Job Discussion Forums

[Justapirate]

It has been a long time since I have posted on the board. I have looked back at my posts and have concluded that things haven't changed much, if at all, since my past posts. Here are a couple of points....

I don't think salaries have changed much....like Intensa is about 3500 C. The private universities pay around 4500 C.(Interamericana, Ulacit, maybe Ulatina)

There is private work at much better pay but you have to really hustle to put it all together and that doesn't happen to everyone nor overnight.$15-$20/hr.

There is work at the beaches.....Boston Collage comes to mind. They have a few schools around C.R.

You will find advertisements on Craig's List from time to time....La Nacion(not very often) and the Tico Times....looking for teachers. But again, not often.

Private groups are almost impossible maintain.....too many just drop out. Everyone SAYS they want English but few really follow through. And...work schedules are difficult at ALL levels of the ladder for students....executives too.

A degree means nothing in my experience. Nor any other certificate...in my experience.

I have taught the Presidents of four banks, the chief economist of the Central Bank...I am sure at least 1000 people here in C.R.....nobody has asked me for anything.

In most cases forget about being legal here....it won't happen.

The good news is you can come and just do your thing....low profile.

Pura Vida

[drewmaher]

Hey Justapirate,

I've been told on other forums that coming down to work teaching English puts me in danger of being deported. My wife and I are coming with our 2 kids with enough money to live for about a year, but an extra 500 bucks a month would really smooth out the experience. Your thoughts?

[Justapirate]

I have never heard of anybody, short of a hooker, being deported(so I have heard) Not that I know everything mind you. But really, it sounds like a lot of bunk to me. I have never heard of the police raiding a school or any place else, except for a bar.

Costa Rica doesn't follow through with much on the enforcement side of things legal. It still is the wild west on a lot of issues. But hey....that's what keeps things interesting here.

I understand that the provision requiring non residents to leave every ninety day IS VERY MUCH enforced, so plan on it.

[lovehappens]

hey justapirate,
i can't email you because I don't have 25 posts up it tells me. But I would like to talk to you about something work related (don't worry nothing weird and definately not spam) I just don't want to tell the whole board. So can you PM me please or email me flyershe at yahoo
Gracias,

[OleLarssen]

This is a post seconding/supporting justapirate's OP. Getting legal status is effing hard.

[lovehappens]

Where do you advise on landing to begin my search as to where I might want to stay for a few years in Costa Rica? My goal is to focus on Weddings foreigners who choose to say their vows in Costa Rica. I've been a professional photographer for 14 years working for international magazines living in latin countries and Middle Eastern Arab countries. Costa Rica is one of the few places that I have not spent time.
I spent 10 years in Guatemala with lots of work trips to surrounding countries and one trip to Costa Rica but the work never allowed us to leave the hotel we were set up at.

I am not wanting to be isolated but be where there is movement, a nice community of foreigners, a nice community of C Ricans and at least at first not pay too much for a place to rent.
thanks

[OleLarssen]

Lovehappens,

I'm not the most social person so I'm not 100% the right person to ask, but I would guess you can find some of what you are looking for in San Pedro, end definitively some in Escazu, and possibly some in Rohrmoser. The difference between them is that San Pedro is a student town, while Escazu is, well, a normal neighborhood. Parts of it (Escazu) appears to be mostly populated by American expats, but there are parts with mostly Ticos. Both San Pedro and Escazu has lots and lots of places to socialize - coffee shops, pubs etc. Rohrmoser is more residential, but has a sizable expat community (Germans, I believe).

If you have a car and want the best of two worlds, living in Rohrmoser and socializing in Escazu shouldn't be a problem. There is also an English-speaking theater group with a huge influx of artists, which might be a great place for you to start building a social network.

[lovehappens]

Great thoughts I will google those areas. Would it still be flying into San Jose?
What is the name of the artist's theater if you know? Are the students C. Ricans or did you mean foreign students?

A friend is also asking how good the English teaching might be there and if there are American schools or technical schools nearby?

thanks a head of time

check out my photo website
http://www.BorkgrenPhoto.net

[OleLarssen]

Would it still be flying into San Jose <---- I don't understand this question, sorry. If you're asking if it's part of the San Jose metropolitan area, then yes - as in, you would land in Juan Santamaria and take a taxi there.

The name is The Little Theatre Group, and you can read more here.

San Pedro is the location of the biggest Tico university so there will be many Ticos and probably quite a few expats as well. I'm not well aquianted with the area so it's hard for me to be more specific.

There are a few American schools in San Jose but I'm not sure of their locations. My memory tells me that Lincoln High School is in the eastern part of the city (around San Pedro) but I don't know if that's true or not. Should be easily discoverable with Google - please post your results here.[/url]

[gharwell1]

Things have to have changed in Costa Rica. I started my first teaching job at a school called Instituto Audio Visual de Ingles in 1979 and made about $2.00 an hour. There were only about 4 places that taught English as a Second Language. Our School was pretty big. They had around 800 students and charged them $50 a month. It really was the Wild West back then. I can't really get into some of the stuff we pulled off on this board but it was bizarre to say the least. Unless Costa Rica was as crazy as it was 30 years ago,...... I, personally wouldn't waste my time. Others may go and have a ball but I've been there, done that and got the T-Shirt.

[lovehappens]

That is an interesting perspective! Some people like living in foreign lands and others don't. Are you are living as a foreigner someplace else now are you are back in your homeland? I would imagine that there are all types of foreigners there for different reasons.
I think I would love the environment just haven't decided if it is where I want to be for years yet. I will find out once there in the fall.

[gharwell1]

Actually, I am now living in Oman and have basically decided to settle here. I have worked in 13 different countries; Costa Rica, Guatemala, Panama, Chile, Ecuador, Slovakia, Ukraine, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kuwait,Saudi Arabia, India and now Oman. I have also done TV shows, Radio Shows and run an Online Newspaper. I've also been married to a chick from the US, Costa Rica, Slovakia and now I'm married to a chick from Morocco. I've got Lots of T-Shirts and to top it off...... I don't have a Pot to Pee in. Ahhhhhh...The life of an Englis Teacher. I wouldn't trade it for Million bucks. Well, maybe I would trade it for a Million bucks but I wouldn't trade it for fifty bucks....... (This is the Family Version)
Reality abounds

[spanglish]

What did you do in Guatemala?

[lovehappens]

Guatemala- I worked 10 plus years as a documentary photojournalist on contracts for magazines in Europe and the US. www.borkgren.com

PS I sent you a pm

[spanglish]

Nice website. Where's San Simon?