Qatar is getting HOT, HOT, HOT!!!

Qatar is Getting HOT, HOT, HOT!!! 

Qatar is Getting Hotter (and It’s Not the Weather!)

If you love the United Arab Emirates (and I really love the annual Shopping Fesitval in Dubai!) then you are in for a treat when you discover the peninsula state of Qatar.

Qatar might have been one of the poorest Gulf States half a century ago, but since the discovery of oil in the 1940s it is a thriving and vibrant country.  The Qatari economy has doubled at least 10 times in the past 14 years, and it is actually positioned to become one of the global energy giants in the next few years.

International teachers will find that Qatar is full of excitement yet has a welcoming, traditional feel to it.  From the Pearl Qatar in Doha to a sportsman dreamscape, Qatar has it all!

Qatar’s rich history, which dates as far back as 6,000 B.C., is founded in the ancient art of pearl diving.  The ancient souks call to you with glimmering gold and wafting scents of Arabic coffee.  The art of falconry is on display in the desert and traditional sailing vessels called dhows coast along the sparkling waters. 

Make no mistake though.  Qatar is set to be a dominant world force in this century!

Luxury living is widely available in and near the capital of Doha.  Pearl-Qatar is an island built on one of those sites and features villas, marinas, international fashion shops and 5 star accommodations for the traveller who understands true luxury.

For weekend and evening excitement, you don’t have to look far.  In and around the capital city of Doha are horse and camel racing tracks, sand dune racing, and all types of water sports. For all the Villa fans (or Man United if you must), Khalifa International Stadium where you can watch major football (soccer) teams from around the world take on each other in a spectacular desert setting.

And in case you haven’t heard, the World Cup 2022 will be in Qatar.  More than $20 billion USD has been earmarked to build the luxury tourist infrastructure required to build 5 star accommodations, resorts and other recreational facilities.

It’s not just about tourism though.  Qatar has strategically staged itself as a world leader in environmental technologies.  The Qatar International Environment Protection Exhibition at the Doha Exhibition Center shows Qatar’s commitment to using sustainable energy and green business practices very seriously, with a focus on educating the community.

There is also the Doha Furniture and Decoration Exhibition each fall that hosts more than 12 countries with designer showcases in furniture, design and accessories.  Perhaps you can pick up some tips to use next time you are haggling over a silk Persian rug at the Qatar International Carpet Exhibition in March!

Love movies?  Try the Doha Tribeca Film Festival this October.  Rub shoulders with local celebrities and take in some emerging indy flicks.   Pick up some ideas for how to eat and dress like a celebrity for the upcoming Food Festival and Jewelry Exhibitions set for February 2012.

Teachers will certainly have enough money to spend on these activities.  Salaries and benefits are generally excellent, with accommodations often provided in full by the schools.  I know from living in the Middle East, my largest expenses were only my food and a few dollars of gas to put in my car every week. I admit, the rest I spent on gold, rugs, and lots of traveling!

So if you are looking for something really hot in international teaching positions, you have to check into the ultra-cool country of Qatar.

Shannon Dipple - http://www.primary-education-oasis.com


   

Getting the Best Paid International Teaching Jobs

I want the Best Package Possible!..Sure who wouldn't

What to look out for when deciding so you can earn

the highest Money & Benefits!

When it come to getting a good remuneration package in an international school you need to consider more than just the amount of zero's that are at the end of the pay cheque.  In addition to the salary international schools also offer a great number of benefits that you would not normally get when you teaching in your home country.  In addition, depending on where you are teaching the amount of income tax could either add or subtract to what's left at the end of the money.  Here are some things you should consider when looking for the best paying international teaching job...

When you are looking at getting the best paid salary package, most teachers easily get excited by the salary that is being offered, and some of those teachers end up finding that they are not actually saving a lot or any better off then when  they left their previous job.  It's important to remember the types and the amount of benefits a salary package has to offer and review it as a whole package before making a decision.

There are many types of schools internationally and as a result the pay and packages vary immensely.  The places you are likely to get paid the highest is in an international school, college or university.  The reason is the demand for native speaking English Teachers is high to serve the population.  In addition the type of students who go to international schools are often looking for the best teachers, whose command of English is native rather than learnt.  As a result the fees for these schools is a lot higher and respectively the salaries for teachers are as well.

With an increase number of international schools, currently at 5000 and rapidly increasing the supply of quality teachers is less and so schools pay higher to get the right calibre staff for their pupils.

