Job Discussion Forums

[bzakka]

Hi everyone,

I was wondering if anyone outthere has had experience finding a TEFL job in Valparaiso, Chile... I've been told job opportunities in Santiago are readily available but the city itself leaves a lot to be desired. One of my buddies was talking about Valparaiso and he said it's a really great place to live.

To what extent are there jobs in Valparaiso compared to Santiago? Should I first apply to places in the capital and then move on to Val or should I just go directly there? Any other cities I should check out? Any input would be appreciated!!!!

I'm gonna be arriving in early April. How is that time wise?

-bzakka

[Weona]

Valparaiso.... I know of two, TWO language institutes there. I live in the town next door and while I love Valpo, I would be very impressed if you were able to find work there. In general, it's a pretty poor city but does have a lot of character and charm. I guess the poorer the cities, the least likely they are going to have English Institutes. There are, however, great universities there so if you have experience with that and are certified, you may qualify.

I would suggest dropping by Santiago first and then check out Valparaiso. It doesn't hurt to try but I'm being realistic when I say that the cities on the coast don't harbour a whole lot of teaching opportunities. They're definitely worth a visit, though!

[bzakka]

thanks for the reply.

only two? then it's probably worth just a quick day trip to drop off the ol' resume n stuff then, yah?
I was looking at concepcion as well... i like a bigger city but the whole smog situation would really annoy me in the cap.
any thoughts on other cities i should look at?

[jtothet]

I found an internship program in Valparasio at adelanteabroad.com.
Perhaps such a program would give you enough time to feel things out...
then decide which path is best for you! Check it out.

[Weona]

The problem with adelante is that they charge a pretty hefty amount for the work that YOU will be doing. I hate programs like that. They do, however, provide housing for you.

[bzakka]

yeah i'm not really about paying a company $1000 to find something that i can just find myself. but i am REALLY trying to get an internship on the side of teaching in the field of international development, if anyone can offer any wisdom about that

[AndyRoofman]

In 2003, I visited Chile for four months and was primarily domiciled with friends in the town of Quillota, about 35kms east of Valpo/Vina del Mar in the Andean foothills. I wanted to teach in Vina, but at the time didn't have any experience and/or a TEFl- as such I wasn't hired- also tried my luck in Santiago, with more success but that's another story I won't get off topic here. I'm now in Korea serving a tour of duty here in the very sincere hope of getting back to Chile.

Anyway, I don't know about Valpo so much, although I visited there a few times (very nice place). I can comment on Vina and the schools there. First there is:
Instituto Chileno Norteamericano- I actually met with their director, a nice man from Minnesota called Marc (I think spelled like that) Sinclair. I arrived at the wrong time- and ICN are now higin- they placed a post here in late February. I don't know if it is like Santiago, where you are running around to business for classes (I hope not- there's no metro in Vina/Valpo), although the office seemed immaculate, Marc was professional and there is the possibility of picking up work in the foothill towns- Quillota is one, I think Quilpue another at their satellite campuses.

I would go there, be to be hired, you'd realistically need experience + a TEFL/CELTA (check recent job ad).

Located nearby in the north side of Vina is also the Instituto Chileno Britanico- they should be hiring, as should be Wall Street, Camelfort Instutute www.camelfort.cl and Berlitz (Camelfort and Berlitz are on the beach side of Vina).

On the south side of Vina- very near Quinta Vergara, is the International Centre, I spoke with their boss, his name is Oscar (I think Bernadetzky). They didn't seem as professional as ICN, but I would also nontact them- they also may offer work if you're qualified to teach business, maths etc.

Let me know, if and how you go, including the pay and conditions offered and if you are required to travel.

Cheers from Korea.

[Weona]

[Rice Paddy Daddy]

v - rules!

[bzakka]

Thanks Andy.

I will definetely add all those institutes to my master list.
Yeah actually my buddy Pat lived in Quillota last year and he said Vina was like the greatest place ever.

