Job Discussion Forums

[Ageecee]

Anyone heard of or had experience with Nasir Institute of Languages in Sharjah ? I'd appreciate any info. What is Sharjah like? What is a reasonable salary?I have a Bachelors plus Tefl Cert and a few years experience in NZ,Korea. Thanks

[mishmumkin]

I'm not familiar w/ the school, personally. New ones pop up every year so it's pretty hard to keep up. Sharjah is like the red-headed stepsister of the UAE. My first stint in the UAE was 9 years ago, and things in Sharjah have changed for the better in some regards...if you like lots of shopping, and franchised restaurants. To be fair, in the late 90s there were two cinemas that showed English-speaking films, and even then they were unpopular Van Dam films that were heavily edited. Often times only one of the two films shown was in English. A newer megaplex has since gone in.

As for the nightlife, Sharjah is a dry state. That means you can't purchase alcohol there (with the exception of The Sharjah Wanderers, a British rugby club that somehow managed to find a way around the law). Though there are a couple of gems when it comes to eating out, in general the greater selection of restaurants can be found in Dubai. That goes for beaches, too.

Sharjah, the emirate w/ closest links to Saudi, also has stricter laws when it comes to the modesty of women. Modesty includes publich behaviour, too. If you've been drinking in Dubai and take a taxi home to Sharjah (anywhere from 20-60 minutes depending on where in Dubai you're coming from and where in Sharjah you're going to....much, MUCH longer if traffic is as crappy as it often is), public drunkeness, even from the taxi to your front door, will not be tolerated. CID has been known to watch for this.

Believe it or not, Sharjah was once the centre of nightlife in the UAE. It then evolved into a cheaper place to live for those who worked in Dubai. Recent increases in rent and a horrendous traffic problem nixed that. Though Sharjah has done some city beautification in the last few years, it doesn't really have anything to offer above and beyond the other emirates-not the beauty and climate of Al Ain or Fujeirah nor the nightlife, beaches, and entertainment of Dubai or Abu Dhabi, nor the rural pace of life in Ras al Khameih...that leaves Ajman, which has less traffic than Sharjah and you can get a drink, and Um al Quwain...which has a very slow pace of life (and a water park).

To be honest, you're not really well-qualified for decent jobs in the UAE. I would imagine that you could find a job that paid a maximum of 7000 dirhams/month w/ some sort of accommodation. Places that hire non-qualified teachers tend to provide pretty crappy accommodation deals, and that includes shared accommodation w/ at least one of your colleagues. Even worse...w/ the soaring rent prices some employers will try and offer you a stipend to get accommodation, and those who hire the lesser qualified are notorious for not providing a large enough stipend.
I would suggest staying in Korea (if you're still there). Once you get a K-12 teaching certification or MA TESOL, then it would be worth considering the UAE.

[Ageecee]

Thanks MM. I'm suspicious as the salary is rather high(Over $4000 us/mth) with accommodation,airfares and medical,30 hrs weekly.

[mishmumkin]

[veiledsentiments]

Beware... this sounds like one of those scams that have been discussed here in the last few months. There is no way that you could get a job at this pay/benefit level with your limited credentials. And no "language Institute" pays that kind of salary level. That is the pay of the rare top universities for people with MAs and years of experience.

Do not give them any personal information or money!!

VS

[mishmumkin]

My thoughts exactly, VS. $4000 seems to be that magic number quoted by some dodgy recruiter for the UAE...If this job lead came through a recruiter, it wouldn't surprise me if the school doesn't even exist.