Job Discussion Forums

desert date · Joined: 19 Jul 2006 Posts: 67 Location: Australia

Has anyone here worked in Palestine? What was it like; the students, the teachers, the people? I imagine the pay is low but did you feel compensated in other ways, not least being the satisfaction gained from helping out some of the most oppressed people in the world?

Stephen Jones · Joined: 21 Feb 2003 Posts: 4124

There are other advantages.

You can get shot by the Israelis, or kidnapped by any number of Palestinian factions.

desert date · Joined: 19 Jul 2006 Posts: 67 Location: Australia

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

There is a university in the West Bank that advertises every once in awhile. I believe that there has been a thread or two on it. Try a search here. It has been about a year since I saw any ads.

The problem at this place is that they can't get work visas as the Israelis block them, so they have to keep doing visa runs. At the time I first heard about it, a friend of mine working for a foundation there said that the EFL section was run by a very competent American woman.

I have also had friends who taught in Gaza. It's a high stress place to live and work so people tend to burn out rather quickly.

I think it would probably be safe to say that no diaspora Arabs would be allowed in to teach.

VS

007 · Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 9:24 pm Post subject:

denise · Joined: 23 Apr 2003 Posts: 3419 Location: finally home-ish

I applied for a university position a few years ago. The salary was something like $13,000. There was an exchange of emails to set up an interview, and then... nothing. Either a) they lost interest in me or b) the situation was somehow too unstable for them to proceed. I don't remember exactly what was in the news at the time, but I can guess that things weren't too good.

d

Cleopatra · Posted: Sun May 20, 2007 6:33 am Post subject:

The Palestinians have long had the reputation of being the most educated people in the Arab world, so I am sure there are a number of places who would be happy to recruit ESL teachers, if only on a volunteer or low-pay basis.

I suspect that, as VS says, the main problem is with, guess what, the occupation. The Israelis loathe any foreigners who try to help the Palestinians, making it very difficult for them to get visas of any sort, on top of all the logistical difficulties which are a way of life for Palestinians. Plus, of course, as a foreigner, and potential kidnap target, you would be a security risk for any school which took you on.

desert date · Joined: 19 Jul 2006 Posts: 67 Location: Australia

Some dictionaries suggest that "Diaspora" (capitalised) only applies to Jewish communities dispersed all over the world whereas "diaspora" (small cap) is a generalist term for ethnic communities scattered away from their ancestral homelands. So when I used "Diaspora", I was referring specifically to the Jewish diaspora.

Yeah, several of my Jewish Australian friends have performed "national service" in Israel, anything from three months to two years. A couple hold dual Australian-Israeli citizenship even though they were born and bred in Oz. The Australian government even permits them to perform military service in Israel (two to three years). Can you imagine what they'd do to a Lebanese Aussie who wanted to serve in the Lebanese army?

Cleopatra · Posted: Sun May 20, 2007 9:10 am Post subject:

That doesn't surprise me. Successive "Aussie" governments have long harboured a nostalgia for European colonian regimes. Can't imagine why.

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

You will commonly find reference to the Palestinian diaspora. As is proper since by definition it is: "A dispersion of a people from their original homeland."

A definition that certainly defines the situation of the Palestinians the same as it did for the Jews of a thousand or so years ago.

The interesting detail is that it is used to refer to people thrown out of the same piece of real estate.

VS

Stephen Jones · Joined: 21 Feb 2003 Posts: 4124

kernow · Joined: 18 Apr 2005 Posts: 14 Location: Beirut

I know someone who worked at the Arab University in Jenin. She enjoyed the teaching and day-to-day life was relatively normal. However, there were constant problems with students being held up at checkpoints or arrested and held for periods of time. She eventually left because of the residency situation mentioned by VS. Some of her colleagues were denied re-entry by the Israelis after a visa run and there was then no way to get back, even to collect belongings. She decided to leave of her own accord rather than go through that. That was a couple of years ago although I can't imagine that the situation has improved since then.

matthew156 · Joined: 30 Jan 2009 Posts: 140 Location: The Majik Kindom

If Anyone is interested or has the experience. Check out the following. I just recieved it.

khmerhit · Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2009 4:40 am Post subject:

Stephen Jones · Joined: 21 Feb 2003 Posts: 4124