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danshengou
Joined: 17 Feb 2016
Posts: 434
Location: A bizarre overcrowded hole
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 Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2016 4:40 pm Post subject: |
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| plumpy nut wrote: |
| How do you know AUIS is without risks? |
I didn't say it was without risks. I said it was without all the extra AUA risks. The bottom line is there are a thousand better options than to net $3400 a month in Kabul. |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2016 6:13 pm Post subject: |
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| danshengou wrote: |
| [Like you said though, forget all that nonsense and just up your quals. And if you have to worry so much if a place is safe, then you probably shouldn't be going there to live and work, etc., especially if there's no extra money to offset the risk. |
I've worked in a danger zone on a US government-funded education development project in the Mid East. There's another major factor that job seekers looking for this type of work seriously need to consider: Your contract can be cut short if/when the country's socio-political situation unexpectedly escalates. Any day could be "the day" and at any moment. In other words, if you suddenly have to get the heck out of the country because the situation becomes life threatening, you'll find yourself unemployed, without that big paycheck and having to job hunt all over again. That's the financial reality of working in such environments and under these types of contracts. |
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danshengou
Joined: 17 Feb 2016
Posts: 434
Location: A bizarre overcrowded hole
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| Posted: Tue Aug 09, 2016 3:56 am Post subject: |
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| That's an interesting point that I hadn't considered. One more reason to really think twice before going. Government employees would still get paid after evacuation (e.g., embassy staff), but FT's would just be out of a job. Good one. |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Tue Aug 09, 2016 5:05 am Post subject: |
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| In my case, the US Embassy required me and my colleagues to each have a "to-go" tote bag with just our essential belongings. We were expected to be ready within X minutes' notice to be picked up by car and a security detail for immediate evacuation. There was always this sense of being on alert, especially when explosions and gunfire sounded quite close. Fortunately, things didn't get to the point of uber dangerous, and we were able to finish out our contracts. Welcome to the real world. |
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spanglish
Joined: 21 May 2009
Posts: 742
Location: working on that
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| Posted: Sat Aug 13, 2016 1:53 am Post subject: |
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What Nomad Soul described is precisely what happened to all of my colleagues at their very well-regarded, 'western' place of employment in Libya. Once the violence got bad, they were suddenly out of a job and taken out of the country with absolutely no help or prospect given them - I had left of my own accord just a few months prior, thankfully. Many had just recently signed multi-year contracts and suddenly found themselves just dropped in another country and unemployed.
Generally speaking, I would discourage anyone from working in an unstable or conflict zone - even those who can handle it - unless your employer will not only arrange for evacuation, but also guarantee continued employment. |
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danshengou
Joined: 17 Feb 2016
Posts: 434
Location: A bizarre overcrowded hole
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| Posted: Sat Aug 13, 2016 5:05 am Post subject: |
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| spanglish wrote: |
Generally speaking, I would discourage anyone from working in an unstable or conflict zone - even those who can handle it - unless your employer will not only arrange for evacuation, but also guarantee continued employment. |
Not sure if TEFL offers that sort of guarantee. Embassy jobs definitely would though. |
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2buckets
Joined: 14 Dec 2010
Posts: 515
Location: Middle East
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| Posted: Sat Aug 13, 2016 4:34 pm Post subject: |
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The U.S. consulates in Iran closed up shop and skulked off in the night during the revolution. No forewarning at all. Fortunately, my paramilitary employer took good care of us, but many others were really left in the lurch.
A go bag and a fistful of cash is a necessity. You never know when you'll have to make a run for the border. |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Sun Aug 14, 2016 1:19 am Post subject: |
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My friends in Iran had to turn to the British embassy for help when our own embassy people just decamped. (same thing happened in Cyprus... it was the British that rescued stranded Americans)
VS |
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DynoButch1
Joined: 03 Apr 2014
Posts: 14
Location: United States
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| Posted: Sun Aug 14, 2016 7:11 am Post subject: |
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At the time I left AFG in 2013 the salary with DynCorp was $85k/year base plus 35% danger pay and 35% post differential. The annual bonus was 10%, which brought the salary to roughly $153k/year. However, DynCorp had employees on a 90/30 rotation. While outside of AFG on leave you only received the base salary. To make up for this they offered a$3k travel stipend per leave period.
I have heard, however, that the base salary has been cut a few times since then. |
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bigdurian
Joined: 05 Feb 2014
Posts: 401
Location: Flashing my lights right behind you!
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| Posted: Sun Aug 14, 2016 12:05 pm Post subject: |
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| DynoButch1 wrote: |
At the time I left AFG in 2013 the salary with DynCorp was $85k/year base plus 35% danger pay and 35% post differential. The annual bonus was 10%, which brought the salary to roughly $153k/year. However, DynCorp had employees on a 90/30 rotation. While outside of AFG on leave you only received the base salary. To make up for this they offered a$3k travel stipend per leave period.
