Korean Job Discussion Forums

[lastat06513]

Hey all....

I know I said I would retire after 5 years of teaching in Korea, but I found myself low on cash and now on another teaching adventure.

This time, guess what?....I'm in Kuwait!

Yessiree!

I find myself in the gulf, teaching at the Defense Language Institute in Kuwait, teaching Kuwaiti soldiers how to speak English.
I initially got this offer in my junkmail box and replied to it as a joke. Little did I know that after 3 weeks in the US, I find myself on a plane bound to the mid-east.
I am about finished with my first week here and all of you who said Korean students are lazy have never dealt AT ALL with Kuwaiti students, they put laziness on a whole new level.

I'm on a one-year contract and I can say that I never truly appreciated Korea more than being in Kuwait right now, Korean people, society and everything in general seem like paradise compared to what it is here.

I'll keep you all updated periodically on how things go and how long I will stay here.
But...I can say, this does seem like the place to save money.

cya

[jacl]

[canuckistan]

Should be good for a different kind of experience. And you know it's not a disgrace to go home with buckets of cash

Best of luck!

[kangnam mafioso]

you didn't give the states much of a go, but at least you got a job somewhere. lol. i don't think i would want to be in the middle east right now, although kuwait is pretty chill (along with the uae) compared with saudi and some other countries. i did see a job posting in saudi recently for 60,000 + all amenities, but still don't think i could do it. it isn't a dislike of muslims or even a fear of terrorism (over all i think the odds of getting hurt by terrorism are very low), but just the cultural isolation, living on a compound, lack of dating opportunities and the potential for violence, etc certainly isn't a bonus. let me know if you find it otherwise and good luck. btw, i spent a month in israel and egypt back in 97 and loved it, but that was before sharon came to power and the shi@ hit the fan. what do you think you will do when you finish up there?

[Yu_Bum_suk]

Thanks for the update. I had an offer to teach at some military academy in Kuwait, too, last summer when I was looking for a new job. I'm sure happy I went with a Korean HS.

BTW, my cousin taught in Kuwait for a while and what you're saying about the lazy students sounds very familiar.

[SuperFly]

Soooo.....what are their general attitudes toward....us dogs?

[lastat06513]

The cool thing is that most service work s done by outsiders from india, bangladesh, philippines where English is an anglo-franco language. so the fear of not being able to communicate is gone and makes living here alittle more convenient.
The kuwaitis look down on everybody, including us teachers, but we are treated with respect because we are teaching them a skill, though it is a skill that most don't want to learn.
The bad thing is that there is some tension between some of the native teachers and the egyptian teachers hired for the lower levels. and since it is with the military, sometimes things are decided at the last minute (but I put up with that during my time in the service anyway)
one thing I hate with a passion is the wait for the visa, which can take up to 7 months (leaving 5 months left in the contract) if they drag their feet and 4 months if things are up to par.
but other than that, savings seems to be good and there are possibilities of being able to find legal part time work to earn alittle bit more.
again....i'll add more on this thread as it happens.
see ya

[rapier]

Wow, interesting. Keep the updates.
do you live on a "foreigner compound" like they do in Saudi? what are the women like- are they allowed to talk to foreigners? How much do you think you'll make?

[lastat06513]

Thats the cool thing about Kuwait compared to Saudi, the country is 60% inhabited by foreigners, so things are pretty much safe compared to the large xenophobic vibe people get in Saudi (sounds like another place I know..hint...hint....), I live in a foreign neighborhood, not a walled compound found in Saudi.

As for talking to women, it is ok on an official capacity but not socially
(but I have heard it is possible, though I haven't tried....yet). But if a foreigner converts to islam, it is almost like going to japan, the women will fall all over them (I've heard of a guy who converted just for that reason)

But as for saving money quickly, I think the mid-east is a good choice, but it is good to be single because it will take an act of congress to get your family over here.

[here_for-_now]

I think in terms of talking to women, it is fine as long as they're not Kuwaiti, I don't know of many Kuwaiti women dating westerners..it is actually frowned upon to even marry another arab muslim who's not Kuwaiti..
I'm intersted in your impressions of social life in Kuwait so far...have you discovered the underground social life yet?..it can get pretty wild I remember...
It's also funny how once you go to beach clubs/hotels (like SAS or Messila)..everyone's walking around in bikinis although I think Messila's closed down, didn't it?

[lastat06513]

Isn't that the truth!....it is "taboo" to associate with a local woman, but I do have 2 native teachers at the institute who are divorcees.

There was a story that still circulates about the princess, it is a lesson to Kuwaiti women to "warn" them against marrying non-Kuwaiti men. They seem to be very pampered by their parents and their husbands (some of whom go to Bahrain, Lebanon or Syria to be with their mistress.....again, sounds like another place I know well....hint...hint...)

I met up with a British guy and he told me that they are keeping a close eye on the "underground" scene, ever since the death of the Emir because ultra-conservative forces have taken charge here. Most people head down to Bahrain for fun (I myself will be going there after a few months for some relaxation) or just bounce off to Thailand.

The very cool thing is that I just opened a bank account in which they handed me a credit card with a $475 limit (to start), which takes a virtual act of god to get in Korea. I'm not going to go ape-sh^t and buy up my limit this weekend. But I find it pretty cool to be treated like a real customer at a bank.

I am still on the look out for some part time work to suppliment my savings, wish me luck on that.

Another cool thing is that simple things are cheap- laundry service, haircuts, though grocery shopping can be alittle pricey (though alittle cheaper than Korea, though more expensive than going to WalMart in the US). It is possible to get by on 100KD ($340), but if you want to live lavishly, thats gonna take some bucks.

I'll keep you all up-to-date, day-by-day if possible on my adventures here.
I'm going into the city (I'm on the outskirts of the city) tomorrow, some guy is going to rent a boat and I got invited to a traditional Kuwaiti male wedding reception (as you know, weddings are segregated between male and female receptions), I can never turn down free food (who wouldn't)

Well, thats it for now, cya.

[lastat06513]

After 3 months here, me and the misses are on our way back to the US.
I will post my ordeal soon.

I am about to head to the airport, wish me a save flight......


Cheers to everyone in Davies Cafe Land.......~~

[SuperFly]

ah come on, give us a little hinty hint of what happened...don't make us wait till you get back home, you may not be able to find an internet cafe!


Safe flight!

[Tarheel13]

Superfly beat me to it...give us a hint, svp. Three months ain't a long time to save a bucket full of green.

[Bulsajo]