Job Discussion Forums

maggs187 · Joined: 07 Oct 2004 Posts: 12

Hello Everyone

I am heading to Gdl in July to find out a bit of information to get a job. I will visit a few schools (for teaching positions) and attend the school I went to Tec de Monterrey to find out about getting a Masters etc.

Does anyone have a suggestion of where to stay hotel wise, or rent wise. My friend and I will be there for 3 days...do not feel like being in the centro...but do not want to pay the money for some fancy hotel with spa, pool etc.

we want something simple that serves it's purpose. I have been to Gdl 3 times previous...once for 4 mo straight...but have always stayed with people studying or living...now I have no where...and I need a bit of advice.

Is it possible to rent a room/apt for a few days so that I can do my research and have a bit of fun also!!

Wouter · Joined: 06 Oct 2004 Posts: 128 Location: Tlaquepaque

Hi,

We have a school for spanish and english and it looks that one of our teachers is leaving in the end of June. If you are interested let me know.

Also we offer places to stay. We have homestays and also a family hotel. You can have a look for the prices on our website.

Also here some website addresses where you can look for an apartment.

http://www.mexplaza.com.mx
http://www.arkredi.com/
http://www.haushabitat.com.mx/
http://www.metroscubicos.com/pls/m3/dis.startup
http://www.bajasundog.com/Message.html

Also a good thing to do is look in the newspapers.

You can find the website address of our school on the bottom of this post.

Wouter

maggs187 · Joined: 07 Oct 2004 Posts: 12

Thank you for the quick response.

I do have a few more questions. Where is the school Talaquepaque, Centro, or near another part of Gdl?

What information/degrees/certificates would I need to provide to to apply to the school that you mentioned?

Is the opportunity that you have kindly offered that easy to come across...or was it ironic that I wrote and your school is in need. The bad thing is at the moment I need to finish up a job I currently have ( I am locked in until Jan 15)....but I would not mind with my days in Gdl to obtain some info or go to the school for a look.

Is that possible?

Wouter · Joined: 06 Oct 2004 Posts: 128 Location: Tlaquepaque

Hi,

Our school is in Tlaquepaque Centro. Just 3 blocks from the center.

We would prefer people with experience and or a TESOL or TEFL but we give everybody a chance. Everybody has to give a demonstration class and this is how we choose our teachers.

We have at the moment an intern that will leave in the end of June. This means that we have 3 till 4 hours available every day.

If it doesnt work out for some reason you have a good chance of finding a job in GDL. We met several teachers searching for a job and all found a job within a month.

Wouter

maggs187 · Joined: 07 Oct 2004 Posts: 12

You seem to know everything about Gdl...I have a few random questions.

I am not a teacher what so ever...no degree...have substituted around chicago area. Can I still have a chance?

As for me getting more of an education in Gdl..what school do you think is best..I am not so much talking about just a language school or a TEFL school but a masters program.

Lastly..how much can you trust the websites for apartment renting..or is it best to be there in Gdl..grad a newspaper and start from there.

Finally...my friend and I do not want to take a taxi...I do not like them. I would rather take a bus to our hotel (which is still tbd) but I like the area near to the Minerva..or Plaza de Sol...any help on that info????

thanks

reddevil79 · Posted: Fri Jun 17, 2005 11:57 am Post subject:

Re: Buses

I am guessing you want to take a bus from the airport right? Every Tom, Dick and Harry will point you in the way of taxis, which although safe, are quite expensive. There is a bus that goes to the centre and stops at various locations. It cost 5 pesos last time I was in gdl. It should stop outside the terminal, but you might have to ask locals where to go exactly...

Wouter · Joined: 06 Oct 2004 Posts: 128 Location: Tlaquepaque

Hi,

We give everybody a chance but we recommend to do a TESOL or TEFL first. This courses are really a big help if you want to teach english as an foreign langauge. You can do this in GDL with ITTO. I think the cost are about 1400 USD for a month. They promise to provide you with work if you are finished with the course.

