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themeepsong
Joined: 16 Oct 2008
Posts: 13
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 Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2012 12:25 am Post subject: My Situation and Job Prospects for UAE? |
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Greetings,
I'm currently living in Canada finishing my Masters in Applied Linguistics while working full-time managing a wholesale business. I was in Korea from 2005-2010 teaching at 2 small private schools, before spending the last 3 years at an after-school program. I also taught for a variety of large corporations such as SK Energy, Hyundai and Samsung. After a long trip across Asia and Europe, I moved to Canada in June of 2010 with my Korean wife.
In addition to graduating in November with my Masters, I also have a TEFL certificate and will be enrolling in a CELTA course in the Mid-East prior to applying for work in the UAE.
I guess I'm just wondering if I would have a guaranteed job with these credentials. Is there any way that I would be making less than $3500 Canadian + benefits?
I understand that I won't have any post-Masters experience or any ESL experience within the Arab world. The goals is to obtain both of these by getting my foot in the door.
I'm also curious to hear what you think about my wife and I coming to the UAE with the intentions of completing the CELTA course and looking for jobs upon receiving the certification.
Thanks,
C |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2012 3:04 am Post subject: |
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You would not have a guaranteed job at that rate upon completion of your MA. I would get the CELTA in some cheap country - although I don't think it will be of much benefit with an MA and another Cert (assuming it wasn't an online quickie weekend type). You don't want to come to the Gulf until you already have all the credentials and the employer is flying you in... visa in hand. The cost of living in the Gulf is higher than in North America.
The foot in the door jobs without post MA experience would likely be in Oman where the pay is lower than your $3500 number.
VS |
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themeepsong
Joined: 16 Oct 2008
Posts: 13
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| Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2012 4:42 am Post subject: |
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| veiledsentiments wrote: |
You would not have a guaranteed job at that rate upon completion of your MA. I would get the CELTA in some cheap country - although I don't think it will be of much benefit with an MA and another Cert (assuming it wasn't an online quickie weekend type). You don't want to come to the Gulf until you already have all the credentials and the employer is flying you in... visa in hand. The cost of living in the Gulf is higher than in North America.
The foot in the door jobs without post MA experience would likely be in Oman where the pay is lower than your $3500 number.
VS |
Thank you for this information. I've been interested in moving to the Mid-East for a while, and I always thought that it might be a better idea to come when I've really bulked-up my resume.
A better plan I suppose, would be to get my CELTA in a safe country with decent pay(I assume Oman fits this profile) where I can add a semi-prestigious ESL position to the resume.
My TEFL certification is a minimal evening class type deal, so in addition to the teacher training and educational value of CELTA, I think it will really provide a boost to my CV. |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2012 4:14 pm Post subject: |
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I haven't heard of anyone going to Oman to get the CELTA. You'd have to check/google and see if and where it is on offer there. The cheap place in the Middle East used to be the British Council in Cairo, but things are a bit unsettled in Egypt these days. Thailand is usually the place with one of the cheapest CELTA courses and cost of living. Personally if I were you, I would do it where you are at the moment
Oman is as expensive as NA... The recruiters for the Ministries are advertising all the time for teachers. But, I doubt that you would be teaching in the same city as where the CELTA may be on offer.
VS |
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themeepsong
Joined: 16 Oct 2008
Posts: 13
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| Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2012 8:48 pm Post subject: |
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| veiledsentiments wrote: |
I haven't heard of anyone going to Oman to get the CELTA. You'd have to check/google and see if and where it is on offer there. The cheap place in the Middle East used to be the British Council in Cairo, but things are a bit unsettled in Egypt these days. Thailand is usually the place with one of the cheapest CELTA courses and cost of living. Personally if I were you, I would do it where you are at the moment
Oman is as expensive as NA... The recruiters for the Ministries are advertising all the time for teachers. But, I doubt that you would be teaching in the same city as where the CELTA may be on offer.
VS |
I'll probably pick a country other than Canada or Korea, just to spice up the CV a little. I've been to Thailand too many times; I'll find an interesting location for the CELTA.
