Job Discussion Forums

[Jetgirly]

I'm going to be looking for a job for the 2005-2006 school year teaching ESL. I am finishing up my BA in English in two weeks (YAY!) and am taking the CELTA at IH Barcelona next February. I plan to get some experience at a summer school in 2005 (after I take the CELTA), and I also plan to volunteer as a "Conversation Partner" for ESL students this fall (before I take the CELTA).

I'm not really too picky about where I want to teach... pretty much anywhere in Eastern or Western Europe, or the Middle East. Are my qualifications (assuming all goes well with the BA, CELTA and four months summer school experience) enough for decent schools in the ME? What countries would be most likely to accept young, single, female candidates like myself?

Also, a sidenote, what countries are most lenient in their dress codes for Western women? I ask because I'm one of those people who literally wears a tank top in the middle of blizzards (people in Calgary, Alberta, Canada thought I was CRAZY). I'm always overheated and don't want to have to cover myself from head to toe in the heat... this is NOT because I can't live without my short-shorts and tube tops!

[Cleopatra]

I think there was a thread on this subject a bit further down this page.

It's hard to know which country would be "best" for you without knowing you as a person. However, as regards single women in general, Saudi Arabia is by far the most restrictive, with all the other Gulf countries being relatively "liberal" where single women are concerned (foreign single women, that is!).

"Are my qualifications (assuming all goes well with the BA, CELTA and four months summer school experience) enough for decent schools in the ME?"

Unfortunately, I would have to say "Probably not". this has nothing to do with your being young, single and female. All the good places - which in the Gulf means tertiary colleges - usually require an MA plus years of experience. You may be able to get somehting in a private language school, but read some of the posts about such places before accepting. They do not have a good repuatation.


"). I'm always overheated and don't want to have to cover myself from head to toe in the heat... this is NOT because I can't live without my short-shorts and tube tops!"

It's just as well that you can't live without such garments, because even the more "liberal" countries in the Gulf are still very conservative by "Western" standards. The only place you could get away with such attire without offending people (if not actually breaking the law) is in private homes, clubs and hotels. Women are expected to dress modestly in the Gulf, but the only country where you will have to cover from head to toe is Saudi Arabia.

On a final note, if heat bothers you so much, perhaps the Gulf is not the ideal destination?

[veiledsentiments]

Jetgirly,

I have to second Cleopatra. Teaching in the Middle East is not for the young and inexperienced. It is rare to meet a teacher that is under the age of thirty in this part of the world. And once you look at the Gulf, the majority are also married. (and with MAs and years of experience) But, I am glad that you realize that the short shorts and tube tops would be inappropriate.

One possibility is that you might check out Morocco while you are in Barcelona. It is not the Middle East, but it is a Muslim country that is less conservative. The available jobs may be limited though. Another would be Turkey, which has lots of jobs, but be sure to read all of the Turkey threads on this board to learn all the pitfalls.

Most jobs in Europe have restrictions related to having an EU passport. There might still be some places in Eastern Europe or Russia, but I really know little or nothing about that part of the world as related to teaching. I'm sure that part of this board can help you.

Good Luck

VS

[Jetgirly]

Another question:

A lot of ME tour books say to bring your own "feminine hygeine products" because they are not sold in the ME. Is this true? I'm too squeamish for anything reusable... can I really not buy Tampax in the ME?

[Cleopatra]

Well, in the Gulf countries you will have no trouble getting all the "feminine hygience supplies" you require. Elsewhere in the ME, I don't know, but i would doubt you would have serious problems.

[veiledsentiments]

Jetgirly,

That is mostly suggesting that you will likely not find your favorite brand if you have one. There is not a large choice like you can find in North America. But, Tampax brand seems to be everywhere I have ever been.

VS

(I note that you are also a German citizen. Does that mean that you also have an EU passport? That would make European jobs easier.)

[Jetgirly]

Yes, I have a German passport. Right now it's my only passport, because I let my Canadian one expire a few years ago. Of course, I've never even been to Germany... don't speak a word of German... etc... and I've been sitting on my butt in Canada for the last twenty years!

