Job Discussion Forums

[bfaris96]

Hey all its me again. Just a couple things:

-I'm not a plant for ahed. I know there's no way to prove that, but I'm not. I'm just a desperate wanker who needs a job.

-I also am a discrete entity from bliebls3 or whatever this persons name is.

-I don't really know how the private messages work, so I'm sorry if I don't/haven't replied. Also I've been away hurrying around NYC trying to get all this visa crap done. I haven't been on here cause I think I've learned all I can from you motley lot.

Peace!

-

[bfaris96]

And yes I'm full GO with Ahed. Contract signed, HIV test taken (and passed. Whew.), NYC criminal background checked. GO GO. ALL OUR BASE ARE BELONG TO US!

Feel free to email [email protected] if you want to talk with me about all this bestial contractual fiendery.

[killthebuddha]

bfaris96,

Thanks for returning to say "Hey." Sorry for the suggestion that you were other than who you claimed. Is it true that you're contracted for 30 hours with a possibility of 10 more? Is there a possibility you'll be in shared hotel housing?

Since you've decided to go, I would be interested to know how you get on. I think (some of ) the others would be too. You should PM the others in this thread who have expressed an interest in AHEd. Try to remember us kindly, and in the absence of any real evidence or motive to the contrary, believe that we wish you the best.

--ktb

[bfaris96]

I will definitely update this discussion after having dived in and I'll see to it that AHEd receives the treatment it deserves in the august halls of Dave's ESL Cafe.

[Never Ceased To Be Amazed]

[Mia Xanthi]

Mia's best advice:

If you're really going to do this thing, then go in quietly, and stay quiet. Do not voice your attitudes or complaints to others. Whatever you say will quickly become distorted and passed around to everyone.

Try to size it up as quickly as possible, and if it is especiialy bad or dangerous, leave quickly without anyone's knowledge. I hate to tell someone to do something so obviously unprofessional, but I'd choose safety over professional reputation any time.

Wishing you all the good luck in the world...you're going to need it. Keep us informed.

[cmp45]

[RUBALKHALI]

I posted this info about AHE on page 4, I think, of ESL FORUM, hopefully copied for you here....several months ago.

http://forums.eslcafe.com/job/viewtopic.php?t=81988

My word! This thread certainly has created alot of curiosity!

Is it true that AHE is a scam after all?

[bfaris96]

If it is a scam, it is an incredibly complex one employing at least four different people I've spoken with on the phone who all desperately want to get me all the way to Saudi Arabia by September 15th just so they can--I don't know--put me in a desert work camp. So far I know they have ensnared me and at least one other person, probably many more.

I doubt it's a scam. AHEd may end up being disorganized (though in my dealings with them so far they are extremely organized) and the program they run may turn out to be hell-on-earth (though I expect that the program will be reasonably well-conceived and managed), but I do think they're going through with it.

But then again who can know anything? Perhaps the entire Kingdom of Saudi Arabia itself is a ruse devised by oil companies seeking to create a fictional country with a language opaque to Westerners whose civic and international policies are backward in order to maintain instability in the markets for purposes of making profit. I've certainly never seen the place with my own eyes.

I will concede that AHEd should think twice before saying Saudi Arabia is "virtually crime-free". This is doubtless propaganda disseminated by the Saudi monarchy, whose crime metrics are not ones I would trust.

[Never Ceased To Be Amazed]

How many times do I hafta tell ya. Shut up an' go already! You have NOTHING to prove!

I...we...are no longer interested!

NCTBA

[veiledsentiments]

[talbert77]

I have read all the previous posts and have to say I am thankful for the many shared ideas and tips.

I have talked to Mr. L last morning and came to a tentative verbal agreement with him. I have not yet seen my contract, but I expect to get a call form the nice lady later today; hopefully the contract will arrive near the same time.

I do have a few years teaching experience, both in ESL, and GED, but I have never taught overseas. I have traveled to Turkey (loved it) and visited Bahrain briefly on my way to BKK, Manila, and Taipei a few years ago.

From what I have read here and the research I have done on my own AHEd is not a scam as we all agree, but there will be rough spots ahead.

In another life, I was part of a management team which started an Adult ESL program and a k-6 Charter School from scratch in order to serve a vast immigrant population here in the states. This was basically 3 years of pure hell and 5 years of purgatory.

I was in charge of Finance, IT, HR, Payroll, grant management, Security, etc. so I've experienced most of the problems that stem from starting up a school. That insight allows me to see what AHEd is doing in a better light and some understanding.

I even have experienced what happens when an untested curriculum is put before "experienced" teachers - in my case it was "Direct Instruction". Oh, the battles that raged the first 5 years. "D.I." was a catalyst for more coup attempts than in all of Bolivia's time of independence. I would guess AHEd would prefer "newbies" because those teachers will be more likely to give the new curriculum a chance because they don't know anything better - most experienced teachers would rather fight than switch. Also, newer teachers will accept less pay - this is key for any start-up.

I believe that though the pay and the housing is not the best, it may be the best they can do for now. I still remember my old boss deliberately tossing invoices for books and supplies into the trash so I could not enter them into the accounting system and thus, show the board how over budget we were. Payroll was the priority, because the game is over if teachers walk because of nonpayment. Heck, I remember a few times when the rest of the administrative staff and I had to hold on to our paychecks until all the teacher's checks had cleared first.

No one knows what can go wrong when something is started from a dream and there are so many players juggling rules and requirements (especially work visa requirements). This enterprise is a bit of a risk, but who knows, there could be a gigantic reward down the road too. Who of us would not (knowing what we know now) jump at the chance to sweat and toil with Bill Gates in his Mom and Dad's garage as the then untested Microsoft's first employees? I remember fate smiling very handsomely on them... don't you? Who would want to be Ringo's predecessor... the Beatle forgotten?

[veiledsentiments]

I've gotta say that comparing a school set-up with Mr Gates' history is a major stretch... I mean a really major stretch. Especially as compared with the Middle East set-up. In fact, it will make any teacher familiar with education in this part of the world laugh out loud or perhaps just shake their head in disgust.

Yes, they are hiring newbies... that they can underpay, treat like low level laborers, and hopefully they will be too clueless to actually judge the materials or program... and unfamiliar with the situation in Saudi Arabia and the fact that these cowboy outfits OWN you and you are basically their captives.

Perhaps you are correct and these fellows have honorable intentions to provide quality education rather than just in it for the chance to suck up as many petrodollars from the Arabs as they can before everyone figures them out. The problem is that thus far we haven't seem many of the first option. ...rare as hen's teeth.

VS

[talbert77]

I am fairly sure not even the big boys at AHEd will become billionaires even 20 years from now - if they last at all. I am only just learning what the scene is like in the Mideast and from what I have read here, it is likely going to be harsh as a first overseas teaching deployment for a new teacher and possibly even for the more experienced teachers.

We live as prisoners of choice. Wealth is always gained by the exploitation of others. Few of us here are wealthy, so it follows that most of are being exploited in some way and there is no way around it. To me, it does not matter if one is earning $40k per year in the states with kids in college, a big mortgage on too large a house, car payments, and serious credit card debt living mindlessly from paycheck to paycheck or sweating and toiling under contract in KSA teaching students not interested in learning in a system that does not work (to a certain extent, this smacks of the US education system, does it not?).

As prisoners, we have choices, but they all are bad ones in most cases and we are forced to pick the lesser evil. We prisoners will simply find a way to justify our sacrifices, to find what little happiness we can in a world we never made. This is just my humble opinion.

[veiledsentiments]