Job Discussion Forums

[sheikh radlinrol]

Worked there from 2001 until 2004 and was generally satisfied by salary. conditions etc. Wondered what goes on there now and why there's so much whinging about Saudi TEFL jobs on this site. All comments welcome.

[dmb]

should have been a pm

[battleshipb_b]

I've been pretty happy here in the Kingdom for about ten years. Let me tell you, I'd much rather work under Arab management any day than under American (although I'm an Americano myself). The Kingdom is a decent place to work provided you follow the rules (and it goes the same for Stateside - when we break the rules there, we get done in, too.) I think those of us who hang in here hang in because we have good working conditions, a fairly good salary, decent housing and most of all, in my case, good management. When I read what weird kind of western turdos are managing departments in other places, I thank my lucky stars I work for Arabs. I've never heard of any Arab-run place firing 30% of their staff in one go like in Qatar. That is just so Americano, isn't it. Speaking personally, I find most Arabs much more humanistic, more into respecting the individual and taking into consideration his problems and circumstances. OK there are some baddies out there, but not as many baddies as the western baddies. At least that's been my personal experience - I know some of you out there have had really bad experiences but half the time that's due to false expectations which don't correlate to reality.

If you're not prepared- mentally, psychologically and emotionally- for life in the Kingdom, then you're going to have problems. Preparing for the work environment and knowing what you're getting into is important. Look at the moanie- groanies at U of Qatar where I used to work. These guys had too many expectations which did not materialize when they turned up. At least most of us coming to the Kingdom know the score, and if you don't, you need to check it out before coming here. It's not all a bed of roses but life is what you make it, provided you've got a decent salary, decent housing, a decent working environment and DECENT MANAGEMENT where the people you work with respect you. These things are important - so is the floos - but I've hung around here precisely because conditions are a lot better than my previous job in the UAE. A lot of us here just want to earn our bread, get on with our lives and save for the future. Many jobs in the Kingdom have enabled thousands of us EFLers to do just that. Yes, it is very sad that that we westerners sometimes get targeted. But what about the way we target Arabs and other racial minorities Stateside? Pretty disgusting. I've witnessed it myself - seeing women wearing hijabs harassed in downtown Phily. Like I said before, I've lived amongst the Kluckers (I know it's not a religion whoever said that, but most Kluckers pretend they're God-fearing church-going members of society, whichever Church group they belong to - that's how a lot of them were able to cover up for so many years - all a phoney baloney act - one face in the church - whichever one it is - and the other face out there trying to screw up what we old time civil righters tried to do.) By the way, the majority of Kluckers actually claim they are church-goers. So nutcases like this also live in the ME and of course such nutters are just like the Kluckers Stateside (at least in my personal experience, but then nutters like these are everywhere on the planet nowadays. Just read the news and listen to CNN.)

Teaching in the Kingdom has brought me many rewards, not just financial. I feel I've really got to know the Saudis as much as is possible for a foreigner. (For me it was not really possible in the UAE and Qatar with so many more affluent students, they really didn't want to get to know us like Saudi kids do.) Here most of the students are just simple upwardly mobile kids - trying to make a better life for themselves. Many are first generation university students. They're just trying to forge ahead. If you're really into teaching and students, you'll know what I mean. If your into blasting the locals here, then forget it. You're the type they want to get rid of. So all in all, my experiences here have been more or less positive - I've also been through bad times but managed to sort it out thanks to the decent people I work with. So barring some of the bad things that have happened to westerners here, most of my personal experiences have been good ones.

[kitelophone]

this is one of the best posts i've read on this board, thanx for your insight bttlship.

i've been mulling over whether to accept a saudi offer and your posting contains a ton of valuable personal relevant information that is very useful for my own situation in making an important decision.

postings like yours are why many like myself spend so much time looking around this place.

[BajaLaJaula]

I agree...thanks battleship for your comments. As has been mentioned time and again on this board...so much depends on one's attitude and being able to make an informed decision.
Those that are able to make the best of the KSA teaching experience seem to have this. There may be considerable culture shock, you need to be prepared for that. Just about everything is different over there, even the little things that we take for granted, like people forming a line when waiting for service.....doesn't happen that way in KSA.
If you are thinking about forming a line...you will be there all day waiting...everyone else knows better and goes to the front.
Just one example of how little things can make you crazy if you let it.
You have to be able to adapt to your surroundings.
And of course....keep in mind....you are there as a guest worker....to make money.

[007]

[Queen of Sheba]

Is wasta really the worst of it? Dont you use it when you have it 007? Am I to beleive that you are too ethical for wasta?

The real problem that unsettles those of us that are comfortable with our lives in Saudi, are the intolerant loons that shoot people from a distance. Thats what bothers me the most and keeps me from being satisfied with life here.

[007]

[mistral]

Stay away! I hear the place is run by a bunch of pensioned off military cronies who treat the handful of telfers who end up there as their servants. Teachers serving with the Saudi military can best be described as glorified child minders, unemployable anywhere else.

[Van Norden]