Teaching in Bahrain: Kim's journey from South Africa to Head of Primary
- SA-Recruitment
- 1 minute ago
- 4 min read
For many South African teachers, accepting an international teaching position begins with the idea of spending two or three years overseas.
It's an opportunity to gain experience, travel, save money and see a different part of the world before eventually returning home.
For Kim, that's exactly how the journey began.
When she applied through SA-Recruitment in 2017, Bahrain was largely unknown territory. She was excited about the opportunity, but like many teachers taking their first international position, she couldn't possibly have imagined what the next few years would hold.
Today, almost nine years later, Bahrain isn't simply where she works.
It's home.
A teaching journey that kept opening new doors
Kim was placed in Bahrain by SA-Recruitment for a January 2018 start, beginning her international teaching career in a primary school following the IB curriculum.
What began as a single overseas contract gradually developed into something much bigger.
Over the years, she embraced new opportunities, moved between schools and continued developing professionally. Each move allowed her to broaden her experience, take on new challenges and continue building her leadership skills.
Today, she is the Head of Primary at a well-respected international school in Bahrain, a promotion that reflects years of dedication, professional growth and a willingness to embrace every opportunity that came her way.
Her journey is a reminder that teaching abroad isn't always about taking one job.
Sometimes it's about building an entire career.
Professional growth beyond the classroom
One of the biggest advantages of international teaching is that career progression often comes sooner than many teachers expect.
Throughout her time in Bahrain, Kim has taught within the International Baccalaureate framework, expanded her leadership responsibilities and continued investing in her own professional development.
Alongside her career, she also completed her Master's degree, demonstrating that international teaching gave her not only professional opportunities, but also the time and support to continue growing academically.
Looking back, it's clear that every move she made contributed to where she is today.
From classroom teacher to Head of Primary is an achievement that reflects years of commitment, continuous learning and a genuine passion for education.
Finding a home while teaching in Bahrain
While Kim's professional journey has been remarkable, it's perhaps her personal story that resonates even more.
When people think about teaching overseas, they often imagine temporary contracts and counting down the months until they return home.
For Kim, the opposite happened.
Over the years she built a life in Bahrain.
She found an incredible group of friends who gradually became family. She built a support network, adopted a cat and created a home that she genuinely loves returning to after every holiday.
When she visited South Africa during the recent summer break, she found herself looking forward to going back to Bahrain.
That's when she realised something important.
Bahrain had become home.
As Kim puts it:
"I am living my best life. This is where my home is. I have built a life here. I have a cat, and I have friends who have become family."
It's a simple statement, but one that perfectly captures how international teaching can become much more than a career move.
A world beyond the classroom
Teaching abroad has also opened doors that extend far beyond education.
Living in Bahrain has given Kim the opportunity to travel extensively, visiting Qatar, Oman, the UAE, Jordan, Portugal, Egypt and Turkey, experiences that simply wouldn't have been part of her life otherwise.
She speaks warmly about weekends spent with friends, exploring the region and building a close-knit community of people from around the world.
One of her favourite recent memories was gathering together with friends to watch the rugby, a reminder that no matter where South Africans find themselves, they'll always find a way to create a sense of home.
Reflecting on her journey, she sums it up simply:
"It has been absolutely fantastic. Absolutely fantastic."
More than just a placement
One of the things that has made Kim's story particularly special for us is that we've remained in touch ever since she first boarded her flight to Bahrain in 2018.
Over the years she's continued sharing updates, celebrating career milestones and letting us know where her journey has taken her next.
Watching her progress from her very first international teaching role to becoming the Head of Primary at her current school has been incredibly rewarding.
Stories like Kim's remind us that international recruitment isn't simply about helping teachers secure their first overseas position.
Sometimes it's about watching someone build an entirely new chapter of their life.
When a teaching job becomes home
Next year will mark ten years since Kim first began her international teaching journey.
What started as an opportunity to teach overseas has become a fulfilling career, a home, lifelong friendships and a leadership position she can be incredibly proud of.
Her story also carries an important message for teachers who are considering making the move themselves.
You may think you're signing up for two years abroad.
But sometimes those two years become the beginning of something far bigger.
For Kim, they became the start of the life she always hoped to build.
Comments