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Requesting information about QAC
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Glen 2003



Joined: 02 Sep 2003
Posts: 50
Location: China

PostPosted: Thu Jun 03, 2004 12:53 pm    Post subject: Requesting information about QAC Reply with quote

I am being offered a job by QAC but I'm not sure if I should accept it. I read some rather disturbing things about QAC, in particular the accommodations that they provide. Thus I asked QAC the size of the aprtments(how many actual square meters or feet)and requested some pictures of the apartments as well. QAC just told me that the apartments vary in size and they were unwilling to provide me any actual photos of the apartments. I would greatly appreciate any information you can provide me regarding the accommodations. I would also appreciate any information you can give me related to working at QAC. If you don't want to disclose this information publicly, you can send me a personal message. Does QAC mind if you teach private lessons in your free time? Is it easy to find private students and what is the going rate? I want to thank you in advance for any information you may provide me.
Best wishes, Glen
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veiledsentiments



Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA

PostPosted: Thu Jun 03, 2004 2:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Glen,

As you have noted from the board, QAC does not have a very good reputation. I know another person who just sent off an application and got an offer back almost immediately - and that was to start either immediately or in a couple of weeks!!! This is unheard of in the Gulf and suggests to me that there are big problems there. We will have to wait and see if an current staff comes on and tells us what is going on.

Asking for photos of housing is also pretty much unheard of and I doubt that any Gulf employer would provide those. I assume that you read the thread about this below. Rather than photos, why not ask for a list of email addresses from their current teachers. If they won't provide any contacts, I think that would speak volumes.

As to private lessons, every contract in the Gulf bans you from doing other work. Very few people do private lessons and there is not a very big market - perhaps for children. The very few times that I did them, it was through Ministry employees or the Embassy needing someone to do some TOEFL prep.

VS
(BTW, there is a 'General Middle East' section of general question like the IELTS one that you put on every section. I never encountered anyone or any place looking for IELTS instructors. And I too was an examiner.)
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Cleopatra



Joined: 28 Jun 2003
Posts: 3657
Location: Tuamago Archipelago

PostPosted: Thu Jun 03, 2004 3:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Actually, I knew quite a few teachers who supplemented their income by doing private lessons in Saudi Arabia. Technically, most contracts forbid it, but your employers are highly unlikely to find out so long as you are discreet (always the no. 1 rule in this part of the world!), and probably wouldn't much care so long as you don't teach students from your own establishment.

Last edited by Cleopatra on Thu Jun 03, 2004 3:20 pm; edited 1 time in total
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johnslat



Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 13859
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA

PostPosted: Thu Jun 03, 2004 3:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Dear Cleopatra and veiledsentiments,
My experience in the Kingdom was similar to Cleopatra's; I knew LOTS of colleagues who were doing outside work (even did some myself; ironically, much of that was put my way by Saudi colleagues at the IPA, up to and including the Director.)
But perhaps Saudi Araiba is different from the other Gulf States in that respect.
Regards,
John
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veiledsentiments



Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA

PostPosted: Fri Jun 04, 2004 4:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi guys,

Most everyone was doing privates in Egypt, but interestingly it was very rare in the Emirates or Oman - and I wasn't in Kuwait long enough to run into anyone that was doing them. Only once in Kuwait did I see a sign in a supermarket offering lessons - and I never saw any in Oman or Abu Dhabi. (perhaps I was hanging out at the wrong shops? nor did I peruse them daily.)

The problem is that Qatar is so small and sparsely populated. Only the 'rich' can afford private lessons for themselves, so there wouldn't seem to be much of a market. I guess that I would say not to depend on them.

VS


Last edited by veiledsentiments on Fri Jun 04, 2004 7:35 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Hector_Lector



Joined: 20 Apr 2004
Posts: 548

PostPosted: Fri Jun 04, 2004 6:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

It must be a different Qatar that I lived in for 5 years. Private lessons are incredibly easy to get - there are plenty of cheeky monkeys living there with no qualifications making huge sums of money just seeing to their privates (ooh, vicar!).

