Job Discussion Forums

[IchliebeHunde1492]

Hello, yes, I did read the rules of conduct first, and hopefully I won't breach any of those rules. But I'm only writing this because I want opinions from those who have taught or are currently teaching in the Middle East. I am currently in China, but was one of relatively many teachers who got screwed over and had to leave China early. It's great that I'll be home to see my family for the holidays, but I really need a job elsewhere (I was supposed to use that job in China to pay off my credit card debt, but now I'm in even more debt and I heard the Middle East is a great place to pay off my debts!). In another forum, someone told me negative things about the Middle East that I'll have to put up with, but I don't see those as really negative. Here are some reasons why I think the Middle East would be a GREAT fit for me:

a) I don't approve of people getting drunk and causing problems. For example, I was once at a pro baseball game in the U.S., and pretty much everyone who was of age was drinking beer. I mean everyone. And then they started cussing and getting rowdy. I don't want to say I was "mad," but it was upsetting. I thought to myself, "How I wish I were in a country with no alcohol." So.....maybe go teach in Saudi Arabia?

b) Here in China, I was at a bar (only for an open mic night, not to drink!), and at a table, I saw a mix of Chinese/expat people (not that that matters at all) playing a gambling game, and for some unknown reason, I just got SOOOO MAD. I felt like going over there and tipping the table over. Guess what? Muslims aren't allowed to play gambling games!!

c) In Middle Eastern countries, most women tend to be covered completely (except the eyes). I totally respect everyone's religious beliefs and have nothing against that or what anyone wears. But some guys who go teach in the Middle East might complain that they don't get to see many (or any) attractive women due to the above fact. At first, I thought of that as a disadvantage, BUT I think for me, that could actually be a GOOD thing, because when I do see attractive women in the Western world, I lust over them and then I feel pain in my heart because I've never had a girlfriend. So, I figure in Middle East, since women are covered up, I won't lust, hence I won't feel pain in my heart, and then the problem won't surface.

d) I am indeed VERY interested in world religions (especially Judaism and Islam!), history, Biblical history, archaeology and deserts and palm trees. The only thing I would hate is the 120 degree weather in places like Riyadh in the summertime.

e) I admire Middle Eastern architecture. I know from my Spanish studies that Spain was a Muslim country for seven centuries, and the architecture they left behind in places like Cordoba is just fascinating. And, since I'm fluent in Spanish, it's interesting to note that Spanish has around 4000 loan words from Arabic due to the Moorish occupation for those seven centuries. Arabic also has a phonetic alphabet, unlike Chinese, which would make reading signs and important notices much easier.

f) One reason why China didn't work out for me is because I can't control large middle/high classes of 50+ students. It seems to me that most ESL teaching opportunities in the Middle East are for teaching ADULTS, and in small classes of 10-20. I could be wrong, but that's what I've heard.

I guess that's it for now. Please no B.S. comments like, "O.P., you're five seconds away from being Muslim yourself. Go for it!" I just want opinions from teachers who have taught or are currently teaching in Saudi Arabia or anywhere in the Middle East. I know nobody on an Internet forum can decide for me where I should go in the world, but I want to know if my reasons above are good enough for me to be a "good fit" in the Middle East.

[nomad soul]

[grahamb]

Let me see if I've got this straight: you're looking for a place with a mild climate where there's no alcohol or gambling and where the women are "covered up". How about a convent? I'm serious. Your impression of what constitutes the Middle East (by which I think you mean the Gulf states) simply does not reflect reality.

[Gulezar]

[MuscatGary]