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the_thinker
Joined: 24 Nov 2009
Posts: 68
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 Posted: Tue Aug 06, 2013 8:25 pm Post subject: teaching couple with baby |
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Hi all,
My wife and I are considering a year or two in the Middle East. We are both British EFL teachers with about 7–10 years of teaching experience, with relevant BAs (either English Language/Literature or Linguistics), both with MAs (both Applied Linguistics – gained after several years of teaching) and CELTAs (gained at beginning of teaching career). I have several academic publications, some ELT publications with major ELT publishers, experience teaching at universities in Europe, and also, most recently, experience lecturing in linguistics at university. My wife's experience is all in private language schools, mostly teaching adults. We have a one-year-old daughter.
Would Saudi be a good choice for us? Honestly, we would be coming primarily for the money. Would it be possible to find work at the same institution, and be able to arrange some kind of child care? What kinds of salaries could we aim for?
I'll also post this question in the Oman, Qatar, UAE and Kuwait boards. |
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Gerund
Joined: 09 Feb 2003
Posts: 80
Location: Amerika
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| Posted: Tue Aug 06, 2013 9:55 pm Post subject: |
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"Honestly, we would be coming primarily for the money."
No need to apologize. Who in his right mind comes here for any other reason? We're all here for the money.
You both sound well qualified, so no worries there. I'd say you both have pretty good chances here of finding work here. When my wife and I first came to KSA, our son was only about a year old, and our second child was born in Jeddah two years later. It all worked out quite well. The health care available to us was excellent and, unlike in our dumb country, affordable. That was in a big city. In smaller towns that isn't always true, so really focus on Jeddah, Riyadh or Dammam/Dhahran/Khobar.
Good luck. |
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the_thinker
Joined: 24 Nov 2009
Posts: 68
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| Posted: Wed Aug 07, 2013 7:19 am Post subject: |
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| Thanks very much for replying, Gerund. Can I ask if your wife is a teacher, too? It's just useful to know that other people in a similar situation have done the same thing. And how did you get on in terms of child care? |
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scot47
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343
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| Posted: Wed Aug 07, 2013 7:32 am Post subject: |
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PMU Prince Mohammed Uni in Khobar has sections for males and for females. I would recommend KFUPM but that is male only and your wife could not teach there
Last edited by scot47 on Wed Aug 07, 2013 11:58 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Gerund
Joined: 09 Feb 2003
Posts: 80
Location: Amerika
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| Posted: Wed Aug 07, 2013 11:31 am Post subject: |
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| the_thinker wrote: |
| Thanks very much for replying, Gerund. Can I ask if your wife is a teacher, too? It's just useful to know that other people in a similar situation have done the same thing. And how did you get on in terms of child care? |
No, she isn't, so child care wasn't a problem. We did have a maid though, but that was back when it was easier to hire people whom you were not the sponsor of. They're cracking down on that sort of thing now, but I can't really say whether it's still possible. My guess is that is, but I'm not really sure. |
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the_thinker
Joined: 24 Nov 2009
Posts: 68
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| Posted: Wed Aug 07, 2013 1:34 pm Post subject: |
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| I was thinking of kindergarten, really – that kind of thing. |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Wed Aug 07, 2013 2:06 pm Post subject: |
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| scot47 wrote: |
| PMU Prince Mohammed Uni in Khobar has sections for males and for females. I would recommend KFUPM but that is male only and your wife could not teach there |
I agree. In terms of teaching situations, keep in mind there are more opportunities for male teachers than there are for females. And even if you both end up with the same employer, be aware you'll be on separate campuses, which may or may not be in close proximity to each other. Also, if you work at ABC University and your wife at XYZ Uni, you're apt to encounter different academic calendar start, end, and break dates---that is, your time-off dates aren't likely to be in sync. That's likely to screw up some of your plans for getaway trips outside the Kingdom and can be a bigger issue when planning to leave for the summer. |
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scot47
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343
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| Posted: Wed Aug 07, 2013 2:10 pm Post subject: |
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| Unis in KSA operate to a common calendar laid down by the Ministry of Higher Education. PMU have males and females on the same campus. |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Wed Aug 07, 2013 2:42 pm Post subject: |
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| scot47 wrote: |
| Unis in KSA operate to a common calendar laid down by the Ministry of Higher Education. PMU have males and females on the same campus. |
If they both get on as direct hires (versus via any of the usual contracting companies), then yes, they should have a common calendar. By the way, I thought PMU's reputation wasn't so great.
To the OP, my vote still goes to the UAE and Oman---less restrictive, plus, fewer hassles and hoops to jump through, especially if you're newcomers to this region. |
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the_thinker
Joined: 24 Nov 2009
Posts: 68
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| Posted: Wed Aug 07, 2013 7:50 pm Post subject: |
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| Thanks for all the advice and suggestions everyone. |
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