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Bogota - tops in my book!
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Cruiser



Joined: 26 Nov 2010
Posts: 39

PostPosted: Fri May 22, 2015 9:00 pm    Post subject: Bogota - tops in my book! Reply with quote

I still prefer Bogota to just about anywhere else in Col. but not for obvious reasons. Growing up in a mid sized city I tend to gravitate towards larger ones, where I can get whatever I want whenever I want it. The climate ain't great, and it takes forever to get across it, but I just can't seem to move my ass out of it. Anybody else agree?
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currentaffairs



Joined: 22 Aug 2012
Posts: 828

PostPosted: Fri May 22, 2015 10:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think Bogota is a bit of a pit. The English teachers I knew all seemed to be rushing across town all the time doing piecemeal work. Okay, if you are at an international school it would be better. But, as a city........................
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Cruiser



Joined: 26 Nov 2010
Posts: 39

PostPosted: Sun May 24, 2015 6:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

currentaffairs wrote:
I think Bogota is a bit of a pit........................


I'm thinking of moving to Barranquilla actually. Plenty of action there ...

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currentaffairs



Joined: 22 Aug 2012
Posts: 828

PostPosted: Sun May 24, 2015 6:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I liked Cali. But, for overall living conditions, I think Medellin and Cartagena would take some beating.
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leretif9



Joined: 24 Mar 2013
Posts: 152

PostPosted: Wed Jun 03, 2015 10:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I am in Bogota now. I am not contradicting you, but I am curious to hear in more detail what you like about Bogota.
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esl_prof



Joined: 30 Nov 2013
Posts: 2006
Location: peyi kote solèy frèt

PostPosted: Thu Jun 04, 2015 12:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

leretif9 wrote:
I am in Bogota now. I am not contradicting you, but I am curious to hear in more detail what you like about Bogota.


Wow! You finally made it. How's the job search going, Leretif?
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AGoodStory



Joined: 26 Feb 2010
Posts: 738

PostPosted: Thu Jun 04, 2015 4:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

esl_prof wrote:
leretif9 wrote:
I am in Bogota now. I am not contradicting you, but I am curious to hear in more detail what you like about Bogota.


Wow! You finally made it. How's the job search going, Leretif?


Yes, please tell all! Very Happy

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Cruiser



Joined: 26 Nov 2010
Posts: 39

PostPosted: Fri Jun 12, 2015 12:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm all ears as well !!

I like that it's a big city with unlimited opportunities. Endless variety, good transit system, lots of fun folks. Not as friendly as the rest of Colombia, admittedly. I just like these vast S. American cities, I spend hours just roaming them. I liked Santiago for that too ...
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PittsburghSound



Joined: 27 Aug 2014
Posts: 103
Location: Colombia

PostPosted: Thu Aug 13, 2015 6:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Even if Bogota isn't the "best" city in Colombia, wouldn't it be the most ideal location for a teacher new to Colombia and ESL as a whole?

I'm betting that coastal areas such as Cali would be more of a culture shock if you've never been to Latin America before. But then again, if that's what you're after, then I guess that's not a relevant question.

I really doubt there are many jobs in places like Medellin and Cali, especially for newbies. Might be better to go to Bogota, get some experience for a year, improve your Spanish if it's not already good, and then branch out. Just my opinion though. I may take this very route when I begin my ESL career next year.
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spanglish



Joined: 21 May 2009
Posts: 742
Location: working on that

PostPosted: Fri Aug 14, 2015 8:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Cruiser wrote:
I'm all ears as well !!

I like that it's a big city with unlimited opportunities. Endless variety, good transit system, lots of fun folks. Not as friendly as the rest of Colombia, admittedly. I just like these vast S. American cities, I spend hours just roaming them. I liked Santiago for that too ...


