Job Discussion Forums

[moonraven]

Globalnomad,

Speaking of the way one presents information--or in your case, opinion: I find it difficult with all your "um-ers" and qualifications, to find a point in what you are saying apart from that Latin America collaborates in its own victimization.

And if you are going to disagree with me--disagree with what I actually WRITE, instead of trying to put words in my mouth. At no point on this thread or any other thread on the Latin American Forum have I EVER said that Latin American governments don't deserve their share of the blame. Latin American governments have been notorious for being corrupt and undemocratic (in the sense that they have not represented majorities in their countries). Before Mario Vargas LLosa became a right winger he described M�xico as "the Perfect Dictatorship", precisely because it was controlled by the same political party for more than 70 years--which only represented the interests of the PRI. There is no reason to confuse Latin American governments with their supposed "constituencies", as by and large they have been one form of dictatorship or another. And the more repressive and "vendepatrias" they have been, the more the US has supported them--Somoza (the US's SOB) being just one case in point.

Maybe it's time that you--and everybody else on this forum--buy a copy of Las venas abiertas de Am�rica Latina, and READ it. (It's also been available for many years in English.) Galeano lays out the history in a very thorough and accessible manner--he isn't just generalizing from his own experiences.

Of course the rich and the poor both came out of the same system. But it's very difficult for the poor to make significant changes in their way of relating to the world around them when their neck is being stepped on by the oligarchs--who have zero motivation to change anything. That's why what has been happening in Venezuela with Ch�vez has caught the interest of so many, as he is advocating for empowerment of the poor--and not just to imitate the oligarch model. His emphasis on cooperative education and cooperative economics is not an endorsement of the old model of savage capitalism.


And who is Ch�vez' Number 1 Enemy--not the so-called "opposition" in Venezuela, but the US government. Actually, I should say the government of George W. Bush, as things were relatively peaceful between the US and Venezuela from 1998-2000 when Clinton was president (maybe because he and Ch�vez are both Leos--but I doubt it; a much more likely reason is that they are both highly intelligent.)

[westernkinsmanofthesky]

"A little rebellion now and then... is a medicine necessary for the sound health of government."
TJ

History repeats itself. On a ligher note, can anyone give me their opinion on TEFL certificates? I'll only have time for an online TEFL before I come, is it worth it?


Two part question. How much spanish do these companies expect you to speak?

[moonraven]

If you are an experienced teacher, you don't need a TEFL certificate. Those are for folks who have never taught.

Which COMPANIES are you asking about?

[Justin Trullinger]

TEFL certs: Depends on whether you've taught, and what and for how long. I wouldn't put too much stock in one, but it couldn't hurt.

Spanish: As much as possible would be ideal, but there are quite a few non Spanish speaking English teachers around here. (It winds me up, personally, when they've been around a while, and make no effort...) But for getting started, you shouldn't have too many problems relating to the language.

Justin