Job Discussion Forums

wannago · Joined: 16 Apr 2004 Posts: 85

Its really nothing other than what the previous posters have written. Some basic, general questions about your views on education, how you deal with teaching in a different culture and some questions about your past that has led you to this point. I had a question about how I've used technology in the classroom but there was never a question, in my view, designed to "trip me up." The interviewers were very nice and the whole thing lasted about 1/2 an hour.

Zoot · Joined: 15 Jun 2007 Posts: 408

So let us all know what your offer is when it comes in wannago!

Zoot · Joined: 15 Jun 2007 Posts: 408

lynnknows - have you been offered 16,000dhs for a teacher-mentor position? And what are the number of teaching years in the US?

wannago · Joined: 16 Apr 2004 Posts: 85

flyhigh · Joined: 15 Jul 2007 Posts: 3

I had my interview too. As you said colleagues, the interview was very smooth and the interviewers were very friendly. I still did not hear from them but I hope for the best.

wannago · Joined: 16 Apr 2004 Posts: 85

I did finally get an offer but I had two specific questions I wanted/needed answered before I could sign. That was 5 days ago and I've heard nothing from them. Has anyone else had any difficulty or delay in getting any questions answered?

flyhigh · Joined: 15 Jul 2007 Posts: 3

Yes actually, they take some time to answer questions sometimes one day sometimes two days.

If you don't mind can I ask you some questions? How much time it took you to know that you were finally recommended? Also which position did you apply for and the salary they attributed for you? I just want to compare the different offers they are giving to all the cnandidtes.

lynnknows · Posted: Sun Jul 22, 2007 12:19 pm Post subject:

wannago, it can take them forever to answer questions. When I recieved my contract I had a few questions also. I emailed two people asking them to contact me. A different person called me 2 weeks later. They said different people do different things. One person does the before hire things; another will do the after hire things. Once you are hired they send your file to a different person and they will contact you and that is the person you will work with until you start working.
The thing is she is slow also. I was suppose to get some information she said in a couple of days...well it has been a week. NOTHING
I have come to just accept that this part of the world is slllloooooowwwww. They do things on their own time; that is until they need or want something from you. Then it is an emergency and has to be done ASAP.

Zoot · Joined: 15 Jun 2007 Posts: 408

I've had no problems getting answers to ALL my questions though I've held off signing the contract because I found it was not clear in what it meant. In fact, one of the staff called me to hurry me up!

wannago · Joined: 16 Apr 2004 Posts: 85

I need to make up my mind on this contract very soon as I have another job offer (not in the ME) that I'm also considering. This job is, by a rather large margin, the better paying, but we all know that doesn't mean much if costs eat it all up.

Since I've never worked in the UAE, I'm just wondering what those of you who have been offered contracts with this program are thinking about them ie., good salary/benefit package, etc. or not. Is it possible to maintain a decent standard of living and save some money on the salaries they're offering?

My other concern is this: I don't want to get stuck in some small place out in the desert having very little contact with the outside world. I've been there and done that in another ME country and, while I survived unscathed, I really don't want to do it again.

Any words of advice? Please?

Zoot · Joined: 15 Jun 2007 Posts: 408

wannago - the deal is the best you'll get in the UAE even if you've been offered the lowest salary rung. the conditions will not be the best though the schools involved in this programme charge fees that the Emirati have to pay, so that's a better sign of potential behaviour problems than the free school system, which includes model schools where behaviour management is a major issue.

as far as cost of living goes - if you're placed in either Dubai or Abu Dhabi, the money will not go very far as costs are much higher there. But if you take a job in one of the smaller places like Ajman, Al Ain, you'll have heaps!

what you choose to do will depend on how soon you can find out where you'll be placed, whether you want to live there and save or live in the bigger places. for my money's worth i'd avoid Dubai altogether - toooo many hassles!

lynnknows · Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2007 1:05 pm Post subject:

Wannago, Like Zoot said this is the best offer in UAE right now. As for cost of living. I do not see it like Zoot. I made WAYYYYYYYYYYYYY less money last year and managed to save a bit. I lived very comfortably and have 3 kids. I lived in Abu Dhabi.
We did all the normal things expats do. We went to parks, malls, out to eat every Saturday. We went bowling, I had a live in maid, the kids went to movies once a month and got DVD'S every other week. I rented a car and didnt own one. That took the most of my money. I will buy one this time.
With all of that and doctor visits and meds for a family of 4, food, elec, gas, water, showtime, internet, and 2 cell phones. I did it and still saved and took some nice little vacations this summer. So it can be done. It all depends on your lifestyle and how you budget your money.
No, I didnt save alot. However, with this job I should be able to save a lot more. I will live off the same amount I did last year and save the difference.
I do not know about the working conditions. I can tell you I found out you do not have much say about where you are placed. Well that is unless you have a valid problem. They do have schools way out in the sticks. I went to one of them today. The place where the teachers will live is nice. If I didnt have kids I would have like to live there. My problem is there is only one international school. It is a Sabbis run school and there is NO WAY I would put my children there.
So, I pitched a fit, kind of, and will be relocated closer to Abu Dhabi inshaallah.
UAE is a nice place to live. I think there is alot to do. But my life is a bit dull; I dont do much at all. I do not drink or go to clubs. I did not go out with friends often at home. So for me this was no big adjustment. I live better here than I did at home. I will tell you I never had a live in maid before. I do not have to do much of anything around the house. And my kids do more here than in the states. So, it is all about YOUR standard and expectations.
Good luck with whatever you do.

wannago · Joined: 16 Apr 2004 Posts: 85

Zoot and lynnknows....thank you both very much for the info. I'm going to accept the offer. I'm a single guy so I'm hoping that I can bank some money and not get stuck somewhere awful.

boondoggle · Joined: 25 Jul 2007 Posts: 104

I've been reading this thread with lots of interest. I applied to Al-Ghad a couple weeks ago and went through the video conference interview. My teaching experience consists of 2 years of college teaching experience abroad (Asia), a bachelor's degree that is not related to EFL, and no EFL related certificates. I got an offer but definitely on the low end of the scale at 12,000 AED plus the same package everyone else is getting. This is about what I expected from an entry level EFL position in the middle east.
It's definitely less than i'd get working in my professional management field but OK for EFL.

Anyways, I have some general living questions about the UAE. Let's just assume that a person _is_ assigned to one of the more remote areas of the country, how wired is the UAE ? In other words will I be able to afford and receive high speed internet access just about anywhere?

I don't know what type of social life i'll have but i'm prepared to buckle down and become a hermit (Saudi expat style) if necessary.

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

Interesting that they gave you an offer that high based on no related education or experience. That suggest that they are completely desperate. Normally those credentials would get you an offer of 7-10,000.

Nothing personal boondoggle, but I thought that this program was to be raising the level of local teachers... so wouldn't they want to be hiring people with an education degree and experience teaching children?

VS