I'm a little hesitant on moving to the Mid-East because of the lack of alcohol. My wife loves to drink beer(she's Korean), and I'm worried that she's going to be bored with a relatively sober lifestyle. If we could somehow buy some alcohol from a store or supermarket and drink at home, that might help. From what I gather, only non-alcoholic drinks are available at the stores.
I know this seems like a small thing, but I love my wife. Happy wife = happy life.
Thanks for the info. You're a straight shooter.
C |
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diodeone
Joined: 30 Sep 2011
Posts: 28
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| Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2012 9:00 pm Post subject: Re: My Situation and Job Prospects for UAE? |
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| themeepsong wrote: |
Greetings,
I'm currently living in Canada finishing my Masters in Applied Linguistics while working full-time managing a wholesale business. I was in Korea from 2005-2010 teaching at 2 small private schools, before spending the last 3 years at an after-school program. I also taught for a variety of large corporations such as SK Energy, Hyundai and Samsung. After a long trip across Asia and Europe, I moved to Canada in June of 2010 with my Korean wife.
In addition to graduating in November with my Masters, I also have a TEFL certificate and will be enrolling in a CELTA course in the Mid-East prior to applying for work in the UAE.
I guess I'm just wondering if I would have a guaranteed job with these credentials. Is there any way that I would be making less than $3500 Canadian + benefits?
I understand that I won't have any post-Masters experience or any ESL experience within the Arab world. The goals is to obtain both of these by getting my foot in the door.
I'm also curious to hear what you think about my wife and I coming to the UAE with the intentions of completing the CELTA course and looking for jobs upon receiving the certification.
Thanks,
C |
In some cases it depends on when you have those years of experience. If they are after the MA or before the MA. |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2012 11:14 pm Post subject: |
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| themeepsong wrote: |
| I'm a little hesitant on moving to the Mid-East because of the lack of alcohol. My wife loves to drink beer(she's Korean), and I'm worried that she's going to be bored with a relatively sober lifestyle. If we could somehow buy some alcohol from a store or supermarket and drink at home, that might help. From what I gather, only non-alcoholic drinks are available at the stores. |
Yes, it always good to keep the wife happy, and I'll assume that you also enjoy sharing a drink with her. And that is no problem outside of Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. They are the only two dry countries in the Gulf... and even there, people brew their own.
In Oman, Qatar, UAE, and Bahrain, alcohol is served in the hotels, and foreigners get a "liquor license" from the government which allows you to buy most whatever you want... from the government store. I don't drink so I never had one, but everyone has said that it allows you to buy more than enough unless you are a complete lush. 
So, you can keep the fridge stocked and enjoy a beer. BTW... drunk driving is a very serious offense in this part of the world, so avoid getting into the situation.
VS |
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themeepsong
Joined: 16 Oct 2008
Posts: 13
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| Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2012 11:45 pm Post subject: |
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| veiledsentiments wrote: |
| themeepsong wrote: |
| I'm a little hesitant on moving to the Mid-East because of the lack of alcohol. My wife loves to drink beer(she's Korean), and I'm worried that she's going to be bored with a relatively sober lifestyle. If we could somehow buy some alcohol from a store or supermarket and drink at home, that might help. From what I gather, only non-alcoholic drinks are available at the stores. |
Yes, it always good to keep the wife happy, and I'll assume that you also enjoy sharing a drink with her. And that is no problem outside of Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. They are the only two dry countries in the Gulf... and even there, people brew their own.
In Oman, Qatar, UAE, and Bahrain, alcohol is served in the hotels, and foreigners get a "liquor license" from the government which allows you to buy most whatever you want... from the government store. I don't drink so I never had one, but everyone has said that it allows you to buy more than enough unless you are a complete lush.
So, you can keep the fridge stocked and enjoy a beer. BTW... drunk driving is a very serious offense in this part of the world, so avoid getting into the situation.
VS |
Great info. I do enjoy a drink, but I get way more work done when I'm sober! I think I actually might be able to convince my wife to try out this country.
I appreciate the info. This might just work.
C |
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PattyFlipper
Joined: 14 Nov 2007
Posts: 572
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| Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2012 2:33 pm Post subject: |
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| No liquor licence required to buy alcohol in Bahrain - at least until the fundies take control. Then you won't be able to buy it legally at all. |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2012 3:41 pm Post subject: |
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I suspect that is true of every country in the Gulf. Is this likely Mr Flipper? Considering how much of their economy is based on the "tourist" trade from Saudi every weekend... If I was wagering, I'd probably expect this change to come first in Qatar since they are mainly the same sect as Saudi.
