An Englishman Teaching in Saudi Arabia

Hi,

Could anybody offer any advice on teaching (as a Westener) in a private secondary school in Saudi Arabia and living in a city compound in Jeddah?

Ideally, advice from someone having done or still doing something similar to what I would be doing, would be most helpful.

So here are a few details about me and my situation.

My name is Mike and I am a teacher from England. I have a degree in Fine Art & French and a PGCE in Modern Foreign Languages. I have spent the last 12 years teaching French and Art in Jersey, but have returned to England and want next to teach only Art.

I recently looked on line for teaching jobs and ended up applying for an Art teaching job at an independent school in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, which would be for 2 years from 1st September 2017.

The application process was so quick (and easy, compared to what I am used to in the UK) that, after sending in my application and CV, I only had  a brief interview (just several minutes) with the Head of School by WhatsApp video-call, before receiving a job offer the following evening. I thought there would be much more to the process than this.

I have not had much opportunity to ask questions and too little time to do much research, so have initially declined the offer,because I just do not know enough about the life I would be living there, school policies, Ts & Cs, rules, etc., to make such a hasty decision.
I also feel that they do not really know enough about me, and so it concerns me that I may be working with some strange people, who have also been hastily hired, without checks!
Perhaps this is just the way they do things over there, but it would help to know more!

Thanks in advance for any useful help.

Mike