Marhabaa.

Marhabba (hello)

I am inebetween Bell contracts at the moment.  My next adventure will be in Saudi Arabia.  Having been offered a one-month position at King Saud University, Riyadh, without an interview, I am now waiting for my passport to be returned from the Saudi embassy, fixed with a business visa.

My destination is the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the home of Islam, and of the two holiest citiesm Makkah (Mecca) and Medinah (Medina).  It is fairly hot, very conservative and operates completely under Sharia law.

I expressed some surprise at being offered the chance to go, when others around me at the time were not.  It certainly spoke volumes about my growing experience in the industry and my temperament, although the latter has been questioned at times, personally if not professionally.   The fact of being offered the chance without an interview was pleasing but has also made me concerned.  What is expected of me?  What materials will I teach with? Could I fail (again)?  Previous experiences have taught me that given certain situations I am likely to 'take flight.'  However, the fact that I will potentially earn a large sum of money for what amounts to 20 days' work is reassuring... I would not have agreed to doing any period longer than a month.. and I will be back on the plane home soon enough.  I just don't know exactly when that will be, however.

Fully geared up to going on 22 September, I now have now been told that this won't happen. I have to sit back and wait for the Saudi embassy and the employer to give me the green light and stamp my visa.  I was informed of the application procedure on 16 August and sent off all the necessary paperwork.  I received a visa E-number in good time and completed the application on 28 August.  This has taken place during the holy month of Ramadan and I was warned to expected delays.  Ramadan, however, finished on 9 September ... and the 3 day Eid al-Fitr festival which followed is also over.   Yesterday (15 September) I rung up to check the status of my application.  It appears that I will not be going out as envisaged on 22 September, and probably not before the 29th!  This is frustrating, although it shouldn't be surprising.  Today, 16 September, I received my contract by email.  So, this means that things are happening, just not fast enough for me.  It's not that I am desperate to go, but I just like to know what I am doing.  I have also made a couple of plans for when I return, which could be scuppered by a late departure.  I will still work for one month on a temporary contract, with all the expectation of duties that come with teaching 8 solid hours per day for 20 days, not Thursday and not Friday, which is the holiest day of the muslim week.

There will be stricter enforcement of etiquette (speech, manners), dress code and behaviour than anywhere else that I have taught English as a foreign lanaguage so far.  Changwon and Beijing had their restrictions, but nothing like this.  I have to be fairly covered up - e.g. no exposed arms, legs or feet - and I will be teetotal for the duration of my stay - as alcohol is illegal.  I musn't openly cause offence or criticize procedures.  I mustn't approach or speak with women, I should avoid public transport, and must not under any circumstances proselytize any non-Muslim religion - not that I am likely to.  I must be aware of daily prayer times and respect the need for muslims to do this 5 times a day.   I must not take pork, 'dubious' photographs or pornography into the country.  I am allowed to take a bible for private use only... but, again, I am not likely to do this either.  I have already decided not to take my laptop - not that it contains any 'indecent' images (or pork, for that matter) and I am even considering leaving my iPod at home... i've just reloaded it with over 15,000 tracks... and i wouldn't want anything bad to happen to it.  I left my previous iPod in a taxi in Beijing, along with my favourite denim jacket. My iPod is full of 'western' and 'rastafarian' music and none-too conservative album covers ('Anarchy' by Chumbawama, anyone?). Containing a few albums by Arabic singers, Natacha Atlas and Tinariwen is not sufficient to integrate me into the society or persuade customs officials.

When I originally put out the idea on facebook that I was considering going, many friends responded negatively and, knowing me, tried to put me off.  Once they realised the salary involved and the limited period of work then they came round to the idea.  My closest friends and family never had any doubts, apart from the obvious ones, so I am grateful to them for that. 

So, now I have to be patient and wait to be contacted about my visa and my flight, which can be arranged quickly, once the visa is issued.  I may even have to pick up my passport at the airport on the way to the plane.  It remains to be seen which day this is, however, and when my short Saudi experience is going to begin.

