Actually, some people DO wake up and decide they want to teach in the ME. I know lots of them and I am one. I turned down positions in Europe and SE Asia b/c the ME is one of the only areas I hadn't lived in. And, before you ask PsyGuy, it wasn't for the money. Frankly, it's not that much, and there is more to life than the amount of money you make. Sometimes people are looking for different things. Blanket statements don't help anyone.
Good luck CoachM--the right position is out there.
Hi, I am new to ISR.
I came to the Middle East with the intentions of staying 2 years then returning to the USA or moving on to another international location. 6 years later I'm still here and it has nothing to do with an inability to land a job anywhere else. I stay because I love the school I teach at and the kids I teach. The package is a bonus as is my position. Yes, there are some cultural differences that I do not agree with and some behaviors that I do not like but you are going to have that anywhere. It gets wicked hot here 7 months out of the year but where I'm from in the USA sees summers with 100-110 degrees almost daily in July and August so again not a big deal. Anyway, I'm considering staying here for much longer as there are only about 15-20 international schools in the world that I'd consider leaving my current position for. I like it that much. If more people came in with an open mind then they might like it more too.
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expatteacher99
- Posts: 73
- Joined: Fri Oct 19, 2012 4:46 am
I'm another one who DID decide one day that I wanted to work in the ME.
Having previously worked in other regions, we wanted something new and exciting. Some people want to work in cultures that feel like home. That's fine for them. We didn't want that. We wanted something completely different. I found the ME intriguing and wanted to learn more about the culture firsthand, rather than only getting what the media gives us. We started our search looking in the ME. We lucked into jobs with Aramco, but money was not the motivating factor for looking in the ME.
Psyguy, you said that NO ONE dreams about working in the ME, and that people dream of working in places like France, Italy, Spain, and Japan. Please stop speaking on behalf myself or other teachers who have chosen other locations. I know it may be hard to believe, but there is a huge percentage of the population that isn't as close-minded as you.
Having previously worked in other regions, we wanted something new and exciting. Some people want to work in cultures that feel like home. That's fine for them. We didn't want that. We wanted something completely different. I found the ME intriguing and wanted to learn more about the culture firsthand, rather than only getting what the media gives us. We started our search looking in the ME. We lucked into jobs with Aramco, but money was not the motivating factor for looking in the ME.
Psyguy, you said that NO ONE dreams about working in the ME, and that people dream of working in places like France, Italy, Spain, and Japan. Please stop speaking on behalf myself or other teachers who have chosen other locations. I know it may be hard to believe, but there is a huge percentage of the population that isn't as close-minded as you.
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Cindylouwho
- Posts: 12
- Joined: Sat Jan 05, 2013 8:02 am
[quote="CoachM"]But according to what I have read on ISR we should be able to find a job in Kuwait. 3xlucky, what do you think? [/quote]
Well Coach...if you are not picky, there are many schools in Kuwait that would hire, you just need to ask yourself at what cost? If you need a job and want to get overseas experience, well, as long as your paid and your family is taken care of, 2 years is a short time.
Best of luck, if you hear of any specific schools and you want feedback LMK.
Well Coach...if you are not picky, there are many schools in Kuwait that would hire, you just need to ask yourself at what cost? If you need a job and want to get overseas experience, well, as long as your paid and your family is taken care of, 2 years is a short time.
Best of luck, if you hear of any specific schools and you want feedback LMK.
Comment
I do not like the ME, and want to let everyone know.
@vitaminz
You can love your school and your students in MANY, MANY other places without the drawbacks that exist in the ME. Again, another very ordinary benefit, worded to sound special. When people dont like their school or their students they leave and go somewhere else, a lot more of those issues come from the ME then any other region.
Whats your next overhyped benefit of the ME, they pay you money to stand in front of a group of children and pass your knowledge on to them?
@Cindylouwho
Great moneys not important to you, so you give your salary back to them every month? You would teach for free?
