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Thomcat · Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2007 6:24 am Post subject: Help Newbie get to Mexico

I am a 41 year old American male who has been contemplating teaching ESL somewhere in Latin America for quite some time. I would like to teach for approx one year and plan to return to US and teach Spanish and ESL. Being that I am so close, Mexico seems the logical choice. I am strongly considering Oaxaca right now, but am open to any suggestions/opinions.

I do have a BA in Spanish and History, but no TEFL certificate. I am thinking of taking a TEFL course in Mexico so that I will be a more effective teacher, despite the fact that many people have told me that it is unnecessary. I have minimal experience teaching ESL in the US as a volunteer where the lesson plans were basically laid out for me. Since finances are a concern, my question is: is it necessary or worth it for me to lay down the money for a course?

My next question has to do with legality. Experienced friends have told me that as an American I can go down and teach and really don't have to worry too much about papers etc. Is this the reality of the situation? And if this is not the case, what are the processes that one must go through? Will the TEFL program help me secure docs. etc? Can I do all that once I am there?

I have many questions, but these are my biggest concerns right now. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

ls650 · Joined: 10 May 2003 Posts: 3484 Location: British Columbia

When you say Oaxaca, do you mean the city or the state? The city has very little well-paying TEFL work, whereas some decent jobs can be found in some outlying areas of the state.

Your 'experienced' friends may have worked somewhere in Mexico with more lax immigration regulation, but where I live immigration tends to enforce the rules very strictly, and the "proper paperwork" is vital.

If you have no teaching experience a TEFL certificate program with supervised practicum can be very helpful - and some schools do look for one.

You will definitely want to "apostillize" your degree, and if you get the TEFL certificate north of the border, it also. If you get the certificate in Mexico, that will save you having to get this particular document apostillized.

I suggest you search through this forum for 'apostillization' for more info....

thelmadatter · Posted: Mon Apr 23, 2007 7:01 pm Post subject: over 40 and proud!

Hey! could you consider moving to DF (Mexico City) or Estado de Mexico? I live in Toluca and Im 42... problem is Im surrounded by 20 and 30-yr-olds all the times and frankly the "kids" get on my nerves sometimes Laughing

(sorry Guy, Dixie and Freddy ji ji ji )

Would be nice to have an "adult" to talk to.

grahamb · Joined: 30 Apr 2003 Posts: 1945

Thelmadatter, I'm 43. Wink

thelmadatter · Posted: Wed Apr 25, 2007 6:49 pm Post subject: hello!

Hey! Nice to know Im not the only one doing the mid-life thing down here!

graham... are you in the DF area? If so, why havnt I seen you at one of Guy's shindigs?

grahamb · Joined: 30 Apr 2003 Posts: 1945

Thelmadatter, I'd love to attend Guy's shindigs, but the DF is Damn Far from Oman.
As my old landlady used to say, "Hay que joderse!" Smile

thelmadatter · Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2007 1:40 pm Post subject: get over here

well then.. youll just need to move on over here now doncha? ji ji ji Who cares about pay, right? Wink

Thomcat · Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2007 4:20 pm Post subject:

It's comforting to know that there are some people my age doing this! I was actually thinking of DF because I heard there was plenty of work to be had. I heard that the polution in DF can really get to you, so taking that into account, along with other factors, I'm now leaning more towards Oaxaca. But, like I said, at this point I am completely open. How's Toluca?

thelmadatter · Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2007 8:29 pm Post subject: toluca

Toluca has just about all of the pollution problems of DF with none of the upside culturally... I call it the NJ of Mexico... Sorry. Crime is significantly lower here but thats all I can say for it.

dixie · Joined: 23 Apr 2006 Posts: 644 Location: D.F

heheheh...no love for Toluca...I'm shocked! Shocked

You better have some for me though!

grahamb · Joined: 30 Apr 2003 Posts: 1945

Thelmadatter, I'm afraid these days I do have to care about pay: I have a "half orange" and a mortgage to consider. Oh, for those long-gone days of care-free youth!

thelmadatter · Posted: Fri Apr 27, 2007 2:54 pm Post subject: love

*sigh* grahamb, does this mean I have to give up my all-consuming fantasy of you and I marrying??????? Shocked

Whats a "half orange"?

Dixie... love????? I gave you a bag of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups... what greater love could there be?????

grahamb · Joined: 30 Apr 2003 Posts: 1945

Media naranja, Thelmadatter, is a rather charming expression which means your "other half" (husband or wife). Maybe they don't use it in Mexico.
In Spain a colleague asked me "?Hay tomate?" about my then girlfriend, which apparently meant "Is it serious?"/"Are there any prospects?"
How strange!

Thomcat · Posted: Sat Apr 28, 2007 6:04 pm Post subject:

OK, so now I have an idea of what apostillize means. I still have some questions. Since I only have a BA, should I get the BA and my transcript apostillized? And, since I plan on taking a TEFL course in Mexico, when do I go through process of getting work visa? After completion of TEFL course? After having found employment?

MELEE · Posted: Wed May 02, 2007 2:46 pm Post subject:

Apostille is a French word which means a certification. It is commonly used in English to refer to the legalization of a document for international use under the terms of the 1961 Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents. Documents which have been notarized by a notary public, and certain other documents, and then certified with a conformant apostille are accepted for legal use in all the nations that have signed the Hague Convention.

In countries which are not signatories to the 1961 convention and do not recognize the apostille, a foreign public document must be legalized by a consular officer of the country from which the document is issued.
(FOR EXAMPLE CANADA)
http://hcch.e-vision.nl/index_en.php?act=conventions.text&cid=41

In the US of A, Apostilles are issued by the Secretary of State of each STATE.

Grahamb they do use the term media naranja here in Mexico. And I have one, and a mortgage, and I'm doing fine in Mexico. That money stuff is all just a myth.