British Female teaching English.

actually I have a question for you, why u r saying Black !!!!! you cant say only British female ? there is any need to say that u r black ?  we were born after 9 months black , white , yellow green whatever  the skin color is that's how we was born . why the racism !!!!!!!

ribalove87 you forget to add wheatish 

you can mix any two colors together and add them into my discussion, that's not my point

ya mudeer whatever is your point, lets go to her point its not an issue if she put black or whatever ,
dear teacher what you need is to know the law of the country that's it, All is well i wish you a bright happy future.

But I'm the one who is black. I am simply asking for a honest opinion. I have heard that skin colour in Saudi Arabia can effect how you are treated and I just wanted to know if it is true. If you have taken any offence to this then it not intended.

Dear teacher its allowed to live and teach happily black people as well as others.
All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over black nor a black has any superiority over white except by piety and good action.

Thank you for you positivity and I really do appreciate your response   . I hope that you do to

I am not taking it as an offence, but for you its better to not talk in this way, because once you will start talking in that you will be treated based on that. just be a human treat the other based on their humanity and you will get the respect from everyone. and don't worry as long as you are holding a British passport you will be treated in a way that you will never expect it even better then UK itself.

This teacher is awesome, I really appreciate, you discover that question

There is a sad fact, that skin colour does matter to some people. Daft as it is, it can change job prospects.
It does in Indonesia and I'm sure it does in other places.
I see the OP's point, but I'm angry she needs to make it.
I wish her all the best in her job hunting.

if you "supposedly"  heard that skin is an issue, then why would u come here?

Because I have great interest Saudi is a beautiful country and I know the experience when be amazing. That's why

rareshine wrote:

if you "supposedly"  heard that skin is an issue, then why would u come here?

Why would you want to let the mindless stop you doing what you want?
Skin colour is an issue in many places - to hell with the twits and get on with whatever you want to do.

yes i agree Fred - but she seems to be posting contradicting posts oh people will treat me horribly yet it will be an amazing experience - huh?

rareshine wrote:

yes i agree Fred - but she seems to be posting contradicting posts oh people will treat me horribly yet it will be an amazing experience - huh?

This thread is getting silly.
Yes, there are racists everywhere, but you simply don't allow bigots to upset your life.

I'm a sort of off pink colour with a suntan, and I get the odd one who doesn't like me for it - stuff them to Hades.
I've experience abused from mindless prats, but I don't let them upset me, preferring to try to educate their stupidity out of them.
One more extreme Muslim dude called me a non believing dog (a major insult), so I said Shahada and left his brain in a mess, trying to work out how his daft attitude fitted with a white westerner Muslim. If the guy had a brain, he'd have eventually realised his crappy stereotypes were a load of old rubbish. One hopes.

The OP asked a simple question, mentioning her skin colour because she fears racism could be an issue and, much as I hope she's wrong, she could be right, so wants to find out the extent of the problem.
Is the problem engrained in local society like a nest of cockroaches, or is it just the odd rat?

Many expats experience problems whilst abroad, but these can be overcome and you can have an amazing experience.
There is no contradiction, just a concern.

Let's get back to the OP's concerns and question.

Is racism a major problem, and how is a teacher's life over there?

easy folks, OP has the right to know...honesty is the best policy.

I can't comment for teachers but I don't think it should be an issue, unless a pissed off Saudi parents blurs out the "n word" at u if the child fails thinking it was u who failed them. If you will be teaching at a reputable school it should be ok, there is that one idiotic parent who thinks their child is the "one"

Since u will be holding the burgundy colored document you will be treated fairly well when it comes to government related tasks. Again I don't see your color being an issue here.

And if you happen to meet a few fanatics crazy about hip hop/rap they will adore you. Waive your hand like Queen Latifah or pull a smile like Bey or trick yourself up like Nicki...you are in safe hands

Peace out sista!

Thank you, 😉😊.

claud93 wrote:

Hello all,
    I am going Jeddah to teach at the end of August. I am really interested to know what life is like over in there, and was wondering if anyone could give me any pointers and information as to what it's like.

