Catherine from Manchester, UK – Now working in Abu Dhabi
Did BBD help you find your job and were they good to work with?
“I wasn’t really sure if I wanted to work abroad but I know a couple of friends who had recently moved to Dubai and loved it, so I thought I’d just make a few tentative enquiries. My friends recommended BBD to me, so I sent them an e-mail. They came back to me really quickly and had two jobs in mind already that they thought I might be interested in. One was in Ras al Khaimah and the other in Abu Dhabi. Initially I was disappointed because I really wanted to be in Dubai, but once I talked to Silvia she completely changed my mind. She was so helpful and reassuring. She didn’t try to talk me into it at all, but I realised that the job in Abu Dhabi sounded like a fantastic opportunity and Dubai is only an hour and a half away, so I decided to go for it. I’m so glad I did!”
What do you think of your new job?
“I love the school I’m in. The people I work with are great and were really welcoming when I first arrived. A couple of the teachers introduced me to loads of people straight away, so I never got a chance to feel lonely. I have been here for 8 months and thought that I would probably only stay for 2 years, but already I’m thinking that I may stay longer.”
What do you think of living in the UAE?
“I love the weather, especially in the Winter!”
Do you have any advice for teachers going abroad for the first time?
“Bring enough money with you to last for the first month because you probably won’t get paid until the end of the month. I was maxed out on my credit card and couldn’t even open a bank account straightaway to get my parents to transfer some money over.”
Jack from North Carolina, USA – Now working in Dubai
Did BBD help you find your job and were they good to work with?
“I had never heard of BBD, but I wanted to move to Dubai, so I googled “teaching in Dubai” and their website came up. I gave them a call and they answered straightaway, which surprised me – no going on hold for 5 minutes until you get through to a human. I told Silvia what I was looking for and she seemed to immediately know the sort of job I was after. She made a note of my name and asked me to send my CV. Sure enough 5 days later Silvia came back to me with a possible opportunity right near the airport. Silvia handled everything so professionally. There was a slight delay in the process for a couple of weeks, but Silvia kept in touch with me the whole time.”
What do you think of your new job?
“Well it’s a big change from the States that’s for sure, but also a great opportunity. My school is very friendly and my Principal is brilliant. She’s really switched on and so long as I’m doing a good job I have plenty of freedom to implement new ideas. I suggested some changes to our IT set up and she just let me run with it. I think moving here is probably the best decision I ever made!”
What do you think of living in the UAE?
“It takes a bit of getting used to but once you acclimatise it’s great. There’s so much to do and it’s all on your doorstep. I can get anywhere in Dubai in around 20 minutes and travel is ridiculously cheap. I was going to buy a car, but I found that I don’t need to because I can get to most places on the metro and taxis are very reasonably priced.”
Do you have any advice for teachers going abroad for the first time?
“Only work abroad if you have the right attitude. Be positive, enthusiastic and respectful of local customs, especially during Ramadan.”
