Job Discussion Forums

[davechile]

Coming Down getting my CELTA at Britanico
Planning to do a year+ of teaching in CR

What do you think of Home Stay option instead of renting your own place?

Is it cheaper? Learn Spanish by immersion and study? Get a little cabenas in the back come in for meals?

I really enjoyed living in a Family when I came down on an extended vacation.

Or rent a place (2br) and offer free rent for spanish lessons?? trying to combine some things here?

Would this be too much as a New Teacher? Learning to teach English in a Classroom and trying to learn spanish at the same time?

Dave

[OleLarssen]

I'd definitively recommend a homestay, at least for a while. It'll be very helpful in teaching you English, cut down on your day-to-day expenses by providing food and be an invaluable source of information about all things Tico. And, of course, giving you a relatively authentic CR experience.

It all depends, though, on how long you are intending to stay, where you're staying, what you're doing aside teaching English etc etc.

[davechile]

I plan on staying for at least a year so..4 trips across the border. If I end up staying longer i might seek a sponsorship from a school? I like the Orosi Valle outside Cartago. I already know a family there and they could hood me up with anotehr family I am sure. i really love how quiet it is there. Buy a enduro motorcycle and ride into San Jose for classes or Cartago if the money is good.

How much do you think I will get paid? BA Finance, CELTA (in CR), 15 yrs business experience (IBM, Deutsche Bank). Trying to plan budget savings???

Do you suggest any other areas to live?

Dave

[doreenp]

here, again, is the information about Zeneida�s in Heredia., Hector and Jonathan, are in the process of setting up an email account solely for the purpose of homestay�s with Zeneida. unfortunately some people have missed emails with them because they have put something appropriate in the subject line or hector and Jonathan have not recognized the email addy and deleted it as spam, sorry bout this.

As soon as i have the new email information i will post it here. From what they tell me, room is still available and they would love to see you.
here�s the post from before, some info might be different (like the prices) so please confirm all information with them.
cheers
pura vida
d
[email protected]

once again i highly recommend a homestay to get over the hump of where to live and where to teach.

The question to homestay or go to a hostel has come up and after hearing from some newly arrived teachers, i have to say that homestay would be the way to go. Of course my experience was a good one and so that makes me biased and my friends time at the hostel was so bad that they almost left CR . If you�re trying to take a course while living in a hostel it can be extremely tough. A well run hostel will have curfews and noise rules after 11pm but things happen and sleep is not always tranquil.

I have posted about my homestay before, but i�ll refresh it here. I really appreciated having people pick me up at the airport and take me to their home. I was given a walking tour of Heredia and didn�t have to worry about shopping or cooking or anything for the first days and could just enjoy my time and explore the city. It also gave me a good start on looking into where exactly i wanted to work and live. Job offers came in immediately but I traveled around and interviewed many schools before i chose to stay in Heredia.

If anyone is interested in more information you can private email me .
Living in Central Heredia you are walking distance to churches, gyms, pool, shopping and parks and many universities and language schools.

The house i live in offers 4 rooms to students and teachers. The cost starts at about 250.00 per month for a fair size room, upstairs , two rooms share one bathroom, toilet and shower with hot water and downstairs you have your own.

I only had one meal a day cooked for me because of my work schedule but the other people had all three meals cooked for them and she is an excellent cook and will vary the meals and accomodate your tastes (vegetarian etc.)

Our rooms are cleaned once a week and bedding cleaned and changed.

My laundry is done when needed, washed folded and returned to me.

The three upstairs rooms have a private and seperate entrance so you don't have to go thru the whole house to get to your room.

You have complete use of the living and dining rooms and kitchen. The living room has a TV for communal use.

The family is great and more than willing to help you out in any way they can.

Email: Hector - [email protected] or [email protected] or jonathan at [email protected]


please put �� heredia homestay with Zeneida�� in the subject line

good luck to all
cheers

[OleLarssen]

[davechile]

[OleLarssen]

Hopefully till the end of the year, but it kinda depends on how long I can dodge my student loan.

[OleLarssen]

One more thing that I forgot to mention. I believe living with people with whom you share no common language is a wonderful way to train you in use of body language to get what you want. This is good experience to have when/if you're teaching low level English. Or any language, for that matter.

[yankeechemist]

I am 46, is a homestay ok?

[OleLarssen]

Of course!