Job Discussion Forums

[thedude72]

Moonraven,

Perhaps I am wrong, but at one time you were probably a newbie who was not sure whether Mexico was the place for you. Why the bitterness towards new ESLers?

Not everyone knows right off the bat if living and teaching in another country is for them, but I don't believe that should discourage us from giving it a shot. After all, if you can do it, why can't we?

[moonraven]

Brenda, I was not attacking you. Sorry if I sound cynical, but for every one of those brave people you mentioned there is another person who really isn't brave, but who, because he/she can't get a job in the US or Canada takes one of those TEFL "certification" courses for a few weeks and lands here--or in another country--and starts telling everyone that he/she is God's gift to the Third World, that the director of the school who was unfortunate enough to hire him/her is a complete idiot, is ripping him/her off, doesn't seem to care that this ambassador of First World arrogance has chosen to "slum" in a rinky-dink school, and on and on....whining, complaining, telling everyone how to "do it better"....

[moonraven]

Dude, I was never a newbie who didn't know if Mexico was right for me--or I for it. I spent two years going back and forth between Mexico and the US working on theater pieces that present the life of the revolutionary leader Emiliano Zapata. Then I spent another year living in Zapata's village as my projects unfolded and my relationship with the community deepened. I started teaching--and I do not always teach ESL--in order to be able to bankroll those projects with the community and as another way of providing a service, since teaching and directing educational programs at the university level was something I had done in the US. I also provide technical assistance--gratis--to an agricultural association I helped organize, and I have trained a fair number of teachers. I am currently teaching a course in Learning Strategies I developed in Spanish for students who are entering the university here with enormous deficiencies due to their time spent in the public school system in this state (where their teachers spend more time camped out in the capital of the state than in the classroom.)

I would love to hear other people talk about a similar investment of themselves in this country--but as yet on this site I have not heard one word of any such involvement.

[Brenda]

Moonraven. Thanks, but I didn't think you were attacking me. But I think that everyone needs to take their own path in life. We each have our own journey to self-discovery. Some will be able to see the marvels staring at them right under their nose,and others won't. Some will only realize it much later on. But we can't all take the same path as you to fulfill our lives.

[moonraven]

I am not suggesting everyone follow the same path. But I do not see people living committed lives on this site. I see egocentricity and a cheap kind of opportunism. I hear whining because salaries are low (I doubt that very many people who regularly contribute to this site received huge salaries in their home countries), employers don't appreciate their specialness and because there is no WalMart big box a block from their digs. There is a lot more to life than this trivial crap.

[thedude72]

Personally, I am not thinking of moving to Mexico so I can make big bucks, receive accolades from my employer and shop at Wal-Mart. Those things are not important to me.

I have all those things here in Canada, but they don't fulfill me in the least.

[moonraven]

Glad to hear that!

[Ben Round de Bloc]

[Paulie2003]

Why, that's rather ute of you!!

[Paulie2003]

Sorry My 'c' doesn't always type - so I try to be ontientious!

[Paulie2003]

That previous message was for 'ybercutie' - but I guess I missed a page or two!!

[cybercutie]

huh???? Oh...I get it...

[wablenicamx]

I've lived and taught in Mexico for almost 12 years. I have seen the good, bad and the ugly. I'm ready to go "home". Now to answer your question as honestly as I can without climbing up on and then falling off of a soapbox. Everything that was said in the previous posts has an element of truth in it. Personally, I think it is good for someone who wishes to experience another culture to live and work in Mexico for a while. I have watched many come and go. We all come with stars in our eyes and a politically correct point of view. After a while you begin to see the country and the people with a more realistic point of view. I was here during Sept. 11. It wasn't pretty. If you don't isolate yourself, you'll make some friends here. It won't be easy, especially if you are an American. Canadians have less of a problem because they are better liked. The pay sucks. If you have money or an income to fall back on, it's better. You won't be able to pay off any loans or debts "up north" on what you earn here. You have to work sometimes 48 to 50 hours a week to make ends meet. The best way is to teach private classes but they are shaky at best because the students tend to drop out easily. There are more bad schools than good ones and there are those who figure that foreigners don't have a clue about Mexican labor law (and we don't) so they take advantage. Teachers aren't as respected here in some schools as they are in Canada. For the most part in the schools the students are great although it is common that they don't do their homework, arrive late or take Monday off in honor of "San Lunes" (hangover from the party Sunday night). This is reality not negativity. The up side is obvious. You get to experience and learn first hand about another culture. If you chose a site that is close to a beach or some other scenic part of Mexico, you get to work like a dog and live like a tourist...suntan and cheap beer as was previously stated. You also get some experience teaching that you won't get "back home". So if you have some time to dedicate to it, go for it. Just make sure you have a plan "B".

[moonraven]

I agree with the Plan B recommendation.

The basic issue is that unless you make yourself an active, productive part of a community here, as I have done, you will only be accepted by other gringos.

For some folks on this site, that may not be a problem--maybe you only want to hang with compatriots and just take advantage of the cheaper cost of living here. I find that agenda loathsome, but so what...?

[ls650]