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titanicman
Joined: 17 Feb 2003 Posts: 71 Location: Qatar
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Posted: Sun Mar 14, 2004 6:15 am Post subject: Who went to TESOL Arabia? |
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Who went to TESOL Arabia? I thought it was an excellent conference with many interesting speakers. I accumulated many handouts and interesting ideas. The presentation "Using MS MovieMaker to make video lessons" was particuarly useful.
I hope this sounds appropriate. I'm not starving...just an observation!
During the presentation I gave at the conference, I interacted with the audience a lot. Most of the audience were Arab women. They made comments which I responded to or asked me questions which I answered. I live and work in Saudi Arabia where women will not give men the time of day. This was the first time I've ever interacted with Arab women. I don't know which word to use to describe this except "exciting". Thus, I found this interaction exciting.
Believe it or not, this is one of the things I'll remember from the conference.
Any other interesting stories or moments?
Thanks. Titanicman |
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JCMach1
Joined: 25 Mar 2003 Posts: 38 Location: US/Dubai/Sharjah
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Posted: Sun Mar 14, 2004 10:21 am Post subject: I presented as well |
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Some of the sessions were rather (read over) crowded.
Other than that, I had a great time. |
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Bindair Dundat
Joined: 04 Feb 2003 Posts: 1123
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Posted: Sun Mar 14, 2004 2:34 pm Post subject: Re: Who went to TESOL Arabia? |
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titanicman wrote: |
I accumulated many handouts and interesting ideas.
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I accumulated many free pens and fancy business cards; the latter make excellent tinder -- it's something about the ink.
titanicman wrote: |
I live and work in Saudi Arabia where women will not give men the time of day. This was the first time I've ever interacted with Arab women. I don't know which word to use to describe this except "exciting". Thus, I found this interaction exciting.
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Emirati women are great. They have major 'tude. I love 'em. Women from many other Arab countries are great, too. It's ironic, but in one-on-one adversarial encounters with men, they tend to put their "liberated" Western sisters to shame. |
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Cleopatra
Joined: 28 Jun 2003 Posts: 3657 Location: Tuamago Archipelago
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Posted: Sun Mar 14, 2004 3:30 pm Post subject: |
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Well, Saudi women certainly wont "give you the time of day" when in public. I'm not sure that Emirati women would either,if there are a lot of local men around.
However, in more enclosed situations, it's very different. Where I worked - a relatively desegregated environment, for KSA - the Saudi women were surprisingly chatty and open with the non Saudi male staff. In fact, a few local ladies were a little TOO open, as far as the management - and the reputations of the hapless male staff - were concerned... |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA
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Posted: Sun Mar 14, 2004 6:09 pm Post subject: |
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Hi
"the Saudi women were surprisingly chatty and open with the non Saudi male staff."
Cleo has hit the point exactly. As long as the men are not nationals, they tend to be completely open and often overly flirtatious. In fact, in the Emirates I felt that non-Emirati males were barely considered males at all. (the harem eunuchs?)
To be fair to all of you cringing male readers, it appeared to me that this was how they treated the non-Western males. Western males were used mainly for practicing flirtation. Often a problem for the rare young single males - in fact leading to some being moved to the Men's colleges.
Sorry we've moved off topic again sort of.
Let's hear from people that interviewed for jobs. Was the job fair worth the cost to fly there?
VS |
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scot47
Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343
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Posted: Tue Mar 16, 2004 4:18 am Post subject: ex-Saudi ? |
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Well word is that the contingent who went there from Saudi in search of new pastures had a few shocks.
UAE is not desperate to hire 50 year-old males with MA's in irrelevant subjects or past their sell-by-date. Especailly if they have spent the last ten years in Saudi. |
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