Job Discussion Forums

[sambeckett]

SAN LOUIS POSTOSI

Yo. Any fellow teachers on the web with present or previous work and living experience in San Luis Potos�. I have a tentative job offer and would like to have more information before agreeing to sign a contract. Presently I am living and working in northern Mexico. It�s that time of year to move and travel to other parts of Mexico.

My primary question is: does anyone from the expat teaching community have first hand experience living and working in San Louis Postosi? If so, where?

Secondly, I have some other basic questions:

1) What�s the expat community like?
2 General tone of the city. It is welcoming to outsiders?
3) I know that San Louis Postosi has a colonial center and that it is a university city. Any general info on what one can expect living there: nightlife-art and music scene (ENGLISH LANGUAGE BOOKSTORES)
4) General pricing of housing. (Basic central located one bedroom).

Gracias,
SB

[fletcht100]

For books, there is a well-stocked library at a language school called something like the American Centre, I forget the name. It is on Terrazas a couple of blocks north of Carranza.

[ls650]

San Luis Potosi?
A co-worker taught there for a year, and has made mixed comments about it. Lots of culture and history to see, but also a lot of traffic, pollution - all the negatives of a large city.

[canadiense]

San Luis has about a million people with a great colonial center, and lots of culture. There are several museums, and many well-preserved buildings. The plazas are beautiful, and the main street has a tree-lined boulevard.

I've been teaching there for over three years, although I've beenon vacation for a few months now. The people are receptive to newcomers from abroad, and there is an international friendship club that has activities for ex-pats and many opportunities to get together.

There an ESL book store in addition to the American Center. Several stores sell some U.S. reading material too. You can buy Newsweek, and other magazines.

There is a large industrial zone which of course brings some pollution but a friend with asthma has told me how much better she is in SLP than in Canada. I find that my allergies disappear there too.

The weather is temperate most of the year with a cold spell in January and a hot spell in May. I love the sunny days and the cool nights when you can sleep like a baby. There's always a party, music, and good food.

Someone would be lucky to find a small apartment for 1000 pesos a month, sparsely furnished. Most people pay at least 2000, or shaare accomodations. I had an American style apartment with three bedrooms and two baths for 3500 plus utilities, but it now goes for 4000. It was great, but we used our savings to supplement my teacher's salary. This is the other extreme. There are lots of options in between.

[TheLongWayHome]

SLP in my opinion:

Positives:

It's relatively safe.
It's a developing city.
Nice architecture in the centre.
Easy to get around.
Good base to travel to the surrounding cities such as Queretaro, Zacatecas, Mexico City, San Miguel, Leon, Guanajuato and more.
Not too touristy if you want to learn Spanish.
A few parks.

Negatives:

It's a city that feels like a town due to the small town mentality.
Close minded people (even Mexicans from outside SLP will say this).
Bad drainage--when it rains it pours and it floods.
Too many cars. The traffic becomes worse by the day.
Strong American consumer culture influence.
People with 2 or sometimes 3 cell phones attached to their belt and other horrid displays of personal wealth.
Snobbery.

[sambeckett]

Many thanks for all hands who replied to my inquiry. Very informative and helpful.
Gracias,
SB

[hlamb]

[Ben Round de Bloc]

[TheLongWayHome]

[Endie]

One what? Phone? Or husband, lover, or mom?