Job Discussion Forums

[squareandfair]

pencilead what's the big deal about discussing the poor pregnant woman. Have you ever been married? Has your wife ever been pregnant? If so, then have some sympathy and don't make a public annoucement about her bad luck.

Why not offer some constructive information on the housing situation there? I've heard about something called Gharrfa and something called Alwab - If this is where they put new teachers then give them information on this, not on someone's traumatic plight. If it was my wife in that situation, I'd be pretty worried about her trauma and stress. Don't be such a goof. Give useful information, don't pick on the poor woman.

[pencilead]

I am not picking on the poor woman. I think it prudent that newcomers know something about the housing situation at QU.

I hope someone will read this and attempt to upgrade this prison we all live in.

[veiledsentiments]

Personally I think it would be preferable to have some useful housing information rather than that they have cheap doornobs. The housing whines so far shows why many employers are totally getting out of providing housing and just hand you some money and let you do it yourself.

How big is it? What is the location like? Is it noisy? Any landscaping? How is the commute? Is there enough parking? How is the water pressure? Is it furnished? Do you have to buy everything including appliances and air conditioning? Is the electric stable? Can you get a phone easily? How about internet? Are there any recreational facilities? Or are there any nearby?

Really who cares if it is cheap and shoddy construction. You are not buying it. You will not be living there for the rest of your life. You're getting it free for heaven's sake. You sound like a bunch of the spoiled brat students who run and whine to administration when you fail them for not bothering to attend, do their homework, or pass the exams. So, what was the housing like back home... did you live in a crappy walk-up furnished with your parents cast-offs like most ESL teachers?

ooo... I can't live here... it has cheap Chinese doorknobs... it's a prison...

VS

[bje]

[yellofello]

Could someone please provide useful information on the housing situation:

1. Where are the compounds mentioned? (Gharfa & Alwab)
2.How far are they from the university?
3. How long is the commute?
4. How many villas/apartments are in these compounds?
5. What is the maintenance like? Are they maintained by resident workers or outside workers? Or do staff have to pay for maintenance?
6. Do they provide cable TV or is this an extra?
7.Are these compounds exclusively for Foundation teachers or all faculty?
8.How much is the usual monthly electricity bill?
9.Do these places have central AC, window ACs or split units?
10.What are the monthly telephone charges? or are they paid for by the University?
11.How long does it take to get a phone installed?
12. How big are the apartments/villas?
13. How old are these places? I read the Alwab place is pretty new? Is it shoddily built? What about the other place?
14. What kind of furniture? Junk? So-so? Good quality?
15. Is the furniture maintained? Is there a furniture upgrade allowance every four years?
16. Can you opt for unfurnished housing? If you do, do you get a furniture allowance in lieu of the furniture? If so, how much?
17. Are there problems with neighbors? How safe are the roads for kids?
18. Is there a playground for kids?
19. Are these places near supermarkets or shopping malls?
20. Are they near town? Far from town? How far?
21. How much is the shipping allowance? I got two different quotes.
22. Is there a shipping allowance when you leave? (also got different answers about this one).


This is the type of thing most people want to know, along with the questions posed by VS.

Can anyone out there answer these questions?

I agree with squareandfair - the posting about the pregnant woman was in really bad taste.

PS

I'd appreciate it if alphabetagamma or his ilk leave this topic alone and not try to sabotage some useful information that might turn up.

[pencilead]

ould someone please provide useful information on the housing situation:

1. Where are the compounds mentioned? (Gharfa & Alwab)
2.How far are they from the university?27 to 45 minutes drive from the university
3. How long is the commute? depends on traffic.
4. How many villas/apartments are in these compounds? The largest compound I have ever seen.
5. What is the maintenance like? Are they maintained by resident workers or outside workers? The maintenance workers are from India. They are dependable.

do staff have to pay for maintenance? no
6. Do they provide cable TV or is this an extra? Yes, they provide cable free.
7.Are these compounds exclusively for Foundation teachers or all faculty? not sure
8.How much is the usual monthly electricity bill? Depends on usage (250 700)
9.Do these places have central AC, window ACs or split units? Split units
10.What are the monthly telephone charges? or are they paid for by the University? You pay about 150QR
11.How long does it take to get a phone installed? Not sure how long

12. How big are the apartments/villas? They are large.

13. How old are these places? I read the Alwab place is pretty new? Is it shoddily built? Shoddily built, and they are new.


What about the other place?
14. What kind of furniture? The furniture is very poor in quality.
15. Is the furniture maintained? Is there a furniture upgrade allowance every four years? The furniture is made of cardboard.

16. Can you opt for unfurnished housing? NO alternative at all.
17. Are there problems with neighbors? How safe are the roads for kids? Pretty safe for kids.
18. Is there a playground for kids? Sort of
19. Are these places near supermarkets or shopping malls? Yes
20. Are they near town? Far from town? How far? Near you at about 40 minutes walking distance away!
21. How much is the shipping allowance? I got two different quotes. Not sure. GET INVOICES!
22. Is there a shipping allowance when you leave? (also got different answers about this one). No

[pencilead]

You think we are whining? The main thing we hate is the empty promises of better housing that we heard during the interviewing process. Some of us had even seen this with our own eyes before we took the job. We saw the beautiful villas and the very nice furniture for ourselves and thought that this was what we were coming into.
We were told by many people to expect such housing and that this housing would be stocked with food of every description, so that we would not be lacking a thing.

We instead, got thrown into hideous temporary places and then moved prison cell blocks oand you say we whine?

Pencil

[veiledsentiments]

[veiledsentiments]

Bye... don't let the door hit you... etc... etc...

VS

[veiledsentiments]

I have yet to see one post from you that would possibly have helped anyone.

Take your own advice and leave...

VS

[veiledsentiments]

Just go child... it is way past your bedtime or something...

You are the one who threatens people by PM...

VS