Job Discussion Forums

AlNYC · Posted: Fri Mar 31, 2006 2:20 am Post subject: San Cristobal de las Casas?

Can anybody tell me about teaching/living prospects for someone in San Cristobal de las Casas? Are there jobs there? I have a CELTA, 1 year experience including 6 at a Mexican university, and I pretty much speak Spanish. Do you think I could move there and get a job relatively quickly?

ls650 · Joined: 10 May 2003 Posts: 3484 Location: British Columbia

San Cristobal is a beautiful place, but it's also very poor. There isn't much money available to pay a foreign teacher. An experienced teacher with good paperwork could probably land a teaching gig at one of the local universities, but the pay isn't very good - perhaps 5000 pesos a month.

delacosta · Joined: 14 Apr 2004 Posts: 325 Location: zipolte beach

San Cristobal is a delightfuly charming mid size city. Is overun with foreigners, just like Oaxaca City. Both are very 'happening' places that many people would love to live in, including ESL teachers of course. As a result the market has more supply than demand and wages are very low, I've heard as low as 30 pesos an hour with the usual no prep time. And there is also an abundance of 'volunteer' programs-you know the 'experience the cultural wonder of Mexico while helping local communities to learn English...live with a local family ...etc.
So the wages are low, but I believe, as in Oaxaca, that there is an overabundance of non or minimally qualified teachers just looking for a way to survive while living in a cool town. I think if you were a good teacher and had the funds and patience to establish a clientele that in time you would be able to survive at a decent level. But I imagine it would take time...because most of those 'backpacker' teachers have also given the profession a bad name.
I see you're writing form Tehantepec. How's things there? A bit hot?

MELEE · Posted: Fri Mar 31, 2006 3:17 pm Post subject:

Agree with LS and costa, the only openings I've ever seen were exchange English for Spanish type gigs. I know several people who dream of opening a language school there, but haven't worked up the gumption to quit their well paying uni jobs! Laughing

In Tehuantepec you're pretty close to San Cristobal for regular visits, aren't you? I mean, it takes me like 18 hours to get there. Tehuantepec must be about 4 or 5 hours away.
Another option would be Tuxtla Guitierrez. I've seem some decent jobs going there and its less than two hours from San Cristobal. The only problem is its awfully hot. I spent two days there once and left with a heat rash.

ls650 · Joined: 10 May 2003 Posts: 3484 Location: British Columbia

AlNYC · Posted: Fri Mar 31, 2006 9:41 pm Post subject:

Tuxtla Gutierrez is another urban really hot city, I don't really want to go there because it would be like going from Little Tehuantepec to Big Tehuantepec, although Im sure there's a lot more going on there. Hmmm, I'll have to think about this, I guess that my assumption that I could just easily work anywhere in Mexico may not be that true. I personally prefer San Cristobal over Oaxaca City a lot... yes they both may be gringolandia, but San Cristobal seems like a much more cultured, respectful, and interesting (in terms of tourists) gringolandia than Oaxaca to me. The Chiapanecos are really cool too. 5000 is very low pay, but considering the cost of living in Chiapas, maybe its not as bad as it seems.
San Cristobal is about 10 hours from Tehuantepec.

What about prospects for a native English speaker who speaks decent Spanish and has a work visa in non-English teaching jobs? Especially in a city where there are so many tourists there must be some demand for an American bilingual worker? I'm just looking for something semi-temporary
Maybe I should just choose another place to live.

ls650 · Joined: 10 May 2003 Posts: 3484 Location: British Columbia

SCDLC is a poor area. There isn't that much work there for non-Mexicans outside of TEFL. The ex-pats I've met who live there permanently are either retirees, teach English, or had a bundle of money to start up a small business such as a bookstore, a restaurant, or a hotel.

bootsy · Joined: 14 Jan 2006 Posts: 9 Location: Chiapas

I taught in San Cris for several years and am actually heading back soon. It is possible to find work there there are several language schools and private universities. There are also quite a few private classes to be had. But basically you need to be there and network. The pay is quite low but so is the cost of living. When I first started there (in 2000) I only had a few classes and I lived off of 2000 pesos per month. You can find a room in a shared house for as low as 400 pesos a month (shared bathroom and kitchen). If you eat from the market and only go out drinking when its 2 for 1 its possible to survive there and as you meet more people you can get more classes.

A good language school to try is Institute Jovel, they have the best reputation. There is also a bilingual K-12 called Pequena Sol. Another option is the private high school circut, working with rich bratty kids but it pays well. This is a poor area but the people that do have have quite a bit.

It is a fun place to live and the Chiapanecos are a warm bunch. I have lived and worked in several other places in Mexico and prefer San Cris to all of them.
Good luck.

AlNYC · Posted: Sun Apr 02, 2006 10:10 pm Post subject:

thank you, your advice will help me very much as I decide where I shall go in Mexico!

MELEE · Posted: Mon Apr 03, 2006 2:53 pm Post subject: