bluelotus

Hi everyone,

I am a Celta qualified teacher with a couple of years teaching experience. I have found countless Efl teaching job adverts for the Middle East online.

I recently came across a few for Saudi Arabia. The job i will be applying for is based at Taibah university. They offer positions for female teachers as well as a good accommodation package. I would be living in a compound with other female teachers.

Although I would like to know whether it will be difficult for me as a single female to move around in Madinah? Is there anyone on this site who is currently living and working in Madinah?

Im interested in your replies or any advice.

Thank you.

Bonny Boy

Hi Bluelotus.

I presume you are a Muslim if you are looking to work in Madinah, so Ramadan Kareem!

I think in Madinah it will be no different than elsewhere in KSA for you. The main difficulty is that you will not be able to drive - so it will be taxi, company driver or on foot.

I doubt many posters on here (if any) are in Madinah.

bluelotus

Thanks Bonny Boy.

Im from Britain and im muslim but im not an arabic speaker.

I have made an application to Taibah University in Madinah. Now its a matter of waiting to hear back from them and then continue on to the interview process.

Are you currently teaching in Saudi? Hows your experience been so far?

If Im successful I will be travelling out there with another female friend and well she has her eyes set on Riyadh apparently its better paid. If I can't get a post in Madinah I will try Jeddah, it would be nice to be close to the sea!

Bonny Boy

I'm Engineering here in Jeddah.

Yes, Jeddah has a pleasant seaside/holiday atmosphere in a slightly decaying sense - the infrastructure here badly needs attention.

I don't mind it here, but I'm not your typical expat - I'm more 'old skool' and treat the differences as part of the adventure rather than trying to live within a little-Britain bubble. Of course, it's easier here for a male than a female, and something you will need to consider.

There are many more opportunities, at times a necessity, to speak Arabic than on the Gulf side, so worthwhile beginning to start picking up on the language.

Madinah is 4 to 5 hours from Jeddah and by taxi costs about SAR 250 one way, up to five people can share to reduce the cost.

I'm told by a friend who visits Madinah regularly that it is a better kept and planned city than Jeddah (or Mecca). I've never been there, as a large area around the Mosque is haram to we non-Muslims, so only the suburbs would be possible.

Good luck!

flares

you'll find Madinah pretty cold but funky at the same time. good luck

bluelotus

In regards to sharing a taxi, can a female travel alone in a taxi or lets say with someone to accompany her, i.e male/female colleagues? I read somewhere that if a male and female travel together they may have to show proof of their relation to the authorities if stopped.

i have a friend who lives in Jeddah and he refers to it as hell .. he said its over populated and the sewerage problem is out of hand. But being on a coastal region should compensate for that right? why don't they improve the infrastructure, its not as if they don't have the means to.

My Saudi friend has the means to leave and get away whenever he wants but what about the common folk, you don't hear much about them on the news only about the well to do Saudis. I am all for exploring new horizons and I too would like to venture beyond the "Little Britain Bubble" when i'm there I hope!

Bonny Boy

Well obviously it's a little bit difficult for me to advise from a female perspective!

However, Jeddah is arguably the most relaxed place in Saudi. Certainly there are unaccompanied non-Saudi women you see about - Filipinas in particular - down in Al Balad, the city centre. I've also seen women on their own in taxis going to/ from work, or walking to/from shops and houses in the local neighbourhoods, so it is not an absolute no-no it would seem.

However, long distance travel would probably not be so easy, and maybe not on.

Saudi has plenty of money, but also has a big population compared with the Gulf statelets. Population is probably even bigger than stated due to the many illegal Haj/Umrah overstayers. What money there is has not been spread about, and has perhaps created the 'tensions' that have been present over the past decade in particular. I think they realise this now, and are making some efforts to spread the wealth around. Major refurbishments are in progress/planed for both Mecca and Jeddah, as they have been neglected for too long, and agin, this has been realised by the Saudis.

The major flooding in Jeddah last year that claimed (unofficially) about 500 lives is also a major catalyst to improve the situation.

Anyway, regardless of Jeddah's merits, I'm off to Dubai for the week end, so I've got to get going!

bluelotus

Thanks Saudiflares,

pretty cold? .. I hope you mean the weather and not the people because I'm going to be pretty lonely out there!

I heard the preconception that people are friendlier and warmer in Madinah, though people tend to generalise and you get good and bad people wherever you go i guess.

Funky in what way?.. please clarify i'm curious now

What really attracts me to Madinah is the spiritual energy.

bluelotus

Thanks Bonny boy you have been really informative and yes I think a female perspective would be really helpful, which calls for the start of a new thread i guess! Its only thursday here!.. anyway have a lovely "weekend"!