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EasternSpirit
Joined: 20 Dec 2014
Posts: 10
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 Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2015 2:12 am Post subject: |
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| LPKSA wrote: |
You know what you're getting into. Come back here for support when things head south. A lot of people here are helpful.
Seriously, you can have the results from your medical switched to another potential employer, as long as it was YOU who paid for the medical tests. |
Thank you LPKSA, I appreciate your help and advise... unfortunately it was paid by Edx  |
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EasternSpirit
Joined: 20 Dec 2014
Posts: 10
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| Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2015 2:15 am Post subject: |
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| scot47 wrote: |
"Aljears /Aljeers/Aljer"
They plan to send you to Algeria ? |
Hi Scot,
I'm not going to lie that was my first thought! I ended up searching maps of Saudi to see if such a place existed before giving up and emailing them...so far no response. |
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EasternSpirit
Joined: 20 Dec 2014
Posts: 10
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| Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2015 2:33 am Post subject: Re: Heading to Saudi *sigh* |
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| sicklyman wrote: |
So, welcome.
But you come her for advice from those of us experienced enough in Saudi to provide it and then say
| EasternSpirit wrote: |
| I've read here the nightmare that is EduEdex |
which makes it seem as if our advice was worth something in the past and would probably be worth our time giving in the future.
But then you say immediately afterwards:
| EasternSpirit wrote: |
| I've signed a contract with them |
Well, there's your first mistake, right there. And if you are going to continue to ignore the advice of everyone on this forum and pursue avenues that many warn you not to go down, then what is the point in providing you with more guidance?
Get off the train before the tracks end...  |
Hi Sicklyman,
I'm sorry, it wasn't my intention to dismiss your advice or anyone else's for that matter so once again sorry. The only two things keeping me on it is the potential of having an income where I get to save for a master's degree and most importantly for personal reasons which I don't wish to get into. I appreciate and value everyone's advice and experience on here and I'm sorry if it came across that I wasn't appreciative.
Last edited by EasternSpirit on Sun Feb 15, 2015 4:18 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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EasternSpirit
Joined: 20 Dec 2014
Posts: 10
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| Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2015 3:03 am Post subject: Re: Heading to Saudi *sigh* |
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| nomad soul wrote: |
| EasternSpirit wrote: |
I have a graduates degree with TESOL certificate and limited experience, so I know UAE for now is off limits to me.
....
The most important thing for me is the accommodation/compound issue |
Maybe it's Al Kharj? Jizan? Asseer? Whatever.
What exactly are your concerns about the accommodations? If it's company provided and you don't have the option of taking a housing allowance, (i.e., you're not getting a housing allowance), then expect to manage with where they've put you.
Saudi Arabia is especially not a good choice for newbies. Plus, EdEx is one of the sketchiest of the bunch, so really lower your expectations. But if you're having doubts this early in the game, back out now and start responding to other job ads (and hope they also aren't positions with EdEx). Maybe look into jobs with TATI or Hawthorn in Oman.
By the way, what is your grad degree in? There might be other (better) opportunities that you qualify for. |
Hi Nomadsoul,
Thank you for your response.
My concern is not living in a clean place, I know it's silly but not having a clean place really affects how I function and it's something I can't bring myself to compromise on. I guess your right in that they could place me anywhere they want
I will look into those companies you mentioned but do they take newbies?
Once again thank you.
Last edited by EasternSpirit on Sun Feb 15, 2015 4:07 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2015 3:58 am Post subject: |
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| EasternSpirit wrote: |
My concern is not living in a clean place, I know it's silly but not having a clean place really affects how I function and it's something I can't bring myself to compromise on. I guess your right in that they could place me anywhere they want
....
I will look into those companies you mentioned but do they take newbies?
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"Clean" is quite fixable---you could even hire someone to clean the place for you at a low cost. When I arrived to my chosen housing in Jeddah, it wasn't ready for occupancy. I had clean bedding, but the place was very dirty. There were about a dozen dead roaches on the floor and the kitchen sink and tub were filthy. I stayed the night (I'm an ex-US military kid---I've experienced worse), but in the morning, I found two of the housing cleaning ladies and paid them to wash down the place. They went through each room like whirlwinds (and sang while they cleaned). 
