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Mia Xanthi
Joined: 13 Mar 2008
Posts: 955
Location: why is my heart still in the Middle East while the rest of me isn't?
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 Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2008 8:41 am Post subject: money |
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| Then, where is the optimal place to get my 3 years teaching experience? Korea? Japan? Or some Middle Eastern country other than a Gulf Oil Sheikhdom? Would a masters degree alone (w/out experience) not get me a half-decent position in a GCC country - better at least than I could get currently w/out experience or MA? |
Yes, Korea or Japan or eastern Europe would be better places to get your experience. I think you can still make quite a bit of money in Japan and Korea if you are willing to teach privately, and they are much more likely to hire an MA with little experience.
Basically, you don't want to come to the ME unless you can get one of the better jobs. The conditions in lesser jobs are really horrible, and you wouldn't make any more money than you would in Korea. Why put yourself through it just to get experience? Even in a great country like the UAE, you would be foolish to take one of the jobs that hire less qualified people.
I know you don't want to hear all the bad news, but there is no way to come over here (to the Gulf) and make lots of money fast. All of the other posters are completely correct on this point. If you just want to come for the experience, fine... but be ready for a heck of an experience. |
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scot47
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343
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| Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2008 11:43 am Post subject: |
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| Follow the Yellow Brick Road to the Lands of the Gulf. All your money troubles will disappear and you will live happily ever after. |
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lall
Joined: 30 Dec 2006
Posts: 358
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| Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2008 12:41 pm Post subject: Elton |
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| Elton isn't dead yet. Can't roll over, can he? |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2008 2:44 pm Post subject: |
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Moneyoriented...
Get an MA... check around the US for programs that have fellowship programs that give you the MA while using you as a teacher. Look at the places that have a lot of Asian students (so your Asian studies might give you a little advantage.)
That will get you some experience while you are studying and it would be related teaching (academic English). These programs are not easy to get into of course, and it is surely too late for this coming academic year. The program where I got my Fellowship at the American University in Cairo wants their applications by January I believe and they are awarded in March.
I will repeat my advice on the general thread... take a holiday and visit the Middle East first. Check out North Africa or the Levant and Iran... the Gulf is very expensive to visit and not as interesting. You sound like you are in mid-life crisis mode (many of us have been there... more than once.  this too shall pass...) and maybe you should look before you leap.
VS |
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Imdramayu
Joined: 09 Feb 2007
Posts: 394
Location: South Korea
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| Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2008 5:45 pm Post subject: Setting up shop |
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If you want to set-up an English language institute, I'd suggest trying the Korean market -- especially kids. That sector is still growing. After a few more years of experience in the Gulf, I plan to do this. I'm gonna buy a franchise, run it for a few years, and see what happens. If nothing happens, at least I can get my initial invested capital back.
Personally, I wouldn't touch setting up a language institute in the Gulf. There are too many sharks -- the government's laws protecting single expat investors haven't matured enough. I even hesitate from investing in property here for similar reasons. What if the government changes their mind about foreign property ownership in a few years?
My doorway into the Gulf was teaching EFL at IPA (Institute of Public Administration) in Riyadh. This was a stepping stone into higher-paying EFL jobs with more responsibilites. The OP is gonna have to start modest and work his way up (like Cleopetra suggests). |
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scot47
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343
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| Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2008 5:30 am Post subject: |
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| Opening a Language School is a tried and tested route to bankruptcy. Many have gone down that road before. Are you seriously suggesting that someone invest money in a venture in a country where he does not speak the local language ? Get real ! |
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guty
Joined: 10 Apr 2003
Posts: 365
Location: on holiday
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| Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2008 8:29 am Post subject: |
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If you are seriously prepared to put in 2 or three years hard work getting qualified, then the same again or more getting some experience, then a couple more working your way up the greasy pole to get to a better paying job, you ar investing somewhere between 6 and 10 years before you get any payback, and even then it will likely be less than $40k.
If you want to make money, do some research, I'm sure there are many more fields where an 8 year investment will bring far greater rewards. |
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cmp45
Joined: 17 Aug 2004
Posts: 1475
Location: KSA
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| Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2008 10:23 am Post subject: |
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Regards to tutoring in KSA...perhaps Trapezius's story may not be so far off the mark after all... 
Muhammad Al-Saadawi, an English teacher from Jordan, said that the trend to seek special private coaching is common in most Arab countries.
�The students need special coaching shortly before exams because many of them didn�t get sufficient learning,� Saadawi told Arab News yesterday. Abdul Kareem Abusurae, a math teacher from Jordan, like several other teachers came to the Kingdom on a labor visa as a carpenter because he did not want to be a regular schoolteacher, which pays a low salary.
