Job Discussion Forums

[johnslat]

Dear littleoldlady,
Tell you what I'm gonna do - you can have this one instead:

"The Kurds and Their Ways." (Use "Little Miss Muffet" as a pen name.)

Regards,
John

[littleoldlady]

I love it, I love it. Thank you.... but I'm no arachnophobe...

[Mia Xanthi]

I decided today, after a couple of years of hiding under abayas, that the title of my Saudi memoirs would be the same as that olld Monty Python skit: "The Importance of Not Being Seen"

[007]

Well, a good title for your memoires is:

"The hiden life under the black abaya: An American's Perspective"

My preferred title would be:
"How to be Happy in the Magic Kingdom"

[Kipling]

Mr Bond opines

[littleoldlady]

A sequel to I Ran from Iran -

"Qom with me"
"Tehrany Tehrany"
Maybe old age is really getting to me. Sorry.

[Never Ceased To Be Amazed]

How about "The Dasht-i-Kavir Chronicles"?

NCTBA

[littleoldlady]

Or "Kerman Home"

Or Stop Khorasan Me!"

[felton]

Anyhow, John - thanks for being such a resource on this board. I am probably going to IPA this Sept. I would like to get some input on that from you if you have the time.

[abulinhthi]

I agree with wspeachy when he said on May 30:���. Second, because my skills were needed in more than one institution�..�. It�s something that�s difficult to describe in words unless you�ve been there for some time, but here goes: There are few things as gratifying in your work, as the feeling you get from being needed for your skills, your experience, and very often for the personal qualities which come out in your teaching---in everything you do, actually, at the job: How you get along with people, your sense of humor, your ability and willingness to adapt to different people and different situations. Most people focus on the cultural adjustments you have to make and the political, religious, and social environment. For most of 14 years (not all, I had to discover this), I found it useful to remember two things:

1. You are invited to the Kingdom for your WORK, your professional experience, and your abilities to handle students and deal with administration.
2. You are a GUEST in the Kingdom, and it behooves you to act like one. They don�t really want to know your political opinions, your criticisms of their society, your �theories� about Arab culture and history, and CERTAINLY, CERTAINLY NOT your religious views. I found that if you SHUT UP! long enough to really listen, there are plenty of Saudis who have opinions, criticisms, and theories of their own. And many, many of them surprised, sometimes astounded me. They are able and willing to express opinions, IN PRIVATE, if they trust you, and if you demonstrate sincerely and consistently, and repeatedly, that you respect what they have to say.

Would you criticize the d�cor of a room you enter, or food you are served, or anything else about a home, when you receive an invitation to someone�s house??!!

As this WAS about johnslat, here�s another I can tell you, that he can�t: He acted like this. Like a guest. He respected the students, and the culture, and the situation he was in. He respected his superiors, he respected his colleagues.
Saudis know this. They can sense it.

johnslat was NOT a �pushover�, NOT an apologist, certainly NOT obsequious (they hate this even more), he did NOT pass all students and give them what they wanted, and frankly (sorry johnslat, but this ain�t worth nuthin if I don�t give it straight) sometimes not all that easy to work with. Pain in the butt sometimes, actually! He�s the kind of guy you love to argue with, �cause, bottom line, he�ll respect your opinion. Students and administrators know this.

And that�s why I THINK johnslat was in the Kingdom so long.

[abulinhthi]

I agree with wspeachy when he said on May 30:���. Second, because my skills were needed in more than one institution�..�. It�s something that�s difficult to describe in words unless you�ve been there for some time, but here goes: There are few things as gratifying in your work, as the feeling you get from being needed for your skills, your experience, and very often for the personal qualities which come out in your teaching---in everything you do, actually, at the job: How you get along with people, your sense of humor, your ability and willingness to adapt to different people and different situations. Most people focus on the cultural adjustments you have to make and the political, religious, and social environment. For most of 14 years (not all, I had to discover this), I found it useful to remember two things:

1. You are invited to the Kingdom for your WORK, your professional experience, and your abilities to handle students and deal with administration.
2. You are a GUEST in the Kingdom, and it behooves you to act like one. They don�t really want to know your political opinions, your criticisms of their society, your �theories� about Arab culture and history, and CERTAINLY, CERTAINLY NOT your religious views. I found that if you SHUT UP! long enough to really listen, there are plenty of Saudis who have opinions, criticisms, and theories of their own. And many, many of them surprised, sometimes astounded me. They are able and willing to express opinions, IN PRIVATE, if they trust you, and if you demonstrate sincerely and consistently, and repeatedly, that you respect what they have to say.

Would you criticize the d�cor of a room you enter, or food you are served, or anything else about a home, when you receive an invitation to someone�s house??!!

As this WAS about johnslat, here�s another I can tell you, that he can�t: He acted like this. Like a guest. He respected the students, and the culture, and the situation he was in. He respected his superiors, he respected his colleagues.
Saudis know this. They can sense it.

johnslat was NOT a �pushover�, NOT an apologist, certainly NOT obsequious (they hate this even more), he did NOT pass all students and give them what they wanted, and frankly (sorry johnslat, but this ain�t worth nuthin if I don�t give it straight) sometimes not all that easy to work with. Pain in the butt sometimes, actually! He�s the kind of guy you love to argue with, �cause, bottom line, he�ll respect your opinion. Students and administrators know this.

And that�s why I THINK johnslat was in the Kingdom so long.

[Never Ceased To Be Amazed]

A post so nice, you posted it twice???

NCTBA

[Kipling]

[abulinhthi]

Dear NCTBA and Kipling,

Actually, I posted it twice 'cause this is what I REALLY think.

......this is what I REALLY think.











......................this is what I REALLY think.






....................





So, I hit the "submit" button twice. So sue me.









.......I hit the "submit" button twice.











.....................I hit the "submit" button twice.






........................




I hit the "submit" button.................(etc.).................




johnslat, NOW I KNOW how it feels to make ONE MISTAKE! Perfection is lonely at the top, no?

[johnslat]

Dear Other John,

"NOW I KNOW how it feels to make ONE MISTAKE! Perfection is lonely at the top, no?"

Boy, you can say (but NOT post) that again. These guys are merciless - which probably comes from being/having been in the Kingdom too long.

Regards,
John