I have heard, however, that the base salary has been cut a few times since then. |
That's fairly standard, you can't expect them to pay hazard pay when you're not there. |
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DynoButch1
Joined: 03 Apr 2014
Posts: 14
Location: United States
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| Posted: Sun Aug 14, 2016 2:42 pm Post subject: |
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| bigdurian wrote: |
| DynoButch1 wrote: |
At the time I left AFG in 2013 the salary with DynCorp was $85k/year base plus 35% danger pay and 35% post differential. The annual bonus was 10%, which brought the salary to roughly $153k/year. However, DynCorp had employees on a 90/30 rotation. While outside of AFG on leave you only received the base salary. To make up for this they offered a$3k travel stipend per leave period.
I have heard, however, that the base salary has been cut a few times since then. |
That's fairly standard, you can't expect them to pay hazard pay when you're not there. |
Where did I say I expected them to pay it while outside of theater? |
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bigdurian
Joined: 05 Feb 2014
Posts: 401
Location: Flashing my lights right behind you!
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| Posted: Sun Aug 14, 2016 2:47 pm Post subject: |
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| DynoButch1 wrote: |
| bigdurian wrote: |
| DynoButch1 wrote: |
At the time I left AFG in 2013 the salary with DynCorp was $85k/year base plus 35% danger pay and 35% post differential. The annual bonus was 10%, which brought the salary to roughly $153k/year. However, DynCorp had employees on a 90/30 rotation. While outside of AFG on leave you only received the base salary. To make up for this they offered a$3k travel stipend per leave period.
I have heard, however, that the base salary has been cut a few times since then. |
That's fairly standard, you can't expect them to pay hazard pay when you're not there. |
Where did I say I expected them to pay it while outside of theater? |
Never said you did, bit touchy aren't we! |
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danshengou
Joined: 17 Feb 2016
Posts: 434
Location: A bizarre overcrowded hole
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| Posted: Sun Aug 14, 2016 8:45 pm Post subject: |
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| DynoButch1 wrote: |
At the time I left AFG in 2013 the salary with DynCorp was $85k/year base plus 35% danger pay and 35% post differential. The annual bonus was 10%, which brought the salary to roughly $153k/year. However, DynCorp had employees on a 90/30 rotation. While outside of AFG on leave you only received the base salary. To make up for this they offered a$3k travel stipend per leave period.
I have heard, however, that the base salary has been cut a few times since then. |
So was it worth it? |
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DynoButch1
Joined: 03 Apr 2014
Posts: 14
Location: United States
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| Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2016 2:25 am Post subject: |
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| danshengou wrote: |
| DynoButch1 wrote: |
At the time I left AFG in 2013 the salary with DynCorp was $85k/year base plus 35% danger pay and 35% post differential. The annual bonus was 10%, which brought the salary to roughly $153k/year. However, DynCorp had employees on a 90/30 rotation. While outside of AFG on leave you only received the base salary. To make up for this they offered a$3k travel stipend per leave period.
I have heard, however, that the base salary has been cut a few times since then. |
So was it worth it? |
If you can find things to keep yourself occupied (gym, reading, online degree, etc.) then, yeah I'd say it was worth it. The hardest parts were a) the day-to-day tedium of life on the base as you were not allowed to go outside the wire, and b) dealing with difficult personalities in a confined environment. If you think you've met some nutters in ESL before in your time, just imagine those same individuals under the added stress of being in a war zone. |
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danshengou
Joined: 17 Feb 2016
Posts: 434
Location: A bizarre overcrowded hole
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| Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2016 4:07 am Post subject: |
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| DynoButch1 wrote: |
| danshengou wrote: |
| DynoButch1 wrote: |
At the time I left AFG in 2013 the salary with DynCorp was $85k/year base plus 35% danger pay and 35% post differential. The annual bonus was 10%, which brought the salary to roughly $153k/year. However, DynCorp had employees on a 90/30 rotation. While outside of AFG on leave you only received the base salary. To make up for this they offered a$3k travel stipend per leave period.
I have heard, however, that the base salary has been cut a few times since then. |
So was it worth it? |
If you can find things to keep yourself occupied (gym, reading, online degree, etc.) then, yeah I'd say it was worth it. The hardest parts were a) the day-to-day tedium of life on the base as you were not allowed to go outside the wire, and b) dealing with difficult personalities in a confined environment. If you think you've met some nutters in ESL before in your time, just imagine those same individuals under the added stress of being in a war zone. |
No doubt those regular rotations helped with the boredom. 90-days isn't too bad. |
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