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JakeJakeJake
Joined: 13 Nov 2007
Posts: 135
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 Posted: Thu Nov 15, 2007 8:08 pm Post subject: IH Mexico City |
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| Anyone have any view at all on IH CELTA course in Mexico City? a simple one word answer would suffice. Two if you're feelin frisky |
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Guy Courchesne
Joined: 10 Mar 2003
Posts: 9650
Location: Mexico City
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| Posted: Thu Nov 15, 2007 8:19 pm Post subject: |
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| The pay is decent as they send you around to various companies. The flip side is that you have little control over your hours, and your unpaid travel time can be a bit much. Good starting position until you figure out Mexico City. |
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JakeJakeJake
Joined: 13 Nov 2007
Posts: 135
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| Posted: Thu Nov 15, 2007 8:21 pm Post subject: |
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| Well thats good to know if I was reqruited afterwards. But what of the CELTA course? I'm guessing it must be decent as all CELTAs surely are. |
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Guy Courchesne
Joined: 10 Mar 2003
Posts: 9650
Location: Mexico City
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| Posted: Thu Nov 15, 2007 8:27 pm Post subject: |
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Yes, all CELTA course providers are centrally monitored. Their next course is in April or May I believe, and it's very common for IH to recruit into their network from course graduates.
Sorry, I totally read your initial post incorrectly...missed the reference to the course and thought you were asking about a job there. |
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JakeJakeJake
Joined: 13 Nov 2007
Posts: 135
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| Posted: Thu Nov 15, 2007 8:35 pm Post subject: |
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all good! now i have extra information to think about!
Hmmm....every time i start researching a new country/city i get all excited and want to go there!
I love big, crazy, dirty, fun cities, im 24, a years teaching experience, degree, no CELTA (as of yet) and love to party and do not need money for material items, just spicy food and beer.
I'm guessing Mexico City is a good place for me?  |
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JakeJakeJake
Joined: 13 Nov 2007
Posts: 135
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| Posted: Thu Nov 15, 2007 8:40 pm Post subject: |
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cheers
Last edited by JakeJakeJake on Thu Nov 15, 2007 8:41 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Guy Courchesne
Joined: 10 Mar 2003
Posts: 9650
Location: Mexico City
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| Posted: Thu Nov 15, 2007 8:40 pm Post subject: |
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Mexico City probably fits your bill. There's no shortage of things to do here in the capital....from the lowest to the highest of standards.
You sound like someone that would like to come to one of our teacher get-togethers. Keep an eye on this forum, as either Dixie, thelmadatter, or I announce them a few weeks in advance. |
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JakeJakeJake
Joined: 13 Nov 2007
Posts: 135
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| Posted: Thu Nov 15, 2007 8:42 pm Post subject: |
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thanks for the advice man, already thinking of the parties to come!
The next course starts march 31st.
Course fee is $1800.
Aside from this and my flight..... How much money should one have in the bank in order to get a gaff to stay in during the course, eat and drink, set oneself up afterwards, apartment etc and a safety balance?
ballpark figure.
Or would it be better to save more and wait until July? Would this more seriously impede my job ops? after march. july 7th - aug 1st |
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Guy Courchesne
Joined: 10 Mar 2003
Posts: 9650
Location: Mexico City
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| Posted: Thu Nov 15, 2007 8:48 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
The next course starts march 31st.
Course fee is $1800.
Aside from this and my flight. How much money should one have in the bank in order to get a gaff to stay in during the course, eat and drink, set oneself up afterwards, apartment etc and a buffer?
ballpark figure.
Or would it be better to save more and wait until July? Would this more seriously impede my job ops? after march. july 7th - aug 1st |
Having $2000 usd gives you a comfy margin. Not sure if IH provides accommodation during the CELTA course or not...but if you're out renting a place, you'll need to pay first and last months' rent. This can vary between $100 usd and $1000 usd per month...a lot of variety here. Expect around $300 per month to be comfy and central.
Food and drink is cheaper here than the rest of the country for the most part, but you can find all sorts of variety from dirt cheap to hideously expensive.
As for when to come...it depends on the kind of job you want. Language schools - onsite and company classes offsite - hire year round. Elementary and secondary schools will see late August starts. Coming out of a CELTA course means you're likely more employable at the language schools, but you never know. |
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JakeJakeJake
Joined: 13 Nov 2007
Posts: 135
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| Posted: Thu Nov 15, 2007 11:23 pm Post subject: |
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Im thinking unless I luck out with a good job or manage not to spend any money in the next few months July is most likely. March would be pretty rushed! Plus July would be good to become accustomed to the country before starting a majorly intensive teaching course.
Seen as I've set my heart on Mexico City in the past few hours (!), any suggestions on volunteer/hiking route/something interesting and cheap to do for a couple of weeks before starting a CELTA? |
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dixie
Joined: 23 Apr 2006
Posts: 644
Location: D.F
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| Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2007 1:20 am Post subject: |
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| any suggestions on volunteer/hiking route/something interesting and cheap to do for a couple of weeks before starting a CELTA? |
Lots to do in the city alone, but if you want to get away there are tons of places not too far off. Beach, colonial towns (a little furthar, but buses here are great..and cheap!), Puebla, Cuernavaca for something a little quieter, more sightseeing type stuff, and then just small places for day trips and what not. Oh! Taxco. An old silver mining town that is literally built on the side of a mountain. Fabulous markets and streets that go every which way - up, down, left, right - and where you end up, you never know. Great place to sit on a roof top patio, check out the scenery, drink some beer and just have a fabulous time. Fell in love with the town when I was there.
All in all, D.F is a great starting out point, as it is fairly central. |
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MELEE
Joined: 22 Jan 2003
Posts: 2583
Location: The Mexican Hinterland
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| Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2007 2:03 pm Post subject: |
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What sort of volunteering did you have in mind?
If you want hiking near Mexico City, I think Tepoztlan, Morelos is the best bet. A place so magical, Queztalcoatl was born there. |
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kosherpickle
Joined: 24 Nov 2006
Posts: 93
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| Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2007 1:23 am Post subject: |
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so guy, can you tell me what, besides the more obvious things like time spent doing the course and price tag, are the main differences between what the school you work for offers and this ih school?
am i allowed to ask that? |
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MO39
Joined: 28 Jan 2004
Posts: 1970
Location: El ombligo de la Rep�blica Mexicana
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| Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2007 1:57 am Post subject: |
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| Guy Courchesne wrote: |
| The pay is decent as they send you around to various companies. The flip side is that you have little control over your hours, and your unpaid travel time can be a bit much. . |
I interviewed with them and they impressed me as a serious operation who treated their teachers well. However, I turned down a job with them because it would have required teaching several mornings a week starting at 7:30 in the morning in the dreaded Santa Fe area of Mexico City. But, heck, if you're a morning person, that shouldn't be a problem. |
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