# Anyone teaching at STS?



## MariaEnglish Teacher (May 27, 2014)

Hello, 

I have recently been offered an English teacher position at STS (Secondary Technical School) If anyone works at this school, could you please give me any advice what it is like working there?
I would be moving there on my own as a single woman and the package they offer in AED is:

salary: 12,478/month
accommodation allowance: 7,424/month
relocation fee: 20,000
medical cover
one month extra salary after each year completed
42 days vacation

I would really appreciate if you could please give me any advice on whether this accommodation allowance would be enough to cover my expenses (rent and bills), and what kind of accommodation I could get with this sort of money. Also, what is the public transport like? Do teachers normally make their own way to work or would the school provide transport? Basically, any advice would be most welcome. I need to give a response in the next few days and would like to make the right decision whether it is worth it financially or not. 

Thank you very much.

Maria


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## Andy17 (May 30, 2013)

MariaEnglish Teacher said:


> Hello,
> 
> I have recently been offered an English teacher position at STS (Secondary Technical School) If anyone works at this school, could you please give me any advice what it is like working there?
> I would be moving there on my own as a single woman and the package they offer in AED is:
> ...


Hi Maria STS come under the IAT umbrella I think and that looks the standard sort of offer. you have not said where you will be based so it is difficult to say to much on the housing allowance although if you are in Abu Dhabi then you may struggle to find somewhere nice for that figure and have anything left. We have a one bed place on Reem island at 85000 with an expected rent increase due this year. You will find that your whole housing allowance may get swallowed up and since the normal recruitment selling point is that you will get your savings from the rent allowance side that is no longer true. If you have looked at housing costs on dubizzle then you need to be aware that a lot of the agents advertise best price appartments and then suprise don't have any at that price. Finally on the housing front you have to pay a years rent up front on most appartments so if you have to use the company advance the first year then you may struggle to save for the second year. Teachers normally make their own way to school but if you are living close to others then a lift system may operate.


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## MariaEnglish Teacher (May 27, 2014)

Thank you so much for your reply. This is my fear exactly that I won't be able to save much, which would be the main reason for me relocating. Also, as a single woman, I would not like to live in a cheap but dodgy area at all. Unfortunately I still don't know which school I would be based in, but I just asked them so hopefully they'll let me know soon as. 
Also, I've read on some forums that many schools offer a 'furniture allowance' as most apartments come unfurnished. Is a furniture allowance quite a standard sort of benefit? I'm just wondering if I could perhaps negotiate with them. 

Thank you!


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## Andy17 (May 30, 2013)

MariaEnglish Teacher said:


> Thank you so much for your reply. This is my fear exactly that I won't be able to save much, which would be the main reason for me relocating. Also, as a single woman, I would not like to live in a cheap but dodgy area at all. Unfortunately I still don't know which school I would be based in, but I just asked them so hopefully they'll let me know soon as.
> Also, I've read on some forums that many schools offer a 'furniture allowance' as most apartments come unfurnished. Is a furniture allowance quite a standard sort of benefit? I'm just wondering if I could perhaps negotiate with them.
> 
> Thank you![/QUOTE
> Your relocation allowance is supposed to cover fitting out your appartment but here's the thing: you will have to pay the estate agent fees, and in all likelyhood a deposit out of the 20k ( about 5k each). Then you have a utilities deposit to get connected 1000 AED, then you will have to cover your hotel cost if you stay longer then the alloted time because you have not secured an appartment yet( probably because your employer has not released the rent cheque) then you have the emirates ID card 370 AED last year. so 20 k sounds good but does not really go very far. This all sounds doom and gloom but if you have some money behind you before you come (and after you have paid to have your documents attested which is a non refundable expense) then you may be able to get over the cost of set up. The fist year or even first two years are break even years and any savings are likely to come in the third year. Answers to quries tend to be a little slow in coming, we found that they only tell you what you need to know towards the end of the recruitment stages but ask anyway you lose nothing. Check out the medical insurance we were told full cover but by the time we got here they had changed the rules and we now have to pay 50AED to see a doctor and 20% of the cost of any medicine. You could always mention that the removal of the rent cap has resulted in rents going up higher then expected and the housing allowance does not reflect that. If you are at the girls school in Abu Dhabi it is attached to the IAT school in the old Zaid uni at the junction of 13th sreet (Delma street) and 16th street so when you google map it you can see where you may be working. Ending on a positive note you can make some great friends and have fantastic Friday brunches using groupon vouchers.


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## MariaEnglish Teacher (May 27, 2014)

Thanks again Andy. I was told today that they can't tell me which school I would be working at as first I need to pass the UAE security clearance, then they'll be able to allocate a school for me. Anyway, I'll stay put and see what happens. Thank you again for all the advise, they are really helpful. 

Maria


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## MariaEnglish Teacher (May 27, 2014)

Hello again Andy, 

You've been so kind to answer my questions. I have a few more - sorry. I hope you don't mind. 
For a one bedroom apartment, approximately how much would you say the bills would cost per month? I mean electricity, water, gas, internet, phone; is there such thing as council tax for example? TV Licence? 

Thank you.


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## Andy17 (May 30, 2013)

MariaEnglish Teacher said:


> Hello again Andy,
> 
> You've been so kind to answer my questions. I have a few more - sorry. I hope you don't mind.
> For a one bedroom apartment, approximately how much would you say the bills would cost per month? I mean electricity, water, gas, internet, phone; is there such thing as council tax for example? TV Licence?
> ...


Hi Maria bills will vary depending onwhere you are and who you are with. We have paid about £20 to £30 a month for electric and water but some months there is no charge as they catch up with actual usage. Internet is expensive but you can get your internet , home phone and television in one package. How much you pay depends on which tv option you choose and what speed you opt for on the internet. Cost can be as high as £100 plus. There is no council tax but there will be air con bills and believe me you need air con. Gas depends on wether your appartment block has mains or not we do not use gas but could if we wanted to. No tv licence. Two things get a good VPN before you come and let the company know where you will be based and as soon as you arrive buy a mobile sim card as everything over here links into your mobile. If you do not have an unlocked android smartphone then you may want to invest in one.


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## MariaEnglish Teacher (May 27, 2014)

Thanks Andy, I really appreciate all your advice - I have more clarity now regarding what to expect. Thank you.


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