English/Writing teacher looking for job. Any suggestions?

[jrm]

Hello everyone!
I am an English and Writing teacher who is looking for a teaching job. I have high and college teaching experience.
I am overwhelmed with looking for a job. I am beginning to derail because of some of the reviews about some of these schools.
I thought China might be an option but pollution would kill me. I have asthma.
Then, I thought of the ME and realized that I am a single woman who doesn't like to told by a man that I can't drive because of some backward idea that I am not a person, but property. Forget that nonsense. I could just see myself plucking some man's beard because he told me I need to obey him.
So, any suggestions? Any advice on where to stear clear of?
Thanks!

[shadowjack]

JRM - you need to do more research. The only place women cannot drive in the Middle East is Saudi Arabia. All the others, women can drive. Oman might be your best bet - search out schools there - it is the most 'unspoiled' - in economy, tradition and customs, and environment.

Good luck!

[mamanaia]

Jrm, just something to think about, if you have asthma, dust from desert winds might aggravate you too. I have a friend that had difficulties in the ME. There are still several places around the world where you would be fine. Just keep checking various job posting websites.

[sid]

This seems like a belated April Fool's joke.
Your post comes across as close-minded and prejudiced, qualities which it seems you would prefer to avoid in others.
Please do not come to the middle east unless you are prepared for a lot of learning.

[jrm]

Sid, you could not be more wrong about me. I am just asking because I am not as informed about some places in the world.
Furthermore, my comments were made a bit tongue-in-cheek. I am not sure about what I have heard or read about the ME and I have read so many complaints, on this site, about ME schools. I don't want to blindly accept negative comments about so many ME schools. So, I am asking for the truth.

Thank you very much for the kind replies--except Sid's. I also appreciate your honesty.
You are all right.
I have been doing research on so many cultures and countries for the last year and am still confused about what to do.
However, I just need to suck-it-up, and take it like a man, and just take chances.
Regarding the response to the desertous region and asthma, I live in Texas-in the desert, and I can manage my asthma.
Again, I will just do what needs to be done and take my chances by going somewhere I don't know much about or have never considered living.


So...thank you everyone.

Last question, does anyone have suggestions for schools in the ME, or anywhere else? I need a bit of guidance.
Thanks!!

[jrm]

Sid, you could not be more wrong about me. I am just asking because I am not as informed about some places in the world.
Furthermore, my comments were made a bit tongue-in-cheek. I am not sure about what I have heard or read about the ME and I have read so many complaints, on this site, about ME schools. I don't want to blindly accept negative comments about so many ME schools. So, I am asking for the truth.

Thank you very much for the kind replies--except Sid's. I also appreciate your honesty.
You are all right.
I have been doing research on so many cultures and countries for the last year and am still confused about what to do.
However, I just need to suck-it-up, and take it like a man, and just take chances.
Regarding the response to the desertous region and asthma, I live in Texas-in the desert, and I can manage my asthma.
Again, I will just do what needs to be done and take my chances by going somewhere I don't know much about or have never considered living.


So...thank you everyone.

Last question, does anyone have suggestions for schools in the ME, or anywhere else? I need a bit of guidance.
Thanks!!

[heyteach]

[quote="jrm"]Sid, you could not be more wrong about me. I am just asking because I am not as informed about some places in the world.
Furthermore, my comments were made a bit tongue-in-cheek. I am not sure about what I have heard or read about the ME and I have read so many complaints, on this site, about ME schools. I don't want to blindly accept negative comments about so many ME schools. So, I am asking for the truth.
[/quote]

My first thoughts were less charitable than Sid's. Your remarks did not come across as tongue-in-cheek at all, but ignorant and knee-jerkish. The majority of equally knee-jerk comments about the ME on this forum come from PsyGuy, who spent a total of six weeks in Egypt before doing a runner. If you will take the time to peruse the forum further back, you will plenty of positive experiences in various ME countries.

Happy people, for some reason, tend not to write reviews, so the vast majority of them are skewed toward negativity--to the point of whining and reliance on hearsay to prove their point.

Shadowjack, please don't send her to Oman.

[shadowjack]

LOL Heyteach,

I am not sending her anywhere - just mentioned that Oman is less crappy in many ways and more 'pure' than the other countries in the ME, which if you look at the Gulf states, have all been infected by petro-dollars to the detriment of their populations in many ways (I would argue).

