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Non-native speaker teaching in Afghanistan or Iraq?
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nnest



Joined: 18 Jun 2015
Posts: 26

PostPosted: Thu Mar 10, 2016 11:29 am    Post subject: Non-native speaker teaching in Afghanistan or Iraq? Reply with quote

Would it be hopelessly naive for a Russian citizen (no passports other than Russian) to expect to find a TEFL job in Afghanistan or Iraq?

2 years of teaching experience, a CELTA, an unrelated university degree. Experience teaching in developing countries.

Pay in East/Southeast Asia is 2000 USD a month tops for that kind of quals, and in Russia it will probably be closer to 200 in the near future.

My understanding is that jobs in Afghanistan and Iraq pay better and employers cannot be too picky about who they hire, but truth be told, I don't know anything about the Middle East—other than the fact that the region is one of the largest producers of dead human bodies—so maybe I'm missing something.
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nomad soul



Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world

PostPosted: Thu Mar 10, 2016 11:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

That's not likely. The type of position you're thinking of gets filled with native speakers (usually US citizens) who tend to have a military background and/or solid teaching/training skills. These are US government subcontracted jobs -- some require security clearance. Additionally, qualified Afghan and Iraqi EFL teachers also teach in their homeland.

See: Don't lump all of the Mid East together; each country is different. Besides, if you believe it's unsafe, why are you asking about jobs in the region? Anyway, with a Russian passport, an unrelated BA, and minimal experience, you're not likely to qualify for a TEFL job in the ME unless you obtain some serious education. Otherwise, try the British Council in Afghanistan and Iraq. Also, China might be a good option for you. Either way, the pay won't be stellar.
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hash



Joined: 17 Dec 2014
Posts: 456
Location: Wadi Jinn

PostPosted: Thu Mar 10, 2016 12:23 pm    Post subject: Re: Non-native speaker teaching in Afghanistan or Iraq? Reply with quote

nnest wrote:
but truth be told, I don't know anything about the Middle East

Really? That's odd because newspapers world-wide carry daily stories about hordes of your countrymen (ooops...countrypersons) doing their thing in Syria which is, of course, a Middle Eastern country.

Perhaps you should seek work there..... not teaching English, but teaching Russian...you might have better luck there.... До свидания!
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nnest



Joined: 18 Jun 2015
Posts: 26

PostPosted: Thu Mar 10, 2016 1:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks, nomad soul.

nomad soul wrote:
... if you believe it's unsafe, why are you asking about jobs in the region?


Because certain unsafe places seem to pay better ...

hash wrote:

... Syria which is, of course, a Middle Eastern country.

Perhaps you should seek work there ...


... and others don't.
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scot47



Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343

PostPosted: Thu Mar 10, 2016 4:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

It is unlikely that you will get more than US$2000 a month, if you get anything at all in the Middle East. There are security implications. I know that it is unfair but.......so it goes as Kilgore Trout would say.
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cartago



Joined: 19 Oct 2005
Posts: 283
Location: Iraq

PostPosted: Fri Mar 11, 2016 1:01 am    Post subject: Re: Non-native speaker teaching in Afghanistan or Iraq? Reply with quote

You could find work in Iraqi Kurdistan but the pay is unlikely to be above $2000.


hash wrote:
nnest wrote:
but truth be told, I don't know anything about the Middle East

Really? That's odd because newspapers world-wide carry daily stories about hordes of your countrymen (ooops...countrypersons) doing their thing in Syria which is, of course, a Middle Eastern country.

Perhaps you should seek work there..... not teaching English, but teaching Russian...you might have better luck there.... До свидания!


So because Russia is a big player in the Syrian civil war that means all of its citizens must know about the Middle East including job prospects there?
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nomad soul



Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world

PostPosted: Fri Mar 11, 2016 1:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

nnest wrote:
nomad soul wrote:
... if you believe it's unsafe, why are you asking about jobs in the region?

Because certain unsafe places seem to pay better ...

That's a myth. Privately-owned, for-profit language schools aren't big salary gigs and are more likely to hire qualified locals or resident expats than go through the hassle of recruiting from abroad. Plus, if/when things go sour, those employers aren't likely to pay for airfare out of the country.

