Job Discussion Forums

[deathbychocolate]

1st post guys; great forum.

I've been teaching mainly ESOL for around 8 years (from time to time I've also taught a bit of maths, science and ICT due to prev quals/exp - MSc and worked in IT).

I got my CELTA in 2002 and what they call the 'CELTA 2' (I'd put it somewhere between the CELTA and the DELTA) in 2007.

Am thinking about going to Egypt for a year or so because it seems better for people who want to get a taste of a new culture.

I'd rather go for ELT but would be willing to teach in schools if opportunities exist - I don't have a PGCE but have QTS for FE in the UK.

My main concern is about my wife and kids (aged 8 and 12). We'd like to get a feel for the culture and the language too but haven't heard great reports about the education over there.

Have had a couple of interviews for Saudi but it all sounds too restrictive - I fear my wife and kids would suffocate.

Any ideas/advice would be great?

PS. How do I add an image to my profile? Many tnx

[deathbychocolate]

PS. I've read the sticky by teacherincairo from 2005.

Is the situation the same?

He was talking about 6000 EP per month and teaching in international schools...

Tnx

[justcolleen]

Unless they sunderstand Arabic, you will either have to pay for private schooling or home school your children.

Of course, it's possible to work out an arrangement with a school for an employee discount on their tuition and fees.

With regards to your other question, are you asking about salaries? If so, those are relative, depending on the city, suburb, size of the school, and a lot of times the level of desperation for a foreign teacher.

Still, it's possible to earn enough of a salary to support a family of four - produce, bread, and beans are relatively inexpensive although meat is very expensive - and as long as one stays out of the big box type stores and shops in their neighborhood area, the cost of living isn't horrible.

[deathbychocolate]

Thanks justcolleen; I appreciate your insight. Am thinking of Cairo. Would probably go for a mix of home school & private tuition.

We can't speak Arabic but would love to learn. Am more interested in the language and experience but need enough to live on

Applied to AUC & some of the international schools - got some interest from Green Valley School; anyone worked there?

If I don't get a post may just fly over and turn up on spec.

Am also looking at Oman but thinking only Muscat would have enough to keep the kids going.

Any thoughts would be appreciated

[veiledsentiments]

AUC would require a related MA, so that may affect you there. I don't know much about the International Schools. Cairo is a place where you can probably just drop in and pick up a job in one of those schools. As long as you don't have high expectations of pay and conditions. I'd say that the sticky above is still pretty much accurate.

To be honest, with kids, I'd probably prefer Oman as it is so much cleaner and unpolluted - a completely different experience from Egypt though. But, one can't just drop in and pick up a job... you need to be foreign hire to bring your family and stay long term. You are very late in the game for this coming academic year as the best places will have hired already. But, you lose nothing by applying.

VS
(as to an avatar... if it hasn't been answered somewhere else, I believe that you need 100 posts to get one. Check your profile and when you have the option, it shows up at the bottom of that page.)

[AsmaInEgypt]

I know this is a late reply - but I've heard positive comments about Green Valley from women who have kids studying there.