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Help needed for finding the right country in the Middle East
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KAS91



Joined: 26 Feb 2014
Posts: 2
Location: Coffs Harbour, Australia
PostPosted: Wed Apr 09, 2014 8:46 am    Post subject: Help needed for finding the right country in the Middle East Reply with quote
Hi,
My name is Kelsie and I'm thinking of applying for jobs over in the Middle East next year. I'm 23, have a bachelor of International Studies, and currently doing a post grad certificate in TESOL at a university in Sydney. I'm also volunteer working at my local TAFE (college) teaching English to adult migrants and refugees. I've been given a lot of responsibility for example making lesson plans, home work books and giving assessments, as well as teaching half the class. At the end of the year I would have been there for a year. I've also lived in England for a year and South America for 7 months. I was thinking about Oman, Iran, or Bahrain, but I'm just not sure. I'm not sure if I will have the right amount or type of experience. If anyone could help me with some advice that would be great.
Thank you
Kels
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nomad soul



Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
PostPosted: Wed Apr 09, 2014 11:07 am    Post subject: Re: Help needed for finding the right country in the Middle Reply with quote
KAS91 wrote:
I'm not sure if I will have the right amount or type of experience.

Yes, your biggest obstacle is your lack of professional (paid) English language teaching experience at the tertiary (university) level. Volunteer work with migrants and refugees is considered zero experience by employers in this region.

Unfortunately, newbies can't be choosy about where to take that first job. The days of hiring EFL teachers based solely on their native-speaking abilities and nothing more are way gone. In this region, the better employers expect teachers to have several years of experience and an MA in TESOL or Applied Linguistics or English Language Teaching or...

Anyway, you're only 23; finish your post-grad TESOL cert and then look into Asia for your first teaching job. Once you've gained several years of experience, start thinking about getting a TEFL-related MA if you expect to teach in the Gulf or make teaching a career. Otherwise, consider Morocco if you don't plan to upgrade your credentials.

By the way, tiny Bahrain doesn't have many TEFL jobs. We also don't see much about Iran on this forum probably because they produce their own capable language teachers. Oman seems to be requiring a TEFL-related BA as well as paid teaching experience.
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justcolleen



Joined: 07 Jan 2004
Posts: 654
Location: Egypt, baby!
PostPosted: Wed Apr 09, 2014 4:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Have you considered Egypt?
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grahamb



Joined: 30 Apr 2003
Posts: 1945
PostPosted: Wed Apr 09, 2014 5:40 pm    Post subject: Egypt Reply with quote
I doubt Egypt is the best place for a young foreign woman in these troubled times.

Nomad's advice is sound. There are plenty of opportunities in East Asia for people with limited experience.
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scot47



Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343
PostPosted: Thu Apr 10, 2014 9:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Try China - then Araby !
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KAS91



Joined: 26 Feb 2014
Posts: 2
Location: Coffs Harbour, Australia
PostPosted: Fri Apr 11, 2014 11:06 am    Post subject: Egypt Reply with quote
I'm very up to date with politics and would only teach in Egypt if it was outside of Cario. I'm very interested in the culture and history of the Middle East which is why I want to head there. Though I do have student loan to pay off so I need to go to a place where I'm able to continue with the payments. I'm actually considering about working in Australia for a year or two if I have to before heading over. I'm just looking at all my options. A lot of the students I have been working with are from Iran, Afghanistan, Egypt and Syria. I would love to be able to go over experience the good things in this region. Thank you for all the advice.
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scot47



Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343
PostPosted: Fri Apr 11, 2014 3:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Kashgar, Chinese Turkestan ? Sinkiang ?
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veiledsentiments



Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
PostPosted: Fri Apr 11, 2014 4:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
There is a good reason why your students are studying outside their countries. Syrians and Afghanis flee if they can... and true of many Egyptians too. Iran has very few teaching opportunities for expats and even if you can find someone to hire you, getting work visas is problematic and thus have you working illegally. (also an issue in Egypt) Syria is a definite no go country for the foreseeable future and Afghanistan is a whole other set of problems.

The problem in all of these countries is that you will only earn survival pay - and you will need to hustle to even do that - not enough to pay bills back home. While Egypt offers opportunities to earn decent money, it is very difficult to convert it to another currency to send it elsewhere.

Your idea to work in your home country for a couple years would be a good choice. But you need to get full time experience on your CV... not to mention to pay off loans. Like the others here, I think Asia is a better choice for you at this point.

VS
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nomad soul



Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
PostPosted: Fri Apr 11, 2014 10:05 pm    Post subject: Re: Egypt Reply with quote
KAS91 wrote:
I'm very interested in the culture and history of the Middle East which is why I want to head there.

A lot of the students I have been working with are from Iran, Afghanistan, Egypt and Syria. I would love to be able to go over experience the good things in this region.

And as VS pointed out, your refugee and emigrant students fled the "good" things about their countries, and for good reason.

Teaching EFL is not the same as trekking about like a tourist, oh-ing and ah-ing over the culture and historical sites. TEFL is a job---often having to work/live in some of the same good, bad and sometimes downright unpleasant conditions as the students you would teach. In other words, you won't always get to pick what's "good" about being in certain countries in this region.

If you want an adventure, then only teach ESL in Australia and come to this part of the world as a tourist. Otherwise, take off those rose-colored glasses and get real about the countries you're interested in. Then you'll be ready to focus on teaching EFL and being the "good" for your students. All that cultural and historical stuff will become secondary.
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plumpy nut