Job Discussion Forums

housecat · Joined: 03 Jan 2007 Posts: 104 Location: usa

Well, in the first place, do I really want to be hired by HCT? What I've read here indicates that it was a mess a couple of years ago, but is much better now. Would you agree?

I have a BA English and an MA Teaching, and I'm a currently state licensed teacher. I have little tertiary teaching experience post-MA, but quite a bit pre-MA. Will they go for this? I have no TOEFL/TESOL certificate. I simply have been teaching ESL for my entire professional life. Do I have to have the certificate? If so, can you recommend one?

I've had lots of interest in my resume by those looking to place teachers for ADEC positions, but I've heard that these jobs are very stressful and that many don't stay the entire first year because of this. Mostly, it seems, the problem is un-motivated, naughty students and little options for teachers as far as discipline, so that the job is nearly impossible.

I'd rather not be stuck with a stressful, near impossible job. I know that most UAE universities have done their hiring for the year, but HCT still advertises for applications until the end of May. I'm taking this to indicate that they're still hiring.

Also, I'm a single mother. I have a divorce that grants me full custody and provides for no visitation rights for my ex. I have a letter allowing me, pre-divorce, to travel with my son to the US. But I don�t' have, and cannot get (as I have no idea where my ex even IS at the moment, we have no contact) a letter allowing me to travel with my son to the UAE. Some have said I'd need the letter, others have said I would not because I have the divorce. Can you please advise? Are there still other single moms out there? How did you handle this?

I asked a similar question a few years ago, but I didn't go to the UAE then. Now, I believe the time may be right and I'm looking for the right opportunity. I'd greatly appreciate any up to date advice or information.

Sincere Gratitude To All

nomad soul · Joined: 31 Jan 2010 Posts: 11454 Location: The real world

housecat · Joined: 03 Jan 2007 Posts: 104 Location: usa

Thanks for your reply. Yes, I've looked over the job requirements. I know that some universities (perhaps all of them) will not hire someone without an MA TESOL, but HCT's requirements aren't the same. While I don't have the TEFL/TOFEL cert they ask for, I applied anyway. I guess I figure that it may not work, but it can't HURT. I haven't heard anything, but I'll let you know if I do.

I know sometimes it's only a matter of the correct stamp on the right bit of paper, but I guess I'm hoping that sometimes it might also be whether or not this person is relevantly educated and experienced and might be competent. I�m not holding my breath, though.

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

While HCT ads suggest that an MA is not required, the fact is that nearly all of their teachers either have one or have started on one. I suspect that the key may be how related your MA is to what they want. Your credentials and experience may tweak enough interest to get an interview to see. (the reality is that HCT is more like a secondary school than university due to the level of the students... but this is never admitted to...)

If your BA in English provided a US teaching license, that suggests that you did your student teaching somewhere along the line (which is actually a CELTA times 100 - as far as supervised teaching). I assume that you are licensed to teach ESL?

One point is that you mentioned having read of the issues at HCT. Most of the issues still exist as the problems mostly stemmed from the top management, who are mostly still there. But, much depends on what branch you are assigned to and you have little say in that. It tends to be a relatively high pressure job, but with very different problems than the ADEC contract with the public schools.

VS

housecat · Joined: 03 Jan 2007 Posts: 104 Location: usa

[quote="veiledsentiments"]While HCT ads suggest that an MA is not required, the fact is that nearly all of their teachers either have one or have started on one. I suspect that the key may be how related your MA is to what they want. Your credentials and experience may tweak enough interest to get an interview to see. (the reality is that HCT is more like a secondary school than university due to the level of the students... but this is never admitted to...)

If your BA in English provided a US teaching license, that suggests that you did your student teaching somewhere along the line (which is actually a CELTA times 100 - as far as supervised teaching). I assume that you are licensed to teach ESL?

