Job Discussion Forums

[billyd]

Hi;
Does anyone have any info/experience with LTS Chile or know what Puerto Montt and Chiloe Island are like to live in?
Any leads at all would be appreciated.

[eileen]

Very rainy and windy in all months except the summer. Then they are only rainy!

Puerto Montt is a smallish port city with a very big mall, with a movie theater. It slopes up away from the water onto steep hills. Its location is quite good, being only 40 minutes from Puerto Varas, a great jumping off point for trips to climb or hike, and fabulous views of Volcan Osorno. Not far from Frutillar, either, a quaint lakeside town.

Chiloe is a big island, depends where you stay. The two main cities are Castro, which is not small and has stores and the regular necessities. Ancud is the port, and is a little more run-down. Castro has more of tourist and cultural interest. But there are lots of other towns and villages and the famous wooden churches all over Chiloe.

No experience with LTS Chile, sorry.

[Georgeibam]

This is not so much a reply (sorry) but an extension of the question. I gather that LTS CHile is merely a placement agency, and the real school we should be asking about is English House Chile, operating from Santiago, Puerto Montt and Chiloe. As a fellow concerned 'wannabe in Chile' teacher, does anyone have any info on this school? Personally, I am particularly keen for info on the Castro school, but if anyone knows the operating principles of the Santiago branch that would be a starting point.
Cheers

[eliz]

Hi, Georgeibaum. Did you accept a position with English House, or ever find out any info about them? I am also considering a position, but I am a bit concerned about the salary...300,000 pesos/month doesn't seem like much at all. I gather its a fairly new school, so maybe that's why there isn't much information on them?

[dayton]

Ok, to some curiosities about english house. I will speak my opinions, and understand, opinions are like assholes, everyone has one, and they often stink....

Ok. So I�ve been working in southern Chile for 7 months now, and it has been an experience, as I suppose all work overseas often is. A change a shift, good times, as well as many bad ones.

The work side of things is interesting. Working down here for the bosses in Santiago, you�re pretty much on your own. Which is great not to have a boss leaning over you, telling you what to do. You teach classes, you get paid. The 300.000 monthly is enough. You won�t save any money, but you won�t starve, and you�ll have enough to buy some bus tickets, empanadas and beer.

So you are totally independent, the only downside is the orginazational side of things. My bosses have been wonderfully flexible in granting vacation time, getting me transfer from Pto. Aisen to Pto Montt, etc, but it takes a lot of emailing back and forth to get anything done. And the one thing that hasn�t gotten done yet is my extranjero visa, that was supposed to take 3 months, now we�re going on 7 and no sign yet... frustrating.

You won�t make a fortune (but what south american teachers do?), if you�re lucky (like me) you won�t have a crushing amount of work, and will have lots of free time to explore, both the surrounding volcanoes and lakes and your own personal mind,

but here�s the shitty part.

IT RAINS ALL THE FUCKING TIME. I�m from California, and a bit of a sun lover, if just shy of worshipper. Pto. Aisen is a boring, back end town, with very, very little to do beyond drink, play pool, and chop firewood. Freezing cold and raining all the time, I didn�t love life there. That being said, the current english house teacher down there is loving life in the back country. This is likely due to her being there in the summer (GORGEOUS LANDSCAPE) and I was there in the winter.

So if you�re outdoorsy, this is a lovely land of volcanoes, lakes, and hiking trails. If you are a bohemian, into the nightlife, Pto Montt has things to offer, Pto Aisen has shit-all, and Castro falls somewhere in the middle.

email me at [email protected] for more information.

.d