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TeresaLopez
Joined: 18 Apr 2010
Posts: 601
Location: Mexico City
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 Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2011 3:23 am Post subject: Re: Mexico isn't too safe either |
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| Prof.Gringo wrote: |
The folks that always post how great they are doing in Mexico all have at least one of these factors:
1. A Pension, Social Security check or other retirement payment from their countries of birth (or a trust fund).
2. A Mexican spouse with sizable rental properties or businesses in Mexico.
3. They either own or direct their own language school or TEFL training program.
4. Sizable savings which were gained prior to moving to Mexico, either in a higher paying EFL market (such as Korea or the Mid East) or in a career which was prior to their overseas EFL one.
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You choose to ignore posts you don�t like or that don�t support your point of view. I lived for many years on JUST my ESL salary. During that time I travelled outside of the country once or twice a year, inside the country 2 or 3 times per year. I also saved 5000 or so pesos per month, during which time I bought a small apartment. Yes, NOW I have some other income, but what you don�t seem to get is that I GOT it while I was earning just an ESL salary. But, aside from that, I could live easily on JUST what I earn. And as for the point about people moving into other areas of ESL, well, isn�t that what a career is about? To move into other areas which you might enjoy more, or which might earn you more money? Why is that not considered legitimate. It seems like you�re damed if you do, damned if you don�t. Supposedly, as a mere teacher you will always be dirt poor, but if you own your own school, or move into some other area of ESL, where you earn more money, then you are scum. I just don�t get it. |
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Don Alan
Joined: 11 Dec 2004
Posts: 150
Location: Glasgow, Scotland
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| Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2011 4:10 pm Post subject: |
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Maybe Teresa you are diverging a little.
I don't think your story is so typical. |
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TeresaLopez
Joined: 18 Apr 2010
Posts: 601
Location: Mexico City
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| Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2011 5:15 pm Post subject: |
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| Don Alan wrote: |
Maybe Teresa you are diverging a little.
I don't think your story is so typical. |
Based on people I know, and have worked with, it is far from atypical. But if one person�s dismal experience is valid, why isn�t another person�s success also valid? |
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TeresaLopez
Joined: 18 Apr 2010
Posts: 601
Location: Mexico City
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| Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2011 5:15 pm Post subject: |
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| Don Alan wrote: |
Maybe Teresa you are diverging a little.
I don't think your story is so typical. |
Based on people I know, and have worked with, it is far from atypical. But if one person�s dismal experience is valid, why isn�t another person�s success also valid? |
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Isla Guapa
Joined: 19 Apr 2010
Posts: 1520
Location: Mexico City o sea La Gran Manzana Mexicana
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| Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2011 5:24 pm Post subject: |
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| TeresaLopez wrote: |
| Don Alan wrote: |
Maybe Teresa you are diverging a little.
I don't think your story is so typical. |
Based on people I know, and have worked with, it is far from atypical. But if one person�s dismal experience is valid, why isn�t another person�s success also valid? |
Because misery loves company? |
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naturegirl321
Joined: 04 May 2003
Posts: 9041
Location: home sweet home
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| Posted: Sat Jan 22, 2011 5:35 pm Post subject: |
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| I think Mexico might be different, in fact, every country is different. There are long time posters here on the boards in Mexico. Peru's a different story. I-ve seen peopel come and go, those who stay aren't in TEFL. My story, yes we bought two SUVs and two apartments on my salary and my husband's and I always made more than him, but there were LOTS of sacrifices that we made and I don't think that it's the typical story, at least not in Peru. |
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naturegirl321
Joined: 04 May 2003
Posts: 9041
Location: home sweet home
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| Posted: Sat Jan 22, 2011 5:36 pm Post subject: |
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| Isla Guapa wrote: |
| naturegirl321 wrote: |
| TeresaLopez wrote: |
| Don Alan wrote: |
| To sum up, if you want to make money don't teach in South America. Y |
Mexico isn�t in South America, and that isn�t the whole story on that school. That�s starting pay for onsite classes, for offsite classes they pay $120 pesos per hour. |
Mexico is in Latin America and North America |
Yes, it is, nature girl. Isn't geography fun? It was my favorite subject in elementary school! |
Yes, I love it! So much better than math. |
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MotherF
Joined: 07 Jun 2010
Posts: 1450
Location: 17�48'N 97�46'W
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| Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2011 6:47 pm Post subject: |