Right now (seriously, RIGHT now) I am making a huge list of all possible places to go TEFL job hunting in Santiago and the surrounding communities. I got some good leads already but I plan on working my ass off for the first week or two that I'm there and apply everywhere that I possibly can. I am a fiend for options!!

The list beckons... And call on you, good people, to feed the list's monstrous appetite by offering up sacrifices! And by sacrifices i mean the names and contact info of potential employers... all of them! any of them!! the list is insatiable!!!!

much obliged.

[AndyRoofman]

What's the deal with this new Valpo/Vina metro?

Obviously it will more closely link these two cities, but will it also link the beachside towns of Renaca, Concon, Quintero etc? And what about the foothills, will it go to Quillota, La Calera, Limache, Villa Alemana etc (although I think there may be a railway of some sort to Villa Alemana already)?

Can anyone comment on whether you are travelling from workplace to workplace when working in Vina/Valpo and what are the general employer terms/conditions- there's very little written about Chile generally outside of Santiago.

Also, what chance is there of lucking out getting privates in Vina/Valpo during Feb/March- towards the end of summer break.

[Weona]

As of now, the metro only links Valpara�so and Vi�a del Mar, as these are the two principal cities and lie directly along the coast. It would be difficult to connect Re�aca and Con Con because of the topography of the cities and their populations aren't nearly that of the other two.

Other nearby cities such as Quilpue, Villa Alemana, Quillota, Limache, Olmu�, etc. are linked by train and, of course, by bus. It wouldn't be very efficient to install metro to those neighboring towns because this isn't a busseling metropolis... they are small towns with a farm-like atmosphere. It would also cost a heckuva lot of $ and I think their bus and train system to neighboring cities works well.

Transportation in general has been kind of hellish because of the metro construction but it should be finished by the end of the year. It usually takes me 20-30 minutes to get from Vi�a to Valpo in bus, depending on the time of day.

----

Feb/March are the absolute worst months for privates. Well, Dec-March, actually. No one likes to take classes/go to school in the summer months. I've had a lot of trouble finding privates despite my attempt at putting ads in the newspaper every week, posting flyers in cafes, etc. Most of the privates it seems one acquires through word-of-mouth.

[AndyRoofman]

Well Weona,

It seems you've been around South America for some time. Given your (or anybody else's experiences) that say getting privates is just about an impossibility without an extensive network- how easy is it to latch onto privates once you've been working for a few months at a good institute in mid season- not the southern hemisphere summer (I'm talking about both in Santiago and in Valpo/Vina)?

In an ideal world, I'd come down to Chile next January, holiday until towards the end of Feb (TEFL/CELTA in hand with my current experience). I'd like to think I could get hired pretty much straight away in preferably Vina- if not Santiago, or maybe a mixture- stay at a hostel in Santiago and rent on the coast working two days at each location (it's crazy but I'm trying to think outside the box) and would work maybe 30-35 paid hours a week which would guarantee be able to travel fairly often and ski/snowboard maybe one weekend a month ( hopefully I'm not doubling the 30-35 hours in preparation and travel, which is why Vina/Valpo appeals to me). As icing on the cake, I would maybe latch onto perhaps 6-8 hours of privates after maybe four months of teaching and networking- earning a reasonable 7500 pesos cash in hand doing this in addition to my expected 4500 pesos per hour (net) teaching all those hours in an institute.

Is it realistic to expect these conditions (ie finding 30-35 hours per week- not so much the pay) from someone who is a native speaker, experienced, uni qualified and will be CELTA/TEFL accredited? I know the money in Chile isn't like in North Asia or the Middle East, but I'd prefer to be in South America rather than Asia, but experience (lack therof) and finances dictate I may need to spend longer than one year in Korea, which is OK, but I don't speak the language and enjoy my friends' company, lifestyle, food and wine in Chile better!