Salary Packages

As mentioned previously, you should review the overall package before making a decision to take on the job.  While its appealing to take the job which just pays you the highest salary, this alone may not make it profitable for you.  Here some additional aspects to look out for

Housing - schools often provide you with housing so you don't have to pay rent!  For some teachers this alone could be a huge saving.  If the school does provide you with accommodation you should find out what type of accommodation is provided.  If it's not provided the school may offer you an allowance to spend at your free will on where you want to stay

Utilities - schools either provide all your utility bill costs, or provide you with a set rate and anything you use on top you have to pay for.  You should find out what you're getting in your package.

Flights - in most cases the flight to and from and country are paid for.  In some cases you may have to purchase the flight yourself and the school reimburses you upon arrival.  They may also give you a free flight after one years services

Bonuses - yes you read right! International schools give you bonuses.  They often use the term Gratuity and this varies based on the country and the labour law.  For example, once you have done 1 years service you may be entitled to 1 months salary bonus.

Tax - this is a big one to consider.  You may find some countries pay so well but when you see how much tax you are paying that you really have little of or no money left at the end of the month and if you do have some money, the general cost of living is so high that you don't have much money left at the end of the month in savings.

In some countries you may find that the benefits you get are taxable also, which further brings down your savings. You should definitely do the maths, if you find you are having to pay tax.  Also check if you have to pay tax in your home country and if you have to make any voluntary contributions to say your pension fund.  The last thing you want is to return home and find a huge penalty or bill to pay off.

If you are applying to teach overseas, you should be able to find out this information from your employer, or from the employers website.  Ensure you have this before making a decision, especially as you may be going into the unknown for the first time.

We would love to hear from you if you have any advice to give fellow education professionals about salary packages you have come across when teaching abroad, be it a good or bad experience

Wishing you all the success in your international job search.

Regards

The SeekTeachers™ Team
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Teaching in Doha

Teaching in Doha - What is it like? What should I be aware of?

The SeekTeachers™ team continue their quest to give you the "real deal" insight into the working life in various areas.  This time round we got the "low down" from a very experienced senior teacher in Qatar, Doha.  There are definitely some golden nuggets to take away from this blog!  Here is what he has to say..


Patience and tolerance are probably the most important qualities you will need both at school and away from work.  Patience with both your school administration and life in Doha itself.  You can expect your school, like so many others, to be run by a Director of Schools, yes there will be a Principal, but he/she will not have the autonomy that you would expect in Western schools.  The Principal is there to carry out directions and instructions from the Director, who invariably is not Western and has very little educational management background.  There will also be the Qatari owner, who will have his say in how things should happen.

Remember, Qatar is now officially the richest country in the world (based on income per capita) and is set to become even richer.  Qataris are smart businessmen, look at how they bought Harrods, most of London's city centre property and whole addresses, how they bank rolled Barclays Bank during the recent crisis, they have massive shares in UK businesses e.g. Sainsbury's is over 1/4 Qatari owned.  Anyway, your Principal will have to get along with the Director and owner in order to survive (there have been instances when Principals have argued or said "No" to either or both and they have then found themselves on the next plane home!) This can make many Principals very nervous and stressed individuals and can make them appear to be on the side of the BIG Boss/es.  Try to understand the position they are in before you start venting your frustration at them.

Yes, you will go through an awful lot of frustration.  The list is long - frustration with obtaining necessary paperwork from the school, frustration with maintenance at your accommodation (the usual line from workmen is they will come "after 4.30", but they fail to be exact or even say which day), frustration at language barriers, frustration at children in your lessons who do not really want to be at school and who get no support from home so your efforts seem wasted, frustration with their parents who will expect to see you 5 minutes before you are due to leave school and will want to spend an hour telling you that their child should have scored 98% in a recent test not 96% that you gave him.

