| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
Santiago Matamoros
Joined: 23 Jan 2009
Posts: 26
Location: Spain
|
 Posted: Thu Aug 06, 2009 8:24 pm Post subject: Teaching in Oman |
 |
|
| Sorry I should have asked if someone could recommend a good teaching position in Oman. I will look twice next time! |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
washingtonpost
Joined: 28 Nov 2009
Posts: 61
|
| Posted: Tue Dec 01, 2009 3:58 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I have worked in three countries: Oman, Qatar and the UAE. The best place is Oman although the pay is not very good. The Omanis are pleasant and polite people compared to others in the Gulf. The Qataris are very spoiled rich kids with a rich kids mentality. They think they own the world and for the moment they probably do. The Emiratis are not as bad and certainly the recent economic downturn has been a very sobering event for many people. The nicest Emiratis are on the east coast. They are basically Omanis anyway just had the borders moved around now and then.
The best place to work is definitely SQU. The Tech College has had a lot of problems. Avoid Nizwa, Ibri and Salalah - these places have bad management types (I call them pokeweed. Pokeweed is a toxic weed that grows in bogs and smells bad. Unfortunately, this is true of most of the people who manage these colleges. They really aren't trained managers but just some lucky stiffs who managed to be in the right place at the right time.
Good luck. Oman is definitely the place I want to go back to when I have earned enough to pay off my house in Hawaii. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
jdl
Joined: 06 Apr 2005
Posts: 632
Location: cyberspace
|
| Posted: Tue Dec 01, 2009 5:27 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Have to disagree.....sorry. Salalah is in my opinion the best place to work in the middle east on balance, considering lifestyle, salary, safety, work conditions, colleagues, housing, sensible xpat community, ......did I mention lifestyle. I find that the same management or mismanagement in the work place exists wherever one goes. If one is to make the best of it and live life large...Salalah is the place.....fantastic diving, desert, camping, walking, great food, wonderful people (like most places) oh and yes some frustrations but that is indeed life. Seems Salalah is hiring now but you will have to search the various contractors since some have filled their quotas and some have not. Live the dream! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Duffy
Joined: 29 Oct 2005
Posts: 449
Location: Oman
|
| Posted: Tue Dec 01, 2009 5:32 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I disagree
You, Washingtonpost are talking about Tech Colleges.
Do not lump these totally disfunctional establishments with the COAS in Salalah or any other city in Oman.
Santiago Matamoros,
Do not be put off by this totally negative poster. Browse the forums regarding Oman colleges, if you want any info about Salalah, I may be able to help.
Ask others about the other COAS.
DO NOT rely upon the information from that first reply to your query. It seems that WP has "issues"
PM me if you want some info on the best places to teach Englissh in Oman ( I may be a bit biased  )
Duffy  |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
jdl
Joined: 06 Apr 2005
Posts: 632
Location: cyberspace
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
jdl
Joined: 06 Apr 2005
Posts: 632
Location: cyberspace
|
| Posted: Tue Dec 01, 2009 6:10 pm Post subject: |
|
|
As far as working for the various institutions in Salalah be it MoHE, MoM, Dhofar U......same same. People jump back and forth looking for better conditions but what is gained on the swings is often lost on the teeter totters. No matter which institution is chosen there will be concerns, complaints and for the main part .... general satisfaction.
And a wonderful time was had by all! The secret is not to let the 40 hrs/week max at work, consume the remaining 128. That glass is 75% full even for the most pessimistic. Takes a very dedicated gloomy view of the world to turn it into a negative.
"Is this heaven?....... no it is __________." Some peole pick Iowa, I nominate Salalah.
Last edited by jdl on Thu Dec 03, 2009 2:38 pm; edited 1 time in total |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Duffy
Joined: 29 Oct 2005
Posts: 449
Location: Oman
|
| Posted: Tue Dec 01, 2009 6:24 pm Post subject: |
|
|
jdl,
"Is this heaven?....... no it is IOWA" and yes, if you are looking for another place to set your "Field of Dreams", then look no further.
I can provide you with such, as yet, undiscovered ancient sites here around Salalah, that "Shoeless" Joe Jackson would drool to play on. Without even saying "I'm melting - I'm melting" )))
"Hey dad, you want to play catch"?
duffy |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
jdl
Joined: 06 Apr 2005
Posts: 632
Location: cyberspace
|
| Posted: Tue Dec 01, 2009 6:27 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Duffy, we need to start a booster club! OOOps too late! Oh well the secret is out. Do you think they will come? Ah, who cares...having too much fun.
