Education in MENA

[Zee Bee 61]

Hello.

I have been reading your thread and just wanted to give you my experience in MENA.

I went to an international school in Saudi Arabia for K-12. The language of instruction was English but we were also given intensive Arabic courses. I know that my parents looked for a LONG time before putting my sisters and I in the school. Personally, I loved it. The teachers were great and luckily for us the curriculum followed the US curriculum.

Even so, my parents did supplement my education with some home schooling (my dad is a professor and my mom is an accountant turned high school math teacher). It wasn't something that happened every night but they basically just built a little bit onto what we learned in class. I guess my parents wanted us to be as prepared as possible in case we ever moved back here and for when we went to college.

In terms of what you can do to make sure your daughter is up to par on the US requirements for when you get back, I think others who are more knowledgeable in that area have responded.

I just wanted to share my experience and what it was like for me

Good luck!

Zee

[Henia 11]

Hello.

I have been reading your thread and just wanted to give you my experience in MENA.

I went to an international school in Saudi Arabia for K-12. The language of instruction was English but we were also given intensive Arabic courses. I know that my parents looked for a LONG time before putting my sisters and I in the school. Personally, I loved it. The teachers were great and luckily for us the curriculum followed the US curriculum.

Even so, my parents did supplement my education with some home schooling (my dad is a professor and my mom is an accountant turned high school math teacher). It wasn't something that happened every night but they basically just built a little bit onto what we learned in class. I guess my parents wanted us to be as prepared as possible in case we ever moved back here and for when we went to college.

In terms of what you can do to make sure your daughter is up to par on the US requirements for when you get back, I think others who are more knowledgeable in that area have responded.

I just wanted to share my experience and what it was like for me

Good luck!

Zee

Thank you it was very much appreciated!

[dreamscometrue 0]

See the REAL How-To Homeschool Guide available in a not-Christian (General) edition. http://www.easyhomeschooling.com

[Heartland 0]

Hello Z,

How did you like growing up there in Saudi? What was it like? Was the school expenive? It is one of the places my DH has been offered a job and we were thinking of moving. I have read Negitive as well as Positive things about it all. I just want to make an informed decision when and if it becomes time.

Wendy

Hello.

I have been reading your thread and just wanted to give you my experience in MENA.

I went to an international school in Saudi Arabia for K-12. The language of instruction was English but we were also given intensive Arabic courses. I know that my parents looked for a LONG time before putting my sisters and I in the school. Personally, I loved it. The teachers were great and luckily for us the curriculum followed the US curriculum.

Even so, my parents did supplement my education with some home schooling (my dad is a professor and my mom is an accountant turned high school math teacher). It wasn't something that happened every night but they basically just built a little bit onto what we learned in class. I guess my parents wanted us to be as prepared as possible in case we ever moved back here and for when we went to college.

In terms of what you can do to make sure your daughter is up to par on the US requirements for when you get back, I think others who are more knowledgeable in that area have responded.

I just wanted to share my experience and what it was like for me

Good luck!

Zee

[Donna A 4]

when my friend lived in nigeria her kids went to lebonese schools. they did really well but still had to be tutored in arabic. even tho they spoke the language they still needed to learn the formal arabic.

in a few years we will be facing the same dilema with my step daughter when my husband gets custody of her. she is in a school now that teaches a little english but im not sure if they are teaching her how to read english also or just speak it. the schools that teach everything are so costly. im sure she will have a hard time at first but kids usually catch on quickly.

[~Jess~ 0]

Hello Z,

How did you like growing up there in Saudi? What was it like? Was the school expenive? It is one of the places my DH has been offered a job and we were thinking of moving. I have read Negitive as well as Positive things about it all. I just want to make an informed decision when and if it becomes time.

Wendy

Hello.

I have been reading your thread and just wanted to give you my experience in MENA.

I went to an international school in Saudi Arabia for K-12. The language of instruction was English but we were also given intensive Arabic courses. I know that my parents looked for a LONG time before putting my sisters and I in the school. Personally, I loved it. The teachers were great and luckily for us the curriculum followed the US curriculum.

Even so, my parents did supplement my education with some home schooling (my dad is a professor and my mom is an accountant turned high school math teacher). It wasn't something that happened every night but they basically just built a little bit onto what we learned in class. I guess my parents wanted us to be as prepared as possible in case we ever moved back here and for when we went to college.

In terms of what you can do to make sure your daughter is up to par on the US requirements for when you get back, I think others who are more knowledgeable in that area have responded.

