|
Job Discussion Forums "The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Students and Teachers from Around the World!"
|
View previous topic :: View next topic |
Author |
Message |
bc2rlh
Joined: 22 Nov 2004 Posts: 17 Location: UK
|
Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2009 12:35 pm Post subject: Lima - Working |
|
|
Hello
I have my TEFL cert and I�m currently in Spain working, I�m on my third year here teaching and love the job. I�m originally from the UK. I am in a relationship with a Peruvian and our plan is to marry and in a few years relocate to Peru. So I was wondering how the work situation is out there? I presume visa�s etc would be ok as I�d be married and my Spanish is pretty good and I have the TEFL cert and experience in kids, teenagers and business English. What would the average pay be for Lima? And would it be a problem being that my English is UK English and not American English?
Any information would be fab.
Thanks |
|
Back to top |
|
|
naturegirl321
Joined: 04 May 2003 Posts: 9041 Location: home sweet home
|
Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2009 2:39 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Actually, that couldn-t be farther from the truth. Pay is about 6 to 8 dollars an hour, Insitutues have been dropping their prices, like many used to pay 10, but like I said, the top is now 8. Being a third world country, it-s sure expensive. Rent is probably abotu 300 usd a month. YOull probably make about 800 usd. But you-ll probably have to work at about two or more insitutes just to do that. Insitutes rarely offer pension, vacation, etc either.
Teaching English, means that you-ll teach early in the morning and late at night.
You could teach privates, I do that, but still, you-ll be running all over the city doing to their place. Intl schools pay great, but since you-ll be married to a Peruvian, forget it. YOu-ll get a third of the pay simply because you live in Peru.
Here-s an example, I was offered TWO jobs at intl schools. Typical pay for someone coming from overseas is 3K after taxes plus flights. I was offered 1K before taxes, no flight. Taxes are about 20 percent.
And it doesn-t matter if you live abroad, but are married toa Peruvian. I was living in Korea and got the same deal simply for being married to one, I mean, I got paid less.
Education and experience don-t matter here much. They work you like dogs and pay you very little.
You-re right about visas, you-ll have no porbls. I acutlaly just became Peruvian in January so now I don-t have to worry about that anynmore.
HOnestly, unless your husband to be has a good job, and you can get into an intl school, I wouldn-t recommend Peru. But if you don-t mind not making much, it-s a decent place to live. that being said, after five years I want out.
While they pay foriengers ok, Peruvians typically work about 11 hours a day and get about 200 usd a mnonth. that-s minnimum wage. My husband just quit his job, because he had no contract since Decemeber, no benefits, medical, vacation, nothing. And was working about 15 hours a day. Forget about overtime or whistle blowing, you do that you-re fired.
All in all, like I said, if your finace can geta good job, then come. Or if you don-t mind not making much. You can live well, maids are cheap enough. But for example, poeple in Peru make a fifth of what they do, but many things, like cheese or housing are double what they are in the US.
Last thing, no, it does-t matter that your English is British, so is mine now. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
NickImpy
Joined: 28 Dec 2007 Posts: 56 Location: NJ/PA
|
Posted: Sun Jul 19, 2009 7:09 am Post subject: |
|
|
I always thought that British English was an advantage. Think about it, if you are a person who doesn't speak our language, wouldn't you want to learn it from the person who comes from the culture that spawned the language?
I have been to peru several times and have been frustrated because I speak American and Peru seems preoccupied with authenticity rather than universality |
|
Back to top |
|
|
mattyd
Joined: 23 Jul 2006 Posts: 5
|
Posted: Sun Jul 19, 2009 8:48 am Post subject: ummm ummmm |
|
|
What couldn't be further from the truth? The woman asked simple questions about the situation on the ground in Peru and stated nothing about truths??? I become baffled reading your posts sometimes naturegirl. Don't get me wrong, i appreciate the wealth of knowledge you have offered over the years about certain matters pertaining to living and working in Peru, but i have noticed a lot of your replies are infused with your personal drama depending on whatever happened or didn't happen for you that week, month, or year. One time not too long ago, you were touting Peru as the "new China", now your song as changed again. Oh well, it is what it is.
And to answer the original questions posted by bc2, i would suggest reading the forum for much of this info has been covered. Jobs are plentiful, some better than others just like any locale. There are many American teachers doing just fine in Lima, and some schools prefer the accent. Average pay is anywhere from 5- 10$ in Lima and less in other provinces. Pay is somewhat relative to city size and amount of industry. You should not have a problem getting a visa and hopefully your peruvian friend can speed up the process a little with the right know how. Good luck with everything and i hope i was able to provide something worthwhile. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
mattyd
Joined: 23 Jul 2006 Posts: 5
|
Posted: Sun Jul 19, 2009 11:55 pm Post subject: Correctiion! |
|
|
I meant to say their are many British teachers doinmg just fine. Thats all i got for now! Ciao! |
|
Back to top |
|
|
naturegirl321
Joined: 04 May 2003 Posts: 9041 Location: home sweet home
|
Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2009 11:35 pm Post subject: Re: ummm ummmm |
|
|
Mattyd
Look, after living here for five years, you just get sick of things. I still offer advice, it's just become more practical. Case in point, langauge insitutes are actually lowering teacher's salaries right now. Only ONE insistute in the country will actually do the work to get a work visa for a teacher.
