Job Discussion Forums

[FuzzX]

Anyone in Puerto Vallarta? I just arrived 2 days ago and I was hoping to find some teachers here to hangout with unfortunately with all the tourists here it'll be almost impossible to tell the difference

[Samantha]

You will probably have to go directly to the schools to inquire as to the whereabouts of foreign teachers. Most teachers can't afford to (or don't want to) hang out in the tourist scene, especially if they have been there awhile. Ask around in the local businesses also as PV isn't that big really, but don't be surprised to find that there aren't that many foreign teachers there.

[FuzzX]

A little warning to anyone thinking of coming here... this place is a hole.
I have never LIVED in a touristy area before and I think I had a VERY romanticized view of what it was going to be like to live down here. For some reason I thought that I would get the same sort of semi-friendly reception that I had in Toluca, not so. By day this is a retirement home and tourist trap, by night its full of sleazy gringos, a trashy downtown area for nightclubs and overpriced everything.... the people also have a view of gringos like no other... you actually get to see why the Mexicans think gringos are so stupid and sleazy (I really had no idea). I regret coming here, they don't even have atolle available anywhere. I'm considering getting on a bus to Mexico City this week. This place is really for the 18 to 21 party crowd and the 50 - 65 retirement community.

On the up side:
There is a lot of work here for anyone that wants it.

[Guy Courchesne]

I got to feel the same of Acapulco after living there for awhile. The realities of beach living kick in after a short while and you realize it's pretty empty.

[MELEE]

Why would they have atolle in a hot place? Here nobody drinks it during the hot months--it's a cold weather thing.

[cangringo]

For the record I've heard the same thing about Cabo San Lucas, which is kinda why we chose to live here in La Paz. It's nice here although still touristy.

[Samantha]

Guy wrote:

[Guy Courchesne]

True...I should have specified 'resort' city instead of beach. Following FuzzX, I'm thinking of how the party atmosphere attracts and portrays a single dimension, and for me, how that gets quite tiresome.

Cancun, Playa del Carmen, and Acapulco for example. Great spots for a weekend. For a year? No way...but, that's just my own opinion.

[cangringo]

So has PV changed over the last 15 years or so? I'm curious because that's about how long it's been since I was there as a tourist. I loved it then and found everyone really friendly. We went via cruise and stopped over there for a week.

I've talked to people from the tourist industry in Cabo and although they do speak some English, I was surprised to learn that they don't really speak English. They know enough to speak with tourists but that's about it. I have heard that if you don't live in tourist Cabo, the rest of the place is a hole. This is from other English teachers that thought about moving there from here.

[Samantha]

The problem in Cabo is there isn't any decent affordable housing for the working class, so the workers that come from other areas to do construction work on the resorts are forced to live in terrible housing in not nice areas. There is a real contrast in the two visible lifestyles there, but there are decent areas by local standards.

We have Mexican friends working over there making good money in the tourist industry and have been able to get a mortgage in a middle class neighborhood. The same house here is about half the price they are paying there so it's all relative, but they seem to be loving their work and loving being away from home. He is trained to be a school teacher but couldn't get ahead, on the salary it pays here.

Yes, Puerto Vallarta has changed over the years. You get the distinct impression that tourists are a bother to many of them and hands are constantly out for tips. Surly attitudes are noticeable. That didn't used to be the case.

[leslie]

Bye

[hlamb]

I visited PV with some friends just after completing my ITTO course. We all loved it and had a great week. One girl ended up getting a job there but I don't think she was too happy. It just wasn't the same to work there as it was to visit. True of many places, I expect.

[PlayadelSoul]

Guy, Playa del Carmen is nothing like Acapulco or Cancun. It is a wonderful little multicultural community with lots of thing to do. As an example, we currently have students representing 14 different countries. At one point, we were up to 16. Two of our Brazilian students are on vacation and our Serbian student was, unfortunately, deported.

[Guy Courchesne]

Playa was nice, but again, not for me for the long haul. Opinions differ.

[john_n_carolina]