Oman - far fewer opportunities.
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dmb



Joined: 12 Feb 2003
Posts: 8397

PostPosted: Sat Jun 05, 2004 1:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I spent 18 months at QAC. You will most probably be sub contracted to QP. The job isn't great as the students can be a bit of a nightmare but I also had some quite good students who keep in touch with me. If you're not a shrinking violet then you can have a good time in Doha. As for the flats- their location is in the centre of town. They are not like the super rich compounds but then as EFL teachers we will never be super rich. The flats are 1 bedroomed, modern and fully furnished. I liked my flat.
Doha is a very cheap place to live and you can save loads of money
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biffinbridge



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

PostPosted: Thu Jun 10, 2004 12:04 pm    Post subject: QAC Reply with quote

I spent almost 3 years in Qatar ,some of which were spent with QAC and I agree with dmb.The flats are fine,the money is ok and paid on time and the overall package is fair.It was also easy to get privates and no-one cared about it.What's more ,Qatar is a nice ,if somewhat sleepy place and it isn't 'dry' like Saudi.As dmb said the students can be a bit of a mare but that goes with the territory I'm afraid.QAC recruit a lot and make offers quickly because they supply an awful lot of teachers to various places in Qatar very often at short notice.QAC is a good employer.I left because I went direct hire with one of its clients and the rest is history.
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Boy Wonder



Joined: 29 Mar 2004
Posts: 453
Location: Clacton on sea

PostPosted: Mon Jun 21, 2004 10:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Take no notice whatsoever of the comments suggesting extra work outside of your FT contract being
A) hard to find
B)forbidden by your sponsor.....

I was in qatar for 4 years and did extra work pretty well continously for the whole time i was there.....For 2 other language institutions and privates.....in fact you will be turning private students down...such is the demand.....
i easily increased my monthly income by 50% and sometimes 100% each month.....all you have to do is be pro -active and look around....rather than joining the massed ranks...or should that last word be spelt with a W...of people who so tired from their pathetic work schedule at QP...retire to bed each afternoon for about 4 hours!!!!

As for Qac...well you get paid exactly what they offer...in cash...on time ..every month.....the accommodation is okay......remember you''re not moving there for life!!!!
the work is not exactly demanding ....stick to basics....don''t be too authoritarian..and the students will like you.....
there is enough to do outside work.....you can live a pretty lavish lifestyle......and if you ever get bored then just drive on down to City center and chat up a few local girls.......despite what is rumoured their brothers really don''t mind at all!!!!!!
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Hector_Lector



Joined: 20 Apr 2004
Posts: 548

PostPosted: Mon Jun 21, 2004 1:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Is the Language Teaching Institute still tottering along? That was quite a nice place to work.
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dmb



Joined: 12 Feb 2003
Posts: 8397

PostPosted: Mon Jun 21, 2004 1:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've never heard of it. Which part of town was it in?
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Hector_Lector



Joined: 20 Apr 2004
Posts: 548

PostPosted: Mon Jun 21, 2004 1:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Down past the Ramada, near the University of (some American State) language school. Can�t remember what the part of town was called.

Creepy bloke called Gerry Bolton used to �work� there when he wasn�t giving piano lessons.

Did you ever run into (or over) Bert Keller at QAC? Old American hippy - tendency to rant.
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biffinbridge



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

PostPosted: Tue Jun 22, 2004 9:28 am    Post subject: erm Reply with quote

Birt left in 2003.Currently in France methinks.Nice fella as I remember.That language centre,was it the Arizona place?
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Hector_Lector



Joined: 20 Apr 2004
Posts: 548

PostPosted: Tue Jun 22, 2004 11:08 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Arizona! That�s it!

Yes, the Language Teaching Institute was the big school building about 100 metres away from it.
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Boy Wonder



Joined: 29 Mar 2004
Posts: 453
Location: Clacton on sea

PostPosted: Thu Jun 24, 2004 9:07 am    Post subject: Language inst. Reply with quote

it's a rundown ramshackle place nr the Ramada...yep...i worked there for a couple of months while the Brit Council decided to close down during Gulf War MK II....they give you a class and just let you get on with it...minimum interference really...The pay is 75 qr an hour which is the same as ELS and Arizona (now closed and rebranded the Lincoln Institute..but still with the same guy at the helm!!!)

Never met Gerry Bolton ...which is a shame as i'd have loved to have been taught Moonlight Sonata so i could ve played it to all my Rab students at QP...culture vultures every one of em!!

Knew Bert Keller though...good bloke....entertaining...spoke his mind....and fixed me up with a job at the BC ...via his wife who worked there!!!

He is in France...enjoying it and desevedly so after all those years dealing with the knuckle draggers who inhabit the managers offices at QP......!

May he never meet another slimy..deceitful...two faced....dimwitted...thobe wearing ape as long as he breathes!!!!
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