Oh by the way, check out some of WP Kinsellas other works.....Frank Fencepost et al in the 'Silas Stories' .....hillarious. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
ryder
Joined: 28 Nov 2009
Posts: 21
|
| Posted: Wed Dec 02, 2009 6:42 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Although we didn't live in Salalah, in our 9 years in Oman we were regular visitors there. The climate is very good and the drive south is spectacular. The plane ride can be bumpy and nervewracking. I have friends who've worked for the Tech College in Salalah but left because of management issues. I don't know about COAS. Salalah is a nice place if you like to be off the beaten track but it's not really ideal if you've got kids as there isn't much for them to do once they are more than 7 or 8.
Yes, Oman is a fabulous place to live and work and I hope we'll be able to go back in a few years as we're thinking of buying property there now that the property market has opened up. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
washingtonpost
Joined: 28 Nov 2009
Posts: 61
|
| Posted: Wed Dec 02, 2009 7:03 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Duffy wrote: |
I disagree
You, Washingtonpost are talking about Tech Colleges.
Do not lump these totally disfunctional establishments with the COAS in Salalah or any other city in Oman.
Santiago Matamoros,
Do not be put off by this totally negative poster. Browse the forums regarding Oman colleges, if you want any info about Salalah, I may be able to help.
Ask others about the other COAS.
DO NOT rely upon the information from that first reply to your query. It seems that WP has "issues"
PM me if you want some info on the best places to teach Englissh in Oman ( I may be a bit biased )
Duffy |
Sorry Duffy lol, no issues. I had friends who worked at the Tech College in Salalah and they had issues with the management there. One has gone to Sohar University and the other is working for the Min of Ed. My comment was cautionary. No more, no less. In fact, I like Salalah and have spent time there but as a visitor not a teacher. And yes, it seems like a nice place - a bit limited for entertainment but then that lifestyle suits some. The Tech College there needs improvement, I think most people would agree with that. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
washingtonpost
Joined: 28 Nov 2009
Posts: 61
|
| Posted: Wed Dec 02, 2009 7:10 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| jdl wrote: |
Duffy, we need to start a booster club! OOOps too late! Oh well the secret is out. Do you think they will come? Ah, who cares...having too much fun.
Oh by the way, check out some of WP Kinsellas other works.....Frank Fencepost et al in the 'Silas Stories' .....hillarious. |
Sorry chum, I am not Frankfencepost et al. Where can I find information about this poster? Which country does he post under? I am curious to know since you seem to think that he is me. Not at all. I am a recent contract hire refugee from QP Qatar which terminated me along with 37 other teachers last summer. They've just terminated the rest because of the contractors haven't been paid.
I lived in Washington for a while that's all hence the name. I also used to work in Oman and hope to go back once I've earned enough to pay off my mortgage. I was very happy working and living in Oman and have a girlfriend who is still there. It's the best place in the region in my opine. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
jdl
Joined: 06 Apr 2005
Posts: 632
Location: cyberspace
|
| Posted: Thu Dec 03, 2009 2:34 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Washington post,
Frank Fencepost is a fictional character in a series of short stories/essays compiled in volumes called the 'Silas Stories' and "Fencepost Chronicles' written by WP Kinsella. Kinsella is the guy who wrote 'Shoeless Joe Jackson' the literary basis for the movie 'Field of Dreams'. Humourous and thoughtful reading to some.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W._P._Kinsella |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
washingtonpost
Joined: 28 Nov 2009
Posts: 61
|
| Posted: Thu Dec 03, 2009 4:59 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Thanks for that. I had no idea. I'd heard of Kinsella but not this character.
Last edited by washingtonpost on Thu Dec 03, 2009 5:01 pm; edited 1 time in total |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
washingtonpost
Joined: 28 Nov 2009
Posts: 61
|
| Posted: Thu Dec 03, 2009 5:00 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Thanks jdl. You're a wealth of info.
| jdl wrote: |
Check out the following for some great journalism and personal stories about life and work in the Middle East/Gulf and Sub Continent. The Oman section is a refreshing mix of stories from all over Oman with some depth into the Dhofar.
Must reading for any 'culture traveller'.
http://www.pinaki.info/oman.htm |
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
jdl
Joined: 06 Apr 2005
Posts: 632
Location: cyberspace
|
| Posted: Thu Dec 03, 2009 5:05 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Thanks, Will do. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
