Job Discussion Forums

[globalguru]

Hello all:

I'm a TEFL certified university graduate currently teaching high school English in China. I have my sights set on Argetina, though. Here are my questions:

1. When is the best time to find work? Ideally, I'd like to hit Argentina in early 2006, but if there is an absolutely advantageous time, I'd love to know.

2. With some experience, a degree, and a TEFL...are there many doors open for me? Or do these things matter little in Argentina? What are the wages like?

3. Any recommendations for a particular city, region, or town in particular? I must confess I don't know the country very well but am intrigued.

Thank you

[runabout]

Globalguru

I'm not sure I'm qualified to answer your questions, but I moved to BsBa (Buenos Aires) about eighteen months ago, in May, with CV's in hand and nothing else to go by.

Within a month, I had four decent jobs in four places around the city. The jobs were all in language schools, and the pay was more than enough to live on if you don't eat steak for EVERY meal.

My plan was to work all four jobs until I found the one that I really liked and could get more classes. Yet, since I teach at the Univ level (preferred) I got a better offer in Europe and split.

Again, I was in BsBa and lived in Capital Federal -- two of my jobs were inside the cap, and two were outside of it. I found it easier to find work outside than inside (BsBa is an enormous city, you kinda have to see it to believe it). Rent and food is cheaper outside the cap. but then you don't get to call yourself a Porteno

Normally, I can tell you that they do follow a "semester" type system at all schools. I don't remember exactly when that begins or ends, as it turned out to be nil for me.

Hope this sheds some light on the matter.

[globalguru]

Cool- thanks. I've heard from others that most teachers that aspire to live in Buenos Aires simply turn up and start there, as securing jobs prior to departure is difficult. Thanks again

[Maria Kirby]

that�s nice to know, i mean jobs in BA, i�m still in Madrid and having a great time but other Spanish speaking countries can be considered as well. just for variety?!

the spanish they speak there in BA - well, there are some words commonly used in Sapin that you better NOT use in BA! I know some of them!


maria

[Guy Courchesne]

That's absolutely correct.

Hazte seguro que REcoges bien las detalles. La alternativa puede ser muy divertida, pero peligrosa tambien.

I love Spanish

[Maria Kirby]

Great try! But you still can�t make me publicly say what those words are!

hasta pronto y saludos,

maria

[Phil_b]

Anyone else (used to Spain) tried to 'coger el autobus'?

[Maria Kirby]

Ok you got it, but there are more, so just to show you how languages can be soooo interesting! This brings me to the US vs UK English which has these very interesting meanings as well!

Now Phil that�s a thread for you to start!



maria

[Phil_b]

A friend of mine found it hilarious when in a chemists (drugstore) in NYC they had "fanny firmer" on sale.... It doesn't have exactly the same meaning here.....

[Maria Kirby]

How did you know those were the words I had in mind, fanny (US) vs fanny (UK)??

One interesting line as well was: Knock you up, (US), Knock you up (UK). A friend of mine (US) received this kind offer from her friend (UK) which went this way:

US: Don�t know how to wake up for my 8:00 am class! My alarm clock is completely bust.

UK: Not to worry I�ll knock you up at 6:00am tomorrow!

From what I gathered US wasn�t very happy, UK was completely baffled at why his gesture of kindness was received with such wrath, until a common friend intervened and explained the interesting meaning to this line as per country that you come from.

I�ve got a lot more of these but I have to pop into my old TEFL school and harrass my tutor for all his anecdotes!


hasta luego!

maria

[OzBurn]

Runabout, could you be a bit more specific about salaries? Others have posted c. 10 pesos/hour. Does that match your experience?

Thanks.

[runabout]

[matttheboy]

I charge 20pesos an hour or 18 if they pay for 5 lessons up front. If you get business clients you can charge up to 30pesos (a friend got lucky and met an argie women who ran private classes and gave a few to my friend who has no experience of tefl and simply went and 'chatted'- annoyed me a bit really). You'd have to be very lucky to pick up 30 peso an hour classes but it is possible.

Schools do indeed pay you around 10-14 pesos an hour but that's because they're all cheating corrupt bsatards

Oh, and in local currency terms, 1000 pesos is worth more or less the same as it was when it was 1-1 with the $, it's just worth 3 times less outside of the country. Imported goods are now 3 times more expensive but local produce is pretty much the same.

[runabout]

[matttheboy]

3 t's!! and yes, once you know one person you know their best friend's sister's cat's cousin's brother's uncle and all their associates. Don't pis s anyone off or you'll be blacklisted by every single person they know, and that can be a lot of people...

I've posted before that you can live off a little more than 1000pesos a month here if you're a bit careful so that works out at about 50 hours a month of 20peso lesssons. Of course it can take you a while to get set up with that amount of hours, something i've not really bothered to do as i'll soon be semi-retiring from the teaching profession to open my own business

I posted on another thread that to find private students you should write a letter and attach a business card outlining your services (conversation, exam prep etc) in Spanish and go round all the apartment blocks in your area and leave the letter in every postbox of every flat. Most buildings have a portero who'll let you in.