Should I teach overseas or stay in Canada?

Family is important.

Are you saying you can see your family more often if you live in Kuwait and fly back to Canada often? Did I miss something, you say Canada pays better than Kuwait? That seems odd to me.....

Depends on the family.

I have certain family members I would rather not see ever again.

I meant I would take my family with me to Kuwait. Canada does pay teachers very well.

My father made a lot of money teaching international banking/trade regulations in Kuwait.

He would have made a tiny fraction of that over here.

I don't know anything about the rates of pay for Canadian teachers, but it has long been a fact that skilled Western workers go to work in the Gulf to make a tidy little nest egg.

There is a reason they pay so highly, it is a very restrictive society, there are certain things you can't say or do, and the consequences can be quite severe.

It is very easy to get caught out, heroin is illegal in the Gulf States, no surprises there, and I doubt you'd be thinking of taking any smack with you, but it doesn't end there.

As heroin comes from opium which comes from poppies, poppy seeds are banned, not just opium poppy seeds but all poppy seeds.

There was a case where a traveller to the UAE was arrested and sent to prison because he had a packet of poppy seed flavoured crackers.

Those seeds are for taste only, those crackers have no narcotic qualities at all, and because the seeds have been cooked they are no longer fertile, but he still went to jail.

You need to check out the rules thoroughly and make sure everyone who accompanies you does the same.

In the UAE meeting up with someone and ending up in bed with them can land you in jail if you're not married.

If a 30 year old Dutch woman met a 30 year old Canadian man and they hit it off, they can go to jail if they have sex in the UAE for not being married.

They do public beheading in Saudi Arabia, a mate of mine witnessed one. He was in the market, when suddenly all the exits were closed off by soldiers. Nobody was allowed to leave because this has to be witnessed.

Next minute some poor sod was dragged into the middle of the square and his head was chopped off with a dirty big sword.

My mate looked away at the moment of truth. Btw, he was only a kid at the time, about 14, he dad worked on the rigs.

I'm not saying don't go, but if you do go, research everything first and keep your eyes wide open.

I didn't know it was that bad over there.

It's even worse if you're from a developing country.

Foreign workers hired to contruct stadiums for the World Cup in Qatar have been forced to work 7 days a week with no holiday for over three years.

I would do some deep research to find out how safe it is to be there if you are a foreign born woman. Customs are very different and may not be suitable to you.

The nurses I knew who went to Arab states were confined to a base or compound. They were allowed to go out, but had to be with a male and covered up. I don't know if things have changed, so your advice is warranted.