Job Discussion Forums

[Jillian]

Hello all! I am stuck and maybe someone can help - I am new to the whole world of teaching abroad, although I've been teaching ESL on a volunteer basis in Boulder, CO for 2 years and just got my TEFL certification. I am heading for Mexico in January and somehow managed to get my heart set on Oaxaca. I can't really articulate why, but that is really where I want to go. The problem is that I am not finding any job postings at all for Oaxaca and am having difficulty even tracking down names of schools that aren't purely for learning Spanish.

Here's where I get stuck - do I head for Oaxaca in January and hope to find a job when I get there? Or should I be more flexible on where I am going so that I can have a job to go to? I've also considered Guanajuato, Guadalajara, Queretaro, or Morelia. Does anyone know of schools in Oaxaca? Has anyone taught there or travelled there?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks
Jillian

[saraswati]

I know of at least one school in Oaxaca. You can PM me if you like.

[Tinman]

I lived in Oaxaca for 4 years, although I did not teach English there. There are English schools there, but as I recall they are rather small.
The good news is Oaxaca is inexpensive and it would not be too expensive to live there in a small hotel while you look for work. If you bring some materials, you could try to find students. You could advertize in the local paper "Las Noticias". There also is Juarez University. You might try to find them on the internet and see if they have any positions.
If you have your heart set on Oaxaca do give it a try. I've traveled and lived in Mexico and Oaxaca is the best. Lots of things to do, but still has a small town flavor. Much nicer than the other cities you mentioned.
How's your Spanish?

[moonraven]

Oaxaca is one of the most expensive cities in Mexico!

[Jillian]

Tinman- thanks a ton for writing. My Spanish is very good (although my recent trip to Costa Rica shook me out of my "cocky" phase of thinking it didn't need work). When you lived there what did you do for work? If I end up going without a job, how easy would it be to find work while I'm trying to get something in the teaching field?

Thanks!
Jillian

[Tinman]

I had stocks at the time and lived off the earnings (1996-2000). I had my own aquaculture consulting business. I rented a nice apartment downtown for 200US a month. You will not find Oaxaca expensive compared with say Mexico City or Guadalajara(sic). You could live in a small pension and eat there cheaply. The beer is also cheap. Just don't go to the tourist restraurants or other tourist type places. If you can speak Spanish you can get by quite cheaply until you find something.
As I recall there was another person living in the apartments building where I lived who taught at a private university there, but I do not recall the name.
The climate is great, so you do not have to worry about heat or ac.

[cphaslanger]

The climate IS great, but it has changed to winter there now. (mid-november) It is still pretty warm in the day, but the nights are frigid!!! Bring a jacket! And be prepared for all the fumes from the diesel buses and the pollution that comes from Puebla and DF and can't leave the valley. ALl in all, wonderful city, minus the air pollution (in my opinion). �Que te disfrutes!

[jennyaw]

I studied Spanish in Oaxaca for a month in 2002 and it is the reason that I am moving to Mexico in February. I fell in love with Mexico because of this city. The people are so genuine and interesting. The city is gorgeous and has a small town feel to it. The weather is awesome too. Not nearly as hot as Oklahoma in the summer. I was trying to get a job there too, but couldn't find any. I have heard that so many Americans are moving there that is difficult to get visas there.
What have you decided to do?

[Ben Round de Bloc]

[Jillian]

Hi there, well I am a bit frustrated (to say the least). I feel that I have exhausted my options for Oaxaca, at least those that I know of. I've sent lots of emails and have had very few responses, so here I am, almost January and having no idea what to do! Is it just that I have no idea how to get a job in Mexico from the US? I guess I will really have to consider just moving there without a job. The reason that is unappealling to me is that one, it's SCARY! I admit, it freaks me out. The second reason is that although I am going in order to have an adventure and to have fun, the real reason I'm going to Mexico is to teach. I LOVE to teach. I want to go teach English in Mexico! And if I don't have a job, than I'm not at all doing what I want to do. So, I am in the same position that I was in a few months ago. I wish I could have more encouraging words for you! I need some right about now too

I think I am going to try sending my resume out to other schools in other cities and then go from there, although I still really want to go to Oaxaca. We'll see! Good luck!

Jillian

[Tinman]

at the time I wrote it, it just didn't look right.

[juststeven]

Jillian,
Oh, Boulder. I remember the city in 1974. The 'Flatirons', Boulder Creek, Nederland, and that beautiful campus! There is a university in Hermosillo that is always looking teachers, UNO (Universidad de Noroeste), give them a call and see if you might like it. Good luck.

[sciphoto]

Any more news from Oaxaca.
I am trying to get down there to teach starting in August-September 2005 fro the school year. Does anyone have any good job leads right now
I have been teaching English in Prague, CZ for 9 months now, so I have plenty of experience. Also I studied espanol in University.
Gracias,
Ben

[ls650]

Do you mean the city or the state? We have a new teacher who started with us a few months ago. She loves living in Oaxaca City and was there for four years, but she came here because there was little available in the way of well-paying teaching jobs.

If you just want to be in the state, I know where there may be some teaching positions available. PM me for more info.