Job Discussion Forums

[notamiss]

Notamiss wrote:

[Samantha]

Isla Guapa wrote:

[Isla Guapa]

[Clark Montange]

ESL Teaching, Costs, & Other Considerations Mexico

Mexico is great! If anyone is sitting on the fence about having an ESL teaching experience here, I�d encourage you to get down off that fence!

The majority of ESL teachers I have met throughout Mexico are NOT living on their teaching incomes alone. Easily 90% of them have dipped into savings, have maxed out their credit cards, have drawn on family trust funds. Many are �backpackers� and mom and dad are always there to wire money when they are short, or bail them out of rough patches. And they ARE short, every month. But as the expression goes, you can�t get something for nothing. Every career decision has a price.

For the most part (depending on where you live, and if you live alone, or share with others), if you prefer privacy, and your �own space,� you will pay the price for housing, and not have money left for much of anything else.

This should NOT discourage you. The Mexican people are wonderful, I can�t say enough about them. I don�t know why they so often get a �bad rap,� and are made fun of, with demeaning pejoratives, etc., in other countries. They are intelligent, sophisticated, resourceful, and I have continued to be treated exceedingly well here.

Please do YOUR HOMEWORK regarding which school!!!

Don�t get yourself here then find that out you cannot manage, like a friend of mine who teaches for ENGLISH UNLIMITED in San Luis Potosi (SLP), Mexico (central Mexico). He is currently on medical leave, and I have visited him in SLP. He has concerns about working for English Unlimited. I have seen some of this first hand, by visiting the school, plus being interviewed there.

He was mislead about the overall cost of living in SLP, and assured that the English Unlimited teaching wages (approximately $4.50 USD equivalent per hour AFTER taxes), are more than adequate to live on, plus be able to travel. You can �see Mexico,� he was promised. Be reasonably comfortable. He was mislead about almost everything, including housing arrangements and costs, and ended up spending many, many times more than what he was led to believe during the job negotiation process, and his list goes on.

He has also had visa problems, and things are not what he was informed of during the screening and negotiation process, so be very careful. He has umpteen credentials, including a TESL Certificate.

The USD figures here in this thread are fairly accurate. You need to have several thousand USD equiv. AND be prepared to bail if you cannot make it financially. You seem serious, so I would strongly encourage you to also try central Mexico.

English Unlimited in SLP has approximately 95% local teachers - - from SLP or nearby Mexican cities, despite what EU claims and posts on the Internet, and in their advertisements. Most of them have parents, spouses, etc. who help out financially. Teachers are also expected to purchase their own supplies: Paper, pencils, rubber bands, erasers, poster board, note pads, pens, Post It Notes, paper clips, markers - - you name it. This was NEVER mentioned in his screening, interviewing, and negotiation process prior to him coming to English Unlimited (EU), in San Luis Potosi, Mexico.

He was also asked to agree to not work elsewhere to be considered for full time equivalent work, yet he desperately needed more money. He was eating so poorly, well . . . this has exasperated an existing medical problem, which has landed him in HOSPITAL!

The cost of living in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, and most other moderate to larger cities is basically the same as any city in the United States. I have met person after person here in Mexico who has relatives in the U.S. and they overwhelmingly validate this.

Read CAREFULLY: It is NOT any cheaper in Mexico for the basics like food, personal hygiene items such as shampoo, shaving cream, razors, clothing, shoes, medications, etc.

Generally, you CANNOT make it here financially, unless you are willing to completely give up your privacy and share a small living space with three or four other people (generally speaking), and be willing to just stay at home (no disco money for you ). Now there may be exceptions, there always are in life, but I�ve not met any people out of dozens and dozens, so far who fit that, and I have worked in Mexico for quite some time.

Native-speaker teachers come and go at EU like a revolving door (Canada, U.S., U.K., Spain, Africa, etc.), most staying only a couple of months, due to these and other broken promises. The current �Academic Coordinator� has no professional background in the field of education administration whatsoever, or no formal education related to education administration, teaching, etc. (I interviewed with him, and was not impressed at all). His background is from the MORTGAGE BANKING industry! My friend has shared horror stories that would make your hair stand on end.

As if this isn�t bad enough, EU does not even have any standardized scoring/grading system for its exams and other tests! I could not believe it when my friend told me this, and also showed me a few samples (with students names not visible). This is academics 101 folks, no matter what you teach.

