Job Discussion Forums

[crewmeal]

I have been offered a teaching position with Berlitz in Damascus, does anyone know what I am in for?

All comments good or bad gratefully received

Thanks in advance

[lionbrian]

Anyways, better than Qatar Petroleum! Less money but you will have a blast in Syria since cost of living is low compared to the deserted city of Doha where you will be cutting your toenails all day long!

My opinion!

[veiledsentiments]

Goodness Lionbrian, you must get over your obsession with QP. It isn't relevent to this question at all.

Berlitz is Berlitz... I'd guess nothing grand, typical language school... low pay and benefits. But Damascus is a great place and the cost of living is relatively low too. Perhaps you may have time to do pick up work at other language schools. Hopefully our resident Syria poster, Basiltherat, will pass through with more specific information.

I think that there is also a British Council and an American Language Center if Berlitz didn't work out.

VS

[Stephen Jones]

PM Basil Therat; he's in Damascus.

I like Damascus, and Syria in general. Not too much of a Western scene though, but apparently plenty of new restaurants have opened in the last ten years, and the old problem of only being able to drink in seedy dives or expensive hotels or girlie clubs might well have been solved.

As usual, it will basically depend on your pay, hours and accommodation.

[lionbrian]

Dear Veil,

Have you read "crewmeal" message on Qatar forum? The guy had an interview with Griffith Uni (For QP) teaching job! And he is in the process of making A BIG DECISION: To take QP job or Berlitz's one in Syria. Then, I simply advised him to take Berlitz rather than QP.

By the way Veil, I like reading your postings but this time, you crossed the line, then just RELAX!

All the best!

[veiledsentiments]

[Stephen Jones]

Jeez, QP and Berlitz, what a choice! Don't they have soup kitchens where crewmeal lives? Definitely a less traumatic alternative and you'd probably have a better class of colleague than the average TEFL teacher.

[crewmeal]

Plenty of soup kitchens in Birmingham - could say I teach ESOL in one, all sorts here. Fortunately not driven by money!!

I know Berlitz aren't the best payers in the world considering what they charge the customers but at least they leave you alone to get on with it!!

[veiledsentiments]

If money is no object, I'd pick Damascus over Doha without a moment's hesitation.

VS

[aharbut]

Unfortunately, I am leaving this school bec. it is one of the worst administrative nightmares in my 12 year teaching histories. :cry

We are still waiting for pay since last week and this is an ongoing thing with them since on my first day, a tchr (who has been there for 4 yrs. but only bec. her spouse works in the country and there is nowhere else to teach) was in hall demonstrating her anger at the 2 week old delay.

In any case, there is no support, virtually no information and it's simply a pathetic place w/ tiny rooms and too many children per class. Parents completely control your classes and demand perfect scores and a say in what you teach and how you teach it.

Perhaps they will get good local or foreign admins. someday, but in the meantime, look elsewhere. Play your hunches w/ this one.

Syria itself is a wonderful country w/ some of the friendliest and welcoming people I've ever met and yes, it's cheap--if you ever get paid.

[veiledsentiments]

The subject of this thread is Berlitz in Damascus. Are you talking about them or some place in Aleppo?

VS

[aharbut]

Sorry to cut into your discussion of Damascus but there was no other Syria topic going so...

Anyway, it is Aleppo I am talking about not BERLITZ in Damascus of which I know nothing about.

[veiledsentiments]

You could have started a new thread with the name of the school as the title. I'm not sure if subject lines are picked up by the search mechanism, but thread titles are. It is good to get the information where people can easily find it.

Is this the only choice in Aleppo? There are no language schools?

VS

[basiltherat]

vs
re allepo i know the bc are there. alc are also putting a lot of effort into setting up there. in fact, they may have already opened. i'll try to get info re this
basil

[crewmeal]

The British Council in Aleppo closed its doors on 31st August and transferred all teaching to Damascus. There is only the admin office open now

So I guess Berlitz in Aleppo is a waste of time, what about the one in Damascus is it any better? I would hate my students to get a bad deal as some wanted to transfer there.