Job Discussion Forums

[Non Sequitur]

Very droll Jim

[asiannationmc]

[bmetter]

One teacher at my university was almost 70. They stopped renewing her contract only because she had brittle bones that kept breaking, and there's lots of walking where we live, including stairs. There are currently two teachers over 60 and two in the 50s. China is more tolerant of older teachers in general than Southeast Asian Schools. Some provinces have upper age limits but schools often get around that if they want to hire someone.

[ghost]

[ghost]

Most countries have good and less good points.

The Middle East is not for everyone, but most teachers do very well there and don't regret their move to those Gulf countries.

Saudi, UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and Oman.

For a newbie - Oman is a good entry point - slightly less pay, but very enjoyable from a qualitative lifestyle perspective. Qatar University, in Doha is a good entry point as well. World class sports facilities in Qatar, and many world championship sports events throughout the year in Doha.

Oman is a country that many European tourists have discovered, and return to. Salaleh and Nizwa are both very good places to live and work.

Problem for Oman - age limit to 'get in' is 58 years old (Ministry of Education regulation). Once 'in' being renewed is generally not a problem, provided the evaluations are decent (80% and above, in most Gulf countries being the norm for 'satisfactory' benchmark). Evaluations, evaluations - the sine qua non of longevity in the Gulf countries. A balance in teaching and discipline is required, with 'harmony' in the classroom being the overall goal, so that a win win situation occurs for both students and teachers. Those who pay lip service to that credo, might not last as long. Different values there.

Ghost in China

[jimpellow]

"Another misconception - Most Saudis are friendly and hospitable to foreigners"

Having done both, I would agree with Ghost on almost all of what he said. Of course, I did five years in China, and only six months in Saudi, so my experience is in a sense opposite from his. Interesting hearing his feedback on China after his initial posts before arriving.

I think Saudis are very friendly, though the whiter the face and having the Western passport certainly will help you in a very hierarchical society and how you are treated.

I left as the petrodollar was not so important to me and I found the young men at even the top institutions to be, with only rare exceptions, not so motivated to put it mildly.

(I should mention that half my interest in that contract was that after seeing Petra I had a major hard on to see Mada'in Saleh. But being an idiot, it was only after I arrived that I learned that foreigners could not go there after a 2011 "incident".)

I work for a Saudi online company now and the adult students are somewhat better. This was especially true when it was a mixed class with mostly women. Seems the government nixed that novel idea. Still, I see them as an affable and sensitive bunch who can be very naive like PRC Chinese. Their religion and culture has at least given them better moral fiber than the vast majority of Han Chinese.

If I had a family and/or was intent to accumulate wealth my preference would be Saudi. If I was looking to make a difference in students' lives and/or was single and intent to sample the local culinary dishes then the PRC.

[ghost]