Job Discussion Forums

[amelie]

Well, I was offered a job last week teaching kindergarten and grade one and I'll be leaving for Puebla Mexico in July. My question is, with only three months to go, is there anything that I need to do (besides legalize my degree/documents) before I leave? I don't want to get to Mexico and think "Oh, crap! I forgot to..." Did anyone give a family member power of attorney? Is there any other paperwork that I should do? I've had a Hep A Vaccine, but should I consider any others? Any help from the experienced would be appreciated

Thanks!

[moonraven]

Yeah, here's something you need to do: STOP WORRYING! You'll be fine. As for vaccinations, etc.--forget that stuff. I have lived here for 10 years (2 hours from Puebla) and have never been healthier.

[seaskyclay]

Ah, I didn't apply for that job in Puebla because they said they were looking for someone with experience (and I have none). Just out of curiosity, what kind of experience do you have? I wonder just how hard it's going to be to find a job with no experience.

Good luck in Puebla!

[Ben Round de Bloc]

[seaskyclay]

Do you think firsttime teachers might have better opportunities in a country like, say, Thailand where jobs may be more plentiful? Or, perhaps, somewhere in South America?

Stephanie

[ls650]

[seaskyclay]

That's the thing...I don't want to work in China. First choice of places to work: anywhere in Latin America, preferably Ecuador, Mexico or Chile. Second choice of places to work: Thailand, Vietnam, South Korea, Indonesia. My partner, who I'm bringing along, will not go to China or Japan with me.

Stephanie

[ls650]

[seaskyclay]

My plan is to apply to all jobs in any of the countries that I've mentioned and just go wherever I find a job offer. I will already be traveling in Mexico and Central America throughout the summer, so it would be very convenient if I found a job somewhere in Latin America. We'll see what happens though.

Stephanie

[Ben Round de Bloc]

[seaskyclay]

I will have a very small nest egg which should help me travel through the summer and hopefully enough to help me get setup wherever I end up. In fact, when September comes around, I will be in need of an income.

Are there any good sites to look at for estimates of living expenses in Mexico or other Latin American countries? I've heard $600 put out there as a rough estimate of what one can live on per month. Is that about right for most parts of Mexico?

Stephanie

[moonraven]

You can live easily on 600 dollars a month anywhere in Latin America.

As for salaries and saving--I have saved more money while working here than I ever did in the US, although in the US I made pretty good money.

[seaskyclay]

Yeah, I figure that even if I'm only putting aside $100/month while working in Latin America, after the first month or two, I'll be pretty satisfied with my situation.

Stephanie

[Gringo Greg]

I think first timers would do allright coming to Thailand. This is trench warfare over here. I look fondly back at my good/easy times teaching back in Mexico. A year here would give you a lot of experience and if you can handle teaching a year in Thailand then you can teach ANYWHERE!

But if Asia is out of the picture, take off to Mexico and start teaching at any institute that will hire you and don't be afraid to try new things and then after about 6 months, give notice, quit and move on to another school. 6 months is better than no experience.

[seaskyclay]

That's good advice. We'll see how things pan out. If I can just find a job that'll pay at least $600/month, I'll be set will stay on for at least a year.

Stephanie