I just wanted to share my experience and what it was like for me

Good luck!

Zee

hi though i didnt go to school here in KSA..obviously....i have looked at the prices when i was looking for work......for the british and american schools here in Riyadh they run roughly 35-40,000 Riyals, per student per year....upwards of 55-60,000 riyals per year for 9-12 high school............good luck in making your decision. My husband's neices were educated one in the british and one in the american but that was many years ago when they were in elem to 9th because they didnt have high school here for foriegners about 8yrs ago...however they both have now graduated college with bachalor degrees.

[Zee Bee 61]

Hello Z,

How did you like growing up there in Saudi? What was it like? Was the school expenive? It is one of the places my DH has been offered a job and we were thinking of moving. I have read Negitive as well as Positive things about it all. I just want to make an informed decision when and if it becomes time.

Wendy

Hello.

I have been reading your thread and just wanted to give you my experience in MENA.

I went to an international school in Saudi Arabia for K-12. The language of instruction was English but we were also given intensive Arabic courses. I know that my parents looked for a LONG time before putting my sisters and I in the school. Personally, I loved it. The teachers were great and luckily for us the curriculum followed the US curriculum.

Even so, my parents did supplement my education with some home schooling (my dad is a professor and my mom is an accountant turned high school math teacher). It wasn't something that happened every night but they basically just built a little bit onto what we learned in class. I guess my parents wanted us to be as prepared as possible in case we ever moved back here and for when we went to college.

In terms of what you can do to make sure your daughter is up to par on the US requirements for when you get back, I think others who are more knowledgeable in that area have responded.

I just wanted to share my experience and what it was like for me

Good luck!

Zee

I had fun growing up in Saudi and I think part of it was because of the school I went to. It was an international school and at the time, Saudis were not allowed into the school (a lot of that has changed now and believe me, it makes a difference. I can share stories if people want) and so I grew up with kids from close to 30 different countries. One thing is that a lot of the schools (at least in Saudi) are going to follow the British curriculum because a lot of universities in MENA, esp in Egypt, require the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) exam which is offered through the British Council. It is basically like a university entrance exam and because it is so big in MENA schools in Saudi use this to sell the schools. The good thing about the IGCSE's is that it basically covers the equivalent of the first year or so of college in the US.

Positives: I got to learn a third language and culture. IMO I think the education I recieved was a lot better than the American education I could have received. I have great bargaining skills. I can deal with the heat better than most.

Negatives: Being a girl there were all kinds of negatives because you can't really do anything there without permission and without your dad/brother/uncle around which made for a lot of boring, long days. Just going to the mall or over to a friend's place is a big ordeal (God bless my dad for dealing with 3 teenage girls in Saudi).

As for the schools a lot has changed since I left. More of the private schools are coed (there is only one private girl's school in Jeddah that I know of). There are a lot more schools that are cropping up to accomodate the growing numbers of expat kids there. The school I went to was around 18-20,000 Saudi riyals a year and that included books and uniforms and stuff. I'm not sure what the prices are now but if you wanted to know more I could ask my mom (she still teaches there).

[ya falaha! 0]

Henia...

Are you planning on keeping your daughter in school there for an entire school year or more?

My sons spent an entire school year in Yemen in a regular Yemeni elementary school. There were no English instructions but they did have a bilingual tutor to work with. When my sons returned to school here in the US they fell right in with the next grade. They had no problems adjusting back into public school here. My ex and I planned this for over a year and my sons were included in the decision making. They had previously visited Yemen and enjoyed it. Of course they had their moments of homesickness but in the end I believe this experience was very beneficial to them. They are now bilingual (can read, speak and write Arabic). Plus they had the added benefit of knowing their father's family and experiencing his culture first hand.

[peezey 0]

My husband is the father of my daughter.

There really is no reason to lie.

[sarah and hicham 3]

I know that a child's brain is like a sponge. They learn faster and absorb more than grown ups. My cousin adopted 2 children from Russia, that did not speak a lick of English. In 3 months those kids conversing with me. I could not believe how fast they learned. Henia I think you daughter will do just fine. Only you know what is best for your family.

ta me go hiontach, I just wanted to say to you, that this has been an ongoing plan for many months. Henia did not just up and move with her daughter as a second thought. Her family is her main priority. My husband and other Algerians I have met are very intelligent and I am sure it is due to the schools they attended in Algeria.

yeah, no worries, "a child's brain is like a sponge." is that a quote from socrates? that totally balances out the supremely selfish behaviour of moving across the world so mom can be with the man she found over there. how is yr husband's or other algerians' experiences relevant here? was he or they forced to attend school in a language they neither spoke nor understood?