Thanks for the girly advice!

[scot47]

My advice to you is forget the Middle East and the Arabic-speaking countries. Not good for females on their own and definitely difficult to find a reasonable employer unless you have more experience.

Try Turkey. Different - but still pays a reasonable amount. And you can travel around - maybe even visit some of The Middle East !

[Cleopatra]

I beg to differ, Scot.

While you may be right about the difficulty of finding decent employers (same is true all over the EFL world, sad to say) I don't neccessarily think the ME is a no-no for single women. Sure, Saudi Arabia for one is extremely restrictive, and certainly not for everybody, but I know of many single women who were happy there - despite everything. Plus, the rest of the ME is not nearly so restrictive and there are some excellent opportunities for women there. However, I would think the OP will need at least another few years' experience - plus an MA - in order to be a candidate for these jobs.

[veiledsentiments]

Jetgirly,

I would agree with both Scot and Cleo. At your age, (we are assuming that you are in your early 20s) the Middle East is not really the place for you. But, it is your age rather than the fact that you are a single female. Both Cleo and I have worked in the Middle East happily for years (many years and countries for me).

If I were you, I would start in Europe and spend a few years getting some experience teaching - teaching academic English in particular if you want to eventually teach in the Middle East. (having experience teaching 'conversation' classes is not really relevant to most teaching here).

Also get a few years of 'life experience.' Living in the Middle East requires a bit of maturity - which is the reason that most single women seem to start there in their 30's. Both Scot and I recommended Turkey and it is a great country to start the experience of living in the Muslim world since it does have a secular government. And there are many job opportunities and younger teachers there.

First off, renew that Canadian passport. Having two passports is great. Teach your way across Europe from Spain - stop in Germany and learn German - head over to Turkey, and on into the rest of the Middle East. Ahhh --- to be your age again with those choices.

Good Luck

VS

[mirnag]

Im an 18 year old that is very interested in working in the Middle East. Preferably in Syria. But i disagree when you say that the middle east is a no-no for young single women. There is definetely some other countries like Lebanon and Syria that are safe to work in. I've been to Leb and Syria many times over the past 15 years and it is not as bad as people make it seem. In Syria, you can wear whatever you want but beware there is alot of perverted men there. For instance, i would not suggest wearing a skirt when you go outside. The reason for that is because, you will definetely get followed and harrassed there. In Lebanon feel free to wear whatever you want. Skirts, tops, and other type of clothing. All this info is from personal experience in these countries. And it also has to do with part of the country you teach in. Some places its normal, others it is not. But in conclusion, i really think that young women should not get discouarged by someone else saying that it is a no-no for young single women.


* I forgot to mention*
I strongly agree with the fact that Saudi Arabia is not a safe place for young women.

[veiledsentiments]

mirnag,

Of course you have the right to disagree. But apparently you did not actually read this thread very carefully. No one here even suggested that the Middle East was a 'no-no' for a young single woman. This was not a discussion of 'safety' at all. There are very few parts of the Middle East that I have not traveled on my own as a single women - starting before you were born. There is no one that posted here that said anything against either Lebanon or Syria... places most of us here have traveled and enjoyed. So, I don't know who you are accusing of saying bad things about them.

We were answering a query from a woman who suggested that her lifestyle may be inappropriate for the Middle East. Personally I think a young Canadian of either sex would be happier teaching in Europe than in the Middle East. It is also a place where a lack of cultural understanding can get a woman in a great deal of trouble.

But, assuming that you are really serious about working in the Middle East, and since you are on this board, I would suggest that first you get a college degree and EFL certification like CELTA, so you don't have to be stuck in a lousy job for lousy pay and conditions. An English teacher with no credentials wouldn't make enough money to rent a flat in Lebanon or Syria.

