Job Discussion Forums

Stephen Jones · Joined: 21 Feb 2003 Posts: 4124

Biffin's problem is that the assumes everybody should be just like him, and that if he doesn't understand something it's not his shortcoming but the shortcoming of the behaviour he doesn't understand.

I find it weird that somebody should want to live in the middle of the Libyan desert where the only entertainment appears to be bad mouthing the students and dancing round the lectern to piss them off, but I presume biffin has his reasons and its not my job to criticize.

With regard to JIC it was a perfectly respectable gig back in 2000 when I started. Things slowly got more unpleasant, (and for all I know may still be doing so) but if you could stand being bored in Jubail (which is exactly the same as being bored anywhere else) then it was OK.

As for 'hostile locals', perhaps biffin attracts hostility. Like John I have come across few in Saudi, a lot less than in the UK.

cmp45 · Joined: 17 Aug 2004 Posts: 1475 Location: KSA

I've been teaching in the Kingdom for 9 years and have never ever encountered a hostile Saudi; however I have certainly encountered a few hostile Brits, and Americans.

trapezius · Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 9:42 am Post subject:

Perhaps if you walked the streets, you might encounter one. Not many hostile Saudis go to McD's, Hilton, compounds, private beaches, etc.

And by streets I don't mean the main roads, rather, the inner streets.

biffinbridge · Joined: 05 May 2003 Posts: 701 Location: Frank's Wild Years

My reasons for teaching in any arab country are purely financial....there is nothing in the culture that I would want to export from that region. I don't think it is right to discriminate against women, accept wasta ie corruption and nepotism and I certainly don't think it's ok to ram religion down anyone's throat. I don't think it's ok to discriminate against people for their religion or lack of it. I don't think it's ok to judge people to standards to which I myself don't adhere and I don't apologise for expressing my right to voice these opinions on a forum. I certainly don't expect people to think just like me although I would guess that the majority of people would agree with most of what I've stated above. It's not that I don't understand what it is to be an arab and what it is to live in that part of the world. What's more, there is currently a complete lack of responsibility on their part to accept any blame or criticism on their part for the low standard of education that exists,which constitutes a cultural arrogance without parallel. As teachers, this effects us daily as we are always to blame when arabs fail to 'produce' in the classroom.

Regarding the students..and I do blame them because I've seen truly brilliant teachers achieve very little in terms of student progress in countries like Saudi; they are simply 'poor' and it's not just in their language ability. 'Engineers' who can't do basic maths, graduates who neither know nor want to know anything about the world despite the fact that their workforces are expat dominated and so on. Education in the general sense has failed and will continue to fail until there is freedom of thought, a work ethic and a system based on real incentives. My comments about students from Eastern Europe have been consistently positive on Dave's for many years, so the jibe about 'dissing' students is simply inaccurate

Regarding the rotations.........I do them becasue I get so much paid holiday and so many tickets home, that makes it bearable.

In a post on another forum you described me as 'ignorant'. In the classroom, I constantly try to introduce new ideas, learning techniques and materials because I don't think that sticking to a grammar based approach, which is what older teachers often rely on in the Gulf, is good for them or me. I think most academics would agree with that. The present system is churning out a very low calibre of student...perhaps the word 'mingmong' was slighlty unkind....but it conveys a point. If you're happy with the status quo, fine....that's a reflection on you, not me.

One of the centre managers got stabbed in Jubail waiting in a queue, hushed up by IAJ. A guy on a navy contract got shot. Students regulalyy swapped images of beheadings etc on their mobile phones. While you may not experience individual hostility, it is there and it's usually directed at western culture. To ignore that is to have forgotten where you are.

Re the OP...try and get a job with BAe ($85,000/year), do yer 2 years, get the flat and get out or you'll end up having to spend years in such countries.

cmp45 · Joined: 17 Aug 2004 Posts: 1475 Location: KSA

Imdramayu · Joined: 09 Feb 2007 Posts: 394 Location: South Korea

After I arrive in KSA in August, I'll let you know what I think of the locals in KSA. My experience in Riyadh was rather scary. After living in other GCC countries, I can better understand KSA.

007 · Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 2:06 pm Post subject: Re: looky here

lall · Joined: 30 Dec 2006 Posts: 358

Never Ceased To Be Amazed · Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 2:53 pm Post subject: Re: Grammar

lall · Joined: 30 Dec 2006 Posts: 358

NCTBA wrote:

Never Ceased To Be Amazed · Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 6:47 pm Post subject: Re: Clarif.

Stephen Jones · Joined: 21 Feb 2003 Posts: 4124

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

Some people should just stay away from Saudi Arabia !

lall · Joined: 30 Dec 2006 Posts: 358

Hey, NCTBA! Cheers to you, too. 'ave a nice day. Regards, Lall.

Imdramayu · Joined: 09 Feb 2007 Posts: 394 Location: South Korea

I am slowly developing a sense of a certain subculture among the regular posters on the Saudi Arabia forum. Nothing to do with jobs, though. This is good b/c I haven't found any website with forums for residents to post to (for example: www.qatarliving.com). Could a www.saudiliving.com be built? I wonder if there would be any conflict from the authorities.