Wednesday, March 7, 2007

Teaching in a Muslim country.

There are over 4000 international schools worldwide. Many of them are located in countries where the official religion is Muslim. In light of recent events, this may put some teachers off from applying for teachng positions in these countries. I hope this article will shed some light on what your life would be like living in a Muslim country.

You would probably be expected to follow the Arab calendar for holy days and holidays. The people I know who have taught in Muslim countries have worked 5 days a week, but the weekend was always either Thursday and Friday or Friday and Saturday. Additionally schools are usually shut for a short holiday to celebrate Ramadan.

Depending on how strictly a country follows the teaching of the Koran, families where the main income earner is a female may not be able to find teaching positions. This is because some Muslim countries have work permit regulations that preclude women from being ‘head of the household’. In these countries, teaching couples are welcomed.

In most countries men and women will be expected to dress modestly. For women, this may mean wearing a head covering, or it may simply mean being covered from shoulder to knee.

You may be expected to live in a compound. This will mean that you and your family will live in a gated community with other expatriate families. This can often work out very well for families as there will be other children to play with and the very nature of a gated community should afford parents some piece of mind with regards to a child’s safety.

Teaching in a Muslim country is a personal choice. You should ensure that you know what cultural differences you will experience before you sign a contract. One source for researching culture shock and the differences between what you're used to and what you can expect in a new country are the Culture Shock! Guides.

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