Job Discussion Forums

[roymakaay]

I was going to go to Ecuador this summer, and do a 4 week teaching course, and hopefully learn some Spanish (as i heard living expenses etc are quite cheap). Things happened, and I have to go Canada to work for about 6 months now. Annnnyway, I have a little knowledge of Spanish, but not much really, I couldnt hold a conversation, so I think I'll try and do a course in Canada to improve this. If I didnt do any Spanish course, would 4 weeks in Ecuador, with Spanish lessons everyday, and speaking to local people, be enough to get by in the rest of South America? I havent learnt a language before, and I dont know what my realistic expectations should be! Oh, and also, how hard is it to travel around South America and teach here and there for 2-3 months at a time, rather than 6 months/1 year? Thanks

[Alitas]

I teach Spanish and prefer learning by immersion. Your four weeks will not be enough to feel at all fluent--just the tip of the iceberg. However, you do have to start somewhere!

Also, teaching for a few months at a time seems unrealistic in a traditional school setting.