Kindly please get off my thread before I report you. Your type of comments are not welcome. You do not know me or any of the people who replied to this. For your information, I did not move just "over there so mom could be with her man that she found over there". We have been together for years. There is a whole history there, which is none of your business to judge me on. My husband is the father of my daughter. May the God forgive you for your judgements.

I am getting tired of people coming onto "nice" thread and turning them sour with all this muck.

Please everyone ignore this post and let us get on with the topic at hand.

Henia, we know that Ahmed is NOT the father of your child. If that is the way you are treating the situation then I feel really bad for your daughter! That could cause some serious problems in the future I think.

[LaL 418]

There will always be moral judements in threads like these, maybe a similar reaction if you had left your child behind as well (dayumed if you do, dayumed if you don't).

That said - the question asked was others' experience with schools abroad (MENA specific), language adjustment issues, etc. It would be great to focus on the questions asked. Thanks

edited for clarity

Edited August 28, 2007 by LaL

[Marry American 0]

I know that a child's brain is like a sponge. They learn faster and absorb more than grown ups. My cousin adopted 2 children from Russia, that did not speak a lick of English. In 3 months those kids conversing with me. I could not believe how fast they learned. Henia I think you daughter will do just fine. Only you know what is best for your family.

ta me go hiontach, I just wanted to say to you, that this has been an ongoing plan for many months. Henia did not just up and move with her daughter as a second thought. Her family is her main priority. My husband and other Algerians I have met are very intelligent and I am sure it is due to the schools they attended in Algeria.

yeah, no worries, "a child's brain is like a sponge." is that a quote from socrates? that totally balances out the supremely selfish behaviour of moving across the world so mom can be with the man she found over there. how is yr husband's or other algerians' experiences relevant here? was he or they forced to attend school in a language they neither spoke nor understood?

Kindly please get off my thread before I report you. Your type of comments are not welcome. You do not know me or any of the people who replied to this. For your information, I did not move just "over there so mom could be with her man that she found over there". We have been together for years. There is a whole history there, which is none of your business to judge me on. My husband is the father of my daughter. May the God forgive you for your judgements.

I am getting tired of people coming onto "nice" thread and turning them sour with all this muck.

Please everyone ignore this post and let us get on with the topic at hand.

Henia, we know that Ahmed is NOT the father of your child. If that is the way you are treating the situation then I feel really bad for your daughter! That could cause some serious problems in the future I think.

QUOTE(Henia @ Aug 26 2007, 01:30 PM) My husband is the father of my daughter.

QUOTE(Peezey There really is no reason to lie. QUOTE

Do you guys get off on this type of behavior?

What serious problems could this cause for her child in the future; enlighten me!

Edited August 28, 2007 by i adore you

[peezey 0]

QUOTE(Henia @ Aug 26 2007, 01:30 PM) My husband is the father of my daughter.

QUOTE(Peezey There really is no reason to lie. QUOTE

Do you guys get off on this type of behavior?

What serious problems could this cause for her child in the future; enlighten me!

What type of behavior is that? Henia lies all over this board, it gets tiring.

[Marry American 0]

QUOTE(Henia @ Aug 26 2007, 01:30 PM) My husband is the father of my daughter.

QUOTE(Peezey There really is no reason to lie. QUOTE

Do you guys get off on this type of behavior?

What serious problems could this cause for her child in the future; enlighten me!

What type of behavior is that? Henia lies all over this board, it gets tiring.

Maybe you should get a life if you are that concerned with what another person on this board does This board is not real life, it is just that a BOARD! Food for thought

Edited August 28, 2007 by i adore you

[sarah and hicham 3]

QUOTE(Henia @ Aug 26 2007, 01:30 PM) My husband is the father of my daughter.

QUOTE(Peezey There really is no reason to lie. QUOTE

Do you guys get off on this type of behavior?

What serious problems could this cause for her child in the future; enlighten me!

What type of behavior is that? Henia lies all over this board, it gets tiring.

Maybe you should get a life if you are that concerned with what another person on this board does This board is not real life, it is just that a BOARD! Food for thought

Funny, I was thinking the same thing about you. I wonder why you are so quick to defend Henia and disagree with Peezey no matter what.