Job Discussion Forums

[ornge]

Hi Guys,
I'm heading out to Mexico City in October to work as a teacher for a year or so. I don't expect I will be working straight away, and there will probably be times when I'm not working at all. With this in mind, I've set my monthly budget at around �500 ($770). Is this realistic? I don't want to live too frugally, I will budget, but I still want to have a few beers at night and get away some weekends. Can anyone give me a decent insight here, or give me some prices. I hope you guys can help.

Thanks

PS. I have sent a CV to English First in Mexico City. Does anyone know anything about them? What they're like to work for etc..

[Ben Round de Bloc]

Currently, your 500 pounds would convert to 8,524.64 pesos or 817.99 U.S. dollars. You should be able to get by on that amount per month if you have no major financial emergencies. Do you have some type of health care plan covered outside of your proposed budget?

I'm not quite clear on your budget, however. Is that 500 pounds per month in addition to what you'll be earning as a teacher, or is your expected teaching income included in the 500 pounds? If you have a regular outside income of 500 pounds per month plus what you can add to that from teaching, you should be in decent financial shape living in Mexico.

For foreigners wanting non-work, long-term visas, the Mexican government usually requires them to prove they have a monthly income of at least 900 U.S. dollars. This doesn't apply to tourist visas or work visas, of course, but it gives you an idea of how much money the Mexican government thinks a foreigner needs in order to live in this country.

Note: Keep in mind that I'm definitely not a financial advisor and that rates of exchange may be different in October when you arrive.

P.S. I'm sure Guy or one of the other regular posters can give you info about English First in DF.

[ornge]

Thanks for the info. The �500 is what I think it will cost to live in Mexico per month, not in addition to teaching. I have heard a figure of �500 a month on a teachers' salary in mexico. I suppose what I'm really asking, is whether or not �500 is enough to live on per month? I am even likely to earn this as a teacher in Mexico City for example? Thanks for the info so far, appreciate it. This move is becomind more daunting as it gets closer.

[Lee_Marrero]

I lived in Mexico City for almost 2 years. 500 pounds will be enough depending on where you choose to live, the differences are staggering!! You can find a small apt for 1,600 pesos monthly but will not have a stove or fridge. Or you can find a furnished apt in the center of it all (Zona Rosa, Reforma, Roma) for about 3500-5000 pesos. It really depends where you get a job!!!! MExico City is an amazing place, I loved my time there and fantasize about returning all the time, at the moment I am stuck in the middle of corporate America making money for "the man" Please email me if you need ANY advice about locating work there I am a warehouse of info on jobs, housing, nightlife, pharmaceuticals, transportation in Mexico City!! [email protected]

Lee

[ornge]

Thanks for the info. Lee, how easy is to get a job in Mexico city? I will have the TEFL qualification before I get there. Also what is a reasonable salary for a teacher as inexperienced as myself? Cheers guys

[Lee_Marrero]

Thank you for asking, hehe. Well the chain language institutes pay native speakers 45-60 pesos an hour with 25-30 hours per week. You can find some privates who will pay 60 pesos per hour. Be wary of Harmon Hall schools, each is privately owned and does not seem to be any similar to the next school as far as salaries go. I believe English First is one of the few schools that arranges for a work visa MOST DO NOT! Dont be surprised if you are pressured to not get a work visa FM3, it is not neccesary and the authorities are not helpful in getting you one, Mexico City is one of the most corrupt cities in the new world and unless you are some kind of masochist avoid dealing with any "officials". You can stay 6 months on a FMT tourist visa, when it runs out, just take a bus to Guatemala, cross theborder, buy a soda and get on the nexr bus back to DF, it cost 1 pesos per day to stay in mexico on the FMT, so you will pay 180 pesos upon each departure about 17 USD. ITs cheap , at least for American and Canadian citizens there is no limit to the number of crossings/visas one can get due to NAFTA agreements, I am not too sure about Europeans but I can tell you I have worked with several brits while I was there. Mexican law states that no Mexican business can have more than 10% of its staff be comprised of foreigners, this limits alot of language schools so they break the law, pay off the right people and you are left alone
Housing in DF varies greatly, look good!

Lee

[dduck]

I guess, Lee, that you used to work in Mexico some years ago but you don't any longer, judging by how antiquated some of your comments are.

I would never advise paying off anybody here. The Fox government has been encouraging locals to stop corruption, with some success. You might we find yourself in a lot of hot water if you tried it now.

Also, it cost me 205 pesos for a 90 day tourist card, not 1 peso a day. You're supposed to leave the country for 3 days - I don't know if this is enforced or not.

