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ok so i looked in my spam folder again..good call egus, it was there, I was going to fast to notice it.聽 It is official, egus is buying the first roll.聽 YAY...Abu Dhabi here we come....awesome.

Good Morning Everyone!!

It's a new exciting day as we get closer in the process! How cool is this?! Now comes the test of true patience as we wait to be processed by immigration and get issued our visas. In anticipation, I compiled a checklist of things to have on hand when we arrive. The list is not all inclusive and please add to it as I may have missed something.

Passport

10 passport photos (for id's and the whatnot)

Admin certificate (I'm taking my teaching cert also)

Offer letter

Copy of highest degree

US driver's license and International driver's license

Two flash drives for backup of anything I have on my laptop and scanned documents

PDF of any and all the documents taken to AD

Ten or more color copies of passport(first two pages..also, scan and put on your flashdrive) we're going to need them as we have to give our passports to ADEC for processing of work visas..could take up to a month to get them back

Universal adapter plug

Have skype loaded on your laptop

And read the following about preparing your laptop:



Cut and paste it into your browser when you have time.

@Phil....it's your turn Phil! Any news?

Just a confirmation from HR that he received my email with all of my job verifications. Wish he would have given me a timeline for getting the confirmation you guys got but I know it's coming. I would add to your list a suggestion to download Dropbox or similar cloud based app which contains all of my files. That way I can access them from any computer and don't have to rely on flash drives. I access it from both of my computers, phone, and iPad as well as any hotel computer.

It's just a matter of time Phil. But I agree totally that what's lacking in the entire process is a timeline to prepare and not drive ourselves crazy looking for emails and notifications. Good call on the Dropbox...will download the app. Tick tock...

Drmoni where did you find next years calendar ? I only find 2012-2013 on the website.

I was randomly searaching the web and ran across a preliminary calendar. Nothing concrete.

You guys might want to join the Abu Dhabi Teacher Tech. group through the FaceBook/Teachawayinc discussion board. There you will find a lot of hints from techs who are on the ground about VPN, routers that you need to have, etc. I relayed to them the article in the National.ae that Skype is now allowed for computer to computer communication; no more ban. It is still not functional for use on phones though because they don't like the competition with their two phone providers.

Hi gang,

Have we heard any updates about what the next steps are?
@Phil...have you heard anything yet?

Not heard any more. Did get in touch with a CM though to get some specifics about the job. He's going to call me at some point so let me know if you want me to ask anything from a principal supervisor.

Thanks Phil,

Would you ask him if we get a housing allowance and are able to select our own residence or are we placed? I took the liberty to do what you did and took a look at the apt's available throughout the uae and I must say...wow!

Hi guys,
We heard from our recruiter and our work visas are being聽 processed. we will be leaving shortly after they are complete. Around July is what we're told. The plane ticket will give us anywhere from1-3 days perhaps a week to be on the plane...that's no time at all, so BE READY!
I've been chatting with a principal over there. She loves it! She's certainly ready for summer break and visiting her family, but says it wonderful if you're open minded and roll with the punches! This weekend she is visiting Istanbul!
Anyway...stay in touch guys! Let us know if you hear anything Phil.

I assume you all were in on the webcast for leadership today? Any thoughts? I'm starting to think of campaigning for a principal job with all the time you guys will have off compared to the 30 days leave I'm looking at. I'm not sure teachaway knows what we face regarding accomodations; it will be interesting.

Webinar was extremely interesting and I think drmoni has it right b ready.聽 We were told no housing allowance for leadership and only 1 roundtrip ticket..to get there and to get back...not a yearly plane ticket. Nevertheless I'm ready for our first roll at benihanas.

so no housing allowance? but they provide the housing then right?

Yes housing. Is included

I'm good with it...just waiting on the visa...no word yet

No furniture allowance but housing is provided. I think that furnished housing is the wording so if the place doesn't have furniture I still suspect they would provide an allowance. Again I don't think teach away knows everything.

I agree with everybody! At this point I don't want to speculate anymore, Im ready to go!!! Its nice to know that since we are already authenticated, and they have our authenticated documents, the process should be expedited for us. Phil ay word yet. I hope we all go together. One of my contact there (a principal) expressed that when you create these blogs, the people almost become family:) Her group is really close.

Im ready for the first roll too!

I am more than ready, and the webinar today made it more real.聽 Im ready to roll with punches.

egus, did footprints hold a webinar today as well?

As they stated on the webinar CM process is more involved and none of us has the actual offer that you guys have but being included in the webcast was confirmation enough. I can actually taste the ginger dressing on the salad as I type.

Egus I haven't gotten the call promised by the CM in Al Gharbia. He gets no saki.

Good Morning to my fellow adventures!

I totally agree with drmoni and don't want to speculate any longer. To date, I'm done packing and am so ready to go! Regardless of my checklists, I'm more than positive I'm going to leave something out...lol.

Unfortunately, a webinar is not available through footprints to clarify any processes. I guess I'm just going to have to wait until the orientations and meetings there. I've listed some of the benefits that were told to me...but they could have also changed...so I'm taking it with a grain of salt as nothing is ever etched in stone.

聲Assistance in finding accommodation
聲Settlement allowance for the purpuse of furnishing accommodation
聲Health insurance provided
聲11 weeks paid vacation + national holidays
聲Annual round-trip flight for vacation

Also, to my understanding, ADEC has recieved our signed offers (contracts) and have started the preliminary paperwork but have not requested or been sent the "entire" packages from our agencies as of yet. When asked why...I was told that they are sent in groups and they (ADEC) are still in the process of interviewing teaching staff and will send packages out in a few weeks. The process for the visa is only a couple of weeks and an eticket is issued. So we're sort of in a holding pattern until then.

And the first roll and saki at benihanas is on me!

I got the second roll and saki...... Cheers to all.聽 聽This is so exciting. Egus Ur checklist does seem to be complete, we can work the kinks when we arrive..

good morning guys!!!
hope all is well! i also have recieved confirmation that we get the furniture allowance. Im told we also need to dowload a VPN to assure we get facebook, an utue and skype. my house is almost completely packed! I am so ready Im giddy! I have to try to focus at work today! tootaloo!!!

What is Utue? I guess if we all take turns getting the saki rounds we will have accomplished two things: getting really giddy and essentially going Dutch. Got to concentrate on my oral general exam today. Hopefully I will be a doctoral candidate after today.

Utube...lol! sorry.
Good luck on the doctorate! i know that stress!!!

Congrats Dr. Phil...

I am interviewing with Teach Away this week. Did either of you get hired yet? IF so when will you be moving?

Congrats and welcome to the blog. Are you interviewing for a teaching or admin job. We all interviewed for admin. I hope to be there as early as June but more likely in August.

Teaching.... I hope to be there by August.

Hello Phil and egus, did you guys receive an email stating they have all of your docs. and will begin the visa/immigration process shortly?聽
It's getting closer...and my house is getting emptier...

I got that from Nadia at Teach Away.

GREAT.we r all moving along in the process

Hi everyone,

Yes, I got the same message about the visa...so it's just a matter of time. My house is also VERY empty. I consolidated what I'm taking into three suitcases, one laptop bag, and one carry on.

WOW.I am jealous, I still have some furniture, kitchen ware...I hate packing..I do have plan to get rid of things.聽 but mentally I am ready to go..

Feeling good that my Lynda is holding down the farm and I only plan on taking one checked suitcase, one carry-on, and one child (my guitar).

One checked bag...lucky!!!!! I hope I cam make 3 bags work for me..lol

With all of the indications of being hired CMs still don't have contract offers. Evidently many more layers of approval process.