Job Discussion Forums

[Freeloader]

I'm keen to spend 2-3 years in the Middle East trying to pick up as much Arabic as humanly possible in this short time (I'll be learning formal standard Arabic to start with, so i don't really think it matters where i go).

I've just graduated with a 1st in Political Science from a well respected UK University at bachelor level. I'm also thinking about signing up for a 5-week TESOL qualification through a respected UK language school.

i have no interest in working in Korea/Japan/Thailand or anywhere else, but from what I've read on these boards, work in the Middle East seems difficult to come by. I'm not that bothered about pay. I don't expect to make anywhere near a tax free �3000 a month which others seem to be a prerequisite for some Brits/Yanks (Conversely I also don't want to work for $500 a month and have to pay utilities!).

I don't drink, i don't snort coke and I reckon I'll get on fine in Saudi or somewhere similarly conservative.

Where am I best off looking for employment? Nearly every respected employer asks for 3-4 years experience, before you even apply; but how do you get this experience without being employed. It's a little bit of a catch-22.

Does anyone have any recommendations of where to start looking or who to start contacting. Do I need some kind of other qualification (beyond getting a TESOL masters).

[cassava]

Your qualifications are inadequate to obtain a decent tefl job in the Middle East. As you suggest, a master's in TESOl plus a few years of relevant experience are prerequisites.

You are going to have to beat the bushes in the ME and take whatever job you can get in order to obtain the relevant teaching experience. You could also be successful in a relevant part-time master's degree while carrying out your teaching duties. Grad degrees in tefl are at the low end of the academic scale and do not require much effort. ELS Language Centers are found throughout the ME and might be a good starting point for a job.

By the way, since you have a very good degree in Poli Sci, why not do grad work in that area with a specialization in, say, the politicization of research in bio-physics or robotics? A PhD in such an area would give you a good chance to get a faculty appointment at a Canadian university, if you feel inclined to migrate.

I do not want to discourage you if you are hell-bent on plunging into the tefl maelstrom. However, much of what constitute the tefl field is little more than hyper-ventilated nonsense, fatuous piffle presented by pretentious, but failed academics. If you are truly desperate, you can join them. If you are not, find something better to do with your time.

[veiledsentiments]

Sign up for the CELTA course at the British Council in Cairo. Since big money isn't crucial, you can probably support yourself there for a year or so with a bit of hustle. You could then try a place like Syria for awhile... building a couple years of experience. Both places are very good for improving your Arabic. Then apply to Saudi if you want...

Teaching at the chain language schools in Saudi is indentured servitude... long hours... low pay.

VS

[sliim]

What the above comments have said is true, but from what I gather, you are not looking to do ESL for life, but only for a couple of years in order to learn Arabic.

In that case, you might want to try with NGO's or places like AMIDEAST, which has centers all over the ME.

And please do not underestimate VS's comment about "indentured servitude"--it is not hyperbole. I got trapped in a place like that once and it is truly something to avoid.

This might not be a fair comment, but I will say it anyway: if you are going to work in the ME with your qualifications, you may try to focus on applying to foreign-owned places that follow proper work-place standards. Locally owned Kentucky-Fried language centers are often "at your own risk."

That said, check the reputation of a place by contacting past employees--it is a must. You may find a decent place to work for a couple years and, if you find the proper place to learn Arabic, you could learn a lot in that amount of time.

[wilberforce]