Job Discussion Forums

americanjoe · Joined: 07 Apr 2015 Posts: 42

This is advice from someone you don't know but...
Just get the hell out of there if you don't like it.
Oman isn't the end-all be-all of overseas teaching as some say.

I absolutely hated Fridays, especially Friday afternoons in Nizwa and Ibra.
Nothing. To. Do. At. All.
"Death approaches on leathery wings" always went through my mind on Fridays in the interior.

I thought I would surely go crazy some days.

Anyway, since you are female, why not consider Saudi?

They are just begging for female teachers, and the pay is better than Oman.
I always felt more appreciated there too somehow.

And try and go to the place no one else wants to go, like Al Jouf, not Riyadh.
The companies there will basically kiss your butt because you came.

That's my two cents anyway.

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

A matter of opinion... having spent many years in the Gulf and knowing the systems and the issues, as a woman, I would take Nizwa over any job in Saudi. (if the choice was Ibri and Saudi... I'd try another part of the world. Laughing

)

If you are overly bored in Nizwa, you will be twice as bored in Saudi... as a woman can't even go out and take a walk on her own.

VS

omanoman · Joined: 11 Jun 2014 Posts: 140

Indeed, surely, Oman must be better than KSA for women, finances aside.

Oman, or the rest of the GCC just doesn't fit with some which doesn't make it wrong for those that enjoy it here.

Employers aren't your friends but they shouldn't be your enemies either. I'd like to explore more about this bundling in of the gratuity and flights - I suppose it's legal because it is stated in the contract and then it has been signed on so the benefits exist. But, if there is any shortfall in ticket price against the accrued amount of the flight allowance, the employer is obliged to pay that, that is also clear, although only implied in the law about the responsibility for "repatriating".

What about the paid leave value? - again minimum by law is 30 days per year, is that also bundled into the salary?

nomad soul · Joined: 31 Jan 2010 Posts: 11454 Location: The real world

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

One of my favorite things about Oman is that when it was so hot, one could go for a nice long walk after 10:00 at night... on your own... no abaya or headscarf required. Of course, like anywhere, it depends on your neighborhood. But the only issue I ever had was a carload of students driving by yelling hello to their crazy teacher. (walking alone isn't all that common)

I was fortunate that the neighborhoods that I lived in even had sidewalks. (not even true everywhere in the US anymore) There were also shops around to do some shopping on the wander.

VS

Whatever will be · Joined: 05 Feb 2014 Posts: 303

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

Nope... and my friends still there still do it. As I said, it depends on your neighborhood.

VS

madrileno · Joined: 19 Aug 2010 Posts: 270 Location: Salalah, Oman

scarlie · Joined: 28 Apr 2010 Posts: 24

CANDLES · Posted: Sat May 23, 2015 11:40 am Post subject:

Most expats do.....

General Incompetence · Joined: 20 Jan 2015 Posts: 15

Just a quick point about MTC. The “M” is for military, and the staff are civilian officers of the Ministry of Defense. Thus, these contracts are governed by military law and not labor law. There is a gratuity in the contract. The problem is that the non-Omanis working here can't get the Sultan's Armed Forces Instructions (SAFI) in English. Thus, everyone is in the dark about what the rules actually are, or how to contest anything.

[quote="omanoman"] Absolutely it is a legal requirement and everyone who works in Oman knows about that - how are you not aware of it? It is very clear in the law. Doesn't have to be even mentioned in a contract since the labor law is the bare minimum and will always stand. Contracts can offer more than legal benefits but not less.
The way that every employer mitigates the gratuity cost is by parsing salary packages into "allowances" since the gratuity is based only on "basic" salary. For a total package of, say 1300, the basic salary will likely only be 600-700 rials, the rest is under the categories of travel, housing, utilities, blah blah blah allowances. So, with a basic salary of 700 rials, the first year of employment is worth half of that, same for the second and third years. The fourth year is full basic. So, if you worked for 4 years, you would receive half plus half plus half plus full basic salary as a gratuity - 350 X 3 plus 700 = 1750. That would be the minimum.
Of course, some employers, not in our industry I don't think, offer full gross salary as a gratuity. [/quote]

Attendance is down because the students are very dissatisfied. You might contact the representative for the University of Portsmouth, which has the partnership with MTC for an Engineering program. He stated, “Word is out on the street that MTC sucks.” (direct quote) to the MTC staff at a meeting. The students voted with their feet. 'Nuf said.

[quote="omanoman"] one week notice is legal under the 3 month probation period but not after that period. Both parties have that right. I don't have sympathy for anyone planning a "runner" , I'm sure there are two sides to every story and I have my doubts that MTC is a truly horrible place to be.
Still, budgets are down all over and big pressure is on to scrimp and save so a lower enrollment could be one result. [/quote]

kobold · Joined: 26 Dec 2013 Posts: 4

Yep my last posts got pulled, not by me. Anyway:

What the hell happened...semesters became progressively longer. Holidays became shorter. In one meeting I heard,"Ï realise that some of you have now completely run out of holidays." Wtf. With over a year of contract left. First the Easter vacation was cancelled and moved to a later date. Then Christmas.

Working hours became progressively longer...breaks shorter or non-existent. Two 15 minute breaks, but that doesn't give you enough time to...

Starting work at 0730 and going to meetings at 1500 or 1600, you might not leave until 1700. The meetings, as you may have guessed, go on interminably and move in circles of confusion. We once had a meeting to decide if we should have meetings or not. The conclusion, after 90 minutes, was that we were unable to reach a decision.

By week 10 of Semester 3 in year 2, (2015), serious cracks appeared. Students bailed out en masse. Senior figures too. More than one teacher rolled up at work rat arsed. Respect! Teachers resigned. Loads of them. More were dismissed, Oman college style, being hurriedly given the boot after their last day of teaching. More did a runner.

I guess replacements are not easily found, as the recruitment team were last seen heading for Australia.

Rolling Eyes

americanjoe · Joined: 07 Apr 2015 Posts: 42

Australia?
Are the Omanis so lost they would go to Australia to get military expertise?
What on Earth could the Australians possibly have to add to the MTC?

For that matter, can anyone name me 30 successful Australian military successes?

For crying out loud, why don't the Omanis just get over that obsession they have for all things related to those people who speak the language strangely and just hire instructors from a country with the strongest and best military the world has ever seen: America?

Then they might just learn something.

Australia!!?