Job Discussion Forums

Sirens of Cyprus · Joined: 21 Mar 2007 Posts: 255

It would be nice to be able to stick to English. but you can't. Answering such questions with "no comment" or "let's not talk about that" is unacceptable to them.

boyscout · Joined: 12 Mar 2013 Posts: 16 Location: UAE

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

I actually had a stock answer when my students (in Egypt or the Gulf) pressed me to talk about US foreign policy... or history. It was - presented humorously, "my government doesn't listen to me any more than your government listens to you" and we would all laugh.

VS

johnslat · Posted: Wed Apr 03, 2013 6:29 pm Post subject:

"The teachers who last longest in the Middle East really have to be on their side--as liberal, blame America firsters, Palestinian cheerleaders, closet antisemites, converts, etc. I doubt any neo-Nazis would be teaching ESL."

Hmm, in my case, I guess that means 20 years doesn't mean lasting long. Very Happy

Regards,
John

Yorks Lad · Joined: 16 Aug 2009 Posts: 93 Location: England

My stock answer is "We need to do English now. We can talk about politics after the lesson if you like."

So far, no students have taken me up on the offer.....

Sirens of Cyprus · Joined: 21 Mar 2007 Posts: 255

So John are you saying you were never really on their side and you kept them fooled for 20 years?

johnslat · Posted: Wed Apr 03, 2013 8:00 pm Post subject:

Dear Sirens of Cyprus,

I wasn't "on anyone's side" - in private discussions (never in class), I said what I thought. If I thought the Israelis were wrong, I said so; if I thought the Arabs were wrong, I said so. Many times, I thought BOTH sides were wrong. And in all cases, I added why I thought the way I did.

Not very humorous, I'm afraid, but it may be a "3rd alternative."

Regards,
John

Sirens of Cyprus · Joined: 21 Mar 2007 Posts: 255

Assuming you are now a millionaire, I'll say you are lucky to have been so fair and balanced, so...fox.

johnslat · Posted: Wed Apr 03, 2013 9:20 pm Post subject:

Dear Sirens of Cyprus,

A millionaire? Hardly Very Happy

. However 19 years in Saudi did help make my "golden years" more "golden."

I recall once, shortly after 9/11, I had a "muttawa-type" in one of my classes - beard, short thobe, etc. This one, however, had a quality rare in mattawa-types: a sense of humor.

One day in class, he raised his hand and asked, "Teacher, why Americans hate Saudis?"

So, I relied, " Abdullah, what if I asked you, "Why Saudis hate Americans"?

He blinked a few times. "But teacher, Saudis not hate Americans."

"Some do," I told him, "and some ignorant Americans hate all Saudis because of 9/11."They don't even KNOW any Saudis, but they hate them because of what a very few Saudis did. And that's stupid."

Abdullah said, "But Teacher, those Saudis terrorists. You see any terrorists here?"

I looked at his long beard and his short thobe and answered (smiling), "You mean besides yourself, Abdullah?"

To his credit (and my relief) he actually laughed.

I believe in discretion - there's no reason to go looking for conflict. But I also believe in saying what I think is right.

Regards,
John

Geronimo · Joined: 11 Apr 2007 Posts: 498

For advice on how to conduct oneself in the U.A.E.
ask Ali...

http://www.ask-ali.com/faq/blog.html

Geronimo