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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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 Posted: Sat Aug 20, 2016 4:11 am Post subject: |
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In all my years in the Gulf, Christmas and Easter were regular workdays at the universities.
Now I understand that they sometimes hit at mid-semester breaks and a spring break added because of the timings of Ramadhan and the Eids.
If any of those teachers want to leave the country during those breaks, they have to buy their own tickets.
VS |
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thecoolteacher
Joined: 16 Aug 2016
Posts: 7
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| Posted: Fri Aug 26, 2016 7:23 pm Post subject: Great writing skills!! |
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Awesome writing skills!!!
Thanks for sharing!! |
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spudulike
Joined: 04 Feb 2016
Posts: 9
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| Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2016 6:28 am Post subject: Some issues are relative... |
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| Some issues are relative to whether you were working there, in that country, on the same continent, or in the same field of employment perhaps. If I was in Russia, I would refrain from commenting on events in Bolivia. |
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poundadozen
Joined: 17 Aug 2016
Posts: 5
Location: saudi arabia
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| Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2016 4:36 pm Post subject: Initial interview |
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Hi Spudulike ..
I had an interview with the HOD and an Omani man. They were both unpleasant and short with me. They both insisted that the probationary contract is 6 months and that no teachers have been let go early. (contrary to your thread) Can you confirm this ? are they lying ? Also does the HOD have a good relationship with the English teaching staff at the MTC ? This is very important for me and I would not enjoy working in an environment where the HOD is dishonest and not straight-forward about contractual matters ?
One other question , How do the Omani staff deal with women at the university ? It's a Gulf country and very new to this kind of mixing .
Anyway they said they would let me know either way but they never contacted me. I heard this is common and that they offer many people jobs there only to prolong the visa process or drop them like lead balloons. |
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Siobhan 22
Joined: 13 Jul 2016
Posts: 170
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| Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2016 9:11 pm Post subject: |
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Hi Poundadozen.
May I ask if you have an MA? I have 13 years' experience and a BA (non-TEFL) plus a CELTA; the agency in ireland forwarded my name but no luck?
Are you Irish? Did you go through RedChair or Prime?
Thanks in advance.
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Whatever will be
Joined: 05 Feb 2014
Posts: 303
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| Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2016 10:17 pm Post subject: Holidays |
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The summer vacation is just ending and while most ex-pats are arriving back in drips and drabs. Omanis at work are as rarely spotted as rainbow coloured unicorns. The Eid Al Fikr holiday is upon us starting on the 11th of September, which means that the locals will return to work after the end of that.
The long and short of it: it's way too hot to work, Omanis are still away on holidays, so don't expect much to happen until the beginning of October. |
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Sleepwalker
Joined: 02 Feb 2007
Posts: 454
Location: Reading the screen
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| Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2016 11:49 pm Post subject: |
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| Plus the students never turn up during the first few weeks. |
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danshengou
Joined: 17 Feb 2016
Posts: 434
Location: A bizarre overcrowded hole
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| Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2016 12:08 am Post subject: Re: Initial interview |
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| poundadozen wrote: |
I had an interview with the HOD and an Omani man. They were both unpleasant and short with me. They both insisted that the probationary contract is 6 months and that no teachers have been let go early. (contrary to your thread) Can you confirm this ? are they lying ? Also does the HOD have a good relationship with the English teaching staff at the MTC ? This is very important for me and I would not enjoy working in an environment where the HOD is dishonest and not straight-forward about contractual matters ?
Anyway they said they would let me know either way but they never contacted me. I heard this is common and that they offer many people jobs there only to prolong the visa process or drop them like lead balloons. |
That kind of take it or leave it attitude from an HOD is rather off-putting, and would be a sign that you are no more than a number to them. In addition, recent info suggests against applying there due to mediocre benefits, decreasing wages and serious issues with management. That said, a paycheck is a paycheck. So if you have a BA, can't hack Saudi military or vocational jobs, then this place might be an alternative, but not much of one. |
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Whatever will be
Joined: 05 Feb 2014
Posts: 303
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| Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2016 7:29 am Post subject: A paycheck is a paycheck |
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Sure, Saudi Arabia is an alternative but so is Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates,...  |
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Siobhan 22
Joined: 13 Jul 2016
Posts: 170
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danshengou
Joined: 17 Feb 2016
Posts: 434
Location: A bizarre overcrowded hole
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| Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2016 10:35 pm Post subject: Re: A paycheck is a paycheck |
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| Whatever will be wrote: |
| Sure, Saudi Arabia is an alternative but so is Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates,... |
For military/vocational, Saudi has the most options in the Gulf, then I would say the UAE. But the others you don't hear much about, except this deal in Muscat. |
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Whatever will be
Joined: 05 Feb 2014
Posts: 303
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| Posted: Thu Sep 01, 2016 5:59 am Post subject: Not a good deal |
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| It's a deal but not a good one...there are better deals elsewhere |
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Spasibo
Joined: 02 Dec 2015
Posts: 31
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| Posted: Sun Sep 04, 2016 5:45 pm Post subject: |
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hey no one forced you to stay there for 3 years. if you didn't like it that much why not leave earlier. i never understood teachers who complain about situations. either change it or leave, don't work in certain countries, research ahead of time.
or simply find a new profession. |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Mon Sep 05, 2016 3:03 am Post subject: |
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There are many reasons why people stay in a job. For instance, this job started out with a very high salary/benefit package for Oman. Sometimes things start out well and slowly fall apart... and some will stay in hopes that things will be fixed. Many need the paycheck and can't leave until they have amassed a certain amount.
Some of us can easily walk out if job conditions tank, but some of us can't...
VS |
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1st Sgt Welsh
Joined: 13 Dec 2010
Posts: 946
Location: Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei
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| Posted: Mon Sep 05, 2016 5:48 am Post subject: |
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| veiledsentiments wrote: |
There are many reasons why people stay in a job. For instance, this job started out with a very high salary/benefit package for Oman. Sometimes things start out well and slowly fall apart... and some will stay in hopes that things will be fixed. Many need the paycheck and can't leave until they have amassed a certain amount.
Some of us can easily walk out if job conditions tank, but some of us can't... |
Word. When I was a young, carefree backpacker in Europe, if I didn't like a job, then I'd just leave. At that time, there was no problem getting badly-paid work in hospitality, construction etc., so, if I didn't like one crappy job, it was at least easy enough to go out and get another one. However, that's not where I'm at now.
It's easy to say "if you don't like it, go", but, if you have mortgage to pay, a family to support etc. it's not that simple and, although I agree that you shouldn't stay indefinitely in a position that makes you miserable, if you have adult commitments, then you have got to have your ducks lined up before making a transition. That sometimes takes time. |
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