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biffinbridge
Joined: 05 May 2003 Posts: 701 Location: Frank's Wild Years
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Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2008 2:05 pm Post subject: Can you still save in Qatar? |
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Many moons ago I was on a married status, direct hire contract at Qatar Petroleum, which was just about the best paid gig there.
Is it still a good deal and can the rest of you save much out there? I remember starting to spend loads every month.
I'm with an oil company in Libya now and although the salary is lower, I save much much more. I also get 18 weeks paid holiday,6 tickets, free food, a free new studio with sat tv, free pool, gym, international calls etc etc. The work is really good and the Libyans, apart from being really nice people, love learning English. It's no contest. Seems to me that this place is really on the up relative to my last stint here.
I was back in the Gulf in December and Bahrain was such a hole, as was Saudi.
Anyway, starting to ramble...so am signing off. |
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QatarChic
Joined: 06 May 2005 Posts: 445 Location: Qatar
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Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2008 10:37 am Post subject: |
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I think you're better off in Libya. Prices here have skyrocketed EVERYWHERE. It's become more difficult to save money. Salaries haven't increased but the prices of everything from food to clothes has |
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biffinbridge
Joined: 05 May 2003 Posts: 701 Location: Frank's Wild Years
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Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2008 2:21 pm Post subject: prices |
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There's a guy on the plant here who was in Doha a couple of weeks ago and he told me that a small can of beer is now 45 Riyals in the Marriot bar...that is just a rip off.
I reckon Libya's on the up. |
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QatarChic
Joined: 06 May 2005 Posts: 445 Location: Qatar
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Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2008 3:13 pm Post subject: Re: prices |
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biffinbridge wrote: |
I reckon Libya's on the up. |
It almost certainly is |
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pkers07
Joined: 31 Mar 2007 Posts: 18 Location: Paradise
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Posted: Mon Mar 10, 2008 5:11 pm Post subject: |
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I don't know why people make a mole out of a mountain:!:
My friend works and earns 11k/month and could save 7k comfortably and at the same time treat himself and family once in a while.
What's one doing at Marriot when one can have a nice time at Garvey's'?The same can beer at Marriot goes for like 15 riyals at Garvey's(European family club).Also there are other nice cool joints in Doha where can hangout without tears.
RegardingsSalaries also has been raised by 40% for govt employees while private concerns decides/negotiates their employees' raise.
Come on guys.Let's try to dwell on the positive at least for once on this forum. |
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Stephen Jones
Joined: 21 Feb 2003 Posts: 4124
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Posted: Tue Mar 11, 2008 6:40 am Post subject: |
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Quote: |
The same can beer at Marriot goes for like 15 riyals at Garvey's |
That's $4 a small can of beer. And to think I complain about paying 75 cents a pint at the off-licence in Sri Lanka (from $1.40 to $3.00 in pubs or hotels which is double what it was a couple of years ago). |
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BM
Joined: 10 Oct 2008 Posts: 5
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Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2008 6:34 pm Post subject: north atlantic college |
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hi
I need some information about the college. if somebody can answer my questions:
how many months of holiday do EFL teachers get?
how many hours do they teach every week?
is it a relaxing atmosphere or do they have to sign in and sign out everyday, like factory workers?
Who can fire teachers, just coordinators or Human resources?
are teachers respected or treated as slaves?
are the classes mixed or just boys? if not mixed, who teaches boy students and who teaches girl students?
Do students decide when and who gets fired?
thank you for answering my questions. BM |
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pkers07
Joined: 31 Mar 2007 Posts: 18 Location: Paradise
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Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2008 8:21 pm Post subject: |
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Hi BM,
I will try to answer your questions according to what my friends there said.
1. How many months of holiday do EFL teachers get? Most teachers go on holiday in August and also get government holidays that are paid for.They are entitle to 6 days sick leave which is also paid for by the company.
