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My masterplan

 
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AndyRoofman



Joined: 27 Feb 2005
Posts: 31

PostPosted: Thu May 26, 2005 2:48 am    Post subject: My masterplan Reply with quote

I have read numerous posts on Spain before and I'm trying to avoid asking the same tired old questions (like how much schools pay, because I more or less know this). However, ATM the moment I'm working in South Korea and want to work in Spain and Latin America (specifically Chile and Argentina) because I don't like the glorified day care I provide in a Korean hagwon.

I'm Australian and also possess a current British passport meaning I'm legal to work. Ideally I'd come to Europe in July (probably July 2006), travel for a month, then do the TEFL at EBC in Madrid (because their job lead program including placing their coversheet on your CV sounds so good) before job searching in September- the start of the school year. When I'm not doing teaching, I'm a marketing and PR professional and have written for tourist magazines, worked in sales and also market research, which I'm also hoping to pick up (my Spanish is at a mid to high intermediate level- if I come in 2006 I hope to have near native fluency with my Colombian tutor).

My concern is the Spanish academic year runs September- June and I can't afford to travel around Europe for three months every year waiting for the new academic year to start (or go home to OZ every year for 3 months waiting for school to begin). Therefore, I'd need to find at least some summer camp work- are these easy to find if one registers early (even if it means travelling to the UK for summer)?

Do EBC provide job search and accommodation links only in Madrid, or will they send your CV off to schools in Barca, Valencia etc and to schools in Latin America?

Are six month contracts feasible in Spain- work Sep- March in Espana, then trot out to Argentina/Chile for the start of their academic year in March, reside there until late in the year (eg Dec/Jan year after) then return to Spain?

How easy is it for foreigners with experience to find marketing/pr work in Spain to supplant or exceed their teaching income?

My circumstances are different to most, so any replies will be greatly appreciated.

AndyRoofman
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junkmail



Joined: 19 Dec 2004
Posts: 377

PostPosted: Thu May 26, 2005 3:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

If you're good at marketing and PR, then make some money and set up you're own business. Most small businesses I've seen succeed, do so because they have good marketing.

Work on you're Spanish, forget teaching and work the tourism angle. That's my advice, take it or leave it.
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Golden Delicious



Joined: 24 Apr 2005
Posts: 3

PostPosted: Thu May 26, 2005 5:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

andy, you are asking the same tired old questions, just slightly disguised in that rather dull, and somewhat arrogant post.

seriously, your circumstances are sooo different. 'and remember kids, when you're feeling down, think of this - you are unique and special... just like everybody else.'

get over yourself.
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Moore



Joined: 25 Aug 2004
Posts: 730
Location: Madrid

PostPosted: Thu May 26, 2005 9:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think perhaps the last poster was not having a great day when they wrote... I think your best bet, seeing as you have a British passport, is to go to the UK and do summer camps there, although not having a TEFL yet could well be a problem. The alternatives are working in the UK doing anything (better money, though higher costs), or come to Spain and go down to the costas and do bar work, which is pretty well-paid in summer: getting summer camp work here is pretty tricky at the best of times, so perhaps as a newbie to Spain you�d be better off doing something else. Otherwise, Spain isn�t all that expensive, so if you�ve saved up a bit in Korea, you could live for a month here on 1000 euros no problem and get a lovely suntan and study Spanish while you�re at it.
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Maria Kirby



Joined: 26 May 2004
Posts: 56

PostPosted: Thu May 26, 2005 7:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi Andy!

I�m not going to comment about other countries ie: Japan, China because I have only taught in Madrid . My next stop is Buenso Aires and I�m really excited about the whole move. I did the EBC TEFL in Madrid and I am on my last month and a half in Spain, my classes end around the last week of June/first week of July. What I�m doing is travelling a bit around Europe (hopefully my money makes it!) Wink I am looking to travelling in Aug, then off to my new city - Buenos Aires. I hope I start working asap as well. I�ve started getting emails from local academies in Buenos Aires because EBC does the same thing they do there as they do in Madrid, get their grads in contact with schools as soon as we request them to start contacting schools. I asked them to put me in contact with academies in Buenos Aires although I knew it was kinda early but I just wanted to test the waters. I�ve received lots of emails but they all want to interview me in person.

