Job Discussion Forums

sammysez · Joined: 20 Nov 2016 Posts: 119

And obviously this is another way to reduce costs and benefits.

But for me, it's one thing to do this in college or right after, but after that, no matter how well paying the job, it's a dealbreaker for me absolutely.

babur · Posted: Thu Mar 23, 2017 8:00 pm Post subject: Sharing

NEVER share a place with another teacher, especially if he/she is a TEFLer.

nomad soul · Joined: 31 Jan 2010 Posts: 11454 Location: The real world

AmericanAmina · Joined: 15 Dec 2015 Posts: 104 Location: Abu Dhabi, UAE

I also haven't heard about shared family housing in Saudi. Maybe this is a new trend. Let's hope not though.

2buckets · Joined: 14 Dec 2010 Posts: 515 Location: Middle East

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

plumpy nut · Joined: 12 Mar 2011 Posts: 1652

The manner of sharing a place depends on the size of the place and if there is more than one bathroom. Single bathroom apts., make sure that your salary is enough to pay the additional cost for living single. The plumbing in Saudi Apts. is appalling and disgusting, and having to share it with someone else is really bad. Also if you have a housemate using your single bathroom that is a pig, it is really bad. What if you have a shared single bathroom with a squat toilet, and your roommate is disgusting together?

siologen · Joined: 25 Oct 2016 Posts: 336

In the heat of the moment · Joined: 22 May 2015 Posts: 393 Location: Italy

I've shared a couple of times and it wasn't that bad. In Saudi we (me and another teacher) had our own, private en suites and a visitors' bathroom too. In China we (me and another teacher) shared a bathroom but kept our toiletries in our bedrooms. I've been fortunate in not having to share with a nutter/alcoholic/sociopath/devout [insert religious affiliation here], although had to pay in another GCC country as they wanted me to share with a devout Muslim - no problem with them, but they might have an issue with one or two of my personal habits. Wink

Two families?? That's a new one, and now I've got the theme tune to The Brady Bunch as an earworm. Laughing

AmericanAmina · Joined: 15 Dec 2015 Posts: 104 Location: Abu Dhabi, UAE

I'm scrolling through job listings and just came across one.
http://www.eslcafe.com/joblist/index.cgi?read=42522

This is for an international school, not a university, but it's still out there. And... yes, this is the same setup that I have. Beware, job seekers.

nomad soul · Joined: 31 Jan 2010 Posts: 11454 Location: The real world

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

I cannot take seriously a job in Dammam which promotes the joys of swimming in the Red Sea (a two hour flight from Dammam) and the sights of Medain Saleh (at the other end of the country)

In the ad I alao spotted a humdinger "No fees for recruitment in this job".

nomad soul · Joined: 31 Jan 2010 Posts: 11454 Location: The real world

1chunk · Joined: 05 Aug 2014 Posts: 123

You can save a fair amount of money by sharing. For some it's worth it but for me personally I pay a bit more for my own peace of mind.

I shared temporarily when I first arrived and I found myself cleaning up the other guy's mess. He used to live with his mum and said 'that's how I've been raised...'.

I know some teachers sharing a studio! One sleeps on the bed while the other uses the sofa. Needless to say, the kitchen and bathroom is just as small. THey are paying peanuts for the place but I really don't know how they manage.