@expatteacher99
No I dont believe it, i have NEVER heard a new teacher who wants to teach abroad claim "I want to teach in the ME". Not once, guys want to go to Japan and woman want to go to Europe. Anything and everything else is a sales pitch.
if the ME is such an AWESOME place how come their lines are no where near as long as those in italy or japan, or france, or anywhere else for that matter. The ME schools especially the Saudie, and Kuwait stand around with their hands in their pockets?
The only school in the ME that is anyones dream job is Aramco, and thats because of the money.
Its disingenuous of you to extrapolate that very exception to the whole of the ME.
@vitaminz
You can love your school and your students in MANY, MANY other places without the drawbacks that exist in the ME. Again, another very ordinary benefit, worded to sound special. When people dont like their school or their students they leave and go somewhere else, a lot more of those issues come from the ME then any other region.
Whats your next overhyped benefit of the ME, they pay you money to stand in front of a group of children and pass your knowledge on to them?
@Cindylouwho
Great moneys not important to you, so you give your salary back to them every month? You would teach for free?
@expatteacher99
No I dont believe it, i have NEVER heard a new teacher who wants to teach abroad claim "I want to teach in the ME". Not once, guys want to go to Japan and woman want to go to Europe. Anything and everything else is a sales pitch.
if the ME is such an AWESOME place how come their lines are no where near as long as those in italy or japan, or france, or anywhere else for that matter. The ME schools especially the Saudie, and Kuwait stand around with their hands in their pockets?
The only school in the ME that is anyones dream job is Aramco, and thats because of the money.
Its disingenuous of you to extrapolate that very exception to the whole of the ME.
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MicheMommy
- Posts: 13
- Joined: Wed Jan 23, 2013 2:48 pm
No, PSY, it's disingenuous of YOU to extrapolate your loathing of the ME to the whole of the international teaching community.
None of those people said their experience spoke for everyone, just that they did, in fact, WANT to live in the ME, after you so very adamantly declared that nobody wanted to live there. You can't go telling everybody that their experiences aren't real simply because you haven't had the same ones and then turn around in the next breath and lecture about the dangers of extrapolation of one's opinions.
None of those people said their experience spoke for everyone, just that they did, in fact, WANT to live in the ME, after you so very adamantly declared that nobody wanted to live there. You can't go telling everybody that their experiences aren't real simply because you haven't had the same ones and then turn around in the next breath and lecture about the dangers of extrapolation of one's opinions.
@3xlucky
Well I tried, the first school that I targeted was Kuwait. I ran into an issue that most could not look past. My degree is in Business Admin. with an option in computers. My teaching credential and teaching experience is in physical education. I was told the law is that you must teach the same subject as your original degree. The Ministry will not even look at the credential they only care about your degree.
Well I tried, the first school that I targeted was Kuwait. I ran into an issue that most could not look past. My degree is in Business Admin. with an option in computers. My teaching credential and teaching experience is in physical education. I was told the law is that you must teach the same subject as your original degree. The Ministry will not even look at the credential they only care about your degree.
Re: Comment
[quote="PsyGuy"]I do not like the ME, and want to let everyone know.
@vitaminz
You can love your school and your students in MANY, MANY other places without the drawbacks that exist in the ME. Again, another very ordinary benefit, worded to sound special. When people dont like their school or their students they leave and go somewhere else, a lot more of those issues come from the ME then any other region.
Whats your next overhyped benefit of the ME, they pay you money to stand in front of a group of children and pass your knowledge on to them?
@Cindylouwho
Great moneys not important to you, so you give your salary back to them every month? You would teach for free?
@expatteacher99
No I dont believe it, i have NEVER heard a new teacher who wants to teach abroad claim "I want to teach in the ME". Not once, guys want to go to Japan and woman want to go to Europe. Anything and everything else is a sales pitch.
if the ME is such an AWESOME place how come their lines are no where near as long as those in italy or japan, or france, or anywhere else for that matter. The ME schools especially the Saudie, and Kuwait stand around with their hands in their pockets?
The only school in the ME that is anyones dream job is Aramco, and thats because of the money.
