I think all of the racket about the principal finally died down. Hopefully life in Kuwait will be back to normal next year.

We had a parent/teacher at my school give out their password to the ISR so they could write negative reviews of it. I agree with you OP that there needs to be a little more professionalism on postings. I have enjoyed my time in Kuwait, but many people have not. But as I have always heard, the only perfect school in the whole wide world is your last one.

use the big plastic containers. also call the airport and try to check in up to a day early if possible. that way you can send them as cargo and that is a lot cheaper than as extra baggage.

as for customs in kuwait: it is run by thieves. you will lose a lot of stuff shipping either that way or through the post office.

the fact that he is a she doesn't affect the article at all. the fact that kuwait isn't banning foreign administrators is a bigger issue (that is where the isr needs to clarify its warning). kuwaiti schools will always have foreign workers, teachers and administrators, but the government is trying to get more kuwaitis into the school system.

this is happening in all levels of society, and in many different spheres of the economy. (for instance all of the taxi drivers at the kuwaiti airport are now kuwaitis, who barely speak english, instead of the other 99 percent of taxi drivers in kuwait who speak really good english and know where to go.) however, there will always be foreigners in the system, since someone has to do the work. (plus there will always have to be a foreigner nearby to pick up the trash.)

[quote]it was a zoo with incompentent hot-tempered administrators, teachers quitting and being fired, and no organization at all.[/quote]

you could be describing a lot of international schools actually.

however, ask yourself a few questions:

1. do you have other offers?
2. will you be leaving a job you love?
3. is the pay good?

now know:
1. southeast asia is lovely and singapore is a very easy place to live.
2. singapore can be expensive. does the school include housing?
3. the review on the isr isn't too hot, but to be honest a lot of reviews are from disgruntled former employees.
4. there are a lot of other schools in singapore. if the school has a low reputations other employers will know that if you decide you don't like it.

good luck.

jeff

miski,
i cannot apologize for anyone but myself. i just found that post embarrassing and uncalled for. again if one wants to win arguments you cannot throw out terms or slurs that will be misconstrued or racist.

Well lets not be to harsh, you did Marry a bedioun and help spawn his demon seed so you have accomplished something maybe not for the benefit of the world but it counts.[quote]

Where I come from you cannot throw out a racist slur or statement and then expect to be taken seriously by the other ..

Kuwait (and America, et al) have problems. Racism is one of these problems. But it isn't going to be solved by hurling out racist comments like the above.

Miski, as an American, I can only apologize for myself. But I am embarrassed nonetheless.[/quote]

"our carbon footprint is probably bigger than Madonna's"

now that is funny.

actually i mean to offend no one. i try not to be too critical of life in kuwait, since i really like it here; i just think kuwait can do so much more. it has the funds. it could become an amazing center for...whatever it wants to.

for instance:
don't build a 1001 meter tall tower.
don't build another mall.
don't give me another strarbucks (though i enjoyed the one i was at today).
don't keep cutting kisses out of movies (that is another issue altogether).
and fix the sewage (walk past green island right now for a good wiff, or almost any day near the scientific center: stinkytown indeed).

enjoy your money,

Envious George

you are right about the raw sewage in europe but there the citizens don't get a ton of money for doing nothing. you make a salary for doing something. you get extra money for having a certain type of passport. the government should cut back on subsidies, cancel all debt payments and fix the sewers. kuwait can afford that. also fix the electricity. how can a country so rich in oil have its power go out? again, the govt. wastes its money.

i am glad it helps you and all other kuwaitis, but it really should help the country as well. i like it here, but read the paper and see how far behind the rest of the gulf kuwait is slipping. kuwaitis can do better.

sister, can you spare a dinar?

actually anyone who thinks kuwait is hell is fooling themselves. okay, it is not perfect. the govt. gives people like minski way too much money for doing nothing, while they dump raw sewage into the ocean off the nicest parts of town. but hey, it is there country. minski seemed to have married wisely. one wonders how she can pay back the loan on the house, but hey, i am sure there will be another govt. amnesty on loans any day now (the natives are getting restless and need to spend more money).

the communications is good here. way too much tv to choose from, three pretty good english language newspapers on a daily basis, about a billion starbucks, and fewer mcdonalds than you'd think. culture? i find it everyday in the yogurt (my apologies to woody allen). you can even get bagels and cream cheese (but all of the cute israeli girls have left; but we have the lebanese).

i stay because the parents are really supportive, the kids are mostly great, and i love teaching at my school. i get to travel a lot and see the world, while actually saving a bit of money. i don't tutor much, but if i want to i can make a small fortune.

plus the weather is usually lovely. from october to april i can walk along the gulf and enjoy the nice breezes while trying to avoid the fecal smell, but hey is life perfect?

i have taught in far worse places (my own country included). i will leave here someday --(and still look back on kuwait fondly)--since all of the good women are shacking up with kuwaiti men and i have no millions to throw around sillily.

but, sister, back to that dinar?

the high school librarian at my school sent out a memo last fall reminding teachers not to show dvds in the classroom, and to remember to preview all materials (books, videos, etc.). Supposedly the Ministry was starting to crack down.

Think how they closed down Virgin last spring. It is a good reminder.

what do you teach?

actually i can get you nothing. i have no wasta. but if you are a qualified teacher i am sure there is hope for you somewhere in kuwait. i am at aisk. the school gives some kind of discount for teacher's kids but i am not sure what. ask da3boys, since she taught here with kids.

perhaps the isr shouldn't be voicing concerns for any teacher. overseas teachers aren't unionized so we really don't need someone telling us where we should work. should i work in myanmar, under the new thai military regime, or in china? there are human rights abuses everywhere. sometimes teachers get the short end of the stick overseas. blah blah blah. go back to your 34 students in a classroom, full of crack babies and overpaid administrators who need to justify their existance by piling on the paperwork, if you want to, but i will be staying overseas, thank you very much. if some teachers does something stupid while living overseas, deal with it.

for the record, i have never attacked the moosejavians. on the surface you could say there is a bit of nepotism here at my school, but i feel the current leadership is very effective. a lot of them are from the same small town in canada, but so what. i have a list of teachers i would love to hire for leadership roles from places i have taught. if i am ever have a chance i will hire them. and it will be a good decision.

kelly boone, i didn't guess it was you (never knew how many boys you had). how is trevor?

i am willing to take over the asylum if the pay is good. actually i am starting to feel a liitle loony in this heat. hopefully i will be able to leave soon. hope the govt. has blacklisted me for some reason.