Hello everyone,

Please stick to the subject at hand, either you have the necessary information to help the lady out or avoid messing up the thread with a lot of out of subject posts ( all posts have been OFS on this thread so far) 

Please let's remember that this forum is meant to be a platform for mutual sharing and help if needed.

@ hamudi

You have a point there 

Regards,
Gavind.

I couldn't have put it better myself thank you 💯

Dear

Your question is a reasonable one for English Language Teachers because like in  in many countries there are employers here who seek Caucasian teachers with blond hair and blue eyes as that is what the customers want.
Having said that there are many many black teachers working in KSA, as long as they are native speakers and have required qualifications they are treated well.  That is to say they hold a degree and a recognized teaching qualification. Most organizations will not accept on line qualifications, though there are few that started to accept especially if they themselves are offering online courses.
Hope this is helpful.

claud93 wrote:

Hello all,
    I am going Jeddah to teach at the end of August. I am really interested to know what life is like over in there, and was wondering if anyone could give me any pointers and information as to what it's like.

Dear Claud

I am also going out there to teach with my wife. We have friends out there and a majority of them have had a really good experience. We met the Arab team in London, when we were recruited and they seemed very nice and professional so I hope the experience will be a good one inshallah.

In regards to the issue of race, race is something that is constantly mentioned in the Kingdom, but i think until  your out there you wont really know. I did ask my friends, many of them who also work as teachers, what there experience was in regards to race. Again many of them said they didn't have any major issues. The only thing they said I may find difficult is getting things done.For example visa, exit policies and procedures are a headache.

However the package I was offered was really good and I think its better then most of the other Arab countries.
When you move abroad there are always going to be difficulties.

Thank you, for your feedback it is much appreciated 😊

claud93 wrote:

Thank you, for your feedback it is much appreciated 😊

Could you do us a favour, please?

If you take the job, report back on the conditions you find, with note to how you feel on the racism issue and how, if at all, it effects your life over there.

This forum is all about helping each other, and a new member might very well benefit from your experience.

Fred wrote:

claud93 wrote:

Thank you, for your feedback it is much appreciated 😊

Could you do us a favour, please?

If you take the job, report back on the conditions you find, with note to how you feel on the racism issue and how, if at all, it effects your life over there.

This forum is all about helping each other, and a new member might very well benefit from your experience.

Yea that ^^^

We got some local black people at work, I just wanna hear out your experience too....

Hi everybody,

I have removed some off topic posts from this thread.

Thanks

Priscilla 

Thank you, very much.

I am hoping to write a blog on my experiences in Jeddah.

I am hoping to arrive at the end of July.

Il keep you updated.

This is / was a real funny blog! NO-ONE has mentioned Saudi Arabia is a strict Muslim country! Male or Female you have got to abide by the rules of the Country or you will end up in Jail. For instance - don't take night photo's of building's with beautiful Christmas tree lighting if they contain a bank - I learned that one from experience!
Ladies don't EVER travel in a car if the driver is not your husband (I don't know how that affects taxi's). Leave mini-skirts at home. Ladies keep their hair covered at all times out of doors.
Guys - don't EVER walk (stagger) down the street if your drunk or tipsy! Men don't 'chat up' local ladies - no way.
Leastaways, that's how it was 1980 to 1982
Otherwise  I enjoyed my short stay there - Mechanical engineer for the improvement of oil & gas installations. I never ever thought sand (desert) could look so beautiful in the right sun light. Fantastic!
Same in Abu Dhabi & Dubai
David

This is / was a real funny blog! NO-ONE has mentioned Saudi Arabia is a strict Muslim country! Male or Female you have got to abide by the rules of the Country or you will end up in Jail.

I don't think it was ignored out of sensitivity or political correctness, more it seemed like a waste of time because everyone knows.
However, your post makes a lot of sense, and the tips could well be handy.

Welcome to the forum.

