Job Discussion Forums

[thirdeyeopen]

Hi there,

Just wondering if anyone is out in Spain teaching English...

I'm looking for a reliable place to teach. I'm willing to pay for airfare but I would like a small monthly stipend to survive on, room, and if possible meals. I've been researching for months, but all the programs I've seen online are either real sketch or money-sucking voluntourism groups.

I just graduated college, basically penniless but am trying to make the most of it before heading back into more higher education and the work force.

Any information would be helpful

Thanks!

[rafaella]

Assuming you are American and that you don't have a passport from a European country as well, your options are limited.

There are many threads on here which discuss the obstacles Americans face when trying to get legal employment in Spain and also the repercussions of working illegally. It would be worth your while to have a look at these discussions so that you are fully informed.

That said, one option which might work for you is the Language and Cultural Assistant program. There is a thread in the Spain Forum with this title and it may be something you could follow up.

[spiral78]

http://forums.eslcafe.com/job/viewtopic.php?t=70419&start=0

http://forums.eslcafe.com/job/viewtopic.php?t=89211

[thirdeyeopen]

Yes, I am an Asian-American girl. I can speak conversational Spanish from living abroad in Chile and Argentina.

Could you give me more details or a link on the Language and Cultural Assistant position in Spain? I tried searching it but nothing came up.

I'm looking over the posted links right now.
I contacted an organization and they said the longest I could stay without an employment visa was 90 days ):

It's not worth it if I'm paying a grand for a flight out there as well as a placement fee! And I do not plan on doing anything illegal, I don't think it's worth the risk. The only thing is when my visa expires, I have to return to the US and I don't have any options of going to other Spanish-speaking EU countries to teach.

Thank you for all your help. I appreciate it, very much.

[thirdeyeopen]

http://www.mec.es/sgci/usa/en/programs/us_assistants/default.shtml

http://www.educacion.gob.es/exterior/usa/en/File/aux_us/aux_nort_brochure.pdf

http://www.educacion.gob.es/exterior/usa/en/File/aux_us/manual_20110201.pdf

Is this the Language and Cultural Assistant Program you were talking about?
Someone I know from college is actually doing it but couldn't offer much details.

Is it difficult to become selected?

[spiral78]

You're correct that moving to another EU country after 90 days won't work.

In case you don't already know them well, you may also want to be sure you understand the Schengen zone rules. The key thing is that you get 90 days in the zone, and then you have to be 90 days outside the zone before re-entering. In the old days, a border run could be used to re-start your 90 day tourist visa, but this no longer applies.

Google Schengen zone for a list of member countries.

[thirdeyeopen]

I'm learning about things I wouldn't have if I didn't post!

So Schengen... I guess I'd have to go across to Morocco for 90 days.
That doesn't sound too horrible. haha

[spiral78]

Good food there:-)

Have you considered the European countries where a US citizen still can get a work visa? This includes the 'new' EU member countries, mostly. Think Czech Rep, Poland, Slovakia, etc.

The downsides are
1. up-front costs (airfare, certification if you haven't already got it, a couple of months rent and living expenses)
2. pretty competitive job market
3. subsistence level pay - but enough to usually enjoy the country you are in

If you're interested, there is lots of info on the country-specific boards.
Timing is important: jobs aren't normally found from abroad, and the big hiring season is end August -mid/late September, so you need to plan to be here (and certified) then. There is also usually a smaller hiring bump in January.

[thirdeyeopen]

The thing about Spain is, that it's expensive to go there. Job prospect would probably be for 90 days, and then Schengen myself over to Morocco but even if I came back... It's too complicated.

I also don't feel comfortable being in someone else's country if I don't have a decent grasp of conversational whatever language. I hate being that touristy ignorant American. I think it's disrespectful; locals treat you better, even befriend you if you know what's up.

At least if I taught in Latin America, I would have somewhere else to go that was relatively on the cheap.

[spiral78]

Oh, by the way, certification.

You don't mention whether you've got any.

The European region is pretty competitive at the entry-level (lots of UK citizens around, along with North Americans and Aussies in the regions where they can get work permits). The majority of wanna-be teachers have a CELTA or equivalent. Anything less puts you at a further disadvantage on the job market.

If you decide you want to come over and try to get in somewhere, you will most likely need a cert. One useful way to do it is to take a course in-country. There are CELTA and equivalent courses all over (Prague, for example, has five or six). The basic course, whether name brand or generic is:
120+ hours on site
includes supervised teaching practice with real students

Don't bother with on-line certs for this region - they're considered substandard by most reputable employers, lacking the supervised teaching practice.

[spiral78]

[thirdeyeopen]

No, no certification.

CELTA in-country? As in through some blood-sucking placement agency or voluntourism group, right.

What if I get that certification and someone somewhere else doesn't accept it? That'll put me in the same position with at least 1k gone.

Starting to re-think Spain. Trying to go through a placement agency that will charge me up the butt for fees isn't appealing to me.

Yes, I have a holistic/anthropological approach to traveling and/or living in a different country.

[spiral78]

[thirdeyeopen]

So even ones like CIEE, Languagecorps, (I forget the others)... are not reputable?

How much are classes for certification there?
You're telling me that I have to go take those classes, then hope that I get employed and somehow wrangle an employment visa?

I don't see many work/study programs; I already graduated anyway, so they're done with me haha.

[spiral78]

Here's how it usually works in the European countries where US citizens can get work permits (thanks, Chris Westergard, who took the time to write it all out in detail!).

Do keep in mind that this won't work in Spain, where a work visa is not an option:

http://forums.eslcafe.com/job/viewtopic.php?t=83736&start=0