Job Discussion Forums

[HLJHLJ]

Although it does have to be cash, it only has to be cash here. People get round that by raising the loan in USA and then buying outright here.

[just_a_mirage]

I can't speak about other areas of the country but in Guayaquil it would not be difficult to find a job as an African American. My friend IDiggs who posts on tthis forum was easily able to find work. I have two other African American colleagues, and another good friend working in Cuenca. By the way there is no gringolandia here in Guayaquil. For a city of 3 million, the grngo population is quite small and there is no concentration of gringos here. In almost seven years here I've never had a gringo living anywhere close to me. I also came here with my children. To be honest, I volunteer with a foundation that serves residents in a primarily Afro-Ecuadorian ar
ea, and they would likely love to have an African American teacher that the kids could relate to and look up to. I do agree that there is discrimination against Afro-Ecuadorians, and it is disgusting, but at least in Guayaquil, there are tons of places that would be thrilled to have you.

[just_a_mirage]

I am a facilitator for visas, primarily pension and amparo visas, but I don't think it would be quite as high as 40,000. Generally one member of the family either buys property
, or you can deposit the 25k into the bank. The other people in the family apply for depend. visas. You can then receive permanant resident visas and receive a cedula. These are good as long as you retain the property or keep the money in the bank.

[naturegirl321]

YOu said you've lived in Ecuador before. How long were you there? Any way you can contact those peopel and all the friends you have and ask them about jobs? connections are gold!

HLJHLJ mentioned an investment visa. I think that might be your best bet. Espeically if you sold everything you had in the US and upped and moved.

[thesteve]

I also do not have a degree. My father took ill before I finished University and as a result, I never finished. I am TEFL certified, already have 9 years of experience, but certain schools won't even look at my CV because I don't have that degree.

I think its a bit unfair to be honest. I have known teachers with degrees who I wouldn't let within ten miles of a classroom. I put more value on wisdom and common sense than a piece of paper. And experience goes a long way.

Anyway, I am looking to teach in Latin America. Ecuador, Honduras, even Paraguay.

[AGoodStory]

[HLJHLJ]

It's not always the schools, in some countries it just isn't possible for them to get you a visa if you don't have a degree (though not in LA as far as I know).

[thesteve]

[CelesteCielos]

Can someone clarify, in general, what type of schools may NOT require a degree in LA? As a newbie I'm a bit confused what the difference is between the below list and what each requires:
language institutes
bilingual schools
collegios
primary public
secondary public
university

I'm considering teaching in-the-middle-of-nowhere, Ecuador. Yes, I know it won't pay well, but the cost of living will be lower, I'll feel like I'm helping the community more, and perhaps I'll have a better chance of getting the job without a degree. Any thoughts on that?

~Celeste~

[just_a_mirage]

Most of those that you listed do not require degrees, other than universities. International schools also require degrees. I work at a fairly wealthybilingual high school where I am the only gringa, although there have been others in the past. I am the only English teacher who has a degree.
Language institutes generally do not require them, although your pay tends to be higher if you have one. Without a degree as a gringo you could probably work in high school, and almost certainly in primary. Most will require a TEFL or Celta etc. I dont know of any gringos working in public schools. Some of the standards are very low,although the president is implementing new guidelines for them. The government is currently implementing testing for public school teachers. I have in fact, been involved in a program to train public school teachers. Some of the testing may be difficult if you do not have a good grasp of Spanish.
Working in the middle of nowhere sounds lovely, and the cost of living is lower, but not that low. The minimum wage is $260 a month. I doubt you could live on that with a family of three. Even if both you and your husband were working for minimum, that�s still only a bit over $500. I am a single mom with two kids, so I have a good idea of costs. Many Ecuadorian teachers can live on that amount because they are living with family members and don�t have to worry about rent, can share food costs etc. You also want to be able to pay for any medical costs you may have, dentists, etc. With kids, those things always crop up. You also have to consider that if you are living in the middle of nowhere, with a child, and you are the only gringos in the area, some people may believe you have money and will see you as a target for crime. Kidnappings are not uncommon here. Home invasions are also common. You have to be very careful if you are living in a place that is isolated, and with no consistent policing because if something happens, it could be a long time before someone comes to help you. I am not trying to be discouraging. Just trying to be realistic. It is a whole different ballgame coming here with children. Obviously it has worked for me, as I�ve been here for the better part of a decade, but it hasnt been an easy ride.

[CelesteCielos]

Those are all very good points and helpful info. I'm almost overwhelmed with all that we must consider. We have one ten year old. My baby! Last time we lived in Ecuador she got hit by a taxi (slowly turning a blind corner) and she suffered a mild concussion. Thankfully that was the worst of it, but yes, hospital bills are part of growing up and old.

[thesteve]

What about someone like me, who is single and has no expenses?

How would I fare?

[naturegirl321]

[CelesteCielos]

[/quote]
I strongly suggest you NOT teach in public schools.




Why such disdain for public schools?

[naturegirl321]

In general, this is very general, but public schools in Latin America are nothing like public schools in the US. If families have a bit of money, they put them in private schools.

I can't speak for Ecuador, but just a mirage can, and he recommends not teaching there.

In Peru, for example, a public school in Miraflores, which is one of the richest districts in the entire country had graffiti all over the walls, swears, vulgar pictures, etc. The walls were broken, bricks were falling off, the locks were broken. The "playground" consisted of overgrown weeds that looked like they hadn't been cut in over six months. Windows were broken. So they closed the school for renovation for over 6 months. Who knows where these girls went during this time? Also, a couple years ago, they did a test and the average teacher had the equivilant of a fifth grade education.

Oh, and PAY! Right. Hm, so there's strikes every so often, right? (for example, at a natl uni in Peru, the profs went on strike for OVER A YEAR) Yea, for the public school system! Teachers don't get paid then and students get behind. And the average pay for a public school teacher is probably about $400 a month, before taxes.

When left to the masses, things fall apart. Picture an innner city public school in the US, minus the guns and drug, but with all the things falling apart. That's kind of what the majority of public schools are like. This is Peru. But from what I've heard Mexico and Ecuador are similar.

I'm not saying that ALL public schools are like this, but the mentality is, that if you have money, you send them to private schools. Private schools range from $100 a month to $20,000 a year. $100 a month will still get you better than what you'd find in a public school.