As if this isn�t bad enough, EU does not even have any standardized scoring/grading system for its exams and other tests! I could not believe it when my friend told me this, and also showed me a few samples (with students names not visible). This is academics 101 folks, no matter what you teach. You are doing your students a disservice by letting teachers do whatever they like when it comes to grading student work. Many get passed onto the next class, ill prepared. He has had students who needed friends in class to translate. How these student got into his classes was a mystery.

So come to Mexico, for sure!!! Just be aware that you may not be able to pay off your student loan bills if they are substantial. But if your parents or other relatives are willing to pick up the tab for you for this, you will probably have a terrific experience like I have, and am still having.

Best of luck to you considering all of your options!

CM

[TeresaLopez]

The cost of living in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, and most other moderate to larger cities is basically the same as any city in the United States. ]]]]

Just to use as a jumping off point. I am not sure where you got your information, but I have lived in both DF and Guadalajara, and visited many other towns and have not found this to be true at all. While there are a few things that are actually more expensive, like Starbucks and fast food, and a lot of imported items, the day to day expenses are all less, and often a lot less. You can rent a nice one bedroom apartment for $3500 in pretty much any normal, non-trendy area. Buses cost 3 or 4 pesos, as does the Metro. Tell me what big city in the US has public transportation that costs 40 cents? My last electric bill for two months was $800 pesos, that�s roughly $70 US. While meat costs about the same, or a little more, the majority of stables and fruits and vegetables are far cheaper - this week tomatos were 5 pesos a kilo, that�s about 20 cents a pound. I find most food to be 50% cheaper or more. What does that leave? Toiletries - I bought VO5 shampoo for 12 pesos last week, around $1. Palmolive soap is 4 pesos a bar. I find that many people who are short money want to live in a trendy neighborhood, buy expensive items, etc., in short live a lifestyle that teachers in the US couldn�t afford either. Another barrier is learning to speak Spanish. You will pay more simply because you are limited in what is available to you - you have to look for apartments on Craig�s List and shop at the grocery stores, instead of looking in Segunda Mano or shopping in traditional markets where food is not only MUCH less expensive but usually fresher and actually ripe. While I do know a few teachers who are struggling, I know plenty more who have been here for many years and are doing just fine. I don�t know about the school you are talking about, the problems you describe don�t surprise me, and it is unfortunate that that is happening. But to say that 90% of teachers can�t make it is without foundation. There is a simple solution for anyone who finds Mexico such a difficult place to live. No one forces anyone to stay anywhere they don�t want to be. MOD EDIT

[Isla Guapa]

An excellent post, Teresa. I wonder where Mr. Montange is getting his information about the cost of living in Mexico from . . . .

[Guy Courchesne]

I think that if you want it to be expensive, it can be in Mexico. High end electronics, most cars, most imported products are more expensive than in Canada. The basics and/or most things local are far cheaper I find. After 10 years, I have it down to a fine science, traveling to Canada once a year and buying whatever I need that is cheaper. A laptop every few years, a dozen cans of my favorite shaving cream, other digital doodads.

I try to check prices when back home to keep up. Food and transport are always about double the price I find in Mexico City.

I've never been to SLP but this would be about the 3rd or 4th time I've read that it is more expensive than DF. Perhaps that's the simplest explanation for the difference in opinion.

[Isla Guapa]

A correspondent of mine in M�rida has just written to me that the cost-of-living is much higher there than in Mexico City.

[Dragonlady]

out of date

[Germanicus]

Thanks for all advice. As for the cost of living, try living in Ireland.Expensive. As I said I can stay with my friend pretty much long term so rent pressure isn't there. I just want to make enough money to get by generally, go for a beer now and again and maybe have the odd weekend in Veracruz or Oaxaca.Even if I hust stayed for a year the teaching experience alone would be worth it for my resum� wouldn't it?

[la verdad]

Teresa and Isla Guapa, I agree with you completely. I wonder where Clark Montange gets his numbers?? I teach in San Luis Potosi and make a fairly decent living. My colleagues seem to make ends meet with their teaching jobs as well. Food is affordable as well as other basic necessities. It could be expensive if you want it to be, as mentioned in a previous post.

Teaches who are interested in coming to teach in Mexico should do their research. Based on what I've seen, most foreign teachers come here with different expectations, usually leading to a bad experience.