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[tezrh]

Hi, I've just been invited for a video conference interview for the position of assist. prof. at a uni in the UAE. I'm wondering what I should expect in regards to questions. The VC suite is booked for an hour--so I expect it to be quite extensive.
Has anyone gone through this, and if so, do you have any advise?
Also, I'm wondering how far along the process I have progresses to get this interview. Are they frequent, or does it mean I've got a good shot at the job?
The last thing is, I know that they will ask me which city I want to work in--Abu Dhabi or Dubia. Does anyone have any advice on that

Thanks in advance--any help greatly appriciated

[danny_boy]

Gulf universities are big on technology, so just showing that you're comfortable with the whole video conference thing will be helpful.  As far as how the interview will go, I really can't say.  I think it will depend greatly on who is doing the interviewing.  If it's an Arab/Emirati administrator you can expect one thing; if it's an western expat you can expect something else. 

As far as which to recommend Abu Dhabi or Dubai, well it depends on what you like.  Dubai is busier in all ways and if one were going to go as a tourist there's no doubt that Dubai is much more interesting.  Abu Dhabi might be more tranquil - which to some might translate as "boring."  Do you have family who would be going with you?  If so, schools will be an important consideration. 

[tezrh]

Thanks for your reply Danny Boy. I would be going over on my own, so no family to worry about.

[danny_boy]

Most expats would think of Dubai as "where the action is."  But as it's grown (exponentially in recent years), it has lost some of it's charm.  My impression of Abu Dhabi when I was there in the mid 1990's (admittedly a while ago) was that it looked like a city that was purchase whole from an engineering firm and transported to the desert. 

An interview with an Arab administrator is more likely, in my opinion, to focus on your general suitability as an "expat" -- that is, are you likely to cause problems because you can't adjust to the environment (or god forbid quit half-way through your contract).  If you are interviewed by a western expat (for example, a program director or future colleague) the focus might be more on your skills, experience, and research areas.

Jobs in the UAE have been much more competetive over the last 5 years or so as fewer and fewer western expats want to work in Saudi Arabia.  The UAE is looked at as the "safe and convenient" destination.  I've worked in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Oman and visited the UAE several times.  My impression is that Dubai is "a nice place to visit but I wouldn't want to live there."  Actually, many people working "in" Dubai probably now live outside the city and commute (in traffic) to work.  I'm told that rush hour now resembles traffic on the LA freeways.

Housing costs have also shot through the roof over the last few years so it's important to ask what provision for this is in the contract.  Are you provided a (furnished) apartment (as used to be the norm for most ME jobs) or are you given a monthly housing allowance instead (more popular recently)? 

[tezrh]

Thanks for the information Danny Boy. The terms and conditions for the job seem to be quite good from what I can gather. They provide an apartment and also set-up money upon arrival. The contract also covers medical and some insurance.

There seems to be a massive growth in cultural activities over the past few years--sports, arts, concerts etc, so this makes the region look much more attractive for an expat hopeful. And I'm still writing up my PhD, so I'll have plenty to keep me occupied while I'm there!!

Its great to get your feed back, because I know next to nothing about what to expect, except from what I've read. But its not the same as getting reports on first hand experience. Thanks again.

[danny_boy]

Thanks for the information Danny Boy. The terms and conditions for the job seem to be quite good from what I can gather. They provide an apartment and also set-up money upon arrival. The contract also covers medical and some insurance.

The "standard package" for any Gulf job worth having has always been:  tax-free income, free housing, full medical, and annual return fare to point of hire (for employee and children).  Perks beyond this can include club memberships and/or school fees.  So yeah, in general, jobs in the Gulf are well-paid and generally easy.

My family and I spent nearly 12 years in the Gulf and really enjoyed it.  All three of my children were born there.  I can definitely imagine going back.  But some people seem absolutely unable to adjust to life in the Middle East -- no matter how soft, cushy, and convenient.  These are the types who end up complaining bitterly about how the the local shops just don't carry Cap'n Crunch (or whatever). 

I take it BTW, that this is a non-EFL job.

There seems to be a massive growth in cultural activities over the past few years--sports, arts, concerts etc, so this makes the region look much more attractive for an expat hopeful. And I'm still writing up my PhD, so I'll have plenty to keep me occupied while I'm there!!

