Job Discussion Forums

[desert date]

I work in a great girls' secondary school here in Melbourne with articulate, challenging, complicated and infuriating women (students and colleagues). In my opinion they have made my life and career as a teacher of English literature more rewarding and it's one of the reasons why I keep postponing my sojourn to the Middle East. Of course, being one of the few thorns amongst the roses means I get quite a bit of attention. How do you guys handle it in KSA without women to provide that additional bit of mental and emotional stimulation (never mind that other bit)?

[Mia Xanthi]

It seems that things get very contentitous (sp?) in all all-male environment with too much testosterone in the air. I think it's much easier being on the all-female side...but of course, that's not an option for you!

[Cleopatra]

There's a saying that 'whatever you are, Saudi Arabia makes you more so.' It seems a variation on this is that segregated environments bring out stereotypical gender characteristics: Women get b1tchier, and men get more macho. In my experience there does seem to be something to it.

The level of segregation does vary from place to place. In many (maybe most) places you won't see a member of the opposite sex from one week to the next. In other places, such as colleges with both male and female sections, while the teaching and students will be strictly segregated, there may be mixed staff meetings and transport, and male and female teachers do work with each other in a limited sense.

[johnslat]

Dear desert date,

"How do you guys handle it in KSA without women to provide that additional bit of mental and emotional stimulation (never mind that other bit)?"

But women did provide considerable mental/emotional stimulation during my 19 years there. Here's a list of some of them:

Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte, George Eliot. George Sand, Margaret Atwood, Sylvia Plath, Alice Walker, Toni Morrison. Isabel Allende, Maya Angelou. Willa cather, etc, etc.

Lovely ladies, every one.

Regards,
John

[desert date]

[trapezius]

I have taught a couple of mixed classes at my current job in over 3 years. I must say, having women in the class does make it a lot better. They are more hardworking, cheerful, engaging in the classroom, and yes, they do provide mental and emotional stimulation by just being there.

But aside from those couple of classes, it has been all-male classes, and while they are OK, they pale in comparison to mixed ones in terms of being interesting and fun to teach.

[veiledsentiments]

If you really want to teach mixed or all-female classes, you should be applying to Bahrain, the UAE, Qatar, or Oman. Oman and Bahrain have all integrated classes at tertiary level. And in Qatar and the UAE, there are male teachers in the women's EFL courses.

VS

[saharastars]

Get married, if you want a little more amplified complication marry another, then one other and then another. You will have no end of interest and complications.
On a serious note leave dating dates to the western world- its not doable here, even though you see lots of single expats NOT window shopping in malls. Choose a wonderful person and settle down.....

[Sheikh N Bake]

How well men handle gender segregation depends on their age, experience in the Gulf and whether they're married. This business of excessive testosterone in the air in all-male teaching environments seems to me like a hackneyed, done-to-death stereotype that comes only from North American/UK women. But...there was an element of truth in it at Raytheon, what with 40+ American male teachers, but in my present position with 12 western and Saudi instructors, I don't see it, and everyone is polite...rudeness is hardly ever encountered. As a single man of 60 I get by reasonably contentedly because (1) I talk to my gf from SE Asia on webcam (2) I know this is my retirement job (3) I knew what I was getting into, and it's OK (4) I know how to get along with the rather unique students, in general (5) I get about a dozen uncensored movie channels, plus MSNBC etc, and nowadays you can download uncensored movies left and right, (6) books from Kindle and of course (7) we get vacations. Starting next year we're supposed to get the entire Ramadan period of 40 days off in addition to 2 weeks Hajj and our 30 days annual leave.

[svatopluk]

If you're right handed, you end up with a right arm like Arnold Schwarzenneger. Vice versa for left-handers.

[johnslat]

Dear evatopluk,

Arnold ends up with a left arm like mine?

Jeepers, as governor of California, he's already got enough problems.

Regards,
John

[svatopluk]

Dear John,

well I've never seen your arm, left or right, but it's true Arnie has bigger problems, like California having no water. Geez, those guys must stink!

Svato

[TeresaLopez]

[007]

[Spinoza]

I too wondered how I'd cope in an all-male environment, but I've coped very well. It may actually have many benefits. I suppose I miss teaching females, but don't miss working with them in the slightest