Job Discussion Forums

[sliim]

I'd just like to make a note on the cost of living in Yemen.

Three hundred dollars a month is a bit misleading when it comes to figures. You may also read on some websites that the average national income for Yemenis is something like $800 US per year.

I have some numbers from the German consulate in Aden (published in 2002) which shed some light on cost-of-living matters. Consider this: Yemen's population is over 20 million, and 75 percent of Yemenis live in villages of less than 500 people. Eighty percent of Yemenis don't have access to clean water or electricity, let alone health care. With most of the population living in villages, most of these people live on little or no income at all, subsisting mainly on food provided by the work of their own hands--a few sheep, chickens, eggs, etc. So, this segment of the population drastically brings down the average income.

If you want to live a modern lifestyle in the cities, however, things will cost you significantly more. The prices for cellular phones and such services are comparable to North America. An internet connection at home can cost around $30 US per month--and not particularly fast. Then one must consider the "foreigner's tax" that most foreigners pay at shops, which can raise prices from marginally higher to grossly overinflated. Consider also the overwhelming inflation that has gripped the nation. A tank of propane used to cost around $2.00 US and has double at times over the past year. Grain, yogurt and other staples that the poorer classes subsist on have also risen in price significantly. This has, by the way, also resulted in serious protests that has put the government at odds with large numbers of the population.

All said and done, $300 US per month is not all that much. I had a neighbor in Yemen with ten kids and a salary of $200 US. Great, some may say. But consider also that one of his son's was working as a security guard, another was selling propane, and the younger boys were fixing bikes and doing odd jobs to help out as well. Yemenis make ends meet by having large family networks that bind together and cooperate--and by living on basic staple foods: barley soup, bread, rice, and beans.

The salary mentioned at the beginning of this thread, though, is fine for Yemen, but at the same time, there are teachers teaching 30 hours a week for less than $1400 US a month, and that, in my opinion, is outrageous.

[johnslat]

Dear eha,

"And if this thread isn't concerned with such discrepancies, well, I'll restrain myself and say only that MAYBE IT OUGHT TO BE. Maybe we ALL ought to be. "

I hope you won't mind if I say that the topic of the thread probably ought to be about the OP's question. If you are passionate about the discrepancies between what ex-pat teachers often make versus what local teachers (often with the same or better qualifications) make, may I suggest that you start a thread on that very subject.
And if you do, I hope no one will come along, ignore your OP and post on an entirely different topic.
By the way, did you have anyone specific in mind when you wrote this:

"And in fact, it's VERY relevant to the question, because if anyone thinks that Yemenis are some kind of naive colonial retainers who accept what's imposed on them as the status quo, should a person with as limited a political perspective as that be coming to the region?"

I mean, it almost sounds as though you're accusing the OP of having such an attitude. If so, do you know the individual then?Or are you simply assuming this is the case?

[eha]

'there are teachers teaching 30 hours a week for less than $1400 US a month, and that, in my opinion, is outrageous'

Yes, slim; outrageous is a good word. And Ok, it's not only in Yemen-- it's anywhere where there's a huge discrepancy between local and expatriate lifestyles. In Yemen-- and in some places I've been in Africa-- these are more extreme than in others.
What to do? In my generation, read Gunnar Myrdal; Andre Gunder Frank; Samir Amin. Who else? I'm out of touch (I'm a teacher!); I'm sure there are more modern analysts writing about such issues--- although they don't seem fashionable among Gulf expats. Oh, yes; and TALK about it, as one of my friends in the Aid game once said, when asked what we could do about such complex problems. It's going to take time.
John; you may be right about another thread. But it didn't seem to me to be irrelevant to the OP's posting--- in fact, I thought it was only fair to make the point that there are political and economic reasons why life in Yemen isn't necessarily a rosy prospect. I definitely was not suggesting that the OP is politically naive; how could I? As you said, I don't know him /her. But I do encounter a lot of political naivete, and I'm often silenced by a reluctance to tell the truth because of the likely reception it may get. Knowing Yemen-- and having had extensive unhappy experience of the kind of expat attitudes that contribute to perpetuating such discrepancies, I felt I had something real to say on the subject. Sorry if you don't agree.

[johnslat]

Dear eha,
Here's the OP's question:

"Does anyone know if $2,500 a month is a good salary for that country?"

which seems pretty simple and straightforward to me.

I really think you ought to start another thread, to which I'd happily contribute, having had the experience of teaching in countries where my salary was considerably more than that of local teachers who were doing essentially the same job.
It certainly made me feel lousy.
Regards,
John

[Middle East Beast]

Iterrys,

If you don't mind me asking, what happened with the WNS Recruiting job? I ask because they were talking to me at about the same time. I haven't heard from them for three weeks. I discovered from the guy who called me that I completed a two-year contract with the actual company represented by WNS, Al-Salam Aircraft Company, eight years ago.

I've read the posts at the WNS Recruiting topic, but I'm still not sure who they are.

Anyway, feel free to PM me if you want.

Thanks.