Job Discussion Forums

[GlobalDawg]

WOW!!! Amusing read this thread is; but, at the same time ridiculous. The bottom line is (and I think this is what Cleo has said in so many words or less)�combat pay or as it is referred to in this thread as danger pay is to be considered in areas such as Iraq and now Lebanon where war is truly raging. There is no war in the KSA!!!

I don�t quite understand why people post ridiculous ideas such as combat or danger pay to job offerings that are to be considered as choices. It is not like anyone is holding an AK-47 to one's head and demanding that they accept the offer. If you feel that there are chances of putting yourself in a dangerous situation, then consider teaching in Thailand, Japan, Korea, or China; there is always South and Central America and the entire continents of Europe or Africa, as well--even the USA and Canada offer ESL positions. Or, just stay at home and pursue a career more to your liking and comfort level.

I guess it's a matter of people entertaining grand illussions of coming to the Middle East and getting big salaries based on either oil or war. The reality is that it's just another region of the world with its unique cultural differences and challenges.

[Bebsi]

Dang!!!! Why is there a growing trend on this site of threads reverting eventually to their original topic, and addressing questions by people such as OPs? I mean.....!!

Seriously, Stephen Jones' voice is about the sanest I've heard so far in this thread. If there was real danger, as in a war situation or one involving a more extreme terrorist threat, they wouldn't be paying danger-money, they'd be evacuating. It is not in the interests of the Saudis or anyone else to have loads of westerners wantonly murdered en masse on their soil. There would be far too many international reverberations. Not to mention the fact that they might actually be exercising some human concern, and do not want to see innocent people killed any more than anyone else does! Evacuation would be the most prudent option by far.

On the other hand, if they feel there is no significant danger, but they still have problems recruiting because of the perceived danger, then it makes sense to offer "danger money".

The "danger money" offered in KSA is because of the perceived terrorist threat within the kingdom (which certainly cannot be ignored), and has very little to do with the war that is currently raging in Iraq or Lebanon. Lebanon is as far from KSA geographically as Italy is from the area of the Balkans where lakes of blood were shed in the early 90s....indeed, it is considerably further. In fact, in my own native Ireland, a rather unpleasant situation prevailed up to 1996, in and concerning the northern part of the island. Danger money was never a consideration among employers in the Republic, although many people indeed, especially North Americans far-removed from the situation, saw it as a place of carnage. Ignorance is not bliss, it is counter-productive and even destructive.

One final point I would make is that King Abdullah was in all likelihood warning that if the Israelis didn't refrain from their excesses, more widespread war would ensue. This is not unreasonable. He was not necessarily threatening to involve KSA as a protagonist in such a conflict.

[Anytime now]

I rather like being a schoolboy, oh crazy Queen of the Whatever. You've got fantasies unfulfilled.

Bebsi & Stephen, thank you for your humour and your pertinent information. What a relief.

Anytime Now

[Cleopatra]

[veiledsentiments]

[rogan]

Chateau in the South of France would have to be 18th Century !

The ros� has been getting better these last few years since the phyloxa epidemic was controlled and new "pieds" were planted.

[Bebsi]

17th...18th...whatever!! If I happened to inherit one of the said chateaux, I wouldn't quibble too much either way!

As for Rose...well, Rogan, as a traditional kind of wine connoisseur, I wouldn't touch Rose. It's either a good red or a nice white for me, and I have also a fondness for a decent desert wine such as a Muscat de Beaume de Venise, or a Monbazillac for something a little lighter.

Actually, outside of France, French wines are grossly overpriced and not worth what you pay in most countries. Here in Romania, I only drink the local stuff. While their better wines still don't manage to reach the excellence of France's best, they also leave your pocket in a healthy state the following morning if not actually your head!!

Seriously, we have some excellent wines here, and among Bebsi's favourites are Prince Mircea, Prince matei, Castel Bolovanu and some of the Recas wines from western Romania. Dealu Mare are also generally excellent, and Murfatlar are great table wines for the price.

How did we get onto wine from the subject of the value of Saudi salaries? Only relevance I can see is that one pays for the other in many cases (pun not intended).

[shadowfax]

I feel bound to commend mark100's eminent good sense and impartiality on this matter.
It is as well to be aware that there is a certain vociferous and energetic coterie hereabouts who seem friends to "hezbollah" and its like fanatical brood, rather than of the very nations and educational traditions that nurtured them. These people lap up all the advantages of a liberal education and then, due to some perverted complex(?), refuse to back that system of thought against its diametric opposite.
Furthermore, one must not forget the decisive differences for women as opposed to men in terms of personal safety, and the teaching experience in the Kingdom. Teaching male students is an entirely different ball game to what cleo and veiled are probably engaged in. I have no doubt many viewers will have also noticed an anti-male impetus in divers postings by the aforesaid. Truly, they are at the forefront of a bevy of wacky minorities

[GF]

Cleopatra, I take offense at your classifying Eastern Europe as the 'wild lands.' I taught in Russian for nearly 5 years and another 2 in Estonia and I would bet a month's salary that the average Russian or Estonian student is far more culturally and academically educated than yours. And your comments about Israeli aggression are laughable considering what Muslim terrorists have been doing around the world in recent years.

[veiledsentiments]

Ah... a first time ever poster to the ME boards is here to straighten out all us poor misinformed regulars...

Listen up all... the guru has spoken... obviously he knows all about our students and the politics of this region...

VS

[GF]

That's a fair comment and I apologize for offending anyone. I just get steamed with comments like Cleopatra's 'wildlands' because she obviously doesn't know what she is talking about (like me about the ME). Those wildlands are some of the most cultured places on the planet and their academic standards are very high. I stand corrected. I wonder if she does.

[desertmonkey]

I think many of us westerners have been overdosed by biased BBC or CNN or ABC news.There is no justification for any sort of terrorism in Islam. The terrosists and those supporting them , to many muslims that I know ,are deviant muslims and will be sent to hell if they dont sincerely repent and rectify their actions before they die. The former grand mufti of Saudi Arabia , Shiekh Bin Baz (he passed away a couple fo yrs back) infact repeatedly called the muslim terrorists "Brothers of the Devils" , many muslims scholars are preaching the same and all good muslims that I have come to know agree with this.

Nevertheless, talking about recent events, terrorism, danger money in the Middle East etc I find the following short video on youtube interesting. We can only get a fairer picture if we listen to both sides of the story.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-brkmfrxrQY

[Cleopatra]

[Cleopatra]

[GF]