You are a guest here in the ME. Simple really.
If you got a similar job "back home" you would be there for as long as you could, building up seniority under union coverage.
In the ME it's a transit job. Some make it a career here but probably due to this gig being better than what they could possibly hope for back home.
It is not academic! References to such? Who would bother?
(Strewth, l have just given my game plan away. And l am not even CC!)
halas