Job Discussion Forums

lovehappens · Joined: 16 Dec 2008 Posts: 53 Location: Oregon

I read January's bad report on the cafe here about al Musana from ThaneKerner.
It is one of several places I'm considering a teaching job. If there are any present teachers here please update me on the current attitudes, conditions with administration/students. You can also PM me --good or bad THANKS

runninggirl · Joined: 26 Jul 2009 Posts: 50 Location: Latin America

I'd like to hear infor from teachers there as well.

Neil McBeath · Joined: 01 Dec 2005 Posts: 277 Location: Saudi Arabia

This is an entirely superficial judgement, but as nobody else has replied to your question, it is probably better than nothing.

I visited the College in 2008 and 2009 for conferences. THe main assembly hall was VERY impressive, the classrooms a lot less so. It might be unfair to say that they were neglected, but they would have benefitted from a higher standard of maintenance.

Both staff and students deserve reasonable working conditions, and it may be that the staff and students are all charming, but first impressions were a bit iffy.

Caterinamh · Joined: 27 Jul 2006 Posts: 140 Location: Istanbul

Also interested in the good bad and ugly about Al Musana College of Technology, Sultanate of Oman. Where is is located actually? How much is rent in Oman R. would 250 Oman R be enough for a very well maintained, furnished place, 1 bedroom, bathroom with tub, great kitchen? Is it difficult to get the internet, satellite tv with loads of English channels connected etc. ? How liberal is the town where the school is located? What kinds of malls, shopping, resturants etc? Can I lease a car monthly with a valid US drivers license and credit card and if so what is the cost??? Any thing useful would be appreicated.

Poetic Justice · Joined: 14 May 2010 Posts: 19

Forget this employer. Don't consider it any further. What has been posted about Al Musannah College of Technology's shortcomings is correct.

carrottop · Joined: 24 Nov 2009 Posts: 22

I know several teachers there, who have had lots of problems with the head of the English department. She apparently is off the wall. Also there seems to be no professionalism in handling observations, feedback and general evaluations. At present they are being assessed by the Oman Accredition Council. Keep an eye on the OAC website for the results of their audit. Since the beginning of the academic year, there have been over 9 runners. They are always looking for staff. It is a goverment run college as all HCTs are, and all hire is done through agencies - some of which are unscrupulous, in that some of the teachers sent from these agencies are retired primary school teachers with some dodgy TESOL qualification and no tertiery experience.

shibainu69 · Joined: 08 May 2010 Posts: 86

where is it located is it near muscat? how far is it better than nizwa? arew there any western things there etc... gym s

carrottop · Joined: 24 Nov 2009 Posts: 22

Mussana is about 40 minutes outside Muscat and there is a beach resort near by with all facilities - gym, pool,beach, restaurant, bar ....
It is also near a large supermarket.
Nizwa is one and a half hours from Muscat. has two hotels with gyms, pools. There are no good supermarkets - friends living there travel to Muscat to get their shopping.

shibainu69 · Joined: 08 May 2010 Posts: 86

so musanna is a much better location than nizwa then for me?
my wife doens't want to go somewhere where there are no aerobics classes and stuff I guess 40 mintues commute from al musanna to muscat is possible isn't it?

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

Do you mean live in Muscat and commute to Musanna? Possible, but may not be a pleasant idea. I suspect that it is 40 minutes non-rush hour... it is mostly a nice wide lighted highway, but if you look at a map, you can see that there is only one road, so if traffic backs up for any reason, it will take much longer.

Of course, there may be options living between Muscat and Musanna that would work for you. But, now we may be looking at the necessity of two cars.

VS

shibainu69 · Joined: 08 May 2010 Posts: 86

I lived in Japan and drove to work for 5 years it took about 50 mintues each way and was probably only 10 km but the traffic was that bad. Where is good inbetween Musanna and muscat with a gym with aerobics and other white people?

johnslat · Posted: Sat May 22, 2010 8:38 pm Post subject:

Heck, I didn't even know that aerobics WERE white people.

Regards,
John

georgemcduff · Joined: 16 Apr 2007 Posts: 16

Never mind aerobics. If surrounding yourself with 'white people' is very important to you, you're coming to the wrong place.

eslbear · Joined: 19 Feb 2010 Posts: 93

Yeah, I hate to be a grump, but for crying out loud, look at a bloody map and figure it out! There is nothing between Muscat and Musanna - and you want a gym with aerobics? Oman is not a large multi-urban settled country - there is one main city and the others are towns or villages at best. The only aerobics class you might find would be in Muscat.

and if the condition of having a gym and classes for your wife is obviously a big deal, then you are coming to the wrong country. Oman is beautiful and simple - plenty of charm and positives but my guess is your wife is going to go bonkers if her brass ring for the move is a gym with other whiteys to sweat out their bored frustrations with.

Save your time and possibly your marriage....go to Dubai or Abu Dhabi or stay in Asia.

balqis · Joined: 30 Jul 2006 Posts: 373

Kuwait too has a gym on every corner and plenty of razzmatazz everywhere.

balqi