Job Discussion Forums

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

I thought he was just asking about information to decide if he should apply. He certainly wasn't describing living/working in Oman.

VS

urbanversion · Joined: 27 Jan 2011 Posts: 426

misteradventure · Joined: 18 Aug 2003 Posts: 246

Confession:

I have a semantic failure. This was not anticipated with Native Speakers in this line of work.

Teaching, in this venue, is interpreted as presenting information for digestion by target audience (client population) of employer.

Learning, in this venue, is interpreted as willing and subsequent digestion of above by aforementioned target audience.

My apologies for primitive linguistic patterns in previous postings. When amongst monkeys, one can not help but become tempted by the prospect of going bananas. Rarely is one successful in resisting said temptation.

-m

urbanversion · Joined: 27 Jan 2011 Posts: 426

To be honest, I don't think you will be happy or find peace in Oman, relaxing it is not, especially when dealing with hormonal boys who believe they deserve to be marked present...even when they have no valid excuse for being absent to classes!!! Rolling Eyes

inasianow · Joined: 06 Jul 2011 Posts: 6

I'm actually glad I got a chance to work in Oman's CAS. It was a trip. Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined such administrative chaos. It broadened my experience and gave me a greater appreciation of how wide
human culture is. But I'm also glad to be out of there. Chaos takes a toll.
And yes, the students were pampered in some ways, but they were also the most charming and responsive students I've ever had the pleasure to teach.
I miss the students terribly - they were wonderful.

urbanversion · Joined: 27 Jan 2011 Posts: 426

caravanesque · Joined: 09 Jun 2011 Posts: 16

There's some really crucial information already on this string about the situation at CAS.

What else is there to know?

What is the English department like, like its management and director?

The most basic question that I think people would have is whether they pay on time and are dependable with other arrangements?

For instance will the other benefits normally associated with work in the ME be available or provided, ie airport collect, medical cover, annual return tickets?

What is it really like to be employed by them?

inasianow · Joined: 06 Jul 2011 Posts: 6

Well, I was there through Hawthorn. Others were there through the Ministry.
We both got paid on time - no problem. The Ministry people seemed to have a lot of hassles, though, because they had to find their own apartments, turn on utilities, if something broke it was their problem.The Ministry didn't seem to offer them any help. Majali, on the other hand, took care of everything for me, and there was a nice but rather bumbling contact guy who worked for Majali who met me at the airport, got me to the Holiday Inn for the first night, helped me get a cell phone, arranged for a plumber when the water heater acted up, arranged for a taxi to Muscat when I wanted t go and so on. The Ministry folk got paid more than I did, but from what I saw of their hassles it wasn't worth it.

As for the HOD, well, there were 2 during my time and a bit of a war between them. I had no interest in the politics and no one bothered me with such things.Both HODs were pleasant to me and the department was big enough (50 teachers?) so you could be anonymous. There were factions, but again, just ignore it and don't get caught up in it. Actually, with such a large faculty there were plenty of people to choose from when it came to pals.
The chaos is the deal breaker, and it is systemic, so it would not be easy to fix. It's not a matter of changing the Dean or the HOD - they really didn't seem to have much clout - the problem looked to me to be all the little kingdoms run by staff.

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

Middle East Beast · Joined: 05 Mar 2008 Posts: 836 Location: Up a tree

caravanesque · Joined: 09 Jun 2011 Posts: 16

@Beast

Totally agreed, but you also need to take into account the contractual and everyday employee assistance, i.e. the basics from the point of view of the expat, weighing as much as the environment.

I'm just wondering exactly what that environment is like or determined by, because if its a form of laissez faire, the culture of the institution and the country - and perhaps the dept, then you have to adapt.

If the environment is one characterised by breakdown and mismanagement, as well as historical problems and conflicts, then you have to decide if you can tolerate that or not.

Which is it in the case of CAS, or does this differ from campus to campus? For instance Sur and Rustaq are supposedly dysfunctional because of CAS problems, but if you can carry on and make the best of it and not be bothered too much, receive get regular pay, then it's fine,

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

There are always some who can carry on no matter how awful others think it is. I think that is part of the territory in too many jobs in the Gulf. But, yes, it varies by branch, but this variance also varies by year... if you get my drift.

VS

caravanesque · Joined: 09 Jun 2011 Posts: 16

at this time, which campuses have the worst variance? there seems to be quite a lot negative about sohar, sur and rustaq