On 3/02/08, ssr wrote:
> Hello,
> We may be moving to Abu Dhabi or Dubai in June with my
> husband's job and I'm looking into teaching at American
> schools there. I'm very interested to hear anything about
> teaching or just living as an expat in the Middle East!
The UAE is a happening place right now. I have a friend who
teaches English at a university in Abu Dhabi. He is quite
happy and has been there several years. I am in Kuwait. Both
countries are quite comfortable. Culturally, they are not the
most exciting places in the region, but you will safe. They
are very westernized in terms of malls, restaurants, cafes,
supermarkets, etc. etc.
Dubai is the travel hub for the region and cheap tickets can
be purchased anywhere. You have so many choices to choose
from - M.E., SE Asia, South Asia, Africa and Europe. You
couldn't be in a better location to explore.
There are a lot of schools in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Because of
the fast development and all the money being pumped into the
country, there are some dubious start-up schools or schools
that cater strictly to Arab kids, particularly in Dubai. My
advice is to find a school that has a diverse student
population and that truly is an international or American
school, not one in name only.
The American School of Dubai is excellent and there are two
American or American international (or community?) schools in
Abu Dhabi. Look on the net.
www.tieonline.com is a good place to look for jobs (there is a
small yearly fee) and www.internationalschoolsreview.com (also
a fee) invites teachers to rate schools.
If I had to choose between Abu Dhabi and Dubai, I would go
with Abu Dhabi. I have heard that traffic is quite congested
in Dubai and that prices are going up - basically, just oo
much going on, too soon, all at the same time.
Good luck. T.T.
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