There are several Unisversities in GDL. Depends what you want to do.

I've got no experience with the websites for apartments. What I would do is use them when you here. Look at the websites and visit the places. Also the newspaper is I think a cheaper option because there is often no middle man where i think the websites charges something.

Wouter

nothing180 · Joined: 05 Jan 2005 Posts: 55

so how much would this job pay at 3 to 4 hours a day of teaching hours?? Just out of curiosity. I'm also thinking of taking a TEFL course upon arriving in Mexico, but I'm skeptical about how easy it is to find a job that pays well enough to survive living on your own.

ls650 · Joined: 10 May 2003 Posts: 3484 Location: British Columbia

I think that it's relatively easy to find "subsistence level" work if you have a TEFL certificate. You should be able to find something that pays about 5000 pesos per month. In most areas, that's enough to rent a room or small, modest apartment and to buy groceries for home cooking. You won't be dining out a lot and won't save much - but it's a living.

If you want something better, you can use it to get some teaching experience on your resume. Think of the entry-level jobs as stepping stones to something better.

nothing180 · Joined: 05 Jan 2005 Posts: 55

Well, 500 seems like so little, but i wouldn't know really. i got a job paying 6000 pesos a month in mexico city but i talked to a few people living there that thought that would not be enough, so i guess it all depends on the area. so for a place like say, huatulco, whats a good wage to get by and have enough for a small apartment on your own, food and some travel by bus? or how about a place like puerta vallarta?

Wouter · Joined: 06 Oct 2004 Posts: 128 Location: Tlaquepaque

Defenitly is true that it depends on where you are the prices are higher or lower. In GDL i think it is between 5000 and 6000 pesos a month. Me and my colleague live from 5000 a month. We ofcourse live in a cheap apartment.

As a teacher it is hard to make a living. If you work 5 hours a day you will make 4500 pesos a month at our school. There are schools that pay better but also schools that pay worse. We simply cant afford to pay more at the moment as the school is hardly a year old and dont have enough students at the moment.

What we see is that our teachers teach as well at other schools or do private students or have some other income.

Wouter

maggs187 · Joined: 07 Oct 2004 Posts: 12

Hello I arrived back from GDL today for a mini vacation and I now have made a decision of what I want to do, how much I will need to make and where I would like to live. So any help on the following is well appreciated.

I would have come to visit the school in Talaquepaque..but ran out of time from Thur-Sun

1. I would like to live near to Providencia...I like the area that things are close by and I like Av Patria

2. i went to Tec de Monterrey GDL-my wish would be to teach english at the high school or university level.

3. I do not want to live in Providencia and travel over 1 hr to centro or somewhere else.

4. I wish to not work in the centro area.

My qualifications are a BS degree in Nutrtion and Spanish nothing more. I was a sub teacher in private schools in chicago. I have no ESL certificate, TEFL etc but would pay the money to obtain the following requests.

Is this too demanding? Oh and my level of spanish is at least 80%

Let me know if I am dreaming......

Samantha · Joined: 25 Oct 2003 Posts: 2038 Location: Mexican Riviera

How did it go when you visited the Tec de Monterrey, GDL Campus? Did they give you any insight to job possibilities?

Ben Round de Bloc · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1946

maggs187 · Joined: 07 Oct 2004 Posts: 12

Truthfully, I am not sure how the real % of Spanish is. But I studied it for 9 years and then and went and studied in Mexico, spent extended periods of time in Argentina.

I try to only listen to Spanish tv stations, from news, history, cnn, soccer etc. Also with all the music. I visit Mexico every 6 months or so...and have friends that I write and talk to only in spanish.

Obviously....I still need to learn and every time I am there I learn something new. But, if I learned sooo much 4 months abroad I think that by the end of 1 year that I would be set.

As for a test, maybe they do test..does anyone know? I also am going to retake some grammer classes here in Chicago for practice. And, Chicago is a great city to always be practicing anyways!!