Burchy wrote:

This is / was a real funny blog! NO-ONE has mentioned Saudi Arabia is a strict Muslim country! Male or Female you have got to abide by the rules of the Country or you will end up in Jail. For instance - don't take night photo's of building's with beautiful Christmas tree lighting if they contain a bank - I learned that one from experience!
Ladies don't EVER travel in a car if the driver is not your husband (I don't know how that affects taxi's). Leave mini-skirts at home. Ladies keep their hair covered at all times out of doors.
Guys - don't EVER walk (stagger) down the street if your drunk or tipsy! Men don't 'chat up' local ladies - no way.
Leastaways, that's how it was 1980 to 1982
Otherwise  I enjoyed my short stay there - Mechanical engineer for the improvement of oil & gas installations. I never ever thought sand (desert) could look so beautiful in the right sun light. Fantastic!
Same in Abu Dhabi & Dubai
David

Welcome to 2015...enjoy your stay.

Hi Fred,
Thanks for the welcome.
"Everyone knows"?
Did you read the Daily Mail online Sunday 31st May'15? [Funny it should come up right just now!]
Quote; with edit "Victoria Sutcliffe decided to leave Sanaa (Yemen), the city which had been her home for three years....at the beginning of May]" Unquote
She travelled to Saudi Arabia.
But...
Quote  "It transpired a British passport was no guarantee of being allowed across the border.
In fact, they needed a Saudi sponsor to be granted a visa to enter
'With hindsight, I probably should have checked the requirements but as arrogant British passport holders often do, I had just presumed they would welcome us into their country with open arms" Unquote.

I would emphasis "With hindsight".
I've done some travelling in my time and have come to learn that "assume nothing - check" is the best policy.
And I would be the first to say I don't know everything!

do you have a point, sir?

Yes (I think). When preparing to travel - outside of Europe: Do not 'assume' anything. Plan ahead. "dot the "i's" and cross the "t's" in your plan. Travel schedule? Medical requirements? Visa? Religion requirements? Money transfer? Insurance? Injections? Your local Embassy contacts? and on it goes. If in doubt - Ask.
Travel is an adventure. The last thing you want is getting stuck in an airport "No Man's Land" or rejected and on the next plan back home.
Does that help? I hope so.
Positive comments always welcome.

Burchy wrote:

Yes (I think). When preparing to travel - outside of Europe: Do not 'assume' anything. Plan ahead. "dot the "i's" and cross the "t's" in your plan. Travel schedule? Medical requirements? Visa? Religion requirements? Money transfer? Insurance? Injections? Your local Embassy contacts? and on it goes. If in doubt - Ask.
Travel is an adventure. The last thing you want is getting stuck in an airport "No Man's Land" or rejected and on the next plan back home.
Does that help? I hope so.
Positive comments always welcome.

Watchu talkin about Willis??
Stick to subject please. Or u want me to pop some glocks.

Burchy wrote:

Hi Fred,
"Everyone knows"?

Ooops - everyone with a brain knows. The old British arrogance can be hard to beat - I'm sometimes guilty of it, but I try to avoid shouting, "Do you speak English" at foreigners, speaking slowly and using hand gestures in a bootless attempt to force understanding.
I have great fun in shops when the assistant tells me the price with her fingers - I reply in my getting better Indonesian, but add the same finger signs. It gets the point over, especially in one case.
You commonly pay to park a car or motorbike here, more like protection money than a fee, and the "parkir" are more than commonly bent gits.
One saw the chance to rip off the foreigner, holding up ten fingers, telling me the price was Rp10,000.
The normal charge is one thousand, so I held up just the one finger - I'll leave you to guess which one.

Burchy wrote:

Did you read the Daily Mail online Sunday 31st May'15?

OMG _ NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.

Burchy wrote:

And I would be the first to say I don't know everything!

I have a little mini credo - learn something new every day.
If you don't, you're either dead or brain dead.

To Be Honest, Its not so much the colour of your skin BUT the passport you hold. I have some south african friends and they dont get paid as much as others. But in terms of everyday interactions i think you will not have a problem. Saudis are AMAzing people specially when you get to know them... they r very helpful and generous/ empathic . But you have to carry yourself in a proper dignified manner to earn their respect.