Yemen is a land steeped in legend, if no other reason than because it’s where some of earth’s oldest known civilizations prospered. It has only recently come around to the potential modern tourism, which translates into a high demand for native-speaking English teachers in Yemeni schools.

Yemen sits on the Arabian Peninsula and offers a blend of Arab and North African cultures. English teachers who thrive here are those lured by the country’s other-worldliness while many tourists give it a wide berth due to civil unrest and threats of violence.
That said, Yemen is widely considered the most beautiful Middle Eastern country, and it’s brimming with historic cities worth visiting. Zabid is the world’s hottest city, but it’s also a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its historic buildings and academic tradition. This is literally the birthplace of algebra, so foreign teachers who make a home here are in good company.

English teachers who spend at least a year or two teaching in Yemen have the luxury of time can travel to (or even move to) Suqutra island, Shaharah hill station or the Wadi Hadramawt Oasis.

As with other countries in the Middle East, employers are likely to pay a monthly housing allowance if they don’t actually offer accommodation. It’s advisable to go through the school when hunting through an apartment, as they’ll take neighborhood and location into account.

The rough and underdeveloped landscape of Yemen is part of the country’s charm, but it also means that getting around this country can be a chore. Four-wheel drive vehicles are a prerequisite. Every major city has shared taxis on fixed routes, and the biggest have private taxis.  

Yemen is behind other countries in the Middle East, so salary and benefits aren’t as good here as in Saudi Arabia, Qatar or Bahrain. The trade off is the opportunity to join a school’s work force at the ground level and help to build a successful program.

Most English teachers in Yemen get jobs with private companies, in English-medium schools or at universities. Bear in mind that qualifications are taken quite seriously despite the fact that salaries here aren’t as competitive. Employers are looking for teachers with a TEFL experience at a reasonable amount of experience.
Almost all of the jobs are in capital-city, Sana’a (population: 2.1 million), but teachers also have luck getting positions in Aden (550,000). Foreigners aren’t allowed to leave Sana’a without a permit. Incoming teachers will need to apply for a work permit and business visa outside the country.

Yemen Links

• Go to Yemen forums
• Go to Yemen photo gallery
• Google search for Yemen
• Yemen wikipedia entry