VS |
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PattyFlipper
Joined: 14 Nov 2007
Posts: 572
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| Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2012 7:37 pm Post subject: |
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| veiledsentiments wrote: |
I suspect that is true of every country in the Gulf. Is this likely Mr Flipper? Considering how much of their economy is based on the "tourist" trade from Saudi every weekend... If I was wagering, I'd probably expect this change to come first in Qatar since they are mainly the same sect as Saudi.
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I think it is only a question of when, not if.
The (elected) lower-house of the Bahraini 'Parliament' has, since the last elections, been completely dominated by the Islamists of both sects (almost all the secular candidates lost their seats), coordinated to a large extent by some very nasty clerics. Some of the pronouncements coming out of this chamber are both bizarre and scary. These people have a fundamentalist agenda, and stuffing-up Bahrain's tourist trade and hospitality industry in pursuit of it is the least of their concerns. By way of concession and appeasement, the government has already moved most of the grog shops to obscure, non-central locations, (nominally) banned the sale of alcohol to Muslims, and imposed total prohibition on sales during Ramadan. At the moment, the appointed upper-house and the Al Khalifa-dominated executive are quietly vetoing and resisting most of the more extremist demands; however the day that the 'legislature' gets any real teeth, is the day that Sharia law will be imposed on the Islamic Republic of Bahrain.
The Sheikhly Rulers of both Qatar and the UAE are not under anywhere near the same pressures, both internal and external, to introduce 'political reforms', so the Islamo-facist elements there seem to have very little voice. Yet.
Apologies to the OP for hijacking his thread. Relevant to those of us who enjoy the occasional tipple while toiling for our petro-dollars though - and who generally prefer alcohol which will not deprive us of our sight before the end of the contract  . |
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johnslat
Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 13859
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
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| Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2012 8:20 pm Post subject: |
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Dear PattyFlipper,
"Relevant to those of us who enjoy the occasional tipple while toiling for our petro-dollars though - and who generally prefer alcohol which will not deprive us of our sight before the end of the contract."
If I could read that, I'd agree with it. 
Regards,
John |
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PattyFlipper
Joined: 14 Nov 2007
Posts: 572
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| Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2012 8:27 pm Post subject: |
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| johnslat wrote: |
Dear PattyFlipper,
"Relevant to those of us who enjoy the occasional tipple while toiling for our petro-dollars though - and who generally prefer alcohol which will not deprive us of our sight before the end of the contract."
If I could read that, I'd agree with it.
Regards,
John |
My friend for 19 years. |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2012 1:33 am Post subject: |
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| PattyFlipper wrote: |
| the government has already moved most of the grog shops to obscure, non-central locations, (nominally) banned the sale of alcohol to Muslims, and imposed total prohibition on sales during Ramadan. |
These have been true in the UAE and Oman since the 80's. I had walked past one of the major alcohol stores for months before I saw someone coming out carrying their supply and figured out what was behind the discreet door with no sign. It reminded me of a "speak-easy" during the US Prohibition years. None of them, nor the hotels, were to sell to Muslims - though again, it was done discreetly. And there was always a mad rush to get their supplies in before the Ramadhan lock down.  My first year or so in Abu Dhabi, some of the restaurants would serve it discreetly during Ramadhan from tea pots and such, but a stop was put to that.
I guess we will just have to wait and see...
VS |
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PattyFlipper
Joined: 14 Nov 2007
Posts: 572
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| Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2012 7:38 am Post subject: |
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| veiledsentiments wrote: |
| These have been true in the UAE and Oman since the 80's. I had walked past one of the major alcohol stores for months before I saw someone coming out carrying their supply and figured out what was behind the discreet door with no sign. |
Certainly not true in Ajman, where the main outlet is very conspicuous and happily sells to all-comers, (or used to - I haven't been there in a while). The Barracuda in Umm Al Quwain also does not require a permit and doesn't care if you are a Muslim or a Seventh Day Adventist! The problem of course is transporting it to other Emirates if you do not have a liquor licence. |
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