VS

[basiltherat]

Indeed, Syria wud be no problem for you. I agree with mirnag on this. As far as making enough money to rent a flat here, well, there are plenty of single women here doing quite well teaching here. as i have mentioned before on previous threads, sharing an apartment is popular among teachers, which reduces individual costs. ALC will provide an iqama and there are plenty of opps for private work once ur name gets around. If interested, i suggest you contact steve boeshar at alc thru their website at www.alcdam.com and see wat he says about your particular circumstances.
They seem to be in regular need of new people. There are several who r just starting up their tefl career and there is excellent support and new-teacher training sessions. Money isnt that wonderful but i suggest contacting steve nevertheless.

as regards dress code, you may have to tone-down just a bit here. Tank tops arent big here yet, even in damascus, but with lebanon next door, it probably wont take long now before they start creeping in. There are many girls with very tight fitting T shirts, bare arms (unlike in some gulf areas) etc, for example.
Hope this helps. You're welcome to PM me for further details.
regards
basil

[bron]

Just reviving this thread to look for advice...

I've been prowling around the various forums on Gulf states and the Job Information Journal, but I haven't found a definitive answer. What opportunities would be available in the autumn for a Canadian 24-year-old single female with a B.A. in English, an M.A. in religion, focusing on Islam, two years TEFL experience in Turkey and a new CELTA (I got my current job on a rather... erm... less reputable TEFL cert, but will get CELTA'd in September, after a visit home).

I'm aware of the cultural context and general difficulties of life for single females in the Middle East. The specifics, I figure I can work out if I ever get offered a job. I'm also aware that the best institutes (unis definitely, and probably also all colleges and "higher training institutes") want MAs in Linguistics, Education, or TEFL and years of experience. Or at least the DELTA, I suppose. But I figure a BA in English, an MA of some sort, a CELTA and two years experience must fit me out better than a BA in an unrelated field, a TEFL/CELTA and no experience. I guess I'll have to look mostly at private language schools, which haven't served me too badly in Turkey, and possibly government agencies? Any specifics available?

Basically, are all the institutions likely to hire me going to in some way make my life hell? Can I get a decent job in the Gulf states? By "decent" I mean with someone who won't rip me off or lie to me, will stick to their contract, will have at least some sort of academic support system in place and preferably ongoing teacher-training (workshops, observations, etc)... just not a nightmare story. I was pretty gung ho about Saudi when I started this search, but I'm getting more and more deflated. Because of my middling qualifications (not terrible, but not top of the pile either, I figure) I suspect I wouldn't fare much better, financially, in Saudi than in the UAE, Qatar or Kuwait, and I know that life is relatively easier in the relatively "more liberal" kingdoms. If you want to set me straight on this, I'd love to hear anything on this topic, too.

I know that Turkey is great, I've been here for two years and loved it, and I'm sure I'd really like Europe, Morocco or Tunisia as well (have considered all of the above), but I want to hear about the realities of the ME... that's what I'm interested in. I know that I can't make the salary that more experienced teachers are making there, and that's OK, but I suspect I can make a vast deal more than I am in İstanbul, and that the cultural experience will be a lot more of a complete change from "back home" -- I find old İst very European, to be honest!

[veiledsentiments]

Hi Bron,

In kind of a summary of what I wrote above - adding in your details. First off, I would get that CELTA. Employers will not even consider that you have it and consider it in your applications until you have the piece of paper in hand. At your age, I would still spend a few years working down from Turkey. You could try Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia... what the heck... you're young, do them all!! You could learn Arabic at the same time.

This would give you a few years experience teaching Arabic speakers. Try to get classes teaching Academic English - especially reading and writing. I recommend this approach since your MA is not directly related to EFL. The more related experience your CV has to show, the more chance you have to get a good university level job in the Gulf with your credentials.

In the countries mentioned above, the better jobs are probably at language schools like AMIDEAST, ALCs, or British Council. Once you get to the Gulf, hopefully you can avoid language schools and teach at actual academic insitutions that do have good benefits, shorter hours, longer holidays, and professional development.

Just a thought on how I would do it if I was 24 again.

VS