2. How many hours do they teach every week? Teachers work for about 35 hours/week but actual teaching is 25 hours/week.
3. Is it a relaxing atmosphere or do they have to sign in and sign out everyday, like factory workers? No.It's not a relaxing atmosphere if you're unfortunate to be at QAC.And yes,you have to sign in and out as factory workers and you might get a warning letter(if you happen to be stationed at QAC) if you're late for a few minutes.
4. Who can fire teachers, just coordinators or Human resources? Senior instructors reccommend teachers for firing and there rccommendation is final and almost always irreversible.
5. Are teachers respected or treated as slaves? Prior to this time(from the students side) teachers were not that respected but it's getting a little bit better these days.
6.Are the classes mixed or just boys? if not mixed, who teaches boy students and who teaches girl students? Classes are not mixed.But it doesn't matter which gender is the teacher.
7. Do students decide when and who gets fired? Yes.Students may decide who gets fired if the teacher is too strict and if he/she is a mediocre in his field. |
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word_to_the_wise
Joined: 28 May 2007 Posts: 67 Location: Riyadh
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Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2008 2:04 pm Post subject: |
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is it a relaxing atmosphere or do they have to sign in and sign out everyday, like factory workers?
Most places expect you to sign in and out - it has nothing to do with being treated like a factory worker. It's just common sense. |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA
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Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2008 4:02 pm Post subject: |
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Common sense?????????
I have never signed in for any job anywhere. In 15+ years working in business in the US, I never had to do that. In 15+ years in education - almost all in the Middle East - never once did I sign in or out and would have been highly insulted to be treated in such an unprofessional and disrespectful manner.
And... it is very much treating one like a factory worker who is paid hourly. It is treating one as if one is so immature and uneducated and unprofessional that one can't be trusted to do one's job. The day I was asked to sign in and out would have been the day I turned in my resignation.
VS |
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BM
Joined: 10 Oct 2008 Posts: 5
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Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2008 6:54 pm Post subject: teachers being treated as factory workers! |
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thank you for answering me. So it sounds awful working there. signing in and out, senior teachers can fire a teacher, it's really terrible. so why do teachers stay there? they sell their dignity, is it worth it? If Canadians are running the college, do Canadians in Canada work like that? it sounds like a bad system, like in factory. do teachers in canada at sign in and out these days? what system are they using? I doubt it's Canadian... |
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scot47
Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343
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Posted: Fri Oct 17, 2008 12:12 am Post subject: |
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Signing in and signing out is quite common in the Middle East in teaching
jobs ! Not, I am pleased to say. where I work. We sign in at the beginning of the Semester to show we are back from vacation, and that is it |
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word_to_the_wise
Joined: 28 May 2007 Posts: 67 Location: Riyadh
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Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2008 5:38 am Post subject: |
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Resignation gladly accepted VS |
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word_to_the_wise
Joined: 28 May 2007 Posts: 67 Location: Riyadh
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Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2008 5:50 am Post subject: Re: teachers being treated as factory workers! |
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BM wrote: |
So it sounds awful working there. signing in and out, senior teachers can fire a teacher, it's really terrible. so why do teachers stay there? they sell their dignity, is it worth it? |
BM - I really have no idea where you're coming from on this. Signing in and out is common in the Gulf. Why shouldn't senior teachers fire people? I can fire teachers, and do so when I encounter incompetence - which is fairly rife in the Gulf.
Do the above factors make it so terrible? No of course not - only terrible for the lazy, incompetent TEFL types here that give us all a bad name.
So what goes on in Canada? Turn up when you feel like it and never be accountable? |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA
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Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2008 3:51 pm Post subject: |
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I have taught in private universities and government universities in Kuwait, Oman, Egypt and the UAE... and none ever suggested signing in or out. At some there were specific hours, but no 'time clock' or little list to sign. Nor did any teacher - senior or otherwise - ever have the right to fire another teacher.
In the US (and also Canada I suspect), they hire professionals who are required to be there to teach their classes, have X number of office hours a week, and attend departmental meetings.
If you hire professionals and treat them as professionals, you don't need to treat them like uneducated factory workers.
You have made a wise decision BM. Find a more professional employer.
VS |
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