Expats in the UAE are pretty cozy and can live an almost completely western life (really the western life of the 1950's or 60's) if they choose.  In many ways, expat life is almost "colonial."  It's not a place that foreigners blend in with the locals.  In fact, during a typical day you might not even see an Emirati since they make up only 15% of the total population.  You will almost certainly not have an Emirati friends and probably won't learn any Arabic beyond the few phrases expats seem to throw around.  Your life will pretty much revolve around the expat community.  Like any wealthy country, you'll find all the usual hobby type things to do.  Any you'll travel a lot. 

Its great to get your feed back, because I know next to nothing about what to expect, except from what I've read.

Feel free to ask any specific questions you have about life in the Gulf.  It's not nearly as exotic (or dangerous) as everyone back home will assume it is. 

[tezrh]

I can't wait to get over there--I hope I get the job!!! I can't see the point of closing myself off from the culture of the place, which is what I guess a lot of the expats do.

The job is a faculty position--what is EFL?

I want to use the job as an opportunity to travel throughout the area as well. Did you do much traveling when you were there. Is it easy to travel to other parts of the ME, and also outside, to places like Lebanon and Turkey?
Thanks for your advice

[sir_lancelot]

EFL - English as a foreign language

[tezrh]

haha--should have worked that one out-Doh!

[danny_boy]

I can't wait to get over there--I hope I get the job!!! I can't see the point of closing myself off from the culture of the place, which is what I guess a lot of the expats do.

I hate saying this -- because I hated people saying it to me.  But, it's not a matter of closing yourself off from the culture or people but rather that culture (or aspects of it) being closed of TO YOU for rather deep historical/institutional reasons.  I was much more interested in the Middle East than most of my colleagues.  I had studied Arabic in college and had an active interest in Arab Cultures.  I remember mentioning this to the expat who met me at the airport in Riyadh upon arriving for my first job.  He told me very matter of factly: "You'll get over than in a couple of weeks."   

I was offended by his attitude.  And to some extent I didn't get "over" it, and did manage to learn more Arabic than any of the other EFL teachers I worked with.  In my freetime I made a point of putting myself into situations where I'd be likely to have to interact with Saudis.  But this was easier because I was in a rural part of Saudi down by the Yemeni border.  These were "wild" Saudis unfamiliar with the west or westerners.  They carried guns and knives and some wore braids of flowers in their hair.  They definitely didn't speak English.  I gave a ride to one one guy who didn't realize that there WERE other languages in the world aside from "Allah's language." 

The situation and the cross-cultural dynamics in a major city like Riyadh or Jedda would have been very different.  There is a palpable "us vs. them" mentality in the cities.  I suppose it would have become like that in rural areas if there had been enough "us." 

As I said, I was much more interested in bridging the gap than most expats I met.  In Kuwait, I actually had a set of disdashas (the Arabic flowing gown) tailored and wore that exclusively for more than a year to work and around town.  My Kuwaiti students got a kick out of it and I learned a lot about the practical realities of wearing a dress.  But many other expats did not like it.  I had crossed some line; I'd "gone native."  As I said, I was very very open and willing to do my best to assimilate.  I'm a generally friendly and outgoing guy.  But in three years I think I saw in the inside of two Kuwaiti homes, and had perhaps one Kuwaiti friend (though our friendship was limited to him coming by my apartment occasionally).  I had my share of great experiences (and also got arrested for espionage for photographing in the wrong part of the desert). 

In the end though, it's not a matter of personal desire.  It's just the way things are.  For example, I was gently told by one of my students that it was actually against the law for a non-Kuwaiti to wear Kuwaiti clothing in government buildings.  The male/female organization of Gulf Arab families and households means that it is extremely unlikely that  a male would ever be invited to a Kuwaiti's house.  And if you were, you'd only see the "diwaniya" room set aside for visiting non-related males.  Female expats actually have slightly more access.  And of course a Kuwaiti colleauge from work will not be able to bring his wife over to your house for that dinner party you'd like to give.  And then there's the religious issues.

To get back to the UAE, as I said, your first problem in bonding with the culture (the Emirati culture) will be to find an Emirati.  Outside of work (where they are likely to hold most of the admin positions) you might not have any interaction with one and maybe not even see one.  Dubai itself looks more like Bombay than anything else.  You'll see a few Arabs in disdashash but once you learn to recognize the subtle national variations you're realize that many of the people you thought were Emiratis were actually Saudis or Qataris, or Kuwaits, Omanis, or Iranians over for a bit of shopping.  As I said Emiratis are only 15% of the population and in places like downtown Dubai will be outnumbered 100 to 1 by foreigners (mostly Indians, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis, Aghanis, and Philippinos).