One point is that you mentioned having read of the issues at HCT. Most of the issues still exist as the problems mostly stemmed from the top management, who are mostly still there. But, much depends on what branch you are assigned to and you have little say in that. It tends to be a relatively high pressure job, but with very different problems than the ADEC contract with the public schools.

VS[/quote]

Thanks, VS. I've also applied to the ADVETI program directly. I don't know what the reality is on the ground, but I get the strong impression that being a secondary teacher would be an asset because of the need to teach these adults as though they were jr. high students. Not that I would state it that way in an interview. I�ve had the same sort of impression about HCT.

The problem is that EVERY program available in the area has a lot of negative chatter online. ADEC, ADVETI, HCT, and to lesser extents the universities, all have negative reviews here at Dave�s. The hard part for a girl with a slightly tangential MA trying to find the best fit when no one there in the country can say anything more precise than �inshalla.� But I do understand that this is just the way it goes. I spent a lot of my life in another country where the rules are whatever the person in front of you says they are. No one has any real authority, no one wants to lose face or take a chance, so it�s almost like things get done in spite of those who are charged with doing them.

I�d like to find a program that will offer tuition for my son. I actually prefer the idea of homeschooling, but don�t want him to be home alone all day. Would anyone have any ready solution ideas for that? Could I hire someone to be with him at home? Could I trust someone like that?

nomad soul · Joined: 31 Jan 2010 Posts: 11454 Location: The real world

housecat · Joined: 03 Jan 2007 Posts: 104 Location: usa

I just did a phone interview with ADVEDI. The salary will be between 3000 and 3500 US with no room for negotiation. That seems low. Is it livable? They do pay tuition for my dependent and will pay for whatever housing we find, but they don't provide housing directly. There are the flights over, yearly tickets, and the 20000 ADE settling in money. Is it a good offer? I�ll need to do an in person interview in three days! So fast. So slow and then so fast! Please advise. Thank you.

Desert Camper · Posted: Wed May 15, 2013 12:28 am Post subject:

Housecat, sponsoring offspring from a former marriage is an issue that came up very recently at my place of work with a new member of staff. Before I tell you what the outcome was, you must remember that, although in many realms it is 'modern', 'progressive', and 'liberal', the UAE is still ultimately an Arab Muslim state in the Middle East. As such, whether we like it or not, women are at the end of the day viewed and regarded very differently from in the West. This is most striking when it comes to matters such as this.

In short, despite your divorce, in order to sponsor your son in the UAE you will require a letter of consent from your son's biological father in which he explicitly states that he has no objection to your sponsoring his son in the UAE. It is my understanding that, in order to prevent any old Tom, Dick, or Harry churning out such a document, the letter in question must be notarised.

You have to tread very carefully in situations such as this here as that consent could, I believe, be withdrawn at any time with one letter to the relevant authorities. You may then find yourself on something of a sticky wicket.

This may all seem a tad odd but you may not be aware that women here require permission for many activities. For example, they require written permission from their father, or, if married, from their husband, to apply for a driving license, to work, and to leave the country. A (non-Emirati) female friend of a colleague of mine in Sharjah split up with her husband recently and, as he did not support her in anyway financially, she sought and obtained a job with which to provide for her son, who stayed with her after the split. The guy got wind of this somehow, complained to the police, and had her thrown in prison for working without his express permission.

I thoroughly enjoy living and working in the UAE and could stay here quite happily till I retire, but you must be aware that horror stories like this abound.

housecat · Joined: 03 Jan 2007 Posts: 104 Location: usa

Thanks for the reply, Camper. Are you male or female?

My son is my son. His father and I are divorced. The divorce gives me custody. My ex has no visitation rights. This a divorce that HE petitioned and drafted. I have both physical and legal custody. I do not need my ex's permission to get my son's passport.

I also have a notarized letter that gave me permission to travel with my son the the US and to make any and all further needful decisions for my son on my ex's behalf. It isn't specific to the UAE, however.

