First, I am an American guy who teaches English in Asia.
Curious what Beirut would be like for living? I have heard pretty much all good things about day-to-day living. ALso, the architecture and country looks great from photos, and the French influence is a definete plus!
Curious what it would be like tolive there day-to-day, and what otheres impressions of that might be like?
Beirut is a great place to live but I have the impression it's more difficult to make a go of it as an English teacher there than most places in East or Southeast Asia. It's much more expensive than Thailand for example but salaries are very low. It's a very cosmopolitan city and many people speak English. The security situation is quite tense as for the past several centuries everybody in the country has been perpetually convinced that war is just around the corner (and they're usually right).
Hi,
I spent 2 weeks in Beruit/Lebanon!
That was more than enough.
They were going to double my hotel rate because an Eid holiday was coming up and I flew the coop!
There are better places to settle that are a bit less crowded.
And when an earthquake hits near Beruit, a lot of those hillside condos with a nice view are just going to come sliding down hill!
It's a great place, for sure. And I am not only talking about Beirut but also the rest of the country.
Your main concerns should be
1) security
2) job
3) budget
1) The security changes almost on daily basis, however the locals are very well informed & rarely something happens without people knowing in advance and telling you. Networking with people from different communities is essential.
2) It's not easy to get a job & residency in Lebanon as a foreigner. Be aware that most Lebanese are multilingual starting to learn Arabic, English, French, Armenian and other languages from the cradle onwards. Private education is normally done in English and French only, which explains a lot. My best guess is that Lebanese private schools would not hire foreigners unless there is a specific shortage or demand - I do not have evidence for this statement but could imagine it is like that, having been there many times. Lebanese are highly qualified and this should also extend to teaching. Also, the visa process is fairly complicated for employers and salaries for expats too high compared to Lebanese. I was interviewed in Lebanon by a friend and she told me that despite all my qualifications, she could not offer a good salary, did not want to go through the painful and costly visa process, and then have someone in the company who 'only speaks 3 languages fluently' (Arabic not being one of them).
3) Lebanon is not a cheap country, and you would need at least 700$ a month if you find a cheap place to rent and do not party & travel too much. The average salary in Lebanon will not allow you to put money aside.
Now, after all this, I can imagine it would be a fantastic experience to live there and get to know the vibe of this city and country. It's a great place to be, a great place to gather experience, and have a good time.
Sounds like a very interesting place, although maybe like many desireable places, a difficult place to sustain general living financially anyways.
Also, how are the BEACHES? I think I remember reading that Beirut has some very popular beaches, that even people from around the region go to?
I agree with the above and about English teaching by natives being less common. So many Lebanese have spent ten or twenty years abroad there is less need. However, private schools do advertise as does the ALLC (American Lebanese Language Centre) and you can always test out that route in terms of salary and visas.
Lebanon is a fantastic place to live, culturally very mixed and easy to adapt to, I find (and blog about).
It is well known for beach clubs rather than beaches, though there are a few of the latter. The clubs are places where people pay 15-25 dollars to get in and sit in sun loungers by the pool sipping cocktails and comparing implants. Relaxing maybe but not a lot to do with the coast as such. However, Lebanon has amazing historical and natural sights and a fantastic spirit for eating good food out often (some very cheap some not), a fascinating city and wonderful people. As for the architecture, come before the Ottoman and Mandate era buildings are all replaced by modern office blocks.
beirut is an awesome place. what is said about getting a job would normally be true, however as an experienced english teacher i think you could find a good salary. even though most beuritis speak fluent english i think you can find places that value a native speaker, especially one with experience. i would focus my job search on international high schools or language institutes that hire exclusively native speakers. i would also try to get hired from abroad - as an experienced teacher i'm sure you know that you'll get offered a better package this way rather than being treated as a 'local hire.'
if your main interest is experiencing the life and also being well placed to travel, beirut is your place. however, if you have any interest in learning arabic (you didn't mention it in your post) i would choose damascus, not beirut. less people speak english in damascus which makes it a better place to practice, and private arabic lessons are very affordable. i'm an american based in damascus, been here 1.5 years studying the language, and i work 15 hours a week teaching english to support myself. feel free to pm me if you have any questions about damascus, i'm not an expert about beirut