Doesn't have anything to do with my personal drama.
1. I don't work at institutes, so the pay doesn't bother me.
2. I don't need a visa anymore.
Sure, there are jobs, visas are the issue. Luckily the OP is married to a Peruvian, or will be, and that's an easy way to get a visa. After two years, you can then become Peruvian
Also, about the jobs, good jobs are hard to find. Making 5 to 10 bucks an hour is ok, but not what I would consider to be a good job. Sure making 5 bucks an hour is OK, for a bit, but pay rarely goes up and it gets real old fighting for the same jobs as backpackers. Plus, at institutes, you're paid by the hour, so if you want vacations, or maternity leave, you won't get paid. And many institutes have you travel, so max, you get 25 hours a week, 30 if you want to kill yourself. Let's say that you make 8 bucks an hour, then that's 200usd or 320 usd a week. 800 or 1280 a month, Decent, yes, but working that much for a long time is really really hard. BUt you won't really work all that, classes get cancelled, or there are holidays, so 800 becomes like 750 and 1280 drops as well.
Unless you can get into the school system, or only want to stay for a bit, teaching English isn't really the way to go in Peru. Do what mattyd did , stay for six months or so, then move on, or switch jobs.
Right now, I'm looking at both, leaving Peru and switching jobs. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
sistaray
Joined: 25 Apr 2007 Posts: 82 Location: trumpland
|
Posted: Tue Jul 28, 2009 6:02 am Post subject: |
|
|
NickImpy wrote: |
I always thought that British English was an advantage. Think about it, if you are a person who doesn't speak our language, wouldn't you want to learn it from the person who comes from the culture that spawned the language?
I have been to peru several times and have been frustrated because I speak American and Peru seems preoccupied with authenticity rather than universality |
I'd rather learn a version of South American Spanish than continental Spanish, even though Spain spawned it. Same would go for Brazilian Portuguese over continental ...
Also, I never once ran into a Peruvian who preferred British to American English; most were ambivalent it seemed. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
NickImpy
Joined: 28 Dec 2007 Posts: 56 Location: NJ/PA
|
Posted: Mon Aug 03, 2009 6:02 am Post subject: |
|
|
I agree with learning American Spanish in general whereever in our hemisphere it may be. I converse everyday in spanish. I work with Ticos, Boricuas, Peruvians, and many others.
I have a few Spanish customer I have become friendly with.......I have almost no clue what the hell they are saying to me at times. The accent, rhythm, and inflection is just all wrong to my brain. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
NickImpy
Joined: 28 Dec 2007 Posts: 56 Location: NJ/PA
|
Posted: Mon Aug 03, 2009 6:02 am Post subject: |
|
|
*are |
|
Back to top |
|
|
labomba
Joined: 28 Apr 2009 Posts: 31
|
Posted: Thu Aug 06, 2009 9:09 pm Post subject: Re: ummm ummmm |
|
|
mattyd wrote: |
One time not too long ago, you were touting Peru as the "new China", now your song as changed again. Oh well, it is what it is.
|
I don't know what meaning you understood by the "new China" but I think naturegirl meant Peru being the new China as having a very big, growing English teaching market with a subsequent demand for any native speaker to teach English. I don't think she was praising the place with this comment, just pointing out her view and experience of English teaching there.
IMHO I take a lot from all the posts she has written. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
naturegirl321
Joined: 04 May 2003 Posts: 9041 Location: home sweet home
|
Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2009 1:08 am Post subject: Re: ummm ummmm |
|
|
labomba wrote: |
mattyd wrote: |
One time not too long ago, you were touting Peru as the "new China", now your song as changed again. Oh well, it is what it is.
|
I don't know what meaning you understood by the "new China" but I think naturegirl meant Peru being the new China as having a very big, growing English teaching market with a subsequent demand for any native speaker to teach English. I don't think she was praising the place with this comment, just pointing out her view and experience of English teaching there.
IMHO I take a lot from all the posts she has written. |
Thanks for defending me. I'm also confused about the new China post. But then again, he might be right. I make so many posts, I tend to forget about older ones. BUT, in short, Peru will NEVER be the new China, simply because institues don't get work visas |
|
Back to top |
|
|
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
|
This page is maintained by the one and only Dave Sperling. Contact Dave's ESL Cafe
Copyright © 2018 Dave Sperling. All Rights Reserved.
Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2002 phpBB Group
|