As for TATI and Hawthorn (Oman), you'd need to check their most recent job ads to see if you match their requirements. |
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auhruh
Joined: 01 Aug 2013
Posts: 37
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| Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2015 9:11 pm Post subject: |
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As mentioned by other posters, go to Oman instead. Even the smallest of towns there have their charms, and Omanis are lovely people. I would be more than happy to live in any of the Manpower or CAS towns, especially Muscat, Nizwa, Sohar and Sur, but particularly Salalah.
Saudi is just a big festering dump that sends sane people round the twist, unless you've got one of the bluechip jobs in a proper compound. A couple of years in Oman looks a lot better than a couple of years in Saudi on any CV, and won't leave any lasting mental scars.
If the UAE is your goal, bear in mind that most UAE employers won't touch ex-Saudi teachers for fear of hiring a nutjob, but are more than open to hiring those who've learned the ropes in Oman while maintaining their faculties.  |
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Pikgitina
Joined: 09 Jan 2006
Posts: 420
Location: KSA
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| Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2015 6:52 am Post subject: |
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I concur that Oman is lovely. I spent two years in Nizwa and loved it.
The UAE (the federal institutions there) will touch teachers with Saudi experience on their CVs. A few of my friends, several other teachers I know and I were touched!  |
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hash
Joined: 17 Dec 2014
Posts: 456
Location: Wadi Jinn
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| Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2015 7:34 am Post subject: |
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| Pikgitina wrote: |
The UAE (the federal institutions there) will touch teachers with Saudi experience on their CVs. A few of my friends, several other teachers I know and I were touched! |
A jaw-dropping percentage of (male) teachers who work in KSA and then go directly to the UAE and other Gulf countries to teach, eventually high-tail it back to KSA within a couple of years or so, assuming they continue in the ESL field. At least, I should add, they try to come back (not all who re-apply get re-hired). There are many reasons why this phenomenon exists, but most are too embarrassing to discuss here.
Right now, I've got a list of candidates for positions starting in 2015. Two are currently in the Gulf and were former employees and the third is returning to KSA after a 12 year absence.
Recidivism, whereby prisoners keep coming back to prison after being released, because they can't cope with the real world, is alive and well in the Gulf.
Working in KSA, for many, is like checking into the "Hotel California". You can check out anytime you want, but you can never really leave.
PS - I should add that what I said above applies not only to "western" ESL teachers, but to any non-Saudi worker of any nationality (including other Arab citizens) in any field of endeavor. I've seen many a "sub-continental" "admin-asst.", bent, crippled and supported by a walking stick, being escorted to the airport on his way back to Karachi after a 45 year career at his desk in KSA. |
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johnslat
Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 13859
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
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| Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2015 1:29 pm Post subject: |
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Dear hash,
Must be the night life that keeps them coming back.
Regards,
John |
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auhruh
Joined: 01 Aug 2013
Posts: 37
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| Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2015 6:59 pm Post subject: |
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| hash wrote: |
| Pikgitina wrote: |
The UAE (the federal institutions there) will touch teachers with Saudi experience on their CVs. A few of my friends, several other teachers I know and I were touched! |
A jaw-dropping percentage of (male) teachers who work in KSA and then go directly to the UAE and other Gulf countries to teach, eventually high-tail it back to KSA within a couple of years or so, assuming they continue in the ESL field. At least, I should add, they try to come back (not all who re-apply get re-hired). There are many reasons why this phenomenon exists, but most are too embarrassing to discuss here.
Right now, I've got a list of candidates for positions starting in 2015. Two are currently in the Gulf and were former employees and the third is returning to KSA after a 12 year absence.
Recidivism, whereby prisoners keep coming back to prison after being released, because they can't cope with the real world, is alive and well in the Gulf.
Working in KSA, for many, is like checking into the "Hotel California". You can check out anytime you want, but you can never really leave.
PS - I should add that what I said above applies not only to "western" ESL teachers, but to any non-Saudi worker of any nationality (including other Arab citizens) in any field of endeavor. I've seen many a "sub-continental" "admin-asst.", bent, crippled and supported by a walking stick, being escorted to the airport on his way back to Karachi after a 45 year career at his desk in KSA. |
It's a bit like the tv show Lost: Nutjobs, flashbacks, crash, escape, return, 'the others', was dead anyway, Headway Plus. |
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EasternSpirit
Joined: 20 Dec 2014
Posts: 10
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| Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2015 4:21 am Post subject: Re: Al Jouf |
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| MENA_chica wrote: |
OP, I believe you're referring to Al Jouf, which is located in the north of the country. I work at a university in Riyadh, and arrived 2 months ago with EdEx. I've had no complaints, thus far. I was picked up at the airport in a timely manner, signed an identical contract to the one I signed in the UK, given an advance on my salary, paid a few days before the end of the month on both occasions, and received my iqama after 5 weeks. Many of the teachers here have been with the company for 2 years or more, and though there have been and continue to be minor complaints, major issues (such as non-payment) are the exception rather than the rule. There seems to be a lot of "bandwagonist" comments labelling EdEx as a sketchy company etc., so be mindful that while there is a lot of information on this and other sites, there's also quite a lot of hearsay, as well as outdated information.