So, I don't know. I think I'll continue with the interview process and see what happens when they ask me about these documents. All I can do is try.

I can't imagine my ex doing any such thing as having me imprisoned as he has had NOTHING at all to do with me or my son since before our divorce. He doesn't provide support. I couldn't find if I had to, as have no idea where he might be.

Thank you for the post though, and the nightmares I'm sure to have as I lie awake nights now trying to think this through.

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

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

rdobbs98 · Joined: 08 Oct 2010 Posts: 236

You don't need a letter. I am a divorced father raising my two daughters and have full and sole custody. I was able to show my custody decree to the Saudi Embassy and Saudi Cultural Mission and my daughters were given residence visas, along with me getting the Iqama.

Actually my ex didn't want us to go to the Middle East and she was informed basically too bad, you don't have any custody rights and your ex-husband has full and sole custody. I only had to notify her we were leaving, legally and that can be done by mail, email, text, etc. If you don't know his address, send it to the last address certified return receipt as proof.

I had to argue with them to actually read the document and the fact that the U.S. State Department considers a sole custodial parent to be in full charge of the children for immigration purposes.

In fact my daughters, my mom, and I also just went to the UAE and had no issues either and never were even asked for any custody papers, though I have them, and not one question going through immigration except compliments on having pretty daughters.

Don't listen to the nay-sayers because it is wrong regardless of a Muslim country or not. I am Muslim, daughters are Muslim, and my ex is Christian. So my daughters had no issue except for a 5 minute loud discussion by me with the Saudis and all was taken care of. UAE was not a problem either.

PC Parrot · Posted: Wed May 15, 2013 3:43 am Post subject:

I think you've missed the point.

You are a man.

rdobbs98 · Joined: 08 Oct 2010 Posts: 236

Regardless of man or woman the law is that she is able to travel with her children unimpeded. She does however have to legally notify her ex she is leaving and where she is going.

US State Department will give the children passports with only her as the signatory parent, and submission of a CERTIFIED, which means stamped by the court, copy of the custody agreement. US State Department states the sole custodial parent does not require the other parents signature or approval.

As far as UAE or Saudi Arabia, she should not have a problem. Like I said I had to yell at the Saudis, which apparently you have to do with most things and made them actually do there job. Something they abhor.

UAE when we travelled there, not even a word. They may request copies of the custody agreement but so what, if you have sole custody give it to them.

Desert Camper · Posted: Wed May 15, 2013 5:42 am Post subject:

Housecat, my gender has no bearing on the matter, though for what it is worth I am male. What is important here is that you are female.

Unfortunately, it does not matter one iota to the UAE authorities that your divorce in the US gave you custody. Nor does it matter that your ex-husband has no visitation rights. Similarly, it is simply not relevant that he petitioned and drafted the divorce. It also does not matter to the UAE authorities that you do not need permission in the US to get your son's passport. None of this is in any way relevant in the UAE (or indeed any other Islamic state) for the simple reason that the UAE is not the USA. It also is not at all relevant that you have a notarised letter allowing you to travel with your son from the US.

To repeat - as a female - in order to sponsor your son in the UAE, you will require a notarised letter from your son's biological father (your ex-husband) stating that he has no objection to your sponsoring his son in the UAE. Since you state that you are clueless as to his whereabouts, this will of course present something of a problem.

Regarding your comment that you simply cannot imagine your ex-husband possibly having you imprisoned, I would point out that the jails here are most likely full of people saying exactly the same thing. I did not mention this point in order to scare or shock you, but rather to alert you to the fact that the UAE is not the USA and thus you do not have the same rights here, especially not as a woman. Besides, who knows? Perhaps you can track your ex-husband down and can secure the requisite letter from him, but perhaps he will learn of your high (tax free) salary in the UAE, free flights, health care, accommodation, and a nice gratuity, and, whilst sitting in what is still recession-struck America, grows jealous of you and retracts the permission he gave just to spite you. I have certainly seen stranger things happen here.