Middle East - Options, Lifestyle and Savings Potential

tinopener
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Joined: Sat Nov 08, 2014 3:57 am

Middle East - Options, Lifestyle and Savings Potential

Post by tinopener »

A little about me -

I taught in a bottom-end (although IB accredited) IS in Tokyo for 2.5 years, and returned home in September to complete a PGCE in English in the UK. I'm now midway through the course and intend to head back out of the UK once it's complete in June. I have a BA (hons) in literature and language as well as a CELTA.

Ideally I'd return to Japan, but don't fancy spending another few years at the bottom of the ladder on low pay and no guarantee of progressing. I'm now considering - despite often claiming I'd never consider it - looking for a position in the ME. From what I've read, I'd most like to work somewhere like Bahrain, Oman or Abu Dhabi. In short, somewhere relatively liberal.

So, to cut to the chase... can anyone with experience please advise on:

a) Given my experience and qualifications, what are the chances of me getting an IS position in one of these countries?
b) Which country is likely to suit my lifestyle - like to socialise occasionally (including drinking)?
c) What my salary would likely be
d) Savings based on slim-moderate outgoings.

Many thanks for any help with this
heyteach
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Re: Middle East - Options, Lifestyle and Savings Potential

Post by heyteach »

Oman can't be beat. I really liked the more "human" scale of Muscat--none of the buildings is over 6-7 stories tall. It is pretty liberal; alcohol can be purchased once you get your license for it (looks like a WWII-era ration book). Omanis are incredibly friendly and helpful. Loved being able to swim and snorkel after school each day, or walk on the beach, and go diving on weekends.

The school I was at wasn't all that great; it was not an international school per se and was under Ministry oversight. Yet a number of the Western teachers stayed on for quite a few years. As a department head I had to deal with the MoE who thought my standards were too high (!). But I had a great apartment for free, and was able to save nearly 50% of my salary. Travel to other countries was pretty easy on Oman Air.
tinopener
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Re: Middle East - Options, Lifestyle and Savings Potential

Post by tinopener »

Thanks for that, HeyTeach.

Can you tell me roughly how much you were able to save each month?
PsyGuy
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Response

Post by PsyGuy »

I wouldnt relocate to Oman.
1) Id say decent, your essentially an NQT with no experience, the standard bar to IE entry is two years. You will likely find something in the bottom third tier, but these appointments arent going to be very fun or productive.
2) Of those you mentioned Bahrain has the best lifestyle opportunities. You can actually just go out and have a pint. A number of countries you can get a license to purchase whatever your poison is but who wants to drink by themselves, and the other options are often restricted to a few enclave type public houses. Bahrain is the most liberal.
Compensation varies widely, but even the train wreck bottom tier ISs tend to pay good coin, its the only way they can staff their ISs. You have to be a mercenary and go for the coin.
3) Saving depends more on you and your location, the locations you listed have a lot of consumerism (options for temptation and distraction). You live/work in a suburban or out of the way location and you can save a lot simply because there isnt anything to spend coin on.

I wouldnt forgo JP entirely, the bottom tier ISs in the ME arent going to do better for your marketability than some kindergarten/reception primary IS. The only difference is the coin. The coin is better (much better) in the ME then you will find in JP.
runningsloth
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Re: Middle East - Options, Lifestyle and Savings Potential

Post by runningsloth »

Oman would be great for the sheer beauty of the place and the laid-back lifestyle. I find Bahrain to be incredibly boring, although there are places to get alcohol, if that is what you fancy. You could also look into an often overlooked country, Jordan. Beautiful country with everything from mountains to beaches, and liquor stores, bars, and restaurants are common in the capital. You can also get pork pretty easily.
mamava
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Re: Middle East - Options, Lifestyle and Savings Potential

Post by mamava »

I lived in Saudi, and I'd do Qatar (decent school, easy in and out flights, and relatively liberal--for the ME). I'd do Oman for decent schools and outdoor activities. Bahrain is just an island--great for those of us in Saudi that need a drink or a bacon sandwich on the weekends, but other than malls, not much to do and you have to fly everywhere to get away as there's nowhere else to go. People like Dubai and Abu Dhabi, but for us it's again more mall culture.

You do tend to make money in the ME, but you have to watch to make sure you are getting yourself some good PD and moving forward as many schools don't have it. You have to also carefully check out the schools as there are a lot of schools that market themselves as ITs but really aren't.

We easily saved more than1 salary, even having a child in college and 2 with us. Savings there is big, which is one of the big reasons why people go.
heyteach
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Re: Middle East - Options, Lifestyle and Savings Potential

Post by heyteach »

I hadn't thought of pork as a big draw, but you can buy it in Oman in the large groceries like Carrefour and Al Fair. And you don't have to drink alone; the big hotels and a few nightclubs serve alcohol.

