Teaching English in United Arab Emirates

It started when de Rome glanced at The Chronicle Herald during the first week of June and saw an ad looking for English speaking teachers to work in the UAE. The ad said interviews would take place the next week.

“I didn’t have a resume,” said de Rome. She added she hadn’t bothered keeping one during her years of teaching.

Her love of travel however, and always wanting to see that area of the world made her pursue the opportunity.

“I’ve always been interested in the area and heard so many stories about the architecture and the manmade palm islands.”

So after an interview, which she says was mostly her asking questions instead of the interviewer, she was offered a job.

While in Ras Al-Khaimah, de Rome will be teaching year four at an international baccalaureate school. At the school, the week goes from Sunday to Thursday, with Friday being a religious day.

“I think it will be a totally different thing from teaching at Wickwire, much more hands on,” she said. “I’m sure I’ll make a few unintentional cultural mistakes, but you do have to respect their culture.”

Some rules she will have to follow are no flip-flops or sneakers, no jeans and skirts are to go below the knees.

Her husband George will join her in the UAE, but she says that not seeing her grandchild, who is only nine months old, will be difficult.

The couple is setting up a blog to keep friends and family up to date, and her son is already looking into plane tickets for Christmas.