By contrast, government subcontracted teachers/trainers (I was one myself) in danger zone situations are in a different category due to the nature of the teaching post or project. Requirements for these positions are very specific, especially the citizenship component.
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nnest



Joined: 18 Jun 2015
Posts: 26

PostPosted: Fri Mar 11, 2016 6:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks, everyone. I guess I'll just stick to Southeast Asia, where I'm sufficiently qualified and where heads aren't rolling.
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plumpy nut



Joined: 12 Mar 2011
Posts: 1652

PostPosted: Fri Mar 18, 2016 1:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

A non-native teacher is not going to make 2000 USD teaching in SE Asia.
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Blackbear



Joined: 20 Jan 2013
Posts: 65

PostPosted: Fri Mar 18, 2016 7:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

plumpy nut wrote:
A non-native teacher is not going to make 2000 USD teaching in SE Asia.

Maybe not, but at least it is work. Unfortunately - and I heard this from folks in a CELTA program a couple of years ago - you still have to be careful with employers trying to do things "under the table" and requiring you to do visa runs etc.

Such is life. Rolling Eyes
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fadedgirl



Joined: 20 Apr 2006
Posts: 44

PostPosted: Sun Jun 12, 2016 7:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi!
Just taught in Soran, Iraq from August to December 2015.
I was working for a Sabis/Choueifat school.
What you should know is this: the government has no money. The only people being paid are the peshmerga, which is insanely delightful since THAT is the military. I left in December because the school was a joke. After I left, I heard from a coworker that all of the ex-pats (including 1 Bulgarian and 1 woman from Zimbabwe) had all had their salaries slashed by 50%.
So, there are jobs. You don't HAVE to be a native speaker. But really, I went to Iraq to put it on my resume for the Foreign Service.
I do know something about the Middle East. I lived in Alexandria from June to July 2005 and in Cairo from August 2005- May 2006 under Mubarak.

Good luck to you.
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RedLightning



Joined: 08 Aug 2015
Posts: 137
Location: United States

PostPosted: Mon Jun 13, 2016 12:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

It doesn't hurt to apply-no rules are set in stone.
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nnest



Joined: 18 Jun 2015
Posts: 26

PostPosted: Sat Jul 08, 2017 12:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks fadedgirl, just saw your reply as I haven't really logged in since my last post here. I ended up doing another year in Vietnam. Glad I didn't go to Iraq.

plumpy nut wrote:
A non-native teacher is not going to make 2000 USD teaching in SE Asia.


This is simply not the case. Not a personal experience, but I know for a fact that British Council in Vietnam, for example, hires non-natives, and those lucky enough to get a full-time job with them earn well above 2000 USD a month. I suspect that RMIT wouldn't discriminate against a suitably qualified NNEST either. ACET hires non-natives too, and if you're willing to put in enough hours, you can easily be earning 2000 and more. And that's just Vietnam.
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1st Sgt Welsh



Joined: 13 Dec 2010
Posts: 946
Location: Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei

PostPosted: Sat Jul 08, 2017 2:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

plumpy nut wrote:
A non-native teacher is not going to make 2000 USD teaching in SE Asia.


Nnest is correct. However, RMIT only hired native-speakers for the English Department, or at least that was the case when I was there (around three years ago). I knew a Polish woman who was teaching in their Design Department though. Of course, things may have changed since then. Not sure about the British Council, but, they usually go into great detail about what they are looking for on their web pages...

When I was with ACET I worked with a German, two Poles and a Ukrainian. All had perfect English and were getting the same pay as the native-English speakers. If you could get a gig like that then two thousand USD a month is obtainable, assuming the school has the hours to give you. However, this tends to vary depending on the time of year. January through to March are the quietest. If you ever need some extra dosh, quite a few teachers do tutoring on the side.

However, in Vietnam, it is much easier getting a job when you are actually in the country. I would guess that would probably be even more the case for a non-native speaker. On the plus side, due to the historical connection, it used to be, and probably still is very easy for Russians to get a visa. Indeed, from memory, I think they might be one of the few nationalities that don't even need one, at least for a short trip, but, obviously, double check that as I'm not 100% positive on that and things may have changed.
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nnest



Joined: 18 Jun 2015
Posts: 26

PostPosted: Sat Jul 08, 2017 10:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

1st Sgt Welsh wrote:
... I think they might be one of the few nationalities that don't even need one, at least for a short trip ...


This is correct. Visas (tourist and business) are actually free for Russian passport holders, but in practice it only works when you apply for a visa-on-arrival with an invitation letter at one of their international airports (Vietnamese embassies and consulates will charge you the same as everyone else). Nor do you need to legalize, notarize, or otherwise authenticate any legal Russian documents needed for a work permit, as there is a bilateral agreement between the two countries to that effect.

So, working in VN was surprisingly easy from the legal point of view.

The country itself, of course, is a total nightmare.
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