Job Discussion Forums

NinaNina · Joined: 10 Jan 2007 Posts: 78 Location: Oaxaca

I've been offered a job in Mexico with a split shift: 8am-10am and 4-9pm. I have two children, one in elementary school, and I'm trying to figure out how I'll spend enough time with them during the week, which is important to me. I could volunteer in my son's classroom or visit at lunchtime, I suppose.

Anyone else contending with this issue? How did you resolve it?

Stephen Jones · Joined: 21 Feb 2003 Posts: 4124

Get another job.

MELEE · Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2007 7:51 pm Post subject:

What a helpful answer Stephen!

I work 9 to 2 and 4 to 7, so Nina those hours sound really good to me. You'd have from 10 to 4 off which is a really long time. You son will probably get out of school at 1, most Mexican elementary schools run from 8 am to 1 pm. You could pick him up and have plenty of time before you go back to work. The key will be finding a place to live close to your job/his school so that commute time is minimul.
That sounds like a good job. How's the pay? maybe I'll apply Wink

!

NinaNina · Joined: 10 Jan 2007 Posts: 78 Location: Oaxaca

Gracias for your input Mama Oaxaca. It would be a huge relief if school let out by 1pm. If it doesn't, I guess I could occasionally pick him up early, too.

On the plus side, there are no Friday afternoon hours. On the minus side, there is a Sat. morning class.

Now THIS is funny--you asked what the job is. I think you know! I PMed you questions about it a couple weeks ago. If you want it, I know they have other openings, include a possible managerial one (one of the managers is leaving at the end of May). They would snap you up in a heartbeat, but probably not with competitive pay and benefits.

Stephen Jones · Joined: 21 Feb 2003 Posts: 4124

You'll find the split shifts will drive you mad, unless you live on top of the premises.

NinaNina · Joined: 10 Jan 2007 Posts: 78 Location: Oaxaca

Thanks for your thoughts, Stephen. To be honest, I don't mind split shifts in and of themselves. I used to work 60 hours a week, including graveyard shft, and I like having strange little bits of time off during the day. And, for the past 7 years, I've been a mom and a teacher in the U.S., so I'm accustomed to running around.

It's losing the crucial 4-7pm time with my kids that distresses me, because that is golden, what with playing at the park, going for walks, doing homework, eating dinner together, whatnot. I can't see us sitting around for a leisurely family breakfast, you know? Not my best hour. But 1-3pm as the golden time, I think I could get used to that...

wildchild · Joined: 14 Nov 2005 Posts: 519 Location: Puebla 2009 - 2010

MELEE · Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2007 7:25 pm Post subject:

Nina, you should post this on the Mexico forum. Mexico time is definately not gringo time. Oaxaca and the rest of the south, even less.
My kids are the only in their extended family that go to sleep before 10 pm. And I'm talking 9 months to 90 years old, we are the only early to bedders. If you adjust to local time, you will wake up with just barely enough time to get everyone dressed and out of the house. School provide a meal, or time to eat a packed meal at around 10 am--this is the first meal of the day. My girls preschool actually eats early at 8.30. at their preschool they do two meals and eat again at 12:30, and I pick them up at two, but a lot of the primarys the meal is at 10 and they don't eat again until they get out at 1pm. Then there is a very large late lunch like at 3pm. Kids (and even adults) might take a nap after that. Dinner is not until 9 pm and usually a very light meal. Most Mexicans let there kids stay up until they drop from exhaustion then they get put to bed already asleep! There are 6 year olds playing soccer in the street at 10pm in most neighborhoods.

I wonder how much they are paying for the management position? I'm sure it doesn't compare with what I get here, and then there is my house, so I don't think I'll be moving just now. But if you take it, or something else in Oaxaca, we'll have to meet up some time!

NinaNina · Joined: 10 Jan 2007 Posts: 78 Location: Oaxaca

Thanks to everyone for the counseling! I will post on the Mexico forums.

Melee--I would love to meet up in Oaxaca...a playdate!

In regard to Mexico schedules, they are very similar to those that my immigrant students (from Mexico and China) kept in the U.S. Some did well with it, but others were propping their little heads up all morning!

I would conjecture that, in the U.S., the parents' keeping their kids up late was partially culturally based, and partially class-based. Many of the parents worked blue-collar jobs, two jobs, split shifts, graveyard shifts, and wanted to have a chance to see their children. Who can blame them?