To see what Vinnell teachers have to say about their job, one need only read their blog. It's available to anyone on the Internet. http://vinnell.blogspot.com/ You'll quickly see that Vinnell is corrupt to say the very least. One of the most dumbfounding things I found about these crappy jobs is how little money it takes to get your co-workers to turn on you despite their nationality. To assume that since they share the same native language as you that they will look out for you is a huge mistake. There's a corporate stooge born every second!

By the way, the Saudi Royal family financed members of the 9/11 crew that attacked America on 9/11/01. Also, in 2007 the British were investigating kickbacks that BAE (British Aerospace) had been paying to members of the Saudi Royal family in order to win military contracts selling arms and Tornado Fighter Jets to the Saudis for hundreds of millions of dollars. King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia responded by threatening Tony Blair. He said that he couldn't guarantee that he couldn't stop more terrorist attacks, which tells you that the Saudis are at the center of terrorism. Also, they were waging a proxy war against Iran, their Shiite rival, in the 80s by financing Osama bin Laden and Wahabi groups in Pakistan and Afghanistan. http://therealnews.com/t2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=74&jumival=6703 It gets real interesting around the 11 minute mark. Have fun being treated like a slave and selling your soul to the devil for what, as far as these CEOs of these corrupt rogue companies are concerned, is a pittance of a salary. I'd rather keep my integrity and mop floors for a living than work in such an oppressive, duplicitous, corrupt, and downright evil environment!!

I was looking for a map of Vinnell when I accidently found Peter's posting. I found it over-the-edge and inaccurate. So I replied on the site I found it. It was so extreme, I was curious who this guy was. A quick search turned up that he's been posting his diatribe all over the web. And it is highly misleading. So in the interest of accuracy for people considering the Middle East and who may want another view of Vinnell, i am reposting my original rebuttal below.

I worked at Vinnell - so i too speak from experience. While i've since moved on to other opportunities, it's disturbing to see someone trash a place i've worked in such a one-sided way. Many of the facts Peter mentions are accurate, but he takes the darkest possible view and leaves out a lot important info out. In essence, he uses facts to paint a false picture.

For a bit more balance, I quote and add my own views & comments:

"Working for Vinnell is very militaristic, i.e., they play a lot of obedience and conformity games with you."

This could be said of many places i've worked.

"They make you wear a military uniform including the boots to work which is like putting a sign around your neck that says, Shoot me. Im involved with the US military.

This is one very extreme and negative take on it. Almost every place i've ever worked, has required me to wear some kind of uniform. It might have been a suit, but it was still a uniform of sorts.

The upshot of Vinnell is - you don't have to worry spending any money on clothes. All provided. And you can forget worrying about matching outfits...I guess it's all how you look at it.

"And, the compound has a residential area around it that a sniper could easily take a shot at you from. Vinnell employees were after all attacked in 2003 by violent Islamists because their involvement with the Bush administration going back to Bush, Sr. is well known."

To be more accurate and honest - he might mention that the Islamists were looking for symbolic targets. And Vinnell was not the only western compound targeted. See the movie - The Kingdom.

But more importantly - that is history. The security situation in Saudi Arabia has improved so much that many companies (including Vinnell) have eliminated hazard/danger pay and more and more people are living OFF compounds.

"Also, they put you in a villa with an old crusty former enlistedman from the US military and tell you that you have to stay in the small room because you are the new guy which is about 10 X 12 feet and you have to go outside and walk across the hallway to use the bathroom."

My 'crusty former enlistedman' was a gem of a human being. And i met many others. And no one told me to keep in my own room. I had full rights to the rest of the villa. Actually - if he is honest - he would also mention it is very spacious, fully furnished (with high quality furniture), every appliance, a full dinning room, family size washer and dryer - and all the utilities are paid.

"They make you show up to work 2 to 2.5 hours before the Saudis bother to wander into work. They make you show up and just sit there and look busy at work when the Saudis are off during Ramadan and Hadj"

Yes. The day starts early. But again - what he's not telling is that the Saudi's also have work that continues past the time we are off. In the end - every body puts in the same full day.

"They have you teach grammar to the students just to make sure that theyre bored to death and hating the experience as much as you are being made to."

My students and those of most of the other instructors were interested in our classes because they were actually learning something valuable for their career and life. Maybe understanding the language for the first time.

Vinnell uses a very highly respected program developed by the Defense Language Institute. (That is the ESL division of the same place that trains our diplomats and spies in foreign languages.) It is designed to actually produce students who can use the language. And - in fact - the students who graduate from this program move to the US and continue their technical/military training - where they live, work, study and function in ENGLISH.

I suggest that if "having fun" is his main focus there are many joke positions in Asia. Places that only want a smiling, idiot, young white foreigner. Not to actually teach - just to be a show pony. It sounds like he'd fit in someplace like that perfectly. Obviously, such a serious, results-oriented program is just not for him.

"They expect you to share a poorly maintained van with four other guys and the person who is the primary on the van will tell you that you have to walk 20 minutes across the compound in 115 degree heat to pick it up, then return it within four hours and then walk back home again in the heat"

Obviously - my friend missed the main point as well as exaggerating to the point of falsehood. You have access to a pool of shared vehicles. Vehicles you don't have to buy, maintain or even put the gasoline in. They are a perk and benefit that cost the teacher NOTHING. Frankly - though in a perfect world i'd like to have my own car too - this is the first job that has ever given me a car to use. That's the point to focus on.

"Would it be too much trouble to give you a ride back to your villa? Of course not, but the point is that they give the perks to as$kissers who enjoy abusing the little power they have."

Let me understand. This guy expects someone else to play taxi for him? Seriously - where does this Peter get his sense of entitlement? The reality is - go anywhere - in any company, see if the senior man will do that for you. Pick you up and deliver you back. And what if 5 other people want to use the car that day?

Grow up - i say.

Oh - and the 20 minutes? Maybe if he crawls. From the farthest point to the opposite end of the compound is not more than 5 minutes. And the "115 degree heat" - well - let me just say that there are plenty of other guys out and about in the same heat - walking from building to building who don't seem bothered.

Maybe he shouldn't have come to Saudi Arabia in the first place.

"Oh, also Northrop Grumman, the company that Vinnell is a subsidiary of was one of the main companies pushing the propaganda effort behind the war in Iraq"

This info is freely available to anyone on the net. Why did he join this "evil" company? My guess - for the bucks.

"Anything that sends some government money their way is OK with them even if it involves the murder of hundreds of thousands of people. Nothing but nice guys, these ones! Of course these good Republicans running the company arent going to spread the wealth when the CEO can get away with making tens of millions of dollars a year. But you are expected to make sacrifices to be a working stiff, so he can buy another yacht"

This has absolutely nothing at all to do with the job. He should have known this before he signed on the dotted line. And if it bothered him then, he didn't have to take the job.

"Do yourself a favor and turn down that crappy 50K a year that theyre offering. Its not worth the wear and tear on your psyche to put up with such nonsense."

For this guy - no job will ever be good enough. He didn't mention that the 50K is tax free. Nor did he mention that because housing, uniforms and transportation is all taken care of by Mother Vinnell, you can bank about 80-90% of your pay.

In the end - this is an example of self-selection. This job was too good for him and he has likely moved on to something more in line with his level of maturity and integrity.