I mostly agree with this. I had plenty of quibbles with Bogota, but found it to be the only acceptable place for long-term residence in Colombia. Lots of interesting counter-culture stuff going on there made it interesting as well. Also, plenty of fun places around that are close enough for weekend trips.
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General Disarray



Joined: 23 Jun 2010
Posts: 58
Location: Kent

PostPosted: Mon Aug 17, 2015 3:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I was couchsurfing through Colombia last year, stayed at a Colombian girls place;

The 2nd day, an Irish guy in his 30s moved in with his Colombian girlfriend he met in London.

He said after signing on at a recruitment agency he got a job at a local catholic school earning 3million pesos a month. He had never taught English before, had no qualifications and couldn't speak Spanish. I am led to believe that this is quite a good deal?!?

Jammy git, I had a great time in Colombia, I wouldn't be able to handle living in Cartegena though, the humidity was too much for me, I sweat enough as it is, that place....argh

I would love to live in Medellin though, had a great raw feel to the city.

San Gil was my favourite place but I imagine there's not much work there, funny story when I was there. In a bar, I bumped into an English teacher who I worked with 4 years previously on a summer camp in England. Small world!!!

Only travelled through Colombia, I've often thought about importing some of the fruit though to England to start up a juice business. I enjoyed having those fruit juices on a daily basis, nothing in Europe comes close.
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PittsburghSound



Joined: 27 Aug 2014
Posts: 103
Location: Colombia

PostPosted: Tue Aug 18, 2015 6:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Looking at the cost of living in Bogota, I think 3 mil pesos per month could afford you a very respectable middle class lifestyle. You could rent a room in a nice apartment (shared place) in Chapinero for 600,000-750,000 pesos per month. There are lots of good restaurants and bars in that area as well.

But yes, my question would be how common is it for a newbie to find a job making 3 mil per month? I've been told not to accept less than 2.5 mil per month or 25,000 pesos per hour of teaching if I decide to go to Bogota to teach English.

What's it like on the ground though?
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spanglish



Joined: 21 May 2009
Posts: 742
Location: working on that

PostPosted: Wed Aug 19, 2015 12:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

PittsburghSound wrote:
Looking at the cost of living in Bogota, I think 3 mil pesos per month could afford you a very respectable middle class lifestyle. You could rent a room in a nice apartment (shared place) in Chapinero for 600,000-750,000 pesos per month. There are lots of good restaurants and bars in that area as well.

But yes, my question would be how common is it for a newbie to find a job making 3 mil per month? I've been told not to accept less than 2.5 mil per month or 25,000 pesos per hour of teaching if I decide to go to Bogota to teach English.

What's it like on the ground though?


With a CELTA, a degree, and some looking around, I'd expect you to get from 1.5 to as much as 2.5 million in a first job. In time, you might be able to bump that up a bit with privates. It took me over three years of very quality experience, Spanish fluency, the above qualifications, and a serious commitment to professional development to land something that paid over 3 million, and at the time I knew people with significantly better qualifications and experience who were still making around 2.5 (think DELTA-qualified/academic management).

Dave's job board currently has three openings in Colombia for minimally qualified/experienced teachers - one pays 1.5 million, another pays 2 million, and another pays 1.5 million with room and partial board.
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PittsburghSound



Joined: 27 Aug 2014
Posts: 103
Location: Colombia

PostPosted: Wed Aug 19, 2015 11:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ok I see.

Here's an interesting thought. Would it be seen as overbearing if someone were to politely ask to teach one class for free so that the management/students could see your teaching skills first hand rather than assume you can't teach since you're not "qualified" ?Not just in Colombia, but anywhere.

Manager: Do you have a CELTA?
Person: No, I do not. But if it's not too much to ask, could I please try an audition class? I could teach one free class so that you will see what I can do. What do you think?

I think it might be worth a shot. At the very least it would help you come across and confident.
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iggyiggy



Joined: 16 Jul 2015
Posts: 5
Location: DF

PostPosted: Fri Aug 21, 2015 4:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

so how far does 1.5 mil go in bogota these days? what would you recommend as a minimum amount to be making per month to have a reasonable lifestyle? im not trying to be carlos slim.
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