Job Discussion Forums

[mexicanadian]

Hi folks!

Hope you can help me. I am currently in Mexico and would like to inquire about possible teaching opportunties. I have ESL-EFL teaching experience and credentials. In addition, I am an experienced post-secondary instructor (in Canada) with considerable online teaching experience including online course development.

I am thinking of heading to Oaxaca City this weekend to begin a job search. QUESTION 1: Any advice re work in Oaxaca or elsewhere (not Mexico City though)? (I am mature, responsible, and interested in staying for at least one full semester, perhaps longer depending upon the situation. My Spanish language skills are ok, but not as good as my French or Italian.)

BTW, I have been in touch with ITESM re work next semester. QUESTION 2: Can anyone tell me when this current semester started and if there any chance of finding good teaching work once the semester is already underway?

QUESTION 3: I have scratched my glasses badly and will need to get a lens replaced. Anyone know where I might get this done in Oaxaca city?

Many thanks!

[christinebaden]

Hello Mexicanadian,
What is ITESM? I will be heading for Mexico in about 8 weeks, and will be looking for work also.....hope there is enough to go around. Ha!
Christine

[chula]

ITESM is the Tec. de Monterrey. look through the mexico discussion board. there are a bunch of postings about it. keywords being ITESM, Tec, and Monterrey.

[mexicanadian]

I PMed Christine, but I should have posted publicly in case others were interested.

[M@tt]

i can try to answer your second question. i work at the ITESM campus in veracruz state, and classes started this semester on January 12. finals end around may 21. the schedule is quite similar to most american collleges, if you are familiar with them, except that the summer break is shorter. in the US it's typical to have 3 and a half months off in the summer, but in ITESM we started fall classes around August 7 and ended (last year anyway) around december 13.

i think there is very little chance of getting work mid-semester unless an english teacher suddenly becomes ill or is about to have a baby.

secondly, if you don't have an MA in linguistics/english/TESOL, you will be limited to teaching in the high school. ITESM is both a prep school and a university, and the university requires an MA. if you're serious about teaching, i would say that the MA is worth it. we have better hours, salaries, and course loads than the teachers in the high school. then there are the benefits of studying for the MA itself.

well, this isn't a commercial, so i'll stop there. pm me if you have more questions. there are a couple other ITESM people on here who might have better info than me...

[mexicanadian]

Many, many thanks for the informative response!

[christinebaden]

Thanks everyone for the information.
I have been scared about my move but now I am excited, what will be will be, if I get work, great, if not, then maybe it's not meant to be.

.....just started reading 'Tales of a Female Nomad'. Inspiring!

As I am 52 I don't want to go to University to get a degree, as time is too precious, and I want to immerse myself now, while it feels right. I am a young 52 though, so hope you will communicate with me.

Don't know how to add a picture, but I might work it out.
No, can't work it out....can anyone tell me how to add a jpg?

Well, that's all from me now,
Nice talking to you,
christine

[mexicanadian]

PM me if you want. I`ll gladly share with you my experiences.

[richtx1]

[moonraven]

Oaxaca has become fairly expensive by Mexican standards--and the wages there have not gone up. This has led to polarization in the community, and an increase in crime. Lenses can be replaced by any optician--usually will take 3 days though--and they cost around 300 pesos (27 dollars) for a set of 2 lenses.