Why we put up with Vinnell

Much as I hate to say it, I will be teaching in Vinnell as long as I am draggin' on this.

great security

The military hardware here to the right can be seen as merely decoration. Seldom does one find someone behind the gun. There are few people in between you the teacher, and Ahmed the terrorist. There is a token force of Americans, but only a few since that affects the bottom line. The security people, who check for bombs under vehicles, are Bengali. Bengalis get paid a lot less, and this affects the bottom line. Bengalis are not Christians, nor are they Hindus. Hmmm. Food for thought.

Heaven/Hell

I live somewhere in this picture. I have been here for too long as my friend often tells me by email. I would like to leave, but the money is too easy. I am getting damned tired of seeing my roomate walk around the place without clothes on! I often dream of maybe a hut on a Thai beach and I had better leave soon. One of Vinnell's most faithful teachers actually flew to Thailand for a three week vacation. He got back onto the plane after a couple of days because he couldn't stand life outside the prison of his own making. This kind of life will change you from something you were before into a damned canary desperately needing its cage. It is a very sure thing knowing it is too late for some of us to adjust to life outside these walls. This begs the question; is it too late for me?

Prayer

I respectfully think learning how to pray in the Muslim fashion would be a very prudent thing to do for an outsider like myself. I practice this form of prayer in my room on a daily basis. It clears my head, and it may protect me from potential gunmen who may use this as a test to see if I am a good Muslim or not.

Follow the correct standing position on the top of this paper and you should have no trouble.

Under fire

Not yet, but it could happen. Do you see this very straight road we drive into and out of the compound on? It would be child's play for Ahmed to shoot the sitting ducks posing as teachers in the packed vans as they travel to and from work. This is a very vulnerable stretch of road.

driving in the kingdom

We are promised a comp day if we can break the record days without vehicle accident. This is quite difficult. Accidents ,and jail time, are common here in the Kingdom. That comp day is promised by the Big man because all accidents must somehow be repaired, and that takes away from the bottom line. The Big man must have worked in Vegas because he knows a good bet when he sees one.

Vacation?

Vacations are significantly less than 30 days per calendar year if time can be found to use them. Real managers get 60. Half of these days, for the managers are vacation time and the remaining half are (comp time). Funds aren't such an issue to them. Almost all of the big managers are ex military and this tells me how our military is ran.