually like, here's the practical stuff nobody mentions in the interview.
Missing home already? Good news.
Mrs Ball's chutney is genuinely stocked on the shelves at Waitrose, Carrefour, and Spinneys in the UAE — no need to pack a jar in your suitcase. Sweets and other SA favourites turn up too, especially at the bigger supermarkets.
Sending money home — what you'll need
Your South African bank's SWIFT/BIC code and your account number (or IBAN, if you have one) — that's the core of it. Services like Wise or Remitly are the usual route rather than a straight bank-to-bank wire, generally cheaper and faster.
The one nobody wants to think about
Not to be morbid, but: do you have a will? Have you left certified copies of your ID, passport, and any important documents with someone at home? Worth sorting properly with an attorney before you go.
One thing that is simple and free: register with the South African embassy or consulate in the country you're moving to (DIRCO's Registration of South Africans Abroad). Takes ten minutes, costs nothing.
"What do you want to read about next month?"
Stories from teachers abroad. What nobody tells you before you get on the plane. Advice you actually asked for. This is your newsletter too.
That's August from us. Get through this week, then the next one.
— The Eduplace Team