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Mixal
Joined: 08 Apr 2015
Posts: 80
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EFL Educator
Joined: 17 Jul 2013
Posts: 988
Location: Cape Town
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 Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2017 2:25 pm Post subject: |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2017 2:43 pm Post subject: |
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| The salary is low because the employer is a for-profit language school (like Berlitz). Since there's no specific nationality indicated, that ad will appeal to native speakers from non-western countries where English is widely spoken. Trailing spouses from the US/UK/Canada... already in Bahrain might also be interested. |
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sicklyman
Joined: 02 Feb 2013
Posts: 930
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| Posted: Tue Mar 14, 2017 8:58 am Post subject: |
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| yeah, don't get your reaction here. It's advertised as an entry level position and wouldn't have drawn my attention otherwise... |
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Mixal
Joined: 08 Apr 2015
Posts: 80
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| Posted: Tue Mar 14, 2017 12:03 pm Post subject: |
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| Um, it's the lowest salary in the Middle East I've seen by far. Less than $9 per class? 6 days? 30 teaching hours? Half of monthly car rental reimbursed? Actually, it's one of the worst deals I've seen in a while. |
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chrisp728
Joined: 13 Oct 2012
Posts: 40
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| Posted: Tue Mar 14, 2017 12:17 pm Post subject: |
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| nomad soul wrote: |
| The salary is low because the employer is a for-profit language school (like Berlitz). Since there's no specific nationality indicated, that ad will appeal to native speakers from non-western countries where English is widely spoken. Trailing spouses from the US/UK/Canada... already in Bahrain might also be interested. |
"Native speaker" in the Gulf means someone from US/UK/Ireland/Canada/Oz/NZ/SA. Not Asians who are fluent. And the fact it goes into detail about flat share, visa, flight etc makes it doubtful they're looking for Sally Saar. They actually want a Westerner to come and teach 30 hours a week for that package.
That is truly horrifying. |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Tue Mar 14, 2017 2:07 pm Post subject: |
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There's nothing "horrifying" about it considering it's a for-profit language school (i.e., a privately-owned business or franchise that earns money for the owners).
Do the math:
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- The monthly salary will be BHD 400 + 200 = BHD 600 ($1592 USD) + Living Allowance ($530) = $2122 USD Approx
- Transport Allowance of BHD 70 ($186) per month (This covers half of monthly car rental) |
That's $2308 US/month ($2122 + $186), which will appeal to newbies with native English proficiency who are mainly looking for a first teaching job in the Mid East and aren't fixated on making money. |
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sicklyman
Joined: 02 Feb 2013
Posts: 930
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| Posted: Wed Mar 15, 2017 9:23 am Post subject: |
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| yep...I'm with Nomad here. I'm not saying that it's a stellar offer, but it is clear that it's entry level. I imagine whoever takes it living in a flat share in, say, Gudaibiya, but no doubt that would add to the overall romantic "oriental" experience that such newbies dream of. |
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chrisp728
Joined: 13 Oct 2012
Posts: 40
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| Posted: Wed Mar 15, 2017 12:42 pm Post subject: |
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| nomad soul wrote: |
There's nothing "horrifying" about it considering it's a for-profit language school (i.e., a privately-owned business or franchise that earns money for the owners).
Do the math:
| Quote: |
- The monthly salary will be BHD 400 + 200 = BHD 600 ($1592 USD) + Living Allowance ($530) = $2122 USD Approx
- Transport Allowance of BHD 70 ($186) per month (This covers half of monthly car rental) |
That's $2308 US/month ($2122 + $186), which will appeal to newbies with native English proficiency who are mainly looking for a first teaching job in the Mid East and aren't fixated on making money. |
The extra BD200 is only if you teach an extra 40 classes (beyond 120!!) per month. That's not guaranteed. And note they say you need to rent a car to get to "different teaching venues", so you'll likely spend much of your time sitting in traffic: time which, along with prep time, will be unpaid.
Also, on the car issue (which they say is necessary) they only give you BD 70, which they say covers half of monthly car rental. So you'll spend at least BD100 of your own money, and probably more, on the other half plus petrol.
Knowing these private places they'll rig it so you teach in 3 or 4 different places per day for a total of 30 classes per week so they don't have to pay you the extra BD200, but you will of course spend 10 hours a day 6 days a week when driving around and prep/admin is taken into account.
So you'll be getting BD400 - BD 100 (car) + living allowance,total $1300 per month, effectively working 50-60 hours a week.
So about $5-6 per hour.
If you think a Western graduate who spent god knows how much time, money and effort slogging through a degree, upping and moving to an Muslim country on the other side of the world to live in a crappy flatshare for less than minimum wage isn't horrific, you're one tough cookie |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Wed Mar 15, 2017 4:46 pm Post subject: |
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| chrisp728 wrote: |
| If you think a Western graduate who spent god knows how much time, money and effort slogging through a degree, upping and moving to an Muslim country on the other side of the world to live in a crappy flatshare for less than minimum wage isn't horrific, you're one tough cookie. |
Your analysis of the teaching hours and pay are off mainly because of your assumptions about the job. However, there are crucial questions applicants should bring up in their interview and check to see what's addressed in their conditional contract. It's also smart to research the employer prior to accepting any offer.
That said, you're evaluating this newbie posting from an emotional, personal perspective and your unrealistic belief that we're all tidy, cookie-cutter versions of each other with the exact same motivations, goals, needs/wants, background, life experiences, ethnicity and cultural identity, financial situation... News flash: We are not clones of each other (thankfully)! Things you find distasteful about that position, such as living in a Muslim country and with roommates and other shared expenses, may be trivial or positive to others. (BTW, most of the western teachers I worked with in the Gulf are Muslim.)
