Job Discussion Forums

[vanisle]

I too have been lurking within the Mexican discussion forum for some time now...it's been very informative and very entertaining. I've given up watching CSI to follow what's happening in the ESL world in beautiful Mexico. My husband and I are moving south at the end of the summer. I have traveled quite a bit in Mexico but have always concentrated on the south. I have done extensive research on Guadalajara but want some answers to my questions from people who've actually lived there for an extended period.

1) Is there any kind of hiking within a 2 hour drive from the city center?

2) How far is the beach (any ocean beach) really from the city center (3,4,5 hours?)

3) We are avid squash players and I've found through my research that there are many courts in Guadalajara...is this true, and can anybody play?

4) I grew up in a city (Vancouver BC) but have spent the past 5 years of my adult life on Vancouver Island in a town of 90 000 people. We are looking forward to being urbanites for a year (or more), but I want to know if Guadalajara feels like a huge city. From what I've read and heard from people who have visited, it doesn't feel like other cities of 4-5 million people. Are there quiet, green spots to get away from the citiness?

5) We are bringing a car - is it crazy to think that we might be able to commute with it? Is driving in Guadalajara a scary experience? I am a very fearless driver.

6) I have communicated with various schools in Mexico about coming down and have received positive feedback. We are hesitant about commiting to a school in a town we've never been to for multiple reasons. We are confidant that we will land jobs once we arrive and pound the pavement because we are both trained professionals, but some people here think we are crazy...please someone tell me that we're not. We will come armed with degrees, certificates, letters of recommendation etc.
Which leads me to my next question...

7) How does one obtain an FM3 card without a job? What is the best way to get across the border with the INTENTION of getting an ESL job?!

Thank you to anyone who can answer my questions...I appreciate it.

[Ben Round de Bloc]

[reddevil79]

Vanisle,

In response to your questions�

1) Where to begin??? There are a lot of places to go hiking within two hours of the city. Mazamitla has a huge national park nearby, there are volcanoes close to Colima which are good for hiking, people I know rave about Talpa for good walks, and of course there is the �Barranca� north east of the city which is very popular and about 20/30 mins from the centre. Many other places too�

2) The nearest beaches are near to Manzanillo, about 3-4 hours drive away. My personal favourite is Melaque & Barra, just a a bit further on up the coast. There is of course Puerto Vallarta, but that�s quite lively to say the least. Depends on what you�re after�

3) I can�t say I saw too many squash courts, if any. Then again I never went to look for any�.

4) Guadalajara is quite a big city and is growing all the time, especially out side the ring road (�periferico�). It does have a small town mindset/feel in a lot of places, but there are of lots of students which give it youthful vibe and lots of interesting places to check out. As for greenery, you won�t find much. There is Agua Azul and Colomos, but Guadalajara does need more green spaces�

5) Depends entirely on where you live in the city. While the traffic is not as bad as in Mexico City, it still gets busy on the roads at rush hour. My friends in Guadalajara complain about the traffic getting worse every year, but I�m sure most Mexicans say that about their city. It�s no scarier driving here than in other places in Mexico. But compared to Canada!? That might be a different story.....

6) Ask most English teachers in Mexico how they got their job, and most will tell you after arriving and knocking on a few doors. You can nearly always find a job, but pay, terms, conditions, etc. vary from school to school and your qualifications.

Hope this helps!

[vanisle]

Thanks for that info. Now another green question...

Please someone help me...what does apostilled mean? What do I have to do to these documents, and to which ones?

Thanks

[vanisle]

Oops - one more thing.

Ben round the bloc - what is the esl teaching situation like in Merida? Are there many jobs available? I visited there years ago and absolutely loved the city, but would it take a million hours to drive there from the northern border!?!

Thanks

[J Sevigny]

Driving in Guadalajara, for me anyway, is an experience I prefer to avoid.

I have a car but I seldom use it. It sometimes takes me longer to get to classes by car than on the bus. Also, gas is kinda steep, so I save a few pesos -- and probably add years to my life -- by not driving. Still, there are plenty of teachers here who drive. So it all depends on what you prefer -- the stress and expense of driving or the time invested in commuting by bus-train.

There are plenty of places to hike within day-trip distance.

Overall, Guadalajara is a very manageable, though large and often chaotic city.

Send me a private message if you�ve got any specific questions.

[ls650]