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Considering a job offer in Chile

 
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Piggysweets



Joined: 15 Dec 2004
Posts: 2
Location: Australia

PostPosted: Tue Dec 28, 2004 1:29 am    Post subject: Considering a job offer in Chile Reply with quote

Hi - I'm a CELTA qualified but not-very-experienced-yet (4 months so far) ESL teacher planning on heading to Chile in Feb. I've been offered a contract and I am sitting here flipping coins trying to decide whether to take it or not. Maybe someone could give me an unbiased observer's opinion, or even the benefit of hindsight?

The company offers 3000 per teaching hour, which sounds low after reading postings in this forum. I would have to be available 8hrs, 5 days plus Saturday mornings, every week for ten months, so I'm worried I wouldn't have time to see more of the country.

However the security of a contract and free Spanish lessons sound good. Am I being overly picky or is it reasonable to expect to do better with a bit of pavement-pounding on arrival?

Thanks...
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Don Alan



Joined: 11 Dec 2004
Posts: 150
Location: Glasgow, Scotland

PostPosted: Tue Dec 28, 2004 4:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hello Piggy

3000 pesos an hour is extremely low even if they are offering some free Spanish lessons.

I am going to Chile in February also if you read some of my other posts you will learn my story.

I have four years experience in Spain teaching English and even though you only have a few months I wouldn�t accept their offer. Eight hours a day is a lot of teaching time and to be honest with you any academy that pays so low should be totally ignored. As long as academies can get away with paying so low the jobs that are offered will continue to be low paid without any terms or conditions.

Santiago is not an attractive city and moreover has terrible pollution problems and therefore it is important to have time and money to leave the city and see what Chile really has to offer. With the pay they offer and the timetable you won�t have many possibilities to do that.

I know you would like to have the security of the contract but a contract is only worth taking if in exchange for the commitment you make they give you something worthwhile in return. However, contracts in academies in Santiago don't offer basic benefits like health insurance usually and the purpose of their contract is only to keep you bound to them during your period there because once you find your feet in the city and get to know other possibilities they know that you would run off as quick as you could. In your case my advice would be just to turn up in Santiago with some savings and start going round the academies looking for hours. Most people do that, you will be better paid and have more freedom and moreover if you really want a contract you will probably find a better one that way.

I don't mean to be rude but unless you are stupid, don't accept 3000 an hour.
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naturegirl321



Joined: 04 May 2003
Posts: 9041
Location: home sweet home

PostPosted: Tue Dec 28, 2004 5:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

8 hours is a ton, don-t forget that you have to do lesson planning, grading and commute on top of all that.
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moonraven



Joined: 24 Mar 2004
Posts: 3094

PostPosted: Tue Dec 28, 2004 6:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Don't even consider it. Free Spanish lessons are bait that a lot of schools toss out there--and usually they don't even come through with them. You don't need them--I have never taken a class in Spanish and I began publishing poetry in Spanish after 4 months in Mexico!
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Don Alan



Joined: 11 Dec 2004
Posts: 150
Location: Glasgow, Scotland

PostPosted: Tue Dec 28, 2004 9:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Like to share one of your poems with us Moonraven?
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moonraven



Joined: 24 Mar 2004
Posts: 3094

PostPosted: Tue Dec 28, 2004 9:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

There is one in English on another thread--Moonraven's Big Book of Poetry (General Latin American Forum).

Or do you read Spanish well enough to request one in Spanish?
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Don Alan



Joined: 11 Dec 2004
Posts: 150
Location: Glasgow, Scotland

PostPosted: Wed Dec 29, 2004 7:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes moonraven I�m pretty fluent in Spanish after living in Madrid for 4 years so I would love to hear one in Spanish!
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moonraven



Joined: 24 Mar 2004
Posts: 3094

PostPosted: Wed Dec 29, 2004 8:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ah� te va un poema de la serie, Cantos de la tierra (poemas ap�crifos de Emiliano Zapata), la primera serie que escrib� en espa�ol in 1994:

3.

Demasiada pl�tica se desgasta como lluvia.
Piedras quebradas en el cementerio,
amontonadas sobre los corazones
de nuestros padres, comienzan a derretirse
en palabras. La tranquilidad se nos escapa

y desaparece como si fueran vetas
de plata devueltas a las minas
del norte; mis dedos est�n r�gidos
y de repente les faltan anillos.
Ayer me faltaban palabras,

pero hoy mi lengua hace
su propio comercio con desconocidos.
Hay palabras en papeles, palabras en aire,
y ellas a�n nos hacen hambrientos
de banquetes que nunca han llegado.

Vallas extra�as muerden nuestros campos
con sus dientes amargos.
Hay que acabar con todo el charloteo,
sacar esas vallas, y esperar
el silencio y los cantos de ma�z.


(Anenecuilco, Morelos
agosto de 1910)
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Don Alan



Joined: 11 Dec 2004
Posts: 150
Location: Glasgow, Scotland

PostPosted: Wed Dec 29, 2004 11:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Gracias por compartirlo, no es mi tipo de poes�a pero siendo escritor tambi�n aprecio el esfuerzo de cualquiera que trata de enriquecer nuestro mundo.
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moonraven



Joined: 24 Mar 2004
Posts: 3094

PostPosted: Wed Dec 29, 2004 11:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yeah, lots of poets prefer non-political poetry.

You should have known what you were going to get from me!
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Don Alan



Joined: 11 Dec 2004
Posts: 150
Location: Glasgow, Scotland

PostPosted: Thu Dec 30, 2004 11:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Now I do!
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Piggysweets



Joined: 15 Dec 2004
Posts: 2
Location: Australia

PostPosted: Fri Jan 07, 2005 1:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for the input everyone!
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