Job Discussion Forums

[thebigqtip]

Hello. Long time lurker, first time poster.

I spent a year living like a caged puma in the Children's Republic of South Korea. All job-related angst aside, I really loved it there, in spite of everything.

It's winter here in Nebraska. I've been offered positions at a few schools in San Jose. I'm inclined to board a plane on January 2nd and kiss this arctic hellhole goodbye, but there has been a sudden rush of extremely distressing news about Costa Rica. I'm not sure what I had in mind before all of this, but now I'm having nightmares about being pistol whipped to death by a three-toed sloth.

In short, I'm still interested in teaching in Costa Rica, but I'm looking into teaching somewhere away from the big city. Is Heredia (relatively) safe? I'm aware that nowhere in Central America (or the rest of the world) is going to be as safe as the padded room that is Korea. I don't mind having my pockets picked because there's mostly lint in there anyway. But my moderately attractive face could do without another beat-down.

If anyone knows of any good schools or job openings, I'd be forever in your debt if you would kindly let me know about them.

Thank you, Costa Rican forum readers. And good night.

[Seibu]

No, no! Don't go to Heredia, dude. That's where I was going.

I'm like you. I'm starting to question the whole Costa Rica bit......but who can stay on this desolate ice rink known as Oklahoma any longer? Ugh!

[corr888]

HEY bigqtip,
So I'm not actually in CR yet. I head down in few weeks, but I've done a lot of job researching and applying.
Check out http://costaricaclassroom.blogspot.com/. There are a few posts from back in January 2007 that have long, detailed lists and descriptions of schools w/ contact info.
Thats cool that you got offered postions without being down there.
Pretty much everybody emailed me back and said yeah let us know when you get here we wanna see your face.
On safety-I don't know. I've heard that Heredia is realtively safe in comparison to San Jose.
Good Luck!

[thebigqtip]

Thanks for getting back to me, dudes!

Actually, Corr:
I remember reading a few of your posts earlier. I'm being courted by the same school you're headed to, NLA, and I'm supposed to start my training at the same time. But because of the crime situation down there, I'm hesitant to buy a plane ticket and seal my fate. Not that you shouldn't head down to CR. I'm just an extremely indecisive goofball. Maybe if I decide to head down we can cover each other on the streets. I'm good with foam nunchuks, but not much else.

Seibu:
I'm in the same Midwestern boat. This is exactly why I shipped myself off to Korea last summer. I reached a point where if I had to merge onto the interstate one more time, if I had to buy luncheon meats at Wal-Mart one more time, if I saw one more faded "W '04" sticker on the back of a Pontiac Aztek, I was going to do something unpleasant. Like get a strange piercing.

I really desperately want to get out of this country again. It's like a sinking ship. Not desperately enough to go back to South Korea, but perhaps desperately enough to take my chances on the streets of San Jose.

Anyone have any information about Guadalupe? I assume it's not as bad as San Jose centro.

[corr888]

Yeah NLA was the only school that wanted to set up anything..the rest just wanted me to let them know when I was actually there.
I'm interested in knowing more about Guadalupe. I know virtually nothing about it.
Anybody live there? Teach there? Ole.......?
Between your nunchucks and my mase I'm sure we'll be fine! Come on down!

[thebigqtip]

Corr,
I'm thinking I might go for it. I've got nothing to do for the next ten months anyway.

This will be the second time in as many years that I've vanished overnight in the pursuit of TEFL superstardom. Last summer, I made the split second decision to teach in South Korea. One day I was around. The next, I was gone. When I returned, my friends took me out for drinks and we picked up where we left off, pretended as though nothing had happened. I bummed around town for four months. My friends got used to having me around, assumed that my wandering days were over. But the weather turned cold and I grew restless and now I'm about to pull the disappearing act all over again. Ay, dios mio, man.

[teachwrite]

[OleLarssen]

NLA is a decent place to work, but don't expect superstardom.

Guadalupe is a great place to live. It ain't pretty, but it's relatively safe (as far as San Jose goes etc etc) and you can find some great apartments for very decent prices. Same goes for Moravia, which is in my opinion quite nice as well. Both areas lend themselves easily to working at NLA.

[davechile]

If you don't mind me asking; What did they offer you? Hours & Rate? Base on your experience. Planning to drive down from San Fran either end of 08 or beginning of 09. I know rates can change by then but, it is good to know, with the Dollar sliding to new lows.

Dave