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| Just for the record. I support Teresa against the prof in this one. As a single women I did great in Mexico on just my EFL salary. I vacationed in the US twice a year. Then I got married and I was able to support my husband who is a full time student. Now that we have three kids, we do have other income, but not from SS, not from savings, and my EFL salary is the largest source of income for us still. |
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naturegirl321
Joined: 04 May 2003
Posts: 9041
Location: home sweet home
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| Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2011 8:50 pm Post subject: |
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| MotherF wrote: |
| Just for the record. I support Teresa against the prof in this one. As a single women I did great in Mexico on just my EFL salary. I vacationed in the US twice a year. Then I got married and I was able to support my husband who is a full time student. Now that we have three kids, we do have other income, but not from SS, not from savings, and my EFL salary is the largest source of income for us still. |
That's probably because you budget well, keep to your budget and don't waste a lot of money on drink and entertainment, which is more than many people (including those in the US) do. MotherF, just out of curiosity, are you still able to take your whole family to the US twice a year? That would be great if you coudl
YOu CAN live on an LA TEFL salary and travel, but living on an LA TEFL salary, travelling, and living the high life is pretty much next to impossible. It's not living the high life that often makes people leave. I left not because of that, but because my jobs didn't appreciate me and paid me too little. |
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Guy Courchesne
Joined: 10 Mar 2003
Posts: 9650
Location: Mexico City
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| Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2011 9:05 pm Post subject: |
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My girlfriend does quite well on her salary and supported a family of three while I took most of the year off to raise our newborn. She does have one of the better jobs in Mexico though, and during that first year we all traveled home, paid for her to finish her master's, and did some home renovations.
As for the high life, well we had to cut out the limo rides to work and parted with all the jet skis. I cried.  |
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spanglish
Joined: 21 May 2009
Posts: 742
Location: working on that
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| Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2011 11:15 pm Post subject: |
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| Guy - does your girlfriend have a job at one of the private universities? I'm assuming she's an ESL teacher. If so, could you give some of the general parameters of the pay/benefits/work conditions at a place like Tec de Monterrey? |
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Guy Courchesne
Joined: 10 Mar 2003
Posts: 9650
Location: Mexico City
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| Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2011 11:32 pm Post subject: |
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She currently teaches at the ASF (but did teach a year at TEC), high school English lit.
http://www.asf.edu.mx/
I don't know the full range at TEC, but a first year full timer there should make 15,000 pesos per month plus decent benefits. I hear TEC varies campus to campus so it's hard to talk conditions. My GF didn't like the commute and long hours due to where we lived in relation to the campus, but she liked the support structure and professional development there. |
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MotherF
Joined: 07 Jun 2010
Posts: 1450
Location: 17�48'N 97�46'W
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| Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2011 11:51 pm Post subject: |
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| naturegirl321 wrote: |
MotherF, just out of curiosity, are you still able to take your whole family to the US twice a year? That would be great if you coudl
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No, I could never take my whole family to the US because my husband is not allowed in. I could take my children once a year IF we completely stopped helping out various members of the Mexican family. This year I will just be taking the baby to the US. |
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spanglish
Joined: 21 May 2009
Posts: 742
Location: working on that
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| Posted: Tue Jan 25, 2011 12:53 am Post subject: |
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Thanks for the details, Guy. With a masters or DELTA, you'd get a fair bit more at a top private university in Colombia.
I guess your girlfriend was making pretty good money, but earning every penny. |
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Guy Courchesne
Joined: 10 Mar 2003
Posts: 9650
Location: Mexico City
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| Posted: Tue Jan 25, 2011 1:01 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| I guess your girlfriend was making pretty good money, but earning every penny. |
At TEC she was...the best thing about TEC was the IB training they provided, which opened the door to the ASF, which subsidized her Master's, which provided for...and so forth. The lady made some good career moves and now 5 years in, the income level is better than most US teaching jobs though still lower than most Canadian teaching posts.
What range could you expect at a top uni in Colombia as you mention? Benefits? |
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