Job Discussion Forums

Beast · Joined: 13 Nov 2005 Posts: 120

IH Saudi Arabia is again recruiting on the "Other" Recruiting Site. Get the word out of this dismal place that basically abuses it's instructors and treats them like fodder.

desert_traveller · Joined: 28 Nov 2006 Posts: 335

johnslat · Posted: Fri Jan 15, 2010 6:24 pm Post subject:

And the downsides are . . . .?????

Regards,
John

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

..........but it is INTERNATIONAL HOUSE ! Think of the kudos of having that on your cv !

desert_traveller · Joined: 28 Nov 2006 Posts: 335

... although it is pretty much unlikely that you will ever want to work in tefl again after a stint at ih saudi arabia

cmp45 · Joined: 17 Aug 2004 Posts: 1475 Location: KSA

rslrunner · Joined: 12 Feb 2010 Posts: 252

It's a sacrifice, but money, by the standards of most other countries, is pretty good.

teflerlifer · Joined: 16 Mar 2010 Posts: 27

I teach in S. Korea, not everyone's cup of tea, but have just been offered a continuous contract teaching biz eng at $5000 a month, no thrills or benefits though. However, it has been said before, why on earth would anyone accept a contract for less than $4000 in Saudi when a job in Korea can pay $2500 a month plus accommodation, and you can find some private classes on the side?

h-train

johnslat · Posted: Tue Mar 16, 2010 6:12 pm Post subject:

Dear h-train,

"I would actually prefer Saudi at $2500 over Korea at $4000. That's why."

Uh-oh - better be careful. Posting stuff like that will surely make some other posters think you're weird. After all, only weird people would "prefer Saudi."

Regards,
Weird John

h-train · Posted: Tue Mar 16, 2010 6:18 pm Post subject:

teflerlifer · Joined: 16 Mar 2010 Posts: 27

Wow H-Train ! Some real negative vibes about Korea ? Lol..having lived here for 6 years, yes I agree there are many things askew in the land of the brown skinned pure race Koreans. However.....at least you are free to say what you want here, wear what you want, drink if you want....hmmm..the list goes on. John is maybe right....it DOES sound weird to prefer Saudi for relative pennies. Now, if your experience of Korea was working in a slave academy teaching 8 classes a day, living in a basement hovel with your 9 days of vacation all year, then yeah, I would agree a semi decent job in Saudi is better.
Again it all boils down to newbies and 'backpackers' as long as fools accept rubbish pay and conditions the employers in both Saudi and Korea (rest of the world) will continue to offer the lowest possible. Although it doesn't take much intelligence to log on here and realise...wait a minute, I am being ripped off!
I will reiterate my point though, I fully agree with Thane Kerner, going to live and work in Saudi for less than $5000 is sheer silliness. But I do realise that there are many teachers with minimum experience and qualifications and are also single who think $3000 is a step up from flipping burgers and living at home with mom and pop.
At the end of the day- wages are decided by market forces usually, the days of a company or employer paying you enough to actually bring up a family of 5 and buy a house and have some vacations each year...AND save on top of that are sadly long gone in the TEFL world.
Laughing

I hope you enjoy Saudi though! I worked in Qatar and thought it was pleasant enough but not a posting a single man would want if he had his marbles !!!!

h-train · Posted: Wed Mar 17, 2010 4:07 am Post subject:

I don't miss always wondering if the won was going to crash (as it did while I was there.) I don't miss the alcoholism or streets lined with vomit/spit. I don't miss the dark, freezing weather or the xenophobia. I have yet to be stared at or pointed at here... and people generally just let you go about your business instead of always drawing attention to you. I haven't felt any restrictions as far as dress here. If you like to wear a wifebeater to the grocery, that would be a drawback of coming here I guess Smile

. I don't drink, but if I did I'd just go to Bahrain which is about 30 minutes away. I don't feel as though my freedom of speech has been taken here... it is actually quite the opposite. I have never gotten in any trouble for talking about Japan or the U.S. or Asian history in general. I'm not saying I would come here for $2500... as I definitely did not... that is just how I feel about it in relation to Korea. To each his own I guess!

desultude · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 614

desultude · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 614