Job Discussion Forums

beckersteph · Joined: 05 May 2008 Posts: 12 Location: KC, MO USA

I am currently a teacher in Phuket, Thailand looking for my next assignment. Costa Rica looks interesting. I would like to live by the beach and work at a good school where they leave you to your teaching. I am doing a little early recon, I don't plan on going to my next assignment until the end of 2009.

OleLarssen · Joined: 26 Apr 2006 Posts: 337

Hi beckersteph and welcome to the Costa Rica forums!

Beach schools can be a bit tricky to find here because most of the population is in the Central Valley area away from the beaches. I know there are some private schools in Puntarenas though, and there are probably some on the Caribbean side as well. Exactly what kind of teaching are you looking to do?

Elkythedogsperson · Posted: Wed Nov 19, 2008 8:47 pm Post subject:

I found nothing on the Caribbean side when I was there from September 07 to January 08 (I was helping a friend at his hotel in Puerto Viejo.) The caribe side has a stronger influence from the English-speaking islander immigrants, so very little historical need for ESL. There is only one real city--Limon-- and many feel it is not a desireable place to live (I only passed through, so I can't say beyond that.)

As OleLarssen said, most everything is in the Central Valley. Most of the jobs I saw were of the corporate variety, with the school jobs mostly going to volunteer ESL teachers.

beckersteph · Joined: 05 May 2008 Posts: 12 Location: KC, MO USA

Thanks for the information. Perhaps another country south of the US would be better for me. I am spoiled here in Phuket. I have to have a place by the beach wherever I go next, even if I have to commute 20 min. to work.

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

The trouble with teaching in Latin American countries on the beach is that you are usually in a higher-cost area with low paying jobs, if you can find them at all. In Mexico for example, Cancun, Playa del Carmen, and Puerto Vallarta all fit this bill.

People often think that tourism in those areas drives a big need for English. This much is true, but locals in those places often already speak English (or they wouldn't be there working), or earn so little that they can't afford to study.

deessell2 · Joined: 11 Jun 2005 Posts: 132 Location: Under the sun

I did the opposite to you, I moved from Costa Rica to Phuket. Personally, I don't think your lifestyle will be improved. If you want to work on the coast then you probably need to get the job in San Jose.

I worked in Tamarindo for a couple of months but could not afford to live anywhere close on a teachers wage. I had a one hour commute to work, it was actually only 17 kilometres but the road was so full of pot holes. In the rainy season it was even worse! The beaches are also poor compared to Thailand.

The wages in Costa Rica are very low. It's a beautiful country but it's tough there as a teacher. I also found things very expensive compared to Asia and to be honest, I was very disappointed with the local cuisine.

But you must see Arenal volcano, it's one of the highlights of my travels.