Been there Done that and Got the T-shirt

Hello,
I have approximately eight years in Saudi Arabia and another contract in Kuwait. I have taught Military, Banking, and Petrochemical company employees. I have also done a contract as Sr. Instructor for the Kuwaiti Air Defense Forces. In my work I have probably been to about forty different cities while level testing. In about three weeks I am going to another country in the Middle East because I want to go Scuba Diving every weekend for a few months.

Just don't be an Ethnochentric J##k O#f and expect them to be like you want them to and you should do fine. Find something to do besides sitting cooped up in your flat eating Noodle dishes with the other expats while you have a b##ch session and develop obscure exercises on the comma. But that goes for every country.

Don't be afraid to go to the Middle East. It may not be what you are used to but you can bet it will be different. Once you learn HOW to live there, it can be a lot of fun. Oh yea. You have to like Biege.

Also, remember that your concept of something and theirs are completely different. You can look at a chair and they will have a different idea about that chair than you do. Your ideas will almost NEVER CROSS and be the same.

gharwell1

In Response To: Thanks....it's nice to hear from you guys over there (ESL_IN_ASIA)

Raytheon/Salts is currently paying about $4300/Month. Add to that housing, medical and tickets and you have a good package. However, the students are extremely un and I stress UN-motivated. If you teach in Jeddah you are near the Desalinization plant which spews out Sulfur dioxide. That causes Lung infections so you may have a class of 13 students hacking germs in a very small classroom. Thus you get sick. I got a very deep dry cough and it took six weeks to get rid of it.

On the other side of the country, I worked for ARAMCO. Worst students I EVER had. In a class of about 18 students.. Well lets go from your left to your right..
The first three are having a conversation. The next three are also having a conversation. Then the next four are looking at Porn on their Cell phone. The next two or three are asleep. The rest are listening and working. They have been there for eight hours a day for two years and do not want to listen to anything you have to say. It does pay $5800 a month. The day before I left, they asked me if I wanted to stay and "Make some more MONEY" I turned them down and went to Russia for $600....

In Kuwait I had military students, I had students who said to me "What are these people going to do if we cause problems in class. We stood and fought and WE went to Prison Camp. They turned and Ran. What can they do?" Another student said, "NO Problem. When Saddam comes, we run away and call Bill Clinton and America. They come and take Saddam away and we come back."

In the classroom you earn your money. Every Penny of it and no matter how much it is.... you will always feel it's not enough. The Only way to survive is After Class activities. I chose Scuba Diving. Some of the best in the world is on the Arabian Peninsula.

To give you an example of just how good the diving is. I was down about 90' in the Cayman islands looking around to find something to look at. NOTHING. I decided then and there to go BACK to Saudi 2000 so I could get some Diving in. I had an offer in Riyadh which is in the desert and Religious police always chase you around or go to Jeddah for 20,000 dollars less. I chose Jeddah. I got on the plane as an English Teacher and when I got off I was a Sr. Technical Editor. i got to the job and there was absolutely NOTHING to do. I sat there for eleven months doing NOTHING relating to Editing. I did get to sit in on some High Dollar meetings ( 130 Million Dollar Contracts) and take and then transcribe the minutes. I also got to help some guys from ICAO (UN Civil Aviation people0) work on some RFP's. Those were interesting but the rest was doing nothing.

It can go either way but sometime during your contract you walk down the hall and say to yourself, "Is this what my life has amounted to." Payday comes and you feel better.

It takes a special mindset to work in the Middle East. It may take a couple of contracts until you get the hang of it.

Good luck to anybody who goes.

Leaving Saudi

Posted By: gharwell1

In Response To: The fat lady's camel..... (Beatrix)

Most countries require an Exit Visa. But so does Russia. Children can't leave without the father's signature.

I guess if you wanted to be rolled up in a carpet and shipped out with all the other excess baggage.....That could be done too.

Women can usually find work in International schools or at Universities teaching women. Of course you could also get a job as a private tutor for a Rich family. But then if you don't have sex with their teenage sons you could be there for the rest of your life as you would be unable to get an exit visa. It happens and there is nothing your government can do about it. It is safer to go with a Husband.

Of course you could say, "I'm an American or I'm a Brit and yak yak yak yak. Their reply may very well be to Cane you in the face and ask you where your abaya is to cover yourself up. Get to the back of the Bus. You are a Western woman and that makes you a prostitute so I will do with you what I want. If you are a teacher..... go with a Husband.

Posted By: gharwell1, to our ESL discussion forum: http://www.eslteachersboard.com/cgi-bin/forum/index.pl?index=0