Job Discussion Forums

[snoopy81]

Hi, I have read a lot of posts related to working and living in the middle easy, mostly in Dubai. I have been offered a teaching job wth Berlitz in Sharjah. My questions are;
1. What is the cost of living like in Sharjah?
2. I read that it is still a traditional place compared to Dubai, is that true?
3. What is it like working with Berlitz if anyone here has worked there or knows anyone who works there.

Any extra info on Sharjah and Berlitz wouild be great.

Thanks

[helenl]

Sharjah is nearly as expensive as Dubai.
Sharjah is much more crowded and traffic congested than Dubai. Sharjah is dry and there is no place to buy pork.
There are fewer venues for entertainment (concerts and other activities desirable for Westerners/European types usually take place in Dubai). There is a beach, you are not supposed to swim by yourself if you're female - indeed, you'll attract a lot of unwanted attention if you do. No 2 piece bathing suits either.
Highly recommend that if you have been or are offered another job that gives you a housing allowance instead of providing accomodation - that you reject it as rents have risen steadily over the past 4 years while allowances have not.

That said, there are a lot of terminations and downsizing going on right now - will that affect the rental market? Probably, but not in the short term.

[veralynn]

What package are they offering you?
I worked at Berlitz in Abu Dhabi part-time for a few years and they were a pain in the backside.