Job Discussion Forums

[sharter]

I've been here 4 months now and I'd recommend them. They've been absolutely fine in every respect.

[murphya33]

Well, I had been working there for three months and never fully grasped the work. I wasn't really sure what was going on. I used to go in every day to drink tea, sip juice and play solitaire.
The students made me laugh. All they wanted to do was hang around outside the classroom door and smoke cigarettes and chat and kept asking if it was break time yet and what's on the exam. The women sat around and talked about men and shoes. I felt sorry for the Indians and the Asians. They were the only ones who were doing any work and for very low salaries.

[Monorail Cat]

[i]I felt sorry for the Indians and the Asians. They were the only ones who were doing any work and for very low salaries.[/i]

^ I think you need a memory check, ol' boy. The Indian and Asian workers there were, and still are, the biggest slackers I've come across in the Gulf.

Did you actually[i] ask[/i] any of them how much they earn? Their salaries might be low compared to what qualified Caucasians earn but on parity with salaries in their own countries, they're earning a fortune, especially as few if any have more than a high school education. Just ask them what their money is being spent on when they transfer it back home. Most often, they're building houses for their family and even have their own staff!

Of course, their "low" salaries are supplemented by shake-downs for donations from the teachers there...

[veiledsentiments]

What does that post remind me of? Oh yeah... shades of the mid-level rulers of the Raj. ...do you also call them wogs?

VS

[alsysgo]

I have a friend working at TQLS. He said, they only need warm bodies and Kuwait is intolerable. I guess Kuwait is out of my search now.

[lord dobbin]

Sharter
Could I just ask if you are a member of TQLS management? Nothing wrong with this of course but it might explain your perspective

[sharter]

I am not a member of TQLS' management and nor am I likely to be. I've been here for 7 months. However, I do have a lot of experience in North Africa and the Gulf. What do you want from an employer? Read below.

1-Do TQLS pay you on time? Yes.
2-Is the salary OK? Yes. Not BAe or a direct hire oil gig but better than a Saudi Uni.
3-Are the flats nice? Yes.
4-Do you have the option of shared or single housing? Yes.
5-Do you get transport to and from work? Yes.
6-Is there a cheap canteen at work? Yes.
7-Do you have any bills? No.
8-Are there enough people around to find your own little niche? Yes.

I think the above implies a good gig and employer.

I also think it's about getting your expectations and priorities right.
If you're miserable in China, Poland or Laos, the chances are you'll be miserable here. If you don't get on with colleagues there, the chances are you won't here. It also helps to be laid back and flexible. Dealing with Arab learners can be frustrating but you need to be patient and good humoured. I've found the vast majority of my Kuwaiti students to be friendly and polite. It helps to know a few polite words in Arabic.

Of course, there are things which I would do differently but I'm a teacher and therefore not paid to worry about such things. I really don't understand the bad press.

A few polite words-some are Kuwaiti dialect.

1-Essme(t)-Listen
2-Shoof/Hi-Look
3-Urkut (singular)/Urkudoo (plural)-Calm Down. Don't say 'Uskut'/'Chub'/'a la sham' as Kuwaitis don't like being told to shut up.
4-Shukran-Thank you
5-Sabaa al-Hi-Good morning
6-Faman Alla-kinda like see you
7-T'kellum Inglesi-Speak English

I'd work for TQLS again.

[veiledsentiments]

Sharter... the major complaint that has shown up here is that they... in the past... had this tendency to bring in a batch of teachers when they didn't quite seem to have a contract... and then these new teachers were suddenly dumped after a month or two or three because there was no work for them. This naturally made these new hires angry. Does it seem that this is no longer an issue?

VS

[sharter]

Well I've been here 7 months and my leave comes up in July....I have a month of paid leave then come back.

This isn't an issue.

[sharter]

I'm now back on rotation earning the bucks and getting loads of hols.

TQLS served its purpose.

They pay on time, the accommodation is ok and the majority of people who work there are nice...the lot that came in Feb are great. The students/groups are hit and miss. This place suits older teachers and or couples.

What needs to change? Well for a start the girl in recruitment needs to hire people who aren't biploar/OCD inflicted or non-team players who are socially awkward. There also needs to be less cronyism on the KNPC project. DH taught relatively little the whole time I was there. Certain others got easy rides. People like myself got beginners and repeaters ad nauseam. There was 1 office from which all the negative BS flowed....that lot want to look closely at themselves. How they all ganged up on the older arty American lady was just shameful. Then again...hell hath no fury like a chocolate cha cha dancer scorned.

[sharter]

And, TQLS really need to impress upon KNPC that teachers need the national holiday in Feb extended to a 2 week break. Arriving in Sep and working through till the next Ramadan is just too much with the teaching load most of us had. It really sucked when the guys who weren't teaching much like the boss' mate got to go when they wanted and/or got 2 weeks in Feb while the rest of us had to fork out 700 quid just to get out of Kuwait and then just for 6 days as 2 were spent in the air. Spending a month's wages on a two-week hol might just be worth it but 6 days????come on!

That cover teacher racket was benter than a nine bob note

[Knaved]

Seems from your last 2 posts that the TQLS gig is far from fine ( in every respect).

Have the Libyan rotation jobs started up again?

[okedata]

Does anyone know if they're recruiting at the moment?

[Four]

Sadly yes and the money is crap.q

[middeastgirl]