Job Discussion Forums

[corporatehuman]

I've finally made my decision. I will (I have to still send them money and enroll) be attending the Dunham Institute in Chiapas de Corzo to get my TEFL certification. From there, to wherever a job presents itself.

So thanks for everyone's thoughtful posts and responses to all my questions. But I have more.

1. Health Insurance in Mexico. I've read up on some threads about this. My hope is not to worry about this until I get a job, and make sure they offer it as well. Do most full time ESL Jobs come with Mexican Health Insurance?


2. Student Loans. Do any of you deal with this? I think I'll have to apply for economic deferment again (I just did this).


3. Is there anything that is actually more expensive to buy in Mexico than the States? I'm going to begin attempting to pack, and pack light, cause I assume I should just buy most things in Mexico. However one thing in particular, do you ESL teachers wear SUITS to work? I don't have a suit, and perhaps I should purchase one here before I go down. Or is it more the khaki / nice shirt, nice shoes fair down there?


4. Overall would you say it is best not to accept any job immediately, and to 'play the field' entertaining offers first. I heard from one lady recently, and she was talking about being a librarian but it applies to anything, she said never to accept a job right away. Always come back the next day and ask for more vacation and 10% more. Do you think this applies to the ESL Mexico world?



5. IF anyone knows of some job openings in early August anywhere, please PM me.


6. And, if anyone for some reason needs a roommate sometime in August in Guadalajara...I keep to myself and am very clean. Like a cat.



- Chris

[Cdaniels]

1 Have you read about the IMSS? Here's a link for retirees, but it applies to teachers too. http://www.mazinfo.com/infofiles/IMSS.htm

3 If you were in a tourist area, touristy items like sunscreen will be more expensive. I could not find bug-spray with DEET. I'm not sure why. Computers and their accessories seem to be a lot more expensive.

4 This sounds like my grandmother's advice to show up very early in the morning(the only work she knew about was factory jobs in the 30-40's) It really depends on the market, so I'll let more knowledgeable posters answer.

5 I beleive school generally starts in Sept. (?) Can you afford to wait until then for a paycheck?

[Guy Courchesne]

1. My suggestion is that you should get some kind of insurance coverage. I don't think that what's on offer in Mexico is sufficient.

2. Defer. You will have a hard time saving/sending money back, unless you land a sweet teaching job.

3. Shaving cream, if you use it. Bring extras. Razors too. They are annoyingly expensive here. You probably won't have to wear a suit to teach. Since you don't have a suit, just bring some ties.

4. You can afford to wait on offers, but I don't believe you'll be able to negotiate for much better on any one offer. Depends on what's on your CV I guess.

6. Cats are pretty clean. Do you cough up hairballs?

[Ben Round de Bloc]

1. I don't think it would be a bad idea to have some type of health insurance to cover you until you find work. Once you are legally employed, your employer is obligated to provide heath insurance for you, unless you're working on an independent work visa.

2. Sorry, I don't know anything about student loan repayments.

3. As Guy mentioned, shaving supplies are expensive here. So are most things associated with technology. As for wearing a suit, I think it depends on the region of the country and the particular school. I don't know of any teachers who wear suits down here in Merida. Way too hot most of the year. Some schools require slacks, dress shirts, and ties. Other schools are casual enough that teachers can get by with Bermuda shorts and sandals or jeans and Tee-shirts.

4. If you're aware of local wages and the school has a good reputation, I see nothing wrong with accepting a good job offer immediately. I don't know of any local schools that negotiate with new teachers. It's more a case of This is what we are offering. Take it or leave it.

5. Early August is not a good time to find a job and start working, at least not in this part of the country. Most schools are either closed or running a skeleton crew of teachers during that month.

6. It would be quite a daily commute from my house to Guadalajara. When you say clean like a cat, I hope you're not like the unneutered neighborhood tomcats that wander into my house from time to time and try to mark their territory! "I'd like you to meet my new housemate. He's the one over there spraying the potted palm in the living room."

[absolutaaron]

I�m a newbie � but I do know a little about student loans. Contact your lender(s). There are a couple of options available. My lender called my first request a �deferment� and when I maxed my deferment I was able to apply for �forbearance�. After �forbearance� I played the financial hardship card. The total time I was able to avoid the loans from when I left school was about 4 years. Anyway � I went back to school and ended up putting them off for another 3 years. I think they�re over me. I�m telling you this because I have truly taken deferment to the extreme. As I prepare for my move to Mexico I will consolidate the loans so that I will have a lower monthly payment while securing a decent interest rate.
(I also have a portion of my savings set aside for future loan payments)

Good luck!
A.

[kitkat1]

On the health insurance issue, check into the temporary coverage offered by the international student or teacher ID card (istc.org). That will keep you covered until you get on a private plan via your school or are eligible for IMSS.

If you wear contact lenses, saline solution costs an arm and a leg in Mexico (recently I paid $7.00 US for a bottle half the size of what I pay $1.00 for in the US). As others have said, computer supplies are pretty high - if you need something like a flashcard or disks, take them with you!