Job Discussion Forums

LeahLou · Joined: 07 Sep 2004 Posts: 4 Location: Austin, TX

Hey Guys,

Has anyone attended or heard of the Cultura Inglesa CELTA course offered in Recife, Brazil? I was thinking of starting my TEFL career by attending the course this January. If not, has anyone attended any CELTA or other TEFL course anywhere in Brazil and if so what was your experience like and did you easily find a job afterwards? I'd be interested to hear what others' Brazil experience was like so I can have an idea of what to expect. Thanks!

Aramas · Posted: Wed Sep 08, 2004 3:16 pm Post subject:

No, but I'd like to know the cost etc.. The Cultura Inglesa sites seem to be in Portuguese only (no English!) and the provincial sites linked to on the home page all seem to be down. So spill what info you have - there's nowhere I'd rather live and teach, but the pitfalls are somewhat overwhelming. Recife also has a reputation as a sex-tourism centre (along with Fortaleza), so unless you enjoy the company of pig-ignorant horny gringo sex-tourists and jaded 15 year-old ladies of the..um..afternoon, then it might be wise to move on after the course.

There's lots of stuff around on teaching in Brasil. Firstly, forget doing it legally unless you marry a Brasilian or have a Brasilian child.

Secondly, you can only stay in Brasil for 6 months of any year, and you get fined for every day you overstay - it can add up quickly. Also, if they take a dislike to you then you can be banned from re-entering Brasil for overstaying.

It seems that if you're happy to just wing it, not commit to anything (no contracts or leases) and don't mind being taken to the airport for deportation without even a chance to pack then go for it Smile

The only incidents I've heard of involved arrogant gringos that had pissed off a local (usually a gf/bf), but it seems to be a rather tenuous existence at best. It's probably better suited to the much maligned backpacker/teacher rather than the primping, self-proclaimed professionals that frequent this board. Cool

Check out: http://www.geocities.com/teachinginbrazil/ - it's a little dated but quite comprehensive.

Also http://www.brazzil.com/forum/ has a lot of good info, but be prepared to wade through chin-deep crap to find the good stuff. The vast majority of the posters there represent a compelling argument in favour of involuntary euthanasia. The Yanks there are appalling, but the Brasileiros know no bounds! You've been warned.

2 over lee · Posted: Fri Sep 10, 2004 7:52 pm Post subject:

Thanks Aramas,
what an interesting forum.

Geez what loonies!!

Aramas · Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2004 5:09 am Post subject:

I tracked down the details of the Recife CELTA course, and it's unbelievably cheap - $890USD!

Unfortunately, the cheapest one-way ticket I can get from Sydney is around $2200AUD - compared with $800AUD to any major city in europe or east asia. With the possibility of being fined three times the ticket cost for overstaying, the fine could be a whopping $6600AUD! (I think that's about 3 pounds, 2 shillings and threepence)

Still, for people in Europe or the Evil Empire it might be a bargain.

Ludwig · Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2004 5:39 am Post subject:

I would be interested to know why 'Aramas' insists on spelling 'Brazil' with an 's', especially as he offers links with 'Brazil' in the very URL!

Aramas · Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2004 8:09 am Post subject:

Duh, gee Wiggy (or do we Anglicise it and call you 'Viggy'?), perhaps that's because Brasilians spell Brasil with an 's'?

I'm not even vaguely interested in how you became such a bitter, twisted, pedantic tw@t Smile

Ludwig · Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2004 10:05 am Post subject:

Aramas · Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2004 3:25 pm Post subject:

I'm still not interested Cool

Shouldn't you be off wallowing in existential angst or something? Oh wait! You are! Razz

LeahLou · Joined: 07 Sep 2004 Posts: 4 Location: Austin, TX

Hey Guys, can you find another place to fight? I'm really wanting to get some useful information on here rather than watch you engage in some written squabble. Thx.

Aramas · Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2004 4:40 pm Post subject:

Seemingly that's all Wiggy does. I suspect he's finding that TESL isn't all wine and roses. It's actually quite instructive. That could be you after a few years of teaching Smile

Aramas · Posted: Sat Sep 18, 2004 1:41 pm Post subject:

Since the next Recife CELTA is in January 2005 I was looking at airfares for December and January only - I just tried February and March and it's only $1400AUD to Recife - not bad considering the low course fees. There's also a CELTA in Rio that's only a few dollars more and with a $1200AUD airfare it's quite competitive. For some reason flights to Sao Paulo still cost a lot more - I would have thought they'd be the cheapest with being such a huge city (second largest in the world?).

It's looking like Brasil offers the lowest cost CELTA courses around, and they're especially cheap for people coming from Europe or North America. Grist for the mill, at least.