Job Discussion Forums

[baphomet]

Hi there,

first time posting on this board. as you may have gathered by the title of this post and its location, i am a young teacher looking for work in the Middle East. I have a Bachelors degree from a UK university, a TEFL certificate and 1 years experience teaching in Thailand. The thing is that I am only 22 and from the posts here, I have noted that jobs in the ME tend to favour more mature teachers.

What do you think is the likelihood of me being able to secure a job and what could I expect to get paid.

cheers,

baph

[NadiaK]

Hi!

I think that those working in a university/college are slightly older than younger, as those jobs tend to require a fair bit of experience and/or further qualifications (such as a Master's, which in the UK is usually undertaken after several years of experience).

However, language schools will often employ people with entry-level qualifications such as a TEFL certificate. You should be in with a good chance there. Organisations such as International House and the British Council will pay enough to afford a single person a decent standard of living in the country concerned, though the amount will vary from place to place. In Egypt, for example, the pay will be lower than in Lebanon or Jordan which will both be lower than Kuwait. (Mentioning those places because they're places I've worked.) You should also be given annual flights to the UK plus health insurance.

IH definitely employs people with only a cert. The BC prefers Diploma holders, but I've definitely known people with only a cert who had full-time jobs there so go for it.

HTH, and good luck!

[stoth1972]

Agreed with previous poster: I would recommend Morocco, Egypt, Tunisia given your experience. I think you could live well on the salary your earned there. The Gulf tends to prefer highly qualified and experienced ESL teachers.

[baphomet]

cheers for the info guys, i appreciate it. sorry i couldn't thank you sooner but I have been at the coalface (actually whiteboard is more appropriate)

hope to catch you again,

baph

[helmsman]

I would not recommend teaching in the Middle East for a 22-year-old western woman. Life here could be too restrictive and boring.

Enjoy a free life in a liberal society and upgrade your qualifications, then when saving money is important apply for one of the higher grade teaching positions in a Gulf State, particularly a post-secondary institution.

One caveat: once you get used to the luxurious lifestyle and tax-free income it gets hard to leave.

[NadiaK]

Just have to say that life in the various Middle Eastern countries is not the same . There are people here with experience of life in most Middle Eastern countries, so if you're considering it, then do ask questions of those who have been there done that. It's not all restriction and boredom .

[stoth1972]

Ditto to what Nadia said. I found life in Dubai to be quite liberating in one sense, but I could say the same of Egypt. Even between Sharjah and Dubai there is a significant difference. Travel to rural Oman or Doha and you have a unique experiences. Can't paint them all w/ the same brush, I'm afraid.

[veiledsentiments]

Yes, but I can say that although I enjoyed all of these places while I was there, only Egypt would have had any appeal when I was 22. I tend to agree that the Gulf is no place for the young... I know that some will suggest Dubai, but places whose activities are based mostly on the tourist industry quickly pale as they are so plastic and soul-less.

But whatever the age, outside of Saudi Arabia, the Middle East life for Western expat women is not restricted, but in many ways more free than the west.

VS

[helmsman]

I agree that each person's experience of the Gulf is unique, but I believe I have the right to make generalizations based on about a decade in the region.

One example of life being restrictive might be the difficulty for any westerner, especially a woman, to go window shopping or simply go for a stroll without being subjected to ogling and car horn toots. After a few bad experiences people tend to stay at home. As for my family, we only feel truly comfortable in hotel health clubs or else in the wilderness.

As for the boring part, I stand by my remark. Of course there are things to do, but activities such as shopping (the national sport of the UAE) or visiting Ski Dubai are expensive, and probably out of the reach of a young teacher on a meagre salary. Without your own transportation, ie a (reliable) car, and considerable discretionary income it would be a challenge to take advantage of all the opportunities that exist. Of course a newcomer could catch rides for trips to the desert or wadis, etc. Furthermore, although there are both rock and classical concerts in Dubai they are not frequent and often of low quality -- we have just given up on them! As regards live theatre, forget it!

To sum up, I reapeat that a country such as the UAE would be best suited for someone who has tasted life elsewhere, ie hitch-hiked through Europe, etc, has added a few letters after their name and is able to pull in a salary that would allow them to enjoy what is on offer. I would not want a 22-year-old single female relative to work here -- that is my middle-aged white man's view.

[dmb]

[NadiaK]

Helmsman, I would agree with your generalisations regarding the Gulf. However, the other parts of the Middle East are really quite different, and some people may not realise this.

[veiledsentiments]

Helmsman...

No one was disputing your right to give your opinion. We all agree to different degrees. All we had was three women who pointed out that there is variance between counties and individuals.

I'm with you that the Gulf is not for the young of either sex. But, one can quickly learn the skill of ignoring the staring hoards on the sidewalk... a few years in Cairo taught me to be deaf and blind to their silliness... and I never allowed them to restrict my freedom of movement.

VS

[stoth1972]

Ok, DMB, Doha is not, in itself, 'unique' but life there will certainly vary from life in Jeddah.

Helmsman, I was 26 when I went to live in Sharjah. It was an eye-opener, for sure, but not in the way one might expect. The thing that bothered me most, as a woman, were the uncomfortable stares of manual labourers. Also, the realisation that simply walking from my building on the corniche to the hotel club across the way meant enduring the countless cars slowing down to see if I was a prostitute. Sharjah was boring (so few less restaurants, shopping, and cinemas), but we managed to have a good time. Moving to Egypt 2 years later was a significantly more frustrating experience as a woman. The cat calls, repeated "welcome in egypt!" cries was infinitely more frustrating, and made me more guarded. At least in the Gulf, if you are harrassed, you can make a fuss and someone will either come to your aid, or the pest will run away in fear.

Saying all of that, if you are a 'walker' and a female then living in the Gulf (even most of Cairo) can be an extremely frustrating experience. If you're not, then no big deal. There is plenty of shallow nightlife to be had in places like the UAE for a year or three for a young woman.

[veiledsentiments]

Actually Stoth, I found that in Cairo if someone was too forward, there were always people ready to come to my defense... and often they went so far as to slap around particularly bad boys. But, it probably depends on the neighborhood I'm sure. Dealing with it is an acquired skill, and I was in my 30's there. My first class was with factory workers and they taught me all the right things to say to put those boys in their place.

VS

[dmb]