I guess this "cara a cara" thing is common in many Spanish speaking countries. So although I would have wanted to have something pre arranged, they basically told me they would want to see me before they commit any teaching work. At least they already know me through my resume and hopefully that might speed up the hiring.

About other Spanish cities, I think they can help you out as well but from my experience the work is pretty much centered in Madrid and Barcelona, there will be work in other cities like Valencia, Sevilla, but the pay is lower and there are not too many teaching hours on offer. But worth the try, ask them, after all you earn higher wages in Madrid but you also spend a lot more. So there you go.




hasta luego,

maria
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AndyRoofman



Joined: 27 Feb 2005
Posts: 31

PostPosted: Fri May 27, 2005 3:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for your specific reply Maria. My question to you, given you will arrive in Bs. As. in (maybe) August you said will spend a month travelling in Europe before arriving, but what expectations do you have of finding work after the (Southern Cone) school year ends in late November/December? Up to three months is a long time to be out of work even if you find something pretty quickly after arriving in Bs. As. This will leave you with perhaps 3 and a half months employment before "la temporada loca' again.

Does that mean you will return to Spain once the academic year ends in Argentina or do you have other plans? In my original post, I stated that an ideal situation would be to teach Sep-March in Spain, March-Dec in Argentina or Chile then return to Spain in January. My concern is (placing myself in the shoes of management), it may appear one is a transient job hopper, which I'd ideally like to avoid. (given the schools I contacted but didn't work for in Chile in 2003 demanded a 9 month commitment, imagine the same in Spain).

I would hope you already knew about the seasonal differences and how that might affect your planning.

suerte


Andrew
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Maria Kirby



Joined: 26 May 2004
Posts: 56

PostPosted: Fri May 27, 2005 9:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

thanks for the advice about the "temporada loca" and the non "temporada loca" in Buenos Aires.

I have been in contact with quite a few schools and while most of them said there won�t be an abundance of work around the time I hit Argentina, they added that there are always companies asking for English classes. It was also kinda encouraging because although they won�t committ hours before we do the "cara a cara" interview, at least they�ve expressed great interest in my work experience in the corporate scene in Madrid . One BA school in particular has Repsol YPF as a client and because I worked with Repsol in Madrid for a school year (not privately, it was through an "academia") it turned out to be a big plus on my resume. Of course nothing is for sure until I get to Argentina.

I did my TEFL course April/May, which many told me was not the best time to find work in Madrid. I found work all throughout the summer but of course the surge of job offers come in Sept/Oct. I don�t have a lot of savings but I�ve managed to make enough to see Europe, make a lot of Spanish friends and improve my "not so good Spanish". Well, I had an excuse, I was always speaking English, with all my hours, Embarassed .

Ok, that�s a poor excuse after all my roommate had the same workload and she picked up the language so fast! Oh well! Crying or Very sad

Many of the BA schools I�ve corresponded with have told me that the demand for English classes has really upped in the recent year and a half. Don�t know maybe the economy is improving. But anyway, yes, I am aware of the seasonal differences between the two cities but thanks just the same for the advice.


hasta luego,

maria
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Moore



Joined: 25 Aug 2004
Posts: 730
Location: Madrid

PostPosted: Sat May 28, 2005 8:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just out of interest, what sort of money are they paying down there?
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AndyRoofman



Joined: 27 Feb 2005
Posts: 31

PostPosted: Mon May 30, 2005 2:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

According to posters on the Argentina site, they quote around 10-15 Argentine pesos per hour (being an Aussie that goes approx $5-$7.50A and if I'm doing my sums correctly, approx $4-$5.50US)- so I doubt it's possible to make real money there, even with private clients (much has been posted on the dangers of private clients, will inform if need be).

Also costs of rent etc have supposedly risen substantially in Bs. AS. especially in the last several months.
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