TP

Bell End News

So another summer at the Leys comes to an end, having got through the final course show with no technical problems this time around. It's been good, although not as great as last year.  It ended on a good note, with some great performances from the kids and my class' effort went down well.  The whole course show was of a much higher standard this time around, with teachers having learned what works and what doesn't work on stage.

The highlight for me was the second course when the film project resulted in a worthy contender for 'how-to-do-a-project-which-results-in-a-tangible-outcome' award.  However, the final course has produced an interesting, and funny news-based contender in itself.. with the punny 'Bell End News' airing to much amusement.  Some interesting dancing and miming, gymnastics and 'time travel' related movies, topped off with '(I've had) The Time Of My Life' as a rousing finale.  Little Saudi Arabian kid, Annan Ibrahim received the Frank Bell Prize.  I met Annan's father the following day as he was collected from the site.

Now I get five full weeks off before travelling to Riyadh for one month's work at King Saud University.  Five weeks holiday, of which I probably only need the first few. However, it will be a chance to read up about the country I am about to experience and to get physically and mentally prepared. 

The send off from the Leys was managed, with few emotions.  It is a job after all, albeit an intense one.  Most of the staff seemed to relax on the final night, throwing caution to the wind, letting their hair down etc etc.. even, in one case, spraining their knee.  The van arrived around midday, was loaded with all the stuff, and people departed.

The Leys Pt 2

It's the end of the fourth week at the Leys.  This has been the difficult middle section, just as it was last year, but the one that I knew was always going to be more stressful.  I chose to this year's film in the 3rd/4th weeks, knowing that it was possible as long as I prepared for it and had the right set of students.  It was a sluggish start, but they soon came round to the idea of making a film, which was chosen from a selection of 5 proposed ideas across two classes.  'Bad Romance' was aired at the Course Show on Monday, setting the standard for the rest of the presentations, to great acclaim.  Some teachers just don't know how to prepare a video presentation... they overlook the technical issues and forget that the microphone is usually built into the camcorder and so you can't film students far away and expect them to be heard!  Subtitles also help!

As a general thought, I must agree with some of the complacency and slackness recently of some staff expressed in meetings, although last minute changes to study tours don't help.  I did recently get to visit Wimbledon Centre Court for the first time, however.

In addition to making the film, I have also been teaching a study option class in the afternoon (which replaced horse riding) but I have been very casual about the extra lesson.  


Last Friday the Bell staff put on a drama tour in the rain... where the kids were duped into walking round Cambridge meeting staff dressed up as historial Cambridge characters... I was going to play Stephen Hawking and position myself next to Corpus (Christi) Clock... but it was deemed inappropriate and, although I had a synthesised voice, my laptop would have got very wet.. and I might have got arrested, too.


It is difficult to keep tabs on the outside world when you do this job.  The residential nature of the work keeps it all quite insular and it is enough just to keep yourself together and not make any serious mistakes.   I don't think that is likely and I am enjoying it again, like I did last summer.  I have had to be a little bit selfish at times, but only for the good of my own class and the ever present need to impress.  I thrive in conditions like this and it makes the inbetween boredom of unemployment more so by comparison. 


I have applied to work in Saudi Arabia for just one month (22 Sep - 21 Oct) because the pay is excellent.  However, I have had no comeback from HR since we had a meeting about it 7 days ago.  My application has been received but my passport waits with me, waiting to be copied.  I think the chances are 50-50 at best and I won't be heartbroken if I don't go.  I've had some serious advice given to me about it.. Most have tried to put me off, but I do thrive on a new challenge, and I couldn't think of a more culturally challenging country to work in than Saudi.  Anyway, we shall see if my 'continuing TEFL travels' are spiced up or whether I play it safe and go back to Bedgebury for the Autumn Explorer.

I have received a speeding ticket for doing 36mph in a 30 zone whilst on duty, driving the minibus... and today (Tuesday) I drive the same minibus down to Heathrow, taking 7 Brazilian girls to the airport.  

Anyway, 2 weeks left of the summer school.  Have to keep my energy levels up.. everyone is tired but you have to keep going and remember that you are dealing with kids who are visiting England and a Bell course for the very first time and each have their expectations.