American request suggestions to live seasonally with family

I am American and would like to live seasonally with a future family. The idea is to be able to live someplace warm, affordable, surfing while the children are in school and then spend the summers in Jackson Hole , Wyoming. It is important for the childrens school to mirror the schedule of the schools in the States. We hope to find a place that has a affordable cost of living (more bang for the buck), good healthcare, hospitals, and culture.

My research suggest a couple of options: New Zealand, Hawaii, South America ? I am not sure these countries absolutely mirror the school schedules in the states. New Zealand seems like a good and interesting fit. Any suggestions and insights you could provide into this dream would be greatly appreciated.

If you cross the equator the school year starts in March ends in December, often there is an American School in the Capital that uses the North American schedule but you would be tied to the Capital. Hawaii would be the logical choice thou not cheap.

When did Hawaii become a separate country?

Also realize the reverse discrimination that your kids may face in the schools and their peer groups in Hawaii. And yeah, not cheap at all and that state has a growing list of economic and social problems.

Immigration-wise, I don't see how you can do it in New-Zealand.

What's a future family? Is that like an imaginary family you don't actually have?

Your post doesn't make sense. Hawaii isn't going to mirror the U.S. school year being that it is the U.S. In fact I don't even really get what you are thinking when you say mirror. Do you mean have holidays at different times? And if so why? Do you want you imaginary children to always be on holidays? Or never be on holidays?

Or by mirror do you mean 'be the same as'? In which case you want to find somewhere with the same schedule as the U.S. which definitely rules out N.Z and probably most of the southern hemisphere.

Many international schools in the northern hemisphere follow the U.S. school year. A fraction of them would also follow the same type of curriculum as could be found in the U.S. But that won't help you unless you also have some way of getting a visa to live in the country.

Good luck with your imaginary children.

Most capital cities in the Southern hemisphere have an American School that is attended by locals and some diplomatic families that follows the US school curriculum and schedule BUT it will be pricey (currently figure 15K per child tuition) and more importantly you won't have visas that will permit you to stay in these countries more than a couple of months. Plus affordable living at the same standard as the US is likely to be costly in places with decent infrastructure, health care, security, etc.

I don't know of any international schools in where English is the primary language that operates on the US schedule or with a US curriculum in New Zealand.

You need to factor into your equation the cost of getting to Jackson Hole and back for Northern summers.

I don't know that this is particularly realistic.

Ruth

Edited by: everbrite

I live in NZ's capital. Most of the embassy staffers (the ones brought in) either sent their children to the private schools (so between $10k - $15k per year) or to the better public high schools.

I don't think there's an international school as far as I am aware. Some of the schools have IB exams but that's about it.

No clue what a future family is either. If it's one you haven't had yet then presumably you would be looking at primary rather than high schools.

Home school on the Gold Coast in Aussie Land.

Chris: You need to come back and clarify the points raised - what do you mean by "mirror". Clearly NZ (and presumably the rest of the Sth hemisphere) school holidays will not match those in the Northern Hemisphere so If you plan to take your kids to the US in July& August it will mean missing school. Language will be an issue in South America. Visas will be an issue in almost all countries. How will you support your "future family"?

Home school on the Gold Coast in Aussie Land.

I wouldn't call Australia 'affordable'.

neither is nz. OP has some rethinking to do.

I do know people who are semi-retired or part-time students who choose to live in China for the low cost of living but children would complicate this enormously. As others have pointed out, International schools are horrendously expensive.. Home schooling is an option.

My research suggest a couple of options: New Zealand, Hawaii, South America ? I am not sure these countries absolutely mirror the school schedules in the states.

Besides the obvious....South America is not a country. Are you a friend of Sarah Palin? South America is a continent. Hawaii is one of the 50 states of the US.

You must be a troll!