Job Discussion Forums

hccb · Joined: 10 May 2003 Posts: 2

I'd appreciate any information about the working conditions at Mazoon College... students, class sizes, administration, typical work week, etc.

Thanks in advance for any replies.

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

hccb

I'm afraid that I can't answer any of your questions with specific knowledge. This is a small private college in Oman which is relatively new. I doubt that many (or any) of their teachers peruse this board.

I heard that it is affiliated with a university in Missouri. I haven't heard anything bad about the place. I can tell you that the workweek is Saturday through Wednesday. I'm not sure if they have split shifts or not. Most of the other private college do. When I was there at another of the private colleges, we taught from 8-1 and then 4-5 or 6. (though no teacher taught more than 2 afternoon shifts a week.

Omani students tend to be lovely and class sizes tend to depend on whether they have enough teachers versus enrollment. Smile

I would expect between 15 and 25.

hccb · Joined: 10 May 2003 Posts: 2

veiledsentiments,

Thanks for your reply. I'm happy to learn that the students are great and that the class sizes would be relatively small.

Also, glad to hear that you enjoyed your time there. If you wouldn't mind, I'd like to find out more about what to expect living and teaching in Oman (in addition to what's in the Job Info. Journal)... school life, daily life, and so on. Are there any websites that you would recommend?

hccb

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

Hi hccp,

Websites: There used to be a section on the Sultan Qaboos University website that had a good description of life in Oman. I hope it is till there. There are a few newspapers that have websites - not much terribly exciting on them though. Smile

Have you done a web search yet?

If you want to ask more specific questions, feel free to pm. I lived there for a number of years.

MindTraveller · Joined: 13 Mar 2003 Posts: 89 Location: Oman

I interviewed at Mazoon College. They asked my age and said "Age is very important" me not being obviously under 35. They also seemed to be looking for people already in-country, on someone else's visa. That way they avoid having to pay for housing, flights home, the visa, etc.

Because it isn't a government school, it pays less than the teaching colleges. Plus living in Muscat isn't cheap. Actually, I don't like Muscat. It's laid out in a strange way.... little pockets of areas surrounded by little mountains.... And they movie theatres don't have the good movies like "Frida" that you can see in Dubai in the UAE.

BUT, if you've never taught in the Gulf (Middle East), it might be a good first job.

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

You have "movie theaters" and you are complaining ! The cinema is the one thing I miss in Saudi Arabia. Well the first among about 20 things.

Next is being able to have a cup of espresso at a nice outside cafe and watch people going past.
I could bore you with nall the other things but I am polite and belive that brevity is part of being a gentleperson.

(PS. Note the new, gender-non-specific, politically correct Scot47.)

MindTraveller · Joined: 13 Mar 2003 Posts: 89 Location: Oman

The movie theatres in the UAE are often in shopping malls and just like in the USA, with 4-6 movies showing. It's weird to go to a movie in Dubai at City Centre, feel all Western watching a good flick, only to exit into a mall with Arab men and women in local dress. One of the lovely bizzare thing about Arabia.

I kinda missed 'local dress' when I first visited Hungary. I was disappointed every was dressed in Western style.

Don't you have satillite tv in Saudi Arabia? It's popular here.... and not too expensive. I just didn't buy it because I'd become a couch potatoe.

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

There is satellite TV, but that is not the same as going to the movies and seeing the BIG screen.

I live without TV because it leads to couchpotatoism. I read and use the old-fashioned radio ("wireless" as I still call it.)

BBC World Service can save your sanity. Or preserve your eccentricity.

johnslat · Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2003 6:31 am Post subject: Reservations and preservations

Dear scot47,
" BBC World Service can save your sanity. Or preserve your eccentricity."
It may already be too late for your sanity, but no denying that you ARE well-preserved.
Regards,
John

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

We are wandering off topic again, but I must agree with Scot47 (again). My first 7 or 8 years overseas, BBC on the shortwave radio was the only source I had for news. The television tended to be one or two channels with 15 minutes of the sanitized local news. When I got to the Emirates satellite TV was free and I learned to enjoy the BBC World on TV. Now that I am in the US, I miss the measured news that they always attempted to deliver. I finally have BBC America on my digital cable, but have already had to write to both BBC America and BBC to complain about the minimal coverage of news (replaced by old Monte Python's and Fawlty Towers, but I still miss the news.)

VS

beenthere96-2005 · Joined: 01 Aug 2010 Posts: 79 Location: St Louis

Sleepwalker · Joined: 02 Feb 2007 Posts: 454 Location: Reading the screen

Is Mazoon College a ladies only college?

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

Yes, the students are all female, but the faculty is mixed... or at least has been in the past. Oman tends to prefer more mature teachers. I was 40 when I arrived there the first time, and got my second job there ten years later. But these days with the large number of teachers needed, they are hiring younger teachers too.

A member of Dave's took a position there this year, and last time she PMed me about the job - not long ago, she was still happy with the way things were going. The problems of the past mentioned on some of the threads here seem to have mostly disappeared.

So, yes... I think it is a good first job in the Gulf.

VS

urbanversion · Joined: 27 Jan 2011 Posts: 426

JoeRomano · Joined: 12 Jan 2010 Posts: 49

Mazoon College holds passports of its employees and has been known to not allow people to go on a break. Two signatures are required to get your passport.
It is also known for asking people to work overtime and not paying them and ignoring teachers entreaties to pay it. The contract is kept top secret and is only revealed when you arrive. On the last contract the amount of pay for overtime was left blank. Either you sign it or you will have to pay your way back home.
It has also been known for promising housing and then kicking people out on the street in a strange city they know nothing about to fend for themselves.
There have been complaints by kitchen staff that they get paid for 8 hours but are forced to work 16 hours or more.