One Read, Every Month
THE EDUPLACE JOURNAL
Term Three Is Back. So, We Imagine, Is Your Exhaustion.
No natural break in the middle, reports due before you've caught your breath — the year suddenly closing in.
The holidays feel like they were three days ago. That's not a complaint. That's just what term three does.
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.
"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." — Aaliyah Abid
Here's what's standing between you and that countdown hitting zero.
← swipe →
Women's Month. Marches, wellness events, the "women who built this country" retrospectives.
Prophet Muhammad's Birthday — a quiet, respectful public holiday.
A whole new year, for some of you — the UAE's 2026-27 academic year begins.
Namaqualand wildflowers — 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 next month.
Our vote: braai broodjies, no contest.
Every vote enters you into this month's draw for a R400 Njam Eatery voucher.
Braai Broodjies
64%
Tjops
36%
Cast your vote → · results and the prize winner announced in September's issue, right before we open Question No. 2
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.
Njam Eatery
Shop 7a, Linden Lanes. Njam is putting up this month's Staffroom prize — a R400 voucher for whoever wins the braai broodjies-vs-tjops draw.
R400 voucher · Valid until 30 September 2026
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.
Sending money home — what you'll need
Your South African bank's SWIFT/BIC code and account number (or IBAN). Services like Wise or Remitly are usually cheaper and faster than a straight bank-to-bank wire.
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 important documents with someone at home?
Simple and free: register with the South African embassy or consulate (DIRCO's Registration of South Africans Abroad). Ten minutes, no cost.
"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