Although this entry-level job isn't for me (or you), I withhold my judgment of others who see it as a way to work in the Gulf and gain initial experience. Most first jobs for newbies are about compromising one's wants.
And yeah, you might say I'm a "tough cookie." I managed KSA just fine as a single female and subsequently went on to work on a unique US State Dept. contract in a war zone elsewhere in the Mid East. That's certainly a situation you'd find "horrifying."  |
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sicklyman
Joined: 02 Feb 2013
Posts: 930
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| Posted: Thu Mar 16, 2017 9:02 am Post subject: |
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| nomad soul wrote: |
| That's certainly a situation you'd find "horrifying." |
what?! you didn't have to share a flat did you? 
My first overseas TESOL job in Japan which I took 19 years ago next week paid about the same as this one and the expenses were comparable too as prices in Japan aren't that different now from then. I spent between 7-15 hours a week driving to teaching locations too.
guess no one's willing to put in 60-hour weeks anymore... softies... |
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chrisp728
Joined: 13 Oct 2012
Posts: 40
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| Posted: Thu Mar 16, 2017 1:23 pm Post subject: |
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| nomad soul wrote: |
We are not clones of each other (thankfully)! Things you find distasteful about that position, such as living in a Muslim country and with roommates and other shared expenses, may be trivial or positive to others. (BTW, most of the western teachers I worked with in the Gulf are Muslim.)
Although this entry-level job isn't for me (or you), I withhold my judgment of others who see it as a way to work in the Gulf and gain initial experience. Most first jobs for newbies are about compromising one's wants.
And yeah, you might say I'm a "tough cookie." I managed KSA just fine as a single female and subsequently went on to work on a unique US State Dept. contract in a war zone elsewhere in the Mid East. That's certainly a situation you'd find "horrifying." |
I completely agree that we aren't all "clones", but I've yet to encounter the constituency of Western degree holders with a penchant for travelling round the world to work 60 hours for sub-minimum wage. You wouldn't even get gap yah trustafarian voluntourist types as Bahrain isn't a 3rd world charity case (yet) and their extracurricular activities don't generally go down well in Dar Al-Islam.
As for whether I'd find your war zone job horrifying, that depends. If you were dodging bullets and mortar rounds while attempting to explain the intricacies of the present perfect after a two-hour commute on a potholed, IED-laden road for minimum wage, then yes I would.
If, as I suspect given that it was a State Department gig, you lived and worked in complete, luxurious safety surrounded by US marines, picked up a hefty salary with plenty benefits and no bills, and schmoozed with fellow civil servants and embassy types at weekends, I'd argue it was about as horrifying as a fluffy kitten named Tinkerbell  |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Thu Mar 16, 2017 5:58 pm Post subject: |
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| chrisp728 wrote: |
They actually want a Westerner to come and teach 30 hours a week for that package.
That is truly horrifying.
....
As for whether I'd find your war zone job horrifying, that depends. If you were dodging bullets and mortar rounds while attempting to explain the intricacies of the present perfect after a two-hour commute on a potholed, IED-laden road for minimum wage, then yes I would. |
Which is more horrifying? That Bahrain TEFL job or working in a dangerous country? 
And no, my colleagues and I obviously weren't out dodging bullets. However, there were the usual sounds of gunfire and chaos, and some of the bombs were powerful and close enough to rattle our doors and windows.
| chrisp728 wrote: |
| If, as I suspect given that it was a State Department gig, you lived and worked in complete, luxurious safety surrounded by US marines, picked up a hefty salary with plenty benefits and no bills, and schmoozed with fellow civil servants and embassy types at weekends, I'd argue it was about as horrifying as a fluffy kitten named Tinkerbell |
It was completely the opposite of your description except for the pay. In fact, during the nine months I was there, I only saw the inside of the US Embassy twice.
| chrisp728 wrote: |
| I completely agree that we aren't all "clones", but I've yet to encounter the constituency of Western degree holders with a penchant for travelling round the world to work 60 hours for sub-minimum wage. You wouldn't even get gap yah trustafarian voluntourist types as Bahrain isn't a 3rd world charity case (yet) and their extracurricular activities don't generally go down well in Dar Al-Islam. |
Your "yes, but" response shows you still maintain that we all should think like you and see and experience the world through your prism. Based on your belief system, you likely perceive the US Peace Corps program is about as distasteful as that Bahrain position.
It seems we'll have to agree to disagree. |
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chrisp728
Joined: 13 Oct 2012
Posts: 40
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| Posted: Thu Mar 16, 2017 6:21 pm Post subject: |
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| nomad soul wrote: |
Your "yes, but" response shows you still maintain that we all should think like you and see and experience the world through your prism. Based on your belief system, you likely perceive the US Peace Corps program is about as distasteful as that Bahrain position.
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Not at all. The Peace Corps is quite different: it involves predominantly youthful idealists out to "make a difference", voluntourists and trustafarians who go to underdeveloped third world countries to do charity work, and then party hard, explore and look for adventure at weekends. I'm not knocking it, they do good and selfless work, but it's an entirely different situation to this terrible position in Bahrain, which is not a 3rd world country asking for western charity.
If a western degree holder wants to eschew money in order to make a difference, see the world and have an adventure, they'll join the Peace Corps or go to one of many more open and relaxed Latin American, African or Asian Third World countries. If they're a deeply religious Muslim, they'll go to Saudi Arabia (or possibly a little further north).
I simply couldn't imagine the "prism" through which a graduate would subject themselves to this job in this location. So yes, we'll have to agree to disagree. |
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scot47
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343
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| Posted: Mon Mar 20, 2017 6:00 pm Post subject: |
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| The Peace Corps is a praiseworthy institution. This quoted offer of a job in Bahrain at US$1000 a month is not worthy of anything except derision. |
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