The International Schools Review Forum

JRM will make up her mind. There is a right decision for her, as there is for everyone. My right decision is not necessarily yours.
PG, I am willing to concede that for you, the ME is a no go zone. What troubles me, and others on this board, is that you seem to feel that it is a no go zone for everyone, based on your 6 bad weeks there.
There are many of us here who are happy. Who see good things. Who see the bad ones too, but who feel that there is a better answer to bad things than to decamp.
As for money, don't assume. There are schools which pay better than ME schools, in countries with lower costs of living. If our choices were just about money, many of us could do better.
And since when are you allergic to money anyway? You frequently post about a school being bad if they are not willing to pay for x, y or z. You base many opinions about schools on their willingness to pony up. Fine, it's your opinion to hold. But rather inconsistent of you, considering your post here. Which is your real belief? Does money matter, or not?

There is no greater validity then my own experience. All the rhetoric and oratory in the universe isnt going to reshape or change the reality of my life.

Smart people change their minds when variables and circumstances change. Suffering is suffering, it doesnt change the quality of suffering by having a cause or principle. What concerns me is that your opinion that the ME has redeeming qualities means it has redeeming qualities, that you can "will" goodness onto the region by closing your eyes and clicking your heels together. Believing does not bring forth anything from the nothingness. Your "perceptions" are just personalized self delusionment.

yes there are schools that pay better, but if the ME paid less or offered the same packages (no housing, high taxes) as WE, no one would go, because while there is more money out there (such as Switzerland) the demand for teachers is much lower, and the supply/desire is much higher.

Money matters, money matters a lot, id go back to the ME, id even go to Saudi. My issues with a school whether they be admin, student behavior, grade inflation, lack of social access to the fairer gender, as salary exceeds 6 figures. Heck, id work for Walter and Daisy, in Saudi at an all boys school in the middle of a desert, surrounded by mutant camel spider/ funnel web spider hybrids, for half a million (USD). You, yourself could even use me on Saturdays as a coat rack, for that kind of money (Well 750K, extra duty stipend and all). This is work, its a job, its about the money. Being part of a childs growth, making a difference for the future, and all the warm fuzzy factors are nice bonuses, but i wouldnt do it for free.

My perceptions I recognize as such, and recognize that others' will be different. You make sweeping statements that imply one truth/perception for all people. Things like 'no one would go'.
This is wrong.
I'm out.

So how many teachers do you think a ME school would get on a volunteer (no money, zero salary) basis? I know people that would go and have gone to Tokyo for on a volunteer (self funded) basis, just so they could live in Japan. Can Saudi, or Kuwait say that?