Our staff is a little short handed this week. Our headmaster is off to the states for a three week long recruiting trip. He flew into Iowa for the UNI Overseas Recruiting Fair this weekend and then is headed to Boston for one next weekend and then to San Francisco for the final one in two weeks. He is hoping to have all the positions filled quickly so he can eliminate at least one of the trips. We will have 9 positions to fill (HS Math, MS/HS Science, HS PE/AD, HS Social Studies, HS Drama/Journalism, K-8 Principal, two 6th grade teachers and one kindergarten teacher). Sure seems like a lot of staff to hire – five are returning to the states to retire or go back to their previous state-side position while the others are seeking new overseas assignments. Those four are in Waterloo this weekend for the UNI fair as well. One couple would like to go to Asia and the other couple would like to go to Saudi Arabia. It is very expensive to attend the fairs – airline tickets, registration fees, transportation, food and lodging. We wish them luck in their search, as we know this can be a very stressful time for them. Having taught overseas should be a plus for them as well as the fact that they are both teaching couples. Schools are more likely to hire teaching couples or singles rather than a couple where one of the partners is a non-teaching spouse. We have heard that those who teach in the middle east (as Egypt is considered), sometimes get “typecast” and find it easier to get a job in this area than those who have not taught in a middle eastern country. On the downside, it may limit job opportunities elsewhere. Guess it ultimately depends on contacts as it seems to in the states as well.
On Thursday evening, Pat attended a rare performance of the London Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in Alexandria. It was the first time the orchestra has ever performed in Egypt. They performed twice in Cairo before coming to Alex. President Mubarak’s wife was instrumental in arranging these performances. Apparently there is a cultural exchange between England and Egypt but the performance of the orchestra takes it to a new level. In addition, the orchestra waived all fees and donated the receipts of the concert for the support of health care for the children of Egypt. From the opening note, Pat realized she was in for a special evening as the orchestra played flawlessly.