Regarding accommodation in Al Jouf, my friend's experience has been that she was housed in an apartment temporarily until she found her own, for which she used her accommodation allowance. She says that the place is really conservative, with all women expected to wear the niqab, as well as being questioned by the police when venturing out alone. In Dammam, there were some concerns about the deplorable state of the company-provided accommodation, but I was told teachers were recently moved to new accommodation.
Hope that helps. |
Hi Mena,
Thanks for your response. I called Edex up and yes you're right it is Al Jouf. How is she coping there? After Googling the place, I don't know what to say about it lol. |
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EasternSpirit
Joined: 20 Dec 2014
Posts: 10
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| Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2015 4:28 am Post subject: |
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| auhruh wrote: |
As mentioned by other posters, go to Oman instead. Even the smallest of towns there have their charms, and Omanis are lovely people. I would be more than happy to live in any of the Manpower or CAS towns, especially Muscat, Nizwa, Sohar and Sur, but particularly Salalah.
Saudi is just a big festering dump that sends sane people round the twist, unless you've got one of the bluechip jobs in a proper compound. A couple of years in Oman looks a lot better than a couple of years in Saudi on any CV, and won't leave any lasting mental scars.
If the UAE is your goal, bear in mind that most UAE employers won't touch ex-Saudi teachers for fear of hiring a nutjob, but are more than open to hiring those who've learned the ropes in Oman while maintaining their faculties. |
Hi Auhruh, Believe me I'd love to! I really really wanted to go there as it would make things ten times easier e.g mum coming out to see me alone but for a newbie it's kinda hard |
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EasternSpirit
Joined: 20 Dec 2014
Posts: 10
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| Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2015 4:32 am Post subject: |
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| 1Sapphire1 wrote: |
| I have recently worked for EdEx in both Al Jouf (Sakaka) and Al Khobar. I think overall Khobar is better. You are close to the sea and can go to Bahrain on the weekends. They put us in the Tulip Inn which was ok. There are lots of things within walking distance. This includes fast food, a good book store, 2 great grocery stores, restaurants, places to buy DVDs etc. In Sakaka the housing was really bad but it is easy to find a new place and because it is so cheap there you can pocket a lot of the housing allowance. Sakaka is in the middle of nowhere and the grocery stores were little shops with not much selection. The students in Sakaka were much better but the teaching conditions were a bit primative. The food at the school (for lunch) was very poor and there wasn't much within walking distance except a Hungrey Bunny. I'm not sure what contracts EdEx has in Dammam now but when I was there they had three different locations. The food was the best at the University of Dammam. |
Hi,
Oh dear....it's Al Jouf so there's nothing to do in that place by the looks of it a |
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MENA_chica
Joined: 28 Sep 2014
Posts: 82
Location: Middle East
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| Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2015 10:27 pm Post subject: Re: Al Jouf |
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| EasternSpirit wrote: |
Hi Mena,
Thanks for your response. I called Edex up and yes you're right it is Al Jouf. How is she coping there? After Googling the place, I don't know what to say about it lol. |
She seems to be coping fine. I suppose when you've travelled this far for employment, coping is a natural response. In addition, she did not pass the PNU interview, so in her eyes, Al Jouf was her saving grace.
I don't have much in the way of information to share, but my advice would be to continue doing your research, be flexible and pragmatic. Hope it all goes well for you. |
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Fatboy
Joined: 23 Aug 2010
Posts: 66
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| Posted: Thu Jan 15, 2015 7:34 am Post subject: Returning to KSA |
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" A jaw-dropping percentage of (male) teachers who work in KSA and then go directly to the UAE and other Gulf countries to teach, eventually high-tail it back to KSA within a couple of years or so ..."
I am not sure where you get this information from, Ministry of Guesswork perhaps. People do go back to Saudi Arabia for many different reasons. Saudi has a lot of things that people want, e.g. money, free time and long holidays. Some people like it; others don't. |
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