�I teach students in various districts in Jeddah,� he said. �Wealthy parents pay three to 10 times more than the ordinary people.� He added that he uses a tutor broker to get wealthy clients.
http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1§ion=0&article=110869&d=14&m=6&y=2008&pix=kingdom.jpg&category=Kingdom |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2008 2:57 pm Post subject: |
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I don't think that anyone said that tutoring didn't exist in the Gulf, just that our OP wouldn't be likely to be in a position to take advantage. I don't think he wants to come in as a laborer. Might a laborer tutor for a significantly lower rate than most of us would?
Tutor brokers? How much do they skim off?
VS |
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cmp45
Joined: 17 Aug 2004
Posts: 1475
Location: KSA
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| Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2008 3:13 pm Post subject: |
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| cmp45 wrote: |
| Abdul Kareem Abusurae, a math teacher from Jordan, like several other teachers came to the Kingdom on a labor visa as a carpenter because he did not want to be a regular schoolteacher, which pays a low salary. |
Not one to flog a dead horse, but I don't think these people were actually labourers, but rather teachers that came over on a labor visa...
Right: No one said that there wasn't tutoring in KSA...I think the side issue debated was that some people were able to make substantially more cash tutoring than the norm....thus this ity bity article...perhaps lays claim to the fact that 'some' do manage to tap into the upper echelons of ESL tutoring.
All I am saying is that perhaps it may be possible, but really is not the norm. |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2008 4:04 pm Post subject: |
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| cmp45 wrote: |
Not one to flog a dead horse, but I don't think these people were actually labourers, but rather teachers that came over on a labor visa...
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I just saw it move, so I think that I will give it another kick.
This is rather interesting actually. So, these teachers have wrangled a way to come in on a bogus laborer visa in order to tutor rather than classroom teach. Good job on their part to beat the system.
But, of course, only Arabic speakers could finagle this type of move. You'd have to know who to bribe... or have a family contact who is recruiting in Saudi for labor. I think it highly unlikely that a monolingual Westerner could get away with this. We don't have the local street smarts. 
VS |
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cmp45
Joined: 17 Aug 2004
Posts: 1475
Location: KSA
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| Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2008 4:49 pm Post subject: |
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| veiledsentiments wrote: |
This is rather interesting actually. So, these teachers have wrangled a way to come in on a bogus laborer visa in order to tutor rather than classroom teach. Good job on their part to beat the system.
But, of course, only Arabic speakers could finagle this type of move. You'd have to know who to bribe... or have a family contact who is recruiting in Saudi for labor. I think it highly unlikely that a monolingual Westerner could get away with this. We don't have the local street smarts.
VS |
LOL poor horse...so True...adding also...
I found it odd that the fellow being interviewed would offer up his full name and openly admit to it. Isn't this sort of thing illegal and wouldn't it be smarter NOT to expose their gig?? Do you think the authorities care? |
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trapezius
Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 1670
Location: Land of Culture of Death & Destruction
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| Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2008 5:00 pm Post subject: |
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| JEDDAH, 14 June 2008 � The fee for a two-day session of pre-examination tutoring has gone up to as much as SR10,000 per subject in the days before the start of final exams. Testing begins today for about two million schoolchildren. |
SR. 10,000 for 2 days? How many hours are we talking here? Even if it is 8 hours/day, that's still SR. 625/hour But most probably it is 5-6 hours/day, and that would mean SR. 800-1000/hr. Damn!
Shit, I need to tap into this market... I guess I need to find one of these "tutor brokers"! Can anybody help?  |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2008 5:16 pm Post subject: |
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I don't think in SR's so that number didn't really jump out at me...
...good point about giving his name. We can probably assume that first off it wasn't his name... and he may have... shall we say... exaggerated on the amount earned.
That said... when I was in Cairo and had tapped into test prep for a posh French school. In the two weeks before English exams I used to earn enough to pay my rent for the next year by holding classes with groups of 5-10 students at a time. My hourly rate wasn't cheap and a class of 5 would triple the hourly pay for me.
VS |
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cmp45
Joined: 17 Aug 2004
Posts: 1475
Location: KSA
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| Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2008 5:30 pm Post subject: |
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The one time I tutored was in the UAE and it was disastrous...the fellow rarely showed up; spent countless evening waiting around for a no show; not to mention...he was a weasel about paying...in the end I just decided it wasn't worth the hassles.
I much prefered to spend my free time doing my own thing even though I was poorer for it.
There is more to life than chasing after money, money, money!!!! |
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