So no Oman, no Saudi, that leave all the other countries.

Go to Dubai or Abu Dhabi JRM - lots of jobs going, easy living, more laid back than Saudi, and tourist things to do out the wazoo - especially shopping and other touristic endeavours!

[sid]

I'm very happy to be wrong on this point.
The ME is a large place and with many variations. I have a decent amount of experience here, in several countries, and I've found much to respect about the culture and many individuals. CNN is widely inaccurate, not necessarily that they are publishing lies, but in that they generally publish only a small and incendiary slice of the truth. Books and websites suffer similar weaknesses; that's what sells. The people here are as wonderful as any anywhere. And they're a mixed bag of course, as they are anywhere, but visitors tend to find what they expect to find.
The idea that a random man, or even one you know, would insist on you obeying him, is ludicrous. And the beard is a stereotype not applicable to the general population.

[Teachermom]

Thank you, Sid! Totally what I was thinking, too.

[heyteach]

You're about Oman, Shadowjack, it is a wonderful country. I specifically targeted Oman as it seemed to have a real culture of its own, lots of history, an expat-friendly environment, and lots of outdoorsy atuff to do.

[senator]

To JRM:

Try Xiamen International School in Xiamen, China. One of the cleanest cities in China, nice weather - nice and hot in summer - on the ocean, 20 mile bike path along the beach. The school is one of those that pays just ok, but the low cost of living and China experience without the pollution might be appealing to you.
AND you can get a job there without IB experience - they usually train you.

I did 6 years there and saved a bundle.

[jrm]

Thanks! Especially to you, Sid. I wrote that, again, with tongue in cheek. But, now that I think about it, it came across in the wrong way.
I just have a dry, dehydrated sense of humor.
Anyway, I posted this because as a single woman, I have to look at how I can navigate a patriarchal culture. I have grown up in a patriarchal and mysogynistic culture and I despise the repression and lack of respect on the part to the men in my culture. I don't want to jump from one unbelievably crazy culture to another. However, I need to make some decent money and teach. I just need to know if I will be able to tolerate the ME patriarchal system. I need to know the boundaries and restrictions for single women-married women have a husband who can answer for her and protect her.
For men in that system, and for western men, it does not occur to them that women often feel unsafe and must be guarded at all times. There are different rules for women. So, I need some insight for and from women.

Thanks!

[sid]

With your experiences and preferences, don't go to Saudi. Within the other ME countries, you would find plenty of freedom. You can drive, go out on your own, wear short skirts in bars on weekend nights, date. There are things you cannot do without attracting unwanted attention, like wearing short skirts in the mall or making it obvious that you are having overnight male visitors. PDA is off limits beyond hand holding, and even that is probably not recommended unless you're married to the owner of the other hand. As you are out and about, you will find a range of attitudes towards women. In some countries, some of the more negative ones are more assertive about things like commenting on your appearance, trying to pick you up despite your clear lack of interest, etc. In other countries, these are less obvious/assertive.
You should ask yourself quite honestly, would you see the negative or the positive? If the restrictions would bother you often and strongly, it's not worth coming. If you can adopt a positive attitude, see progress and change and hope on a regular basis, then maybe it would be for you.

[PsyGuy]

i cant reccommend the ME at all, and cant reccommend you listen to the cheerleaders as well. 6 weeks in Egypt was plenty of time to know the place was and is a hole. Ive been to athe fairs from BKK to UK to BOS and not a single one had lines waiting for anywhere in the ME (except for Aramco). The lines are longer for 3rd tier WE schools then the so called top ME schools. If for no other reason having to lista series of exceptions about whos hand you can hold, or what you can do in your private time in your home with another adult is more then sufficient to say "stay away". Why would you want to be in a place like that?

The only reason to go to the ME is for the money. There isnt any other redeeming quality to the ME. The food is boring, there are too many restrictions on fun, there isnt really anything to do (wait for the cheerleaders to tell you how great desert camping is, which is really sleeping on sand). There are too many rules and the weather is well, its a desert.

Now getting back to your original post; you write that you have HS and tertiary experience teaching writing. In what capacity? Are we talking a writing lab tutor, or as an actual classroom teacher? Do you have a professional teaching certification in English or Literature?

Without knowing more some of the more rural parts of China would allow you to enjoy many of the benefits of an asian school package without the air quality issues.