So tolerance becomes crucial.  Remember, you are in the country as a visitor.  You are providing a service but you are being paid for that service and you are being provided with many "perks" with that job, so you are expected to "sing for your supper" an awful lot.  When you feel your blood beginning to get warm (which has nothing to do with the temperature being 40 degrees plus), take a step back, breathe slowly and remember that in the bigger picture of life what you might be expected to do or have to do is not that difficult really.
But there are many, many positives to working in Doha.  Not just no income tax, but when you sit down and work out what you would be paying/have deducted from salary back home - National insurance contributions, VAT, rent/mortgage, Council tax, very high utility bills, petrol costs etc.  You can have the "Prada/Armani/Gucci" lifestyle if you want but you will pay for it.  Alternatively, you can choose material and have clothes made very cheaply and made very well.  If you want brand name food items you will pay for them but different food stuffs and different meals are much more affordable.  Why go to the international hotels and spend a small fortune on an even smaller platter of international cuisine when you can explore small, "backstreet" Thai, Sri Lankan, Indian, Turkish, Lebanese, Moroccan eating places?  Take that tolerant attitude you are developing when you stand outside one of these places thinking about going in, strike up a conversation with the waiter or manager, he will be very genuinely interested in you and if show an interest in him you may get treated that little bit better than others.

You can save money, you can transfer money very easily; you may wish to consider sending savings to an offshore tax-free account.  If you decide to stay for a length of time you can get loans for car purchases.  Remember cars are cheaper than in the west and generally bigger with more extras being included as standard.  Repayments are very reasonable as in theory there is no such thing as interest in Muslim law (although this is often disguised as administration charges).  You will also get a decent price when you want to sell and in some cases car dealers will guarantee to buy back.

Explore other countries - flights to and from neighbouring countries in the Middle East are generally affordable, so look to visit places you wouldn't normally go to in your holidays.

Make your provided accommodation your home.  Get yourself to the Souks and buy some rugs (not necessarily silk but good strong wool); have a bed (and other furniture) made and delivered; look for wall hangings; use different materials for throws and covers; check that you can decorate the walls and get one of the maintenance guys from school to come and do it for a very cheap price; ask the cleaners at school if they would be interested in cleaning your place once a week and doing the ironing.

In short, you will get out of your Middle East experience what you put into it.

The Interview Stage Your interview may be very short, don't be put off if it is so.  Directors/Principals are incredibly busy and will have decided if they want you by discussing your CV before hand.  Make sure your CV is professional and clear, with a photograph (not a social snapshot).

Do your homework on the school and lifestyle in Middle East.  You can guarantee one question will be "Why do you want to work here?"

Be clear in your answers, you may be dealing with someone whose English is a second language.
Be polite no matter how your spoken to and treated, by this I do not man be a yes man/woman but don't vent out like you would back home, it won't get your very far here.

Have questions you want answering but avoid asking about salary.  This will be brought up by the school.  Don't be afraid to negotiate but remember you don't want to be greedy and your salary will be tax-free, rent free and your flights will be paid for.

Finish by asking the interviewer what will be the next step/stage be - will you receive a contract through email, when will you get your flight ticket and itinerary, where will you be teaching in the school (i.e. age groups, subject etc.).  This shows your keen and eager to the employer and increases your chances of being made an offer.

From a senior teachers in Doha, Qatar.

As with any country, there are pro's and con's.  This blog highlights exactly this but you should do your homework before you tread in to the unknown If you like would to discuss something specific why not drop us a comment and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

Thanks

Regards

The SeekTeachers™ Team
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Welcome to SeekTeachers™ Blog!

Welcome..Benvenuto..Välkommen..Aloha! to the SeekTeachers™ Blog!

This blog is dedicated to discussing all topics great and small about teaching overseas. Whether its your first time, or you're an experienced international educator we want to hear from you.

Teaching alone is a challenging career enough! Think back to when you first started teaching - your own class, your own form, planning, marking, constantly thriving to come up with better ideas, planning trips, socialising with staff members,your own responsibilities all that and of course the wonderful holidays.

As the world evolves, and the need for education rises there is a growing number of international schools around the world. According to ISC Research the number of English-medium international schools has leapt from 1,700 to 5,400 in the past decade and anticipated at rising to 8000 in the next 5 years. Recent figures show that around 70,000 British primary and secondary teachers are now working in international schools, compared to only 41,500 in 2005.

SeekTeachers™ aims to help educators around the world but sharing, discussing and collaborating ideas for newbie teachers who want their first first job abroad or even experience educators who are moving to work in an unknown destination and want some simple help, support guidance.

If your an international nursery, school, college or university join our blog to provide hints and tips to educators coming into the country for the first time about the do's and don'ts so they can be better prepared for you.

Subscribe to our blog, to follow latest reports and information and feel free to share your comments as well

Regards

The SeekTeachers™ Team
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