Job Discussion Forums

[bdbarnett1]

I'm looking into working in KSA as I finish up my MA with an interest in learning Arabic as well. I've considered working in the Kingdom for a while, but also would like to consider working in the US Foreign Service in a few years. Does anyone know if working for the Saudi government, in particular the government-run schools, would preclude me from passing the security clearances that are mandated by the US government?

Thanks from a newbie to the forum!

[scot47]

Which 'government-run' schools hire US teachers ? Universities do but I cannot think of many schools that have US citizens on the payroll.

[veiledsentiments]

I suspect that the original poster may be using the word "schools" in the American usage - which is ALL schools - including university. If there is a teacher in front of a classroom of students, we tend to call it a 'school' unlike other dialects which restrict the term to K-12.

As to his actual question... common sense says that it shouldn't make any difference, but would add to your foreign experience. But never expect common sense to be included in the decisions of the US government either.

No one can answer the question with anything other than a guess... Besides if you want to learn Arabic, don't go to the Gulf. Go to a country where you will actually get to use it in your daily life. (Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Syria... scratch Lebanon for the moment)

VS

[pklocek]

I am waiting to take the FSO-OE YET AGAIN too and in the past my interviewers seemed to think that working in KSA was a good thing. The problem with KSA, I think, is when you have Saudi relatives NOT an employment history.

[scot47]

Most places hiring in Saudi Arabia want a minimum of 2 years experience.
And VS is right - this is not the best place to learn colloquial Arabic. Saudis do not socialise easily with those from outside their family and kin.

[Cleopatra]

[scot47]

K-12 is MURKAN. It means 'From Kindergarten to Senior Secondary'

[veiledsentiments]

Golly gee... Cleo... have you no imagination?? what could K-12 possibly mean in relation to 'schools?' (probably too much World Cup watching... see what happens?)

So much for guessing from context... Actually it is used quite regularly here... a search gets a whole page on the UAE board for instance...

Even Scot could figure that complicated 'murican concept...

VS

[bdbarnett1]

[bdbarnett1]

[veiledsentiments]

The whole Gulf in general (Saudi, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE, or Oman)... their small populations and the fact that business is done with English as the lingua franca, means that you have little or no chance to really use (and learn) the language. You really need to be in North Africa or the Levant to actually live in an Arabic speaking culture - rather than in an expat culture.

VS

[scot47]

Lebanon used to be the place to go to learn Arabic until their neighbours in the South decided to blast them.

[Cleopatra]

[veiledsentiments]

I don't think I'd plan to head to Lebanon for the next few months till all settled down. But, for Arabic learners, it has always been lower on the list with Egypt and Syria being the most popular. Egypt because it is well set up for it and Syria because it has a dialect considered closer to MSA.

VS

[Abba]

If you want to learn Classic Arabic (not the one used in street), you have to go to Syria, Lebanon, or Egypt. And you have to register with a recognised accredited Arabic school.