Its disingenuous of you to extrapolate that very exception to the whole of the ME.[/quote]
It is obvious by your posts on the ME that you are either closed minded or that you taught here and it chewed you up then spit you back out. Of course I could be wrong on both accounts because you may have found the dream location [b]FOR YOU [/b]and never left. If that is the case then you have no business speaking on the ME.
Read all my posts on the topic and you'll see that I balance it out between the good and the bad in the region. I don't simply spew close minded hate about a specific area because what one person likes another may not. You speak out of your butt about nearly every single topic on this board because you think you are an expert on all things in international education yet every time you posts half of the responses do not agree with you so obviously you don't speak for all. To know as much about the international teaching world you would need to have been living this life for MANY years and lived in MANY regions or you'd have to be employed by one of the recruiting agencies that visits all these regions on a regular basis.
I love the school I work at and the kids I work with which is a combination I have only had here in the ME. I didn't have it in the USA and I didn't have it in Southeast Asia but I have it here. Many teachers have it here and that is why so many stay.
It does negatives which I've pointed out more than once in this forum but for [b]ME[/b] the good far outweighs the bad.
That being said, I don't think I'd want to spend more than 10 years in any location no matter how good it may be. Part of the international lifestyle is being international and working in different countries and cultures.
@vitaminz
You can love your school and your students in MANY, MANY other places without the drawbacks that exist in the ME. Again, another very ordinary benefit, worded to sound special. When people dont like their school or their students they leave and go somewhere else, a lot more of those issues come from the ME then any other region.
Whats your next overhyped benefit of the ME, they pay you money to stand in front of a group of children and pass your knowledge on to them?
@Cindylouwho
Great moneys not important to you, so you give your salary back to them every month? You would teach for free?
@expatteacher99
No I dont believe it, i have NEVER heard a new teacher who wants to teach abroad claim "I want to teach in the ME". Not once, guys want to go to Japan and woman want to go to Europe. Anything and everything else is a sales pitch.
if the ME is such an AWESOME place how come their lines are no where near as long as those in italy or japan, or france, or anywhere else for that matter. The ME schools especially the Saudie, and Kuwait stand around with their hands in their pockets?
The only school in the ME that is anyones dream job is Aramco, and thats because of the money.
Its disingenuous of you to extrapolate that very exception to the whole of the ME.[/quote]
It is obvious by your posts on the ME that you are either closed minded or that you taught here and it chewed you up then spit you back out. Of course I could be wrong on both accounts because you may have found the dream location [b]FOR YOU [/b]and never left. If that is the case then you have no business speaking on the ME.
Read all my posts on the topic and you'll see that I balance it out between the good and the bad in the region. I don't simply spew close minded hate about a specific area because what one person likes another may not. You speak out of your butt about nearly every single topic on this board because you think you are an expert on all things in international education yet every time you posts half of the responses do not agree with you so obviously you don't speak for all. To know as much about the international teaching world you would need to have been living this life for MANY years and lived in MANY regions or you'd have to be employed by one of the recruiting agencies that visits all these regions on a regular basis.
I love the school I work at and the kids I work with which is a combination I have only had here in the ME. I didn't have it in the USA and I didn't have it in Southeast Asia but I have it here. Many teachers have it here and that is why so many stay.
It does negatives which I've pointed out more than once in this forum but for [b]ME[/b] the good far outweighs the bad.
That being said, I don't think I'd want to spend more than 10 years in any location no matter how good it may be. Part of the international lifestyle is being international and working in different countries and cultures.
[quote="CoachM"]@3xlucky
The Ministry will not even look at the credential they only care about your degree.[/quote]
Tough luck. I think it depends on the school. If you have dependents I am unsure how willing a school is at looking the other way. I know there are people working here that don't have a teaching degree and are not teaching in their field...although most schools try to avoid it since it effects accreditation.
You never know, keep trying.
The Ministry will not even look at the credential they only care about your degree.[/quote]
Tough luck. I think it depends on the school. If you have dependents I am unsure how willing a school is at looking the other way. I know there are people working here that don't have a teaching degree and are not teaching in their field...although most schools try to avoid it since it effects accreditation.
You never know, keep trying.