to consider moving to Dubai/Abu Dhabi/Doha to teach (sorry - long)

[IrishTeacher]

Posting here for traffic. AIBU seems to be more active than the Staff Room forum.

I recently qualified as a geography teacher. I'm 38. I'm Irish and live in the Republic of Ireland.
It is VERY difficult to get full time work here as teacher. The system here is vastly different to the UK.
A permanent job? Just forget it.
At the moment, I can't even get some subbing work. There is none to be had.
I'm claiming social welfare and my savings are dwindling.
Living in Dublin is out because rent is sky high, housing is in short supply and I might as well go to Manhattan, in that case.
I do not wish to teach in the UK because the education system has been run into the ground there and teachers are leaving in their droves.

I'm considering moving to Dubai or the ME, where there seems to be plenty of work.
From there, 2 years down the line, I'm considering applying for the skills visa to Australia and settling there.

The only things that are stopping me are:

• My parents are getting on in years - 75+. I do have a sibling and their family who lives near them, so they would not be left alone. They are good health at the moment.
• I do feel that if I go this time, it is permanent. So i need to be sure. I have lived abroad before.

The things pushing me to go are:

• There's no work here for teachers and it could be another 5-10 years before I get a permanent job, if ever.
• I have no home of my own here. I rent.
• I'm terminally single and child-free.
• Friends all married off, so its "mission accomplished" for them and they no longer need a social life.
• I'm not young any more and I need to settle down and make a living somewhere.
• I have lived in Australia before and I loved it.

If anyone has been in a similar position - I would love to hear from you.

So - do I stay or do I go? WWYD?

Oh, and sorry for calling you by the wrong name earlier, TheFit

LOL! I wouldn't call them well marked. Although on the highway from Abu Dhabi to Dubai you know you've crossed into Dubai when the trees on the side of the road end and it's just plain desert. :)

Ashamed to say I have no idea where the Abu Dhabi/Dubai border is, Thefitfatty - though on our most recent trip there last month, the husband pointed out that there is a difference in lamp posts (yes, you read that correctly) and the number of light bulbs changes when you cross from Dubai to Abu Dhabi. Hours of harmless fun being married to my husband..
One quite high up admin/teacher I knew at a GEMS school lived in a flat in JLT (Jumeirah Lakes Towers, get used to abbreviations for everything in Dubai, IrishTeacher ) that went with the job, but am not sure of the accommodation supplied for "ordinary" teachers.
There is a huge turnover of teachers at most international schools in Dubai, not only because people complete their two years' contracts and move on, but also because others have to leave Dubai in the middle of a school year because of factors nothing to do with their jobs, like spouse being moved internationally, or their residence visa being withdrawn because they are getting a divorce from their sponsoring spouse. Anyhow, sorry, that's an aside.

Go and enjoy it I've been there several times to visit a friend who moved there to teach 16 years ago and is still there (married now with two kids). In light of the situation you're in, it's a no brainer.

Technically the border is a place called Ghantoot, where the polo club is. :)

If anyone living in Dubai would like to help with any construction worker camp projects, please PM me.
We are particularly looking for trained hairdressers at the moment for a project in a female workers camp (yes, there is one 😞)
Also women's clothes, any contacts for catering...

Absolutely, try for it ! You will be no worse off than you are now, even if it doesnt work out.

As others have said, it may be difficult for you to find a job as a newly graduated teacher without teaching experience, but in your favour is that you are single. A lot of the schools are moving away from bringing in families now because of the costs of housing and having to offer free schooling to kids and flights home.

One school brand which does not require prior teaching experience is Chouefait, in fact you don't even need to have a teaching degree. I have a cousin with a Marketing degree who was hired by them as a primary school teacher, you get 6 weeks 'training' in their method. They have a lot of Irish staff working there. www.sabis.net/educational-services. Most of the staff really don't the schools, but they love the lifestyle, and the eventually move on with experience.

It may be a good option to get your feet in the door and then start looking for a more 'normal' International school once you have experience under your belt. Try the website www.internationalschoolsreview.com, they have a forum there for International teachers where you can post questions, there is a subscription requirement, but some of the content is free.

The single teachers have a great time in the Middle East, there is a real camaraderie about their social life, immediate network of friends, lots of travel.

There are direct flights from Dublin to Dubai and Abu Dhabi, so I bet your parents and family will end up visiting.

Good luck with your job hunting.

Sorry I didn't RTFT that you have been offered a job and have decided to accept it.

Even if you hate it, unlikely, you will can go home in the summer and not come back.

Very best of luck, pm if you want any info about Dubai.

Congratulations IrishTeacher. Best of luck, though I don't actually think you'll need it.

RavenAK I am in Cairo too, though not a teacher. I tried to find other MNers a couple of years ago when I moved here but there weren't any at the time. Fancy a Cairo meet?

Marmiteandbutter ! some extremely valid points in your post.

Have you looked at Scotland? I see that other posters have recommended it too. I'd go there for a year, get the experience you need and then apply for Australia (might also be worth looking at NZ and Canada).

Or teach in England in a private school.

Sorry I should have RTFT too. Well maybe another Irish teacher is reading this and will find the advice helpful :)

MarmiteandButter I'll send you a PM. I always give DH's clothes and the kids clothes to charity, but no one but our Nanny has ever wanted mine! (and they are a bit too big for our skinny minnie of a nanny)!

As a Canadian I can assure you all there are no teaching jobs in Canada! I've got loads of teacher friends coming over the ME! Not to mention my son goes to the Canadian school in AD and the teachers have told me they've come to the ME to get experience because the only options in Canada are up in the Arctic.

Best of luck, OP. Enjoy it!

Thanks all.
Getting excited now.
I think I need to turn a corner and this might be it.

I hve a friend teaching in dubai. Loves it. Has been there a number of years and has paid off his mortgage in england.

Ive a friend who is on the way to foing this august and has interviews set up for next week. She can have whats left of her mortgage paid off in a year.

Im in the process of sending my cv to an agency Atm.

I would love to go to australia but my husband has always been reluctant.