Job Discussion Forums

[Gazoo1000]

I have read news stories about all the development in Duqum. Does anyone know about ESL gigs there?

[veiledsentiments]

Talk about being out in the middle of nowhere...

VS

[Gazoo1000]

Its not the middle of nowhere anymore.

They have built an oil pipeline from Saudi into Oman and to Duqum, allowing oil to bypass the Straights of Hormuz. For this reason they are building hotels, a new port and other things. I figure a college or two is on the way.

[veiledsentiments]

I know it's a new port... but even if they put up a half dozen hotels, it is still in the middle of nowhere. It will be a long time before it has international flights, decent shopping, and much employment for any TEFLers that might want a place even more remote than the current colleges - of which so many now complain of the remoteness.

Good idea to bypass Hormuz though...

VS

[MuscatGary]

Maybe try contacting the hotels? Some of the staff may need English lessons.

[oilers]

If you look at any map, it is spelled "Duqm". Middle of nowhere for someone who hasn't been in the region for decades, drove thru there a year or so ago, tons of construction on new airport, new port, refinery, hotels, roads. was recently announced Iran is investing in the place as well, jobs will be forthcoming as omanis will end up staffing the place and will need english training to go along with all the rest, beautiful coastline there, rivals salalah imo...

[veiledsentiments]

Duqm/Duqum

Since it isn't an English word, transliteration is always problematic. There must be a dozen ways to spell Muhammed. And as I recall in Oman, there were at least 6 ways to spell the area where SQU is located on local street signs. (Al-Khod)

So... I wouldn't quibble over that second vowel.

VS

[MuscatGary]

You can get two different spellings of a place on street signs just a few hundred yards apart in Oman. It all depends on how it sounds to the person writing the sign.

[Pikgitina]

I guess 'the middle of nowhere' is kind of like the dubious 'length of a piece of string': totally relative and dependent on many things. And people on Dave's like to argue about them. However, even the swiftest look at a map of Oman will reveal Duqm's remoteness.

Even places like Riyadh, Perth and Auckland are in the middle of nowhere if you think about it, regardless of having roads, airports, hotels, shopping, etc.

[veiledsentiments]

I feel like the key to moving out of the "middle of nowhere" definition is to have an international airport. Local airports just add lots more hours in airports for expats... especially if one is from the "middle of nowhere" on the North American continent.

VS

[johnslat]

Welcome to Santa Fe, the only US capital city located in the exact middle of Nowhere.

Please stay away - we like elbow room here.

Regards,
John

[grahamb]

John, is that anywhere near the Back of Beyond? Do they speak Authentic Frontier Gibberish there?

I see that it's twinned with Holguin in Cuba. Does that mean they serve Mayabe in your local bar? Does it have plenty of elbow room?

[madrileno]

Interesting article in yesterday's Times of Oman about Duqm. They expect to have nearly 70k people living there by the end of this decade. No doubt schools and colleges will be built to serve the growing population.

http://www.timesofoman.com/Columns/1875/Article-Duqm-could-become-the-next-Singapore

[omanoman]

There is some ESL work going on there through institute contracting from Muscat and the need will grow. Whether or not there will be local institutes set up will remain to be seen but not for some years I reckon since there's just not enough work yet to justify the investment in a center.

[madrileno]

Just heard from a contact at GUTech that they've opened a branch campus in Duqum, so teaching jobs are available there now.