Job Discussion Forums

[emmajay]

Hi folks

Moving to the Cadiz area in August and will complete my CELTA at CLIC Seville at the end of September. I've already written off to a few schools on spec and done quite a lot of research into jobs/cost of living etc.etc.

I was just wondering if anyone had any extra advice or tips on all this, especially the following:

Average rate of pay for an ESL teacher in Andalucia?
Will there be a lot of takers for private lessons?
What would I be paying to rent a one/two bedroom flat in this area?

Any help much appreciated.
Thanks
Em

[rosie1973]

Well, I might be able to help a bit.

I took my CETLA at CLIC in Seville. You'll like it there a lot. All the tutors are great and it's a well organized school chalk full of resources. Unfortunately, they're not amazing when it comes to getting work after you've passed the course. In fact, they don't do anything at all. This was my only beef with the course. But it was GREAT fun and the students you'll encounter will be amazing...Sevillanos are just the nicest and most chilled out people on the planet. (IMO) Well except those from Cadiz, who are nicer and even MORE chilled out.

You plan to work in Cadiz then? If you're EU I'd say there's a slight chance of you finding work. If you're not EU I'd just search for work for the fun of it and expect to tutor for a living. It's cheap to live in Andalucia (I was living on about 50 euros a week) so you can get by easily on 15 hours a week. A typical tutoring session will give you about 10 euros an hour. A "real" teaching job will give you a tad more, maybe 13-14/hr. I'd say put up fliers and get some tutoring work right after the course, keep your skills up while searching for a real job. Andalucia isn't chalk full of ESL jobs and you'll most likely spend the greater part of 6 months just getting the right connections, learning the system and being in the right place at the right time. Keep looking though and eventually something will pop up. And don't shy away from teaching kids...therein lies the work.

There is TONS of tutoring. Be clever about where you put up fliers and you'll get plenty of calls.

Rent in Seville is around 175-250 for a room/month. Don't pay more than 250. Cadiz, I belive, is a tad cheaper.

If you've got any other questions feel free to PM me!

[Henry_Cowell]

[rosie1973]

Haha.. Thanks. One of those words I've never seen written down. What is "chock" anyway?

[Henry_Cowell]

chock-full

Function: adjective

Definition: full to the limit, completely full, crammed with something

Etymology: Middle English chokkefull, probably from choken "to choke" + full
c.1400, chokkeful, possibly from choke "cheek." Or it may be from O.Fr. choquier "collide, thrust."

[stillnosheep]

That's one well organised and resourceful piece of chalk.　


Only question is whether that "well organized school chalk" is chock full of resources, or merely full of them in a simple unchocked manner...

[emmajay]

I am indeed EU so hopefully there will be a few things out there for me. Many thanks for all your tips. We'll definitely be living in the Cadiz area, perhaps somewhere like Conil...don't really know until we get out there. Boyf is surfer so somewhere near a good surf beach!

So did you actually live in Seville the whole time you were there Rosie?
Em

[rosie1973]

Yes, I lived in Seville the whole time and did a bit of traveling when my budget allowed. I was there a total of 6 months.

Cadiz is nice, I've uploaded a few pics for ya - although I'm sure you've seen many pictures online already.

Oh, one more thing....people from Cadiz have the hardest accent to understand in Spain! I bid you good luck trying to learn Spanish there. I knew a guy from Cadiz and he spoke with all one syllable words, even if the word had 2 or more syllables. That's how much they chop up their words. Example: Hasta Luego = Ha Lue

[emmajay]

It looks amazing...goodness me I'm getting so excited...and nervous. I hope my spanish lessons aren't going to go to waste completely - hopefully the Cadiz folk will be sympathetic and slow it down a bit!

[ginny84]

Hola,

Just on the topic of where to put up fliers for tutoring. Rosie, you said to be careful where to put them up. Where do you suggest are some good places???

BTW - I had no idea Andalucia was a cheap place to live. I was told it's a nightmare to live there as an ESOL teacher and that you would just be surviving on weekly wages. That's very reassuring!!! More places for me to travel to

Thanks

Ginny

[rosie1973]

Flyering:

Be resourceful. Think...who needs English? LOTS of children need English lessons. Go to the private schools and flier like hell around them (private schools = parents with money and who want their kids to succeed) Students at Universities need English. Flier around the departments where engineering students are....they always will need English for their jobs (reading manuals in English, etc.). Flier all over campuses. Look at where you're putting your flier in relation to other fliers. If you see a pole with a million fliers at eye level....post yours just below eye level. Why? Because no one will flier on top of yours and yours will be there in a week when theirs is gone in a day. Make a nice flier. Make it look professional but also make it catchy. Think ADVERTISING. And don't just flier in the city centers.....get off the beaten path a bit and you'll find much less competition.

Yes, Andalucia is cheap to live. The thing is that down in that region you won't make much money, but you won't spend much either. It all evens out. It depends on how frugal you are too and how much partying and traveling you want to do.

[emmajay]

The only trouble I seem to be having now is finding accommodation - everywhere I contact seems to be charging holiday rates - about 1200 euros a fortnight - not good for a couple trying to relocate!

What about private tutoring...at your own home, or did you travel around visiting places, or both? I'm thinking also of sending letters on spec to private schools and university faculties offering my services as a private tutor - what d'you reckon? AND (I don't ask much do I ) is there anywhere I can get my hands on a list of all the english academies that may be recruiting in Andalucia?

Saludos
Em