Hmm, lots of good info to share with my friends & for them to sort through. Thanks for all the replies!

I have several years living & teaching in the ME with the exception of the Kingdom, which I wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole. However, several friends, some of whom are single women, are being enticed by very generous compensation packages and they'd like some opinions. Can anyone with experience living/teaching there give some feedback?

Congrats on your job Shmedz! Where will you be teaching? My time in Thailand showed me that most Westerners are waaay larger than Thais so bringing clothes or easy to follow directions to have clothes made are a good idea.

Depending on which ME country you're in: great beaches; lots of Westernization; if you love heat, you're in for a treat!; good food with plenty of international options; easy travel access other countries that you may be interested in and lots of expats from different parts of the world.

Enjoy!
ShakHak https://coursecraft.net/courses/z9Pk8

Good points about the weather PsyGuy! I've lived here since 2011 so it's possible that I've acclimated more than I realize. ;-)

Some Arabs are warm & welcoming towards Westerners with the accompanying traditional hospitality, others are indifferent and still others seem quietly annoyed by us. It's a range for sure.

Ahh, thanks for explaining what you meant by "mercenary." I agree that having a laser like focus & sticking to it is one way to get the most out of being here.

I've lived in the GCC since 2011 & both Arab & Western colleagues tell me that Lebanon is pretty liberal in comparison to other countries in the region. Go for it!

ShakHak https://coursecraft.net/courses/z9Pk8

PsyGuy, I'm not sure what you mean by "you have to be a mercenary about it?" The weather is definitely close to unbearable in the summer but from Dec - March it's pretty decent. Right now for instance, it's pretty spring like. :-)

Many are definitely used to Westerners as there are so many of us throughout the GCC. Now, how do they feel about us? That's a different question! ;-) Seriously though, most non Westerners have become more accustomed to, and accepting of, our presence.

Hi!

The UAE is made up of 7 Emirates of which Dubai is the most well known. Even so, the Emirate with the highest pay is Abu Dhabi, which is also the capital of the UAE. Dubai doesn't pay nearly as well as Abu Dhabi & the overall compensation package isn't as generous. I'm not sure about Iraq as it's currently a conflict zone & maybe not a good option?

Good luck!
ShakHak https://coursecraft.net/courses/z9Pk8

Hi! If the international school is in the Middle East, specifically the GCC region, then yes, this actually quite "normal." Ifyou went through a legit recruiter (TeachAway, Search Associates, etc) I'd get in touch with your point person and ask them to follow up.

Good luck!
ShakHak https://coursecraft.net/courses/z9Pk8

Hi! Government schools are free to locals only & Arab expats must pay tuition. The children of Western expats aren't allowed to attend government schools. They are allowed to attend private schools & if either of you teaches at the school, there may be some tuition reimbursement available. If you don't teach at the school then no, tuition is NOT covered. Trouble is, many Western expats feel that the majority of currently available private schools aren't particularly rigorous. Many expats with kids home-school.

Unfortunately, no, the recruiting agency is only responsible for hiring the licensed teacher who applied & if the spouse isn't a teacher, they are sponsored on the working spouses' visa. Neither the school, the agency, or anyone will help the sponsored spouse find or obtain work. Having said that, the non teaching spouse is free to look for work once they arrive. If they find it, they'll no longer be covered under the teaching spouse & will lose all benefits so it's important to make sure that if you find work, it's worth it. Most non teaching spouses find it extremely difficulty to find work though.

Many do independent work on the side, start up small (informal) businesses catering to other expats, etc. Since you're fluent in Arabic you may be able to create your own work by offering language lessons to Western expats who want to learn Arabic or to non Westerners who want to learn English. You may also want to look into tutoring.

Good luck!
ShakHak https://coursecraft.net/courses/z9Pk8

Hi! I think if you & your wife are willing to move to the Middle East, it's reasonable to expect to be hired for the upcoming school year & you needn't worry too much about major lack of experience. I say this because many of the countries in the GCC region have serious teacher shortages and recruitment is always going on. Good luck!

ShakHak
https://coursecraft.net/courses/z9Pk8

I'm an American who's lived in the GCC region since 2011.

The Good:
* Oil wealthy nations in the GCC have some of the most generous compensation packages for Western teachers available. If your goal is to make, save &/or invest money, consider the Middle East.
* Many countries in the GCC are used to Westerners & so there's a moderate degree of Westernization to help you feel comfortable.
* Wonderful weather (except during summer months when it's hell hot & expats run to cooler climates), lovely beaches & easy travel to other parts of the world.

The Bad:
* The Eastern concept of time is the polar opposite of what Westerners are used to. Be prepared for most things to take FOREVER.
* The culture of the majority of the GCC stems from a nomadic root. This means that change is constant. Expect for there to be a lack of consistency with most things.
* Many locals are very privileged and are known to treat foreigners with varying levels of respect, depending on your nationality. So, Americans, people from the UK, the Irish, the Scottish & then everyone else in descending order are given respect based on nationality.

The Ugly:
* Media censorship isn't balanced out with non mainstream or alternative options. You may never really know the extent of issues going on in a particular country or as it relates to Western expats unless it's a major story that can't be ignored.
* Student behavior can rival that of the toughest schools in the West.
* Varying levels of what we as Westerners would consider ethnocentrism, gender inequality and injustice are daily parts of life. Protest and get jailed or kicked out.

I'm happy to answer any questions & strongly urge you to consider taking my eCourse which teaches culturally relevant & effective behavior management strategies - what you 've learned & used in your home country is likely to not work as well out here - and also learn the nitty gritty, real deal cultural nuances you've gotta know in order to stay off the next episode of "Locked Up Abroad" and prevent burn out. https://coursecraft.net/courses/z9Pk8

Lunarium as long as you're a certified teacher with a degree, there are many international recruiting agencies, like Teachaway, SeekTeachers & others, that would be happy to interview you. There are teacher shortages in many countries in the Middle East, which also happens to pay among the highest salaries for Western teachers, so you could start there. Good luck!

You didn't say what region you're curious about but I've lived in the ME since 2011 & the turn over rate is extremely high. Some folks love it & intend to stay for a "long time" whatever that means, while others run screaming into the night & back to their home countries. The vast majority honor their countries & then leave.

I'd say it depends on the region of the world you're in. Here in the ME the only thing that's constant is how often everything changes. Location of groceries in the supermarket, local laws & contracts. Which by the way change A LOT & sometimes they're honored, sometimes they're not.