|
Job Discussion Forums
"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Students and Teachers from Around the World!"
|
| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
JonnyBravo
Joined: 30 Oct 2006
Posts: 80
Location: Bogota, Colombia
|
 Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2008 3:23 pm Post subject: Questions about Ecuador/Latin America |
 |
|
Hello --
I've been a lurker on these forums for years now. I always saw myself heading to Korea, but more recently Latin America is calling. I work 4-5 months a year as a program director for a not-too-inexpensive summer camp in Algonquin Park, Ontario, Canada. I'm trying to see if its possible for me to pair a rotation of winters abroad teaching and summers abroad (I'm actually American) running a camp. Here is my major dilemma, leading to my first question...
1) I don't have a university degree. I have about 2/3rds of necessary credits to graduate with a poli sci degree. I've heard of a few Latin American countries being fairly lax on requirements. While I don't have a degree, I do have 7 years of working with kids on my resume. Is it reasonably easy to find work in Ecuador without a degree? I'd read this was indeed possible in articles that are 3 or 4 years old, but sometimes regulations can change in short time. What about other countries in Latin America?
2) When is the best time to go? Are schedules similar among all South American countries? Reasonable to find work starting Octoberish? Reasonable to find work ending February/march without fleeing?
3) I've read conflicting info about money in Ecuador. Can I just take American dollars to Ecuador and spend them? Some places say there is a separate Ecuadorian Dollar, others say they adopted the US dollar. If they have their own dollar, how does that differ from pegging your currency to the US dollar as Argentina did?
4) I'm a city guy, but I also love the outdoors. Cuenca, Quito? Where else do people recommend in Latin America that I can get a job without a degree and is relatively cheap? I'll have plenty of money to live if I don't find a job, but I want to spend as little money not earned in the country of choice as possible. Again, I have it if I need it so i'm not worried.
Between mid-August and the end of September i'm still up in the woods but camp is over and I have downtime to do things like take an online TEFL course (we have the internet.) Any recommendations on what course to take? Will it be a waste of money or should I do it?
Thanks in advance to anybody who offers up answers to any of these questions.
Jon |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Justin Trullinger
Joined: 28 Jan 2005
Posts: 3110
Location: Seoul, South Korea and Myanmar for a bit
|
| Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2008 12:00 am Post subject: |
|
|
Wow- lotta questions- I'm moving fast here, but will try to cover some basics...
| Quote: |
1) I don't have a university degree. I have about 2/3rds of necessary credits to graduate with a poli sci degree. I've heard of a few Latin American countries being fairly lax on requirements. While I don't have a degree, I do have 7 years of working with kids on my resume. Is it reasonably easy to find work in Ecuador without a degree? I'd read this was indeed possible in articles that are 3 or 4 years old, but sometimes regulations can change in short time. What about other countries in Latin America?
|
Not perfect, but not as limiting here as in some places. Check out NatureGirls schools list, and apply to a few. Some worry about degrees, some don't, and even some that do, depending on how good everything else about you looks...it can happen. We "require" a degree, but have had a few teachers with alternative qualifications.
| Quote: |
) When is the best time to go? Are schedules similar among all South American countries? Reasonable to find work starting Octoberish? Reasonable to find work ending February/march without fleeing?
|
You'll have to do this country by country, and in some cases even region by region. In the mountain region of Ecuador, schools run on the sept-June school year, on the cost Jan to November. I imagine some other countries are as weird as us.
| Quote: |
| ) I've read conflicting info about money in Ecuador. Can I just take American dollars to Ecuador and spend them? Some places say there is a separate Ecuadorian Dollar, others say they adopted the US dollar. If they have their own dollar, how does that differ from pegging your currency to the US dollar as Argentina did? |
easy one. It really is the US dollar. If you have US dollars, you can bring them and spend them. If you keep dollars you make here, you can spend them in the US. But, due to a limited number of coins in circulation, Ecuador mints it's own coins, which are used with the dollar here- but if you leave with them, they'll look at you funny anywhere else. (All dollars here are US- but there are ecuadorian quarters, dimes, nickels, etc...)
| Quote: |
| 4) I'm a city guy, but I also love the outdoors. Cuenca, Quito? Where else do people recommend in Latin America that I can get a job without a degree and is relatively cheap? I'll have plenty of money to live if I don't find a job, but I want to spend as little money not earned in the country of choice as possible. Again, I have it if I need it so i'm not worried. |
Cuenca is prettier, cleaner, and safer. Quito is more cosmopolitan, more exciting, and more dangerous. Smells bad. You can easily get outdoorsy based in either, though.
| Quote: |
| Any recommendations on what course to take? Will it be a waste of money or should I do it? |
My opinion- waste of dough. Online as a first teaching qual has a lot against it. But again, anything is better than nothing...
Best,
Justin |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
|
This page is maintained by the one and only Dave Sperling.
Contact Dave's ESL Cafe
Copyright © 2018 Dave Sperling. All Rights Reserved.
Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2002 phpBB Group
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
