Job Discussion Forums

[claka77]

I’ve been offered a couple of university jobs in Saudi Arabia but the interview process seemed very informal (I was both jobs straight away which seemed strange). I’ve previously taught in Australia (my home country), South Korea (kids) and China (adults). I have a BA, TESOL Certificate and MA in Primary Teaching (turns out I’m not great teaching primary in Australia, I’m not looking for an international role. With Esl, I have around 6years of experience.
I’m considering a return to China however I was wondering if anyone here has taught/lived in Saudi Arabia and an East Asian country? How does it compare? I’m getting ‘cold feet’ about possibly going to Saudi Arabia. I can live alone however I’m prone to bouts of depression more recently back in Sydney (I just started taking medication for it and was wondering how thorough baggage checks are in the Kingdom). I liked China but I didn’t like the lousy internet and a few other things. If anyone has advice about work and life in the KSA I appreciate any info (there doesn’t seem to be a lot online compared to teaching in Asia).

[nomad soul]

[sicklyman]

two things you might want to consider:

EFL? Japan - a much more supportive environment than China or Korea and better standard of living. You can live a decent lifestyle and save some money if you're careful and don't overdo it. Lots and lots of eikaiwa (private language schools) to choose from and you're much less likely to get shafted by your employer there than elsewhere in SE Asia.

Have you considered giving international primary ed a shot? There's usually much less admin / govt-related bureaucracy and a much more supportive teaching environment in many decent international schools. The UAE or Bahrain would be good places to start if you're wanting to explore the Gulf.

Personally, I think you should avoid Saudi if depression may be an issue. It's a really easy place to get even more depressed than you normally might be.

[scot47]

Do not go to KSA if you have depression. As for "East Asia" I think there are huge differences between the countries in that Region. And there are great variations between jobs within one country. China is a huge market with huge variation in teaching jobs.

i sometimes wonder how my career would have developed if i had followed through on an offer to go to Beijing in 1965 at the age of 18.

[In the heat of the moment]

The informality of the interviews could be because of your experience, age, and qualifications. For the depression you say you need medication only when back in Oz, could this be the reason (I can only stay in the UK for short periods before feeling low)?

As to comparing Saudi and East Asia - chalk and cheese, oranges and apples, grandmothers and toads, the cow and the long johns, honey and butter, oranges and orangutans, etc. The major differences that really count (for me as it's subjective) are you get free flights and accommodation (which is usually very spacious and comfortable) in Saudi and not the tiny boxes in Korea, there is no public alcohol culture in Saudi, Saudi is either warm and dry or hot and dry, the internet is relatively lightly regulated, and there's no fun to be had, anywhere, ever. For fun you fly to it, which is affordable because the wages are pretty good. Taking those into consideration, you'd benefit more from seeking information on the actual institutes you've been offered jobs at.

[currentaffairs]

I wouldn't go to Saudi Arabia. Best of luck!

[voyagerksa]

If Mohammed Al Qattani is having a hard time or just doesn't like you for some reason, you will be beyond help in Saudi Arabia. This is especially so if he notices that you are in some way a little bit different than the other teachers. There is no reason for anybody to risk going to that country to teach anymore.

[Thomasmc89]

For 8 months or so, Saudi is do-able. Granted you'll be very bored but the living is easy. For entertainment I watched literally hundreds of films alone in my room, and for a breath of fresh air (if you could call it that) went out to the cafe across the street now and then to have a coffee and watch the world go by.

You'll meet many Saudis who are very friendly and make sure to add you on whatsapp with a view towards doing things in the future and then they never respond to you ever again. So friendships are quite fickle in that way and it's not easy to make friends. But Couchsurfing works well and introduced me to some wonderful people - Saudis and foreigners alike.

You can access literally anything you could ever imagine on the internet as long as your VPN is turned on. (I recommend Hi VPN. It's free and fast)

So if being on your own or being bored makes your depression worse then Saudi would be better off avoided to be honest. But if you can occupy yourself a little with movies or the gym or something it's really not that bad.
And the students I had were lovely btw!

[sheikhitnow]

Movies--indeed; and "prestige" TV such as Mad Men or The Handmaid's Tale. Most of my colleagues and I downloaded movies and TV using the VPN and bittorrent sites. I've amassed quite a collection for my old age in case I find myself so poor I can't even afford Netflix and basic satellite. Without a VPN in the Tragic Kingdom you get silly blocks: for instance forget about booking a room directly with the popular Chiang Mai (Thailand) tourist hotel, the Pornping Hotel. Try to type Pornping and see what happens. You can guess.

[In the heat of the moment]

"Pornping Tower Hotel Chiang Mai is temporarily closed as the property undergoes an extensive revitalization."

Actually I would never have guessed that.