Job Discussion Forums

[Whatever will be]

Whatever

[veiledsentiments]

I agree that turning it over to the military isn't a bad idea. I wonder what the cause of the shortage is. Water plant down?

VS

[Whatever will be]

Whatever

[veiledsentiments]

I'll move your other article over here and report the other to the MODs for removal.

http://www.timesofoman.com/News/52756/Article-Sunday-Beat-Who-is-to-blame-for-water-crisis-in-Oman#.VXNWlw07fFY.facebook

No need for two threads on the same non-education related topic.

VS

[madrileno]

I've friends in Ghala who've been without water for 10 days!

I feel particularly bad for anyone stuck in Muscat for all or most of Ramadan. It's going to be long, painful slog without water according to this article:

http://www.timesofoman.com/News/52599/Article-Water-nightmare-to-haunt-Omans-capital-city-residents-this-summer

[balqis]

In the deep provinces we also experience regular power cuts along with water shortage, due to overheating of the electricity lines, and this due to excessive use of AC.

balqis

[veiledsentiments]

One of the major problems with overuse of electricity was that they keep places WAY too cold. I remember that my students would rush late into class and immediately walk to the thermostat and turn it to coldest possible setting. I had to make it a rule that NO ONE but me touch it. Just because it is 45 degrees outside doesn't mean that we need a temperature for the refrigeration of meat inside. I already had to carry a jacket all summer because it was so danged cold inside every university building and shop.

Sensible usage would greatly reduce the outages. But their "me first" attitude makes educating people to use the systems sensibly is pretty much impossible. I did at least educate my students about how a thermostat and HVAC system worked. (probably didn't much help)

VS

[Whatever will be]

whatever

[veiledsentiments]

Personally I would have never considered any job out in the villages of Oman... or any other Gulf country. I had plenty of the power/water issues during the years that I lived in Cairo, so I know all about it and knew that I preferred to avoid them.

As far as internet issues, that has always been around and is sadly common in many of the countries that TEFL teachers go to...

It sounds like it is time for you to head back to the "first world" so that you don't have to deal with any of this. You have been unhappy since the day you got to Oman and have had what appears to be a uniquely negative experience...

VS

[Whatever will be]

Whatever

[balqis]

From my experience of working for the government colleges, the retention rate there is low. After doing one year a lot of people simply leave. And also a lot of them leave after a few months. Where I was, the hiring was ongoing.

In most colleges in Muscat, the faculty is Indian. Indians will agree to all conditions. One of such colleges once offered me a job. I was to be the first white skin amongst their faculty. My salary was to be higher by some 400-500 Or than the rest of the salaries there. i was asked not to reveal my salary to anyone of my colleagues-to-be.

balqis

[omanoman]

Dear Whatevs,

parts of your experience may not be unique.

What is not as common however, is your particular knack for embellishment, pessimism and apparent surplus of sour grapes.

I will bet that most people who post and view here have seen and experienced the same and worse coming from the many far flung regions of the world. But they don't whinge about it as you seem to be quite keen to do.....and then delete all your posts.

The board is chock full of caution, experienced advice, supposition and downright hyperbole at times. Actually, the voices in the minority are the more positive ones, mostly because the happier people don't bother posting about the good times - they just carry on enjoying them.

[travelbug66]

I would agree with you. Happy, well adjusted, positive people who are enjoying their lives in Oman, or anywhere else for that matter are unlikely to frequent this website. The amount of negative posting here is extremely high.
Having tried and failed in Saudi - it is quite disheartening to read a whole bunch of negatives about Oman.
So once I arrive in the fall, I will do my utmost to be positive, enjoy a good social life and keep busy.
Oman is not Saudi Arabia !! That's my mantra !!

[balqis]

Pessimism is noble, has always been the source of major religions for its content, depth and clarity. An intelligent man can't and shouldn't be happy.

Hope you are doing all right Whatever-will-be.

balqis

[madrileno]