Keep in mind that driving off the island that is Bahrain means driving to Saudi, and women will have to comply with Saudi law (can't drive, must wear an abaya and hijab). Same with Qatar--a friend in Oman couldn't drive to Doha to visit her brother because she would have had to cross through Saudi.
shadowjack
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Re: Middle East - Options, Lifestyle and Savings Potential

Post by shadowjack »

You want the Emirates or Oman. Both Qatar and Bahrain lack many decent schools to work at, in my opinion. There are more of them in the Emirates, There are some in Oman. I would definitely return to teach in the ME. I would only go to one or two schools in Bahrain or Qatar.
shadylane
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Re: Middle East - Options, Lifestyle and Savings Potential

Post by shadylane »

shadowjack wrote:
I would only go to one or two schools in Bahrain or Qatar.

Which ones?
tinopener
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Joined: Sat Nov 08, 2014 3:57 am

Re: Middle East - Options, Lifestyle and Savings Potential

Post by tinopener »

Thanks for the information, folk.

Can anyone give me some figures in terms of saving, based on being single and maybe a tipple or two at the weekend?
Teach1010
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Re: Middle East - Options, Lifestyle and Savings Potential

Post by Teach1010 »

I've read some posts indicating that safety has become somewhat of a concern in Bahrain. Violent protests? I also seem to remember something about these protests being scheduled in advance and posted in public to let you know where to avoid. Does anyone know anything about that?

From what I've read, it seems like most would consider Oman or Jordan the safest countries to work in in the ME. I'm not as sure about UAE. It's probably pretty safe, but I've heard some horror stories about the types of kids you are expected to teach in a lot of the UAE schools. (Extremely rich, parents view teachers like another one of their servants - cook, housekeeper, gardner, teacher, etc.)
shadowjack
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Re: Middle East - Options, Lifestyle and Savings Potential

Post by shadowjack »

If I were to tell you which ones, admin might slap my hand. :-)

Basically, search for schools which look after the embassy kids in Bahrain and Qatar and that should answer your question. My response is also skewed more to the North American or IB side of things, not so much the Brit side, which might widen the field to about 4 schools I would even consider in those two countries.

If you are planning on heading to a school in the Middle East, my advice is do your homework. But there are some good ones.

Teach1010 - Bahrain is not the wild and wooly place everybody envisions. Former students of mine go there regularly or are at school there and are quite happy and feel safe.
mamava
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Re: Middle East - Options, Lifestyle and Savings Potential

Post by mamava »

There have been ongoing protests in Bahrain for several years. You always see armored cars and soldiers at different points throughout the city. Going over frequently and spending most of our time at malls or expat restaurants/hotels, we never saw active demonstrations, which seem to take place in areas where expats may not often go. They are published in advance and if there's a quick uptick in demonstrations or violence, you can be alerted to where it's likely to happened or where planned demonstrations are taking place. Honestly never thought about it when we were there.
vandsmith
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Re: Middle East - Options, Lifestyle and Savings Potential

Post by vandsmith »

you should consider abu dhabi or oman. you can go out anytime you like in abu dhabi without the need to for a liquor license. of all the middle east countries, oman intrigues me the most; i've lived in abu dhabi for several years and it's also pretty cool. i've never lived in oman, but from colleagues who have done vacations there it seems great.

abu dhabi is safe, the nightlife is pretty good but not as "cool" as dubai (although much less expensive). we were always able to save a full paycheque each month, depending on how much we went out. the bars are located in hotels, by the way, and in the years i lived there i was never asked for a liquor license though they are easily attainable.

i've been to a couple other gcc countries but they were pretty boring. but that's just my take - i haven't lived there, and wasn't there long enough to really say.

good luck!

v.
PsyGuy
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Reply

Post by PsyGuy »

@tinopener

My rational for recommending Bahrain among the options you listed, is due to Bahrain having the easiest and most accessible nightly socializing opportunities. Though I agree with @mamava, Bahrain is just one big island mall and cafe.

I would not go to Qatar, the least bad locations in the ME are Bahrain, Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Though the best coin is in the Kingdom.

I would recommend if you are a member, the member forum would be a more appropriate forum for specific lists and names of ISs in particular regions that ITs have found acceptable in the past. As @SJ addressed, they tend to be the ISs associated with a countries diplomatic mission abroad.

@Teach1010

The political conflict has a negligible effect on everyday life activities in Bahrain. The worst inconvenience is likely going to be a delay in traffic.
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