I don't say any of this to put you off.  I loved my time in the Gulf.  My (Mexican) wife enjoyed her time in the Gulf.  Our kids all have pleasant memories.

But it's important to be realistic about what the experience is about.  There's plenty of interesting culture to interact with.  But it may not be Emirati culture. 

I want to use the job as an opportunity to travel throughout the area as well. Did you do much traveling when you were there. Is it easy to travel to other parts of the ME, and also outside, to places like Lebanon and Turkey?

Many expats live to travel.  I visited something like 40 courtries during my time there.  Since my point of hire was LA my annual return-trip ticket was actually like a round the world ticket and I could stop anywhere I wanted going "home" and coming "back."  You normally have 60 days in the summer and often more.  And usually another couple of weeks at other times.  I traveled so much that at one point I actually considered getting out of teaching and becoming a full-time travel photographer. 

[tezrh]

Thanks so much for the time you put into that reply. What you've told me sounds reasonable, and it hasn't put me off at all. It helps to put things in perspective and to give me an insight into the way things work. It sounds like you had a wonderful time over there, and a lot of great adventures.

What did you enjoy most about the time you spent over there? Where did you like teaching the most? How would you say Emirati or ME students differ most from western students and what strategies did you use to deal with the differences. I have heard that it is not really a reading culture, but rather, a conversational culture. This sounds like a gross over generalization, but there are often snippets of truth in them--what would you say?

I bet you looked great in a set of disdashas-hehe. Good on you for taking the attitude that you did. I'm sure it helped you get a much richer experience than if you'd separated yourself completely. I've been looking into the specific Emirate artists of the region, and have made contact with several who have been very encouraging. I'm an artist myself, and perhaps having a shared language of different creative concerns will  help some (many of the Emirate artists have studied and traveled in both Europe and the U.S)

I can't thank you enough for the insights you're giving me.

[danny_boy]

Where did you like teaching the most?

Omani students were absolutely charming.  Kuwaiti males wrote the book on entitlement (and slackerdom).  Expect the same of many Emirati males.  Females on the other hand were often more dedicated students.  So what's new there.

How would you say Emirati or ME students differ most from western students and what strategies did you use to deal with the differences. I have heard that it is not really a reading culture, but rather, a conversational culture. This sounds like a gross over generalization, but there are often snippets of truth in them--what would you say?

In all seriousness, the primary difference between teaching in the US and teaching ANYWHERE abroad is that you're going to be teach people for whom English is a foreign (and not all that familiar) foreign language.  The traditional mode of instruction at US universities is "READ-DISCUSS-WRITE" perhaps with a lecture thrown in before or after the "read" part.  It's not uncommon for a teacher to assign 20-60 pages of reading a week.

That's just not going to work with NNS (nonnative speaker) students.  Even if they appear to have good English skills you can bet that their ability to read and make sense of college-level texts in English is pretty well non-existent.  Think of what a native speaker 5th or 6th grader in the US can read in English.  Now wouldn't you love to be able to read at level in Arabic?  It would be a huge achievement.  And your students will have achieved this in English.  They will be able to read comfortably at a 6th grade level in a foreign language.  So the idea of assigning that "basic text that everyone in the field uses to teach Intro 101" isn't going to work. 

What this means is the YOU become the primary source of information for your course.  And you've got to package that information in ways that nonnative English speakers can manage. 

Also be aware that "discussion" can be a minefield of potential religious barriers.  Part of teaching in the ME is learning to walk on egg shells.  Discussions of almost any topic are immediately brought to a halt when one student (often always the same student) declares the "The Koran says X about topic Y."  End of discussion.  I knew a biology prof who was fired for drawing the branches of the animal taxonomy on the board.  Some student objected (to admin) that the branching structure implied evolution which was a strictly taboo subject.  Remember that "nonsense" about the teddy bear in Sudan?  It won't be that silly in the UAE, but you have to always be aware of the potential.

When I was teaching in Oman I was doing "science lecture support."  Sultan Qaboos University was officially an English-medium university.  So the students (who were the pick of the Omani high school crop) would be placed into Biology, Chemistry, and Physics classes with English native speaker profs, many of whom had never before taught nonnative speakers.  In a word, it was a disaster.  I'd attend the lecture with the students, madly try to learn the material during the lecture so that I could reteach it in simplified form in my class which immediately followed.  Their lectures were often full of jargon, little or no oral signposting, and inappropriate cultural references.