Iain

[Ben Round de Bloc]

[Lee_Marrero]

Sorry Duckman I have been away only 1 year, and was there during Fox administration, I know what I am talking about. I didnt advise anyone to pay anyone off, the schools do that. I lived in Mexico for more than 2 years and worked in DF, Guanajuato and Tuxtla Guierrez, Chiapas. Entering and exiting a total of 5 times, each time I paid 180 pesos, a peso a day It well may be that only Americans and Canadians get that rate as my roomate was a Candian girl who paid the same, 180 pesos, I really am not sure, anyway if you cant afford the other 70 pesos than you have greater problems to worry about. I live in San Diego, California 15 minutes from the Mexican border, I was just in Tijuana last week getting a dental cleaning. Anyway DF is considerably different from any other city in the republic in that corruption is not viewed as corruption, but a part of life, I am not saying it is right, thats just the way it is. I ain I dont know where you live or how good your spanish is but comparing whatever hamlet you are living in to DF is comparing apples and oranges. I hold a BA in communication studies with a minor in English. When applying for my FM3 I was insulted and maltreated by the immigration worker while in the company of the school owner who was and is a very good friend of mine. In the car returning home he advised me not to worry about jumping through their hoops, and I didnt. I worked peacefully the remainder of my FMT until he financed my trip to El Carmen, Guatemala to renew. I was never required to leave 3 days, the guatemala stamps in my passport are for 1 day of which I paid 20 Quetzales (guate money) to enter or leave ( I cant remember if you pay upon entering or exiting) the guatemalans do not accept pesos but upon arrival at the border everyone must get off the bus to pass thru immigration, you will be SURROUNDED by guys trying to excahnge money for you, dollars, pesos and quetzales. be careful with these guys. As far as my info being antiquated I dont think so. My former Canadian roomate is STILL THERE!!! She has moved to Morelia Michoacan but is still working on her tourist visa and just goes to Guatemala or US to renew, this has been going on since 2000 with no problems! As far as being hesistant about working for an employer who wont get you the proper paperwork, good luck, 90% wont bother.
The bus ride from DF to Gutemala is Loooonnggggg!! It is an overnight bus trip from DF to Tuxtla Gtz (chiapas capital) take the UNO or Maya de Oro busline the ticket should cost about 50-75 USD depending on class. Or take the Cristobal Colon bus it cost around 40 but no free drinks or sandwiches. Or you can take the bus straight to Tapachula on the guate border, where you will swith to TICA BUS, this is a Costa Rican comapny that services all of central america, the ticket from Tapachula to Guatemala City is about 20 USD and well worth it. You will see the beautiful volcanoes and jungles of western guatemala and arrive in Guatemala City in about 5 hours, see the sights, eat some Pipian stay the night for about 10 USD at a hotel and return to Mex the next day, I have done this and had a great time.
Or take a flight from df TO guate city or havana they are very affordable on aeromexico

I hope this helps, like I wrote I lived in Mexico for over 2 years, I am hispanic-american (puerto rican descent) and speak perfect spanish but my old roomate is a blonde candian ( learning spanish) neither one of us ever had the slightest problem with anything.

[Ben Round de Bloc]

[Lee_Marrero]

All of the above relates to Mexicans only. I was referring to corruption and how it relates to foreigners living in the republic.

[dduck]

Hi Lee,

Thanks for the post. I was certainly mistaken about your post. Perhaps, as Tim says: it's a matter of perspective.

I've only been in Mexico 3 months; now working in Quer�taro, which doesn't compare to D.F. at all. I hated D.F. I was almost mugged once, and I was pick-pocketed a couple of times. Once bizarrely enough of the Underground in the presence of about 8 cops. All the passengers stared at me for a bit, while the cops stood their chatting amongst themselves.

Here in Quer�taro, we have something resembling civilization. A number of my Mexican students used to live in D.F. and moved out for a better quality of life. I don't blame them one bit!

Before coming to Mexico I spent 2 months in Guatemala and I can testify how beautiful that country is. I've mentioned elsewhere that my school isn't prepared to sort out a work visa for me, although they'd like me to work here in the long term. I've considered doing the bus run to the border to get my visa replaced, but considering how much time and money is required compared to the pittance I'm currently getting paid, I think I'll just leave Mexico and start looking for work elsewhere.

Iain

[seriouslydog]

dduck,

Surely there are other jobs in Mexico that would help you secure a visa. I hope so, at least, because I'm coming down in two weeks. But now I'm getting worried. Here I am trying to get in the country and others are planning to get out.

Anybody know of any cheap flights into Mexico? I found $310 USD into Guadalajara from Chicago one way but there has got to be cheaper out there.

[dduck]

[ornge]