Job Discussion Forums

Prometheus12 · Joined: 05 Mar 2012 Posts: 9 Location: Korea

I apologize beforehand if this topic has been covered extensively in another post, but my search function is not working properly.

I'm fairly confident that I can land a job in Saudi, but I'm just wondering what life is like for foreigners that could be mistaken for locals? I know as women we will mostly be covered so it shouldn't really matter all that much, but I know in the country I'm currently teaching I can play the foreigner card if I made a cultural mistake, but I suspect if I made a faux pas over there it would be much more severe?

This might be contract depending, but what is some of the vacation time one might expect? As well as entry level salary?

I'm not exactly over qualified, I have a linguistic degree with 2 years experience(by the time I'm looking to apply). I know you generally require masters, but I've seen more than a few posts I qualify for.

I will also becoming with my fiance now I understand its unlikely that we will be able to live together and thats fine, I would ideally want to live in the same apartment building though.

I'm most likely looking at Riyadh as I have a family member who lived there for 5+ years and could ask her some tourist information.

Lastly which passport/accent do they prefer in the middle east? I know here its American.

Thanks Smile

cmp45 · Joined: 17 Aug 2004 Posts: 1475 Location: KSA

Prometheus12 · Joined: 05 Mar 2012 Posts: 9 Location: Korea

Hey

thanks for your response, yes I just wanted to get a general idea of things in the ME.

I'm quite familiar with Islam Smile

as I have family and a lot of friends that's Muslim.

Sigh is there no country lol where there's a general ESL experience? In Korea everything depends on your school/employer as well, if I may ask are you in the ME for the money or is it somewhere you want to be?

I don't want to travel to places just because the money is great there I want to travel to places that either has a rich history or scenery that will still your heart. I know eventually that might get old, but for now I'm just looking to experience different things Smile

.

Thanks for your reply, I think for now I should hold off on moving there.

PS:

I've read some of the comments on the other threads and I don't recall anyone mentioning the food?

Whats a popular dish in Saudi/ME?

cmp45 · Joined: 17 Aug 2004 Posts: 1475 Location: KSA

I supose like most people, I am here for the money. I am approaching retirement so this will be my last chance opprotunity to obtain that large sweaty wad of cash...before the curtains drop on my teaching career.

I've been working in KSA long enough now that the Saudi way of life is no big deal for me. I like the job well enough and have a decent place I call home for now with plenty of personal projects to keep me occupied in my free time as well as generous paid holidays to travel.

TV is not on my list of activities, as the internet has replaced it for the occasional mind numbing experience when necessary. Although I do watch the odd movie or two...usually I watch my favorite
ones again and again Embarassed

There are a number of traditional Saudi dishes, some more tantalizing than others, but the most popular one that pops to mind is kabsa (meat and rice). The name sounds more exotic than the actual dish Laughing

Prometheus12 · Joined: 05 Mar 2012 Posts: 9 Location: Korea

That's the kind info I want lol sorry about my first post I was just trying to get a feel for the country and ended up asking the wrong questions!

All the cultural stuff aside for the moment, what do you do on the weekends or let me rather ask what is there to do on the weekends? Is the job like Korea mind numbing hours of desk warming (which I admit can be very useful), where you sit and just wait for the day to go by? Are you expected to teach or play games?

What is the weather like? I was in Dubai for a lay over and I nearly keeled over from the heat!

Is there lots of vegetarian options food wise? What about shopping do the people there tend to be western sizes or as small as here in Korea?

Thanks again you have been much more patient/kind than I expected people on the site to be. Embarassed

cmp45 · Joined: 17 Aug 2004 Posts: 1475 Location: KSA

CamTam · Joined: 05 Jan 2012 Posts: 32

Yes, there are many hours spent on mind-numbing activities, especially at the desk where one is required to be during the day outside of class time. Lots of women just gossip or discuss banal things or complain about something related to work or life in Saudi. The same complaints invariable pop up. "There's nothing to do... I can't wait to go somewhere else...Do you know who just did a runner? .... etc..