Job Discussion Forums

[Fluffy]

Hi,

This is my first post on these forums. It has been suggested to me that the middle east is not a good choice for teaching as exposure to DU is certain. And that means danger of various diseases and the possibility of having deformed children in future.

I'd greatly appreciate comments on this from people in Kuwait or other middle eastern countries.

Thanx, Fluffy

[q8teacher]

I understand your concern. I only recently read an article in the paper about it. From what I read the DU was used by the Americans when bombing the Iraqis and now coats our weapons in Iraq. The exposure in Kuwait I imagine is minimal as Kuwait was not bombed except the outer reaches near Iraq. Since just about all food is brought in from other countries including chicken from Brazil and Lamb from Australia, vegetables from Egypt, There's not exposure by food. Water they say is safe and I drank it from the filter several years without problem but prefer bottled now just because the climate is so severe you never know what corrosion is in the pipes. I Recently had a baby and am about to have another-no defects presented so far including in intellegence and response. The situation in Iraq would be completely different however and we may not know the extent of the problem for decades after this disasterous war. So I'd say Kuwait's fine.

[Fluffy]

Thank you for your comments! I note that otherwise the DU issue either is not well known in these forums, or is not a concern.

To give you an idea of the gravity of the info I was given, I quote an email from a geoscientist warning me on kuwait (and the whole middle east):

[veiledsentiments]

More proof that having a science degree doesn't necessarily mean that a man knows what the heck he's talking about.

Apparently all soldiers are sterile now... will surely make birth control easier for them. Anyone noticed any big fall in the birth rate in Kuwait?

I'd still say that your greatest danger by far is the traffic in Kuwait...

VS

[q8teacher]

That is so funny and so sad that such an apparently learned man knows so very little or presumes to know so much. The diabetes epidemic is due to all the American and Canadian fast food and coffee shops that Kuwaiti children are addicted to. In addition, visitors always bring small frosted cakes, trays of baklava or cookies and lots of chocolate which is what a guest is also served along with tea. It is a sedentary society especially during the summer like now when it's 120degreesand still too hot at night to walk far. Because of the culture, women prefer separate health clubs and swimming pools and there is a lack of them that serve only women. As for sterility, I got pregnant 2x in the past 4 years and everywhere I look are large families so "no". The American soldiers that suffered so much actually lived on top on the DU-the gvmt didn't protect them. Dont sweat it. Winter is almost here.

[Fluffy]

Where did it say anything about sterility?

[veiledsentiments]

Didn't you read your own quote from that scientist??

VS

[Fluffy]

Yes, but it didn't say anything about sterility, only the danger of 'birth defects and/or diseases':

[veiledsentiments]

Well fortunately for the men of the TEFL world Fluffy has joined our board to save your sperm...

VS