Also don't expect too much in terms of out-of-class work.  For many reasons it's often very difficult for Arab students to find the "alone time" necessary to do assignments in their very socially oriented homelife.  Going to your room to study would be anti-social.  And if your friends (or friends) happen to visit it is your sacred obligation to be a good host, so none of this "oh, sorry dude, I gotta study." 

To boil this all down, you'll need to constantly be filtering every thing you're thinking of doing or saying through two filters:  The nonnative speaker filter and the religion filter.

[tezrh]

Thanks for that information Danny Boy. What you've told me helps a lot! The job is in a Womans college, so I guess I can expect a whole range of other variables to come into play as well. The religious aspect of the culture is interesting, and it sounds like this was an important aspect to take into consideration when in the classroom. I have done a lot of research about Islam and the cultural sensitivities to watch out for--but I can see how it would be the small aspects of your own behavior which slip you up-the one thing you never even imagined would be a problem.

I'm interested in the pay rates as well. I hastily put a figure on the application, but I'm not really sure how realistic my 'bid' was. Do you know what a faculty staff member usually gets in their first year. This is for a job in the UAE

Do you think of going back?

[danny_boy]

I remember teaching an all-women class in Kuwait and it was one of the most enjoyable classes I had.  The women, once out of the glare of male society, were so full of energy and willing to try so many more things.  It fact, they were SO full of energy that I had to actually rein them in occasionally.

I'm not up on current faculty salary ranges in the UAE (having been a "lowly" EFL instructor during my 12 years in the Gulf).  But I know that the faculty (and the EFL instructors weren't considered "faculty" despite teaching almost the same type of classes) made about twice our salary and had a number of other perks.  From the few jobs I've looked at recently, I think the salaries might range around $3500-4000 a month.  As an EFL teacher I was earning about half that but with free medical, housing, and airfare, it was still a pretty comfortable deal.  As I said, one key thing in the UAE is going to be housing.  Costs have skyrocketed recently and housing subsidies which seemed generous to start with aren't keeping up.

Yes, I think of going back -- I suppose I always think of it as a "back up."   We enjoyed out time there, but I suspect that it may simply have been the "right time of life" for us and we would have had a great time anywhere.  I took my first ME job in Saudi when I was 27 and spent much of that year driving through deserts in my first 4-WD, snorkeling in the spectacular Red Sea, and hiking to remote mountain villages.  BTW, did you know that Saudi has wild baboons?  I sure didn't.  I did lots of foolish things, like drive into the center of a small tornado to see if it's really calm, drive full speed off the top of a sand dune, and come uninvited into the village of a 85 year old with a Davey Crockett style rifle and willing to use it.  That was a single status job.  From there I moved to Kuwait and my wife joined me.  I'm not sure what was so great about it.  I know that we had unimagineable blocks of "free time" and that during the first year we'd sit starring at the station identification screen waiting for the 3 hours of TV programming per day. 

All that has changed now of course.  But after 25 years overseas I think that one of the essential features of expat life is that one finds oneself with much more "personal time."   It's not so much that there's "nothing to do" but rather when you've in your home culture everything seems sort of pre-programmed.  The world is full of pre-packaged entertainmnt options.  In the Gulf (and this is equally true here in non-big city Japan) you have to arrange for your own entertainment -- and this can result in you doing things you'd never have gotten into otherwise.  I got into photography in a big way.  And that led to travel writing, which led to academic writing, which eventually led to my interest in pursuing a Ph.D., which led to my current tenured position in Japan.

There are a few downsides to life in the Gulf and there are several ways that my current job in Japan is better than any faculty position I could get in the Gulf.  But I can easily imagine returning.

[tezrh]

If I get the job I'll make it my mission to seek out the wild baboons--thats something I got to see.

The classes in Kuwait sound like they were a lot of fun! Is there anything I should know specifically about teaching the woman, as opposed to working with the male students? I've heard that you should always knock before entering a closed class room. And also that excursions are impossible unless there is a female staff member present.

I think I well and truly over priced myself--haha. But they called me for an interview anyway--so lets see what they offer. Is it normal to come back with a counter offer, or are you pretty much required to take the offer they make you? I know I could always walk away, but i'm interested in how this process works with UAE universities.

Thanks for all your time Danny Boy, it is giving me a real sense of how this might work, and a feel for what I might be in store for if this comes off. I'm interested in what did you do your PhD in? Did it relate to all the time you spent as an expat?