Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
First off, I'm an American however my parents lived in the Mid East up until I was born. I'm quite Americanized to the point where I don't know how to speak Arabic. However, I do understand it quite well. Well, I understand Lebanese, Syrian, and Kuwaiti dialect. I don't get Egyptian at all. I have a Bachelor's degree which I could use for a management position.
This isn't something I'm considering at the moment but its something I would if things go sour with my job and a few other personal things. I wouldn't mind living outside of the states for a few years. Plus, I've been told I could make alot more in the Middle East.
Anyone know more info about this? My parents can inform me about alot of the cities but there info is dated, about 25 years old.
It's tough to make a career out of teaching English, I think Tiger Beer is one of the few who has done it.
Generally speaking, your best bet is to start learning how to speak Arabic in the US, take courses and/or converse with local immigrants, starting with your parents and other family members, and local businessmen. Then, also build up your reading skills and start reading business newspapers and magazines.
Next, start researching companies in Middle Eastern cities whose businesses somehow mesh with your skills and experiences.
Next, make contacts within that nexus.
Next, visit some Middle Eastern cities on your vacations over the next months and years, starting in the one where you have the best contacts, most likely either a business capital or one where your parents and other family members have the deepest roots, better if a combination of the two.
I am not an expert on the Middle East, but I believe that pay is generally high in some of the eastern Gulf business capitals, perhaps also Lebanon. I think Syria is tough because most of the economy is government-controlled.
What's the degree in? If you can do something in oil, you can of course make a lot over there. If you understand Arabic, that's a huge leg up, you can learn to speak much easier than someone starting from scratch. Can you read it? You could do anything from computer-based training up to getting a tutor. Best of all is if you can find a native Arabic speaker who wants to work on English, you can read together and teach each other. Works for me in Russian. The Arabic-speaking world will be important as long as oil is important, learning the language IMHO would be an investment of time and effort you won't regret.
How well do you understand the culture?
Me, I would wait for the current cycle of unrest to run it's course, that may take a while.
I don't know how to read it. My parents said it would be extremely difficult since its so different than English. I could learn how to speak it if I really tried.
My degree is more towards management. I have experience with insurance and making decisions. I understand the culture better than most. Religiously, I'm pretty much a deist so I'm unbiased towards Islam.
My parents mentioned how they want Americans working to boost their economy. So it can become more of a travel destination as they have/are doing with Dubai. They make some serious money and get accommdated well. Plus you do not get taxed as much as if I worked in America making the same amount.
I agree with waiting a good while. Egypt isn't going to be the only country going through major changes. I wasn't on planning on doing this anytime soon. It would be more next summer if I were to actually move forward with this plan.
I don't know how to read it. My parents said it would be extremely difficult since its so different than English. I could learn how to speak it if I really tried.
My degree is more towards management. I have experience with insurance and making decisions. I understand the culture better than most. Religiously, I'm pretty much a deist so I'm unbiased towards Islam.
My parents mentioned how they want Americans working to boost their economy. So it can become more of a travel destination as they have/are doing with Dubai. They make some serious money and get accommdated well. Plus you do not get taxed as much as if I worked in America making the same amount.
I agree with waiting a good while. Egypt isn't going to be the only country going through major changes. I wasn't on planning on doing this anytime soon. It would be more next summer if I were to actually move forward with this plan.
Well Russian is considered hard to learn for a native English speaker, but I learned it. Arabic would be much easier for you to learn than Russian was for me. If you are thinking Dubai, IMHO that would be one of the best places to work in the Mid-East.
Let me suggest you grab a copy of "Arabic in 10 Minutes a Day" - this series of books is really excellent as a first step towards a language.
You no doubt know people who can tutor you in speaking and in writing.
I say - wait till the current dust-up winds down - then go for it.
Dubai is a great place to work, and it is pretty cosmopolitan. It might actually have more Indians and Pakistanis than Emiratis. Most business there is conducted in English. Understanding Arabic is a huge plus, but the cultural differences are amazing compared to the US. I live in Saudi Arabia, and it was a huge transition for me, but other countries like UAE or Egypt are much better. Drivers in the middle east are crazy, so if you can take public transport to work you are better off.
The Middle East is a wonderful place to work. Foreign workers are highly respected there, and it is easy to have a good social relationship with the people there. That would not be true of Saudi Arabia, where foreign workers are pretty well assigned to ghettoes, and it is difficult to involve with Saudis. But in general, the Middle East is a very safe place to live, and foreign workers like it there.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
