Job Discussion Forums

PittsburghSound · Joined: 27 Aug 2014 Posts: 103 Location: Colombia

Thanks for the awesome info about Ecuador! And thanks, Jultime, for the extra info about Mexico.

You fine people have given me a lot to consider. I'll keep you posted on what I'm thinking/feeling as the weeks/months pass.

esl_prof · Posted: Thu May 21, 2015 11:06 pm Post subject:

lagringalindissima · Joined: 20 Jun 2014 Posts: 105 Location: Tucson, Arizona

Plane tickets..about 1500 to 1600 each way, plus I'd budget in an extra 100 each way to cover travel costs (I had a hefty luggage fee):
$3400..I am assuming you want to budget to fly home if you need to

Extra cost..At least a year ago, you needed 1000 in cash to open a bank account to get at least a cultural exchange visa; I was never clear on at what point you can have back that money-- but in any case you need it as part of your start up funds.
$4400

Visa costs ?? The rules are constantly changing, and a lot of the cost depends on how much it costs you to get what you need (i.e. your passport photos) in your area. I'd estimate 300..few schools cover it.

$4700

Note: If you care about obeying the stated law about visas, it was as follows in mid 2014:
for work visas that don't fit into certain categories (teaching didn't pass the test), you first need a personal visa to enter the country.
You can then you apply for a work visa.

That would be more expensive, but I can't even guess on the costs.

Emergency funds: Since you are looking at two major cities, I'd say you want 1500 just to be safe.

$6200

I'd want "petty cash" in case you want/need to buy supplies for your classes..if you are there for a year, I'd suggest having 500 to cover anything you'd want to buy...this would also be your back up cash if you need to take a major cab ride, find your nice clothes stained and you need to use a dry cleaner, etc.

$6700

I would assume it would be about 2 months before you are working enough hours to cover all of your expenses. I don't know anything about the cost of living in Quito or Guayacil (which I can't spell, sorry), so I will just close it here Smile

.

You should need about 6700 plus money for 2 months without enough salary to cover your living costs.

wanderingxelmundo · Joined: 25 Mar 2015 Posts: 86

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

If you are US citizen, Peace Corps wins hands down. Good programme with training. Some move on from PC to other jobs back in the US and some use PC experience to build a career in EFL. Some of the best I have met have been PC "veterans"

I am not so enthusiastic about the UK equivalent - VSO and related programmes.

AGoodStory · Joined: 26 Feb 2010 Posts: 738

esl_prof · Posted: Sun May 24, 2015 3:02 pm Post subject:

just_a_mirage · Joined: 11 Nov 2008 Posts: 169 Location: ecuador

With your BA you could also get a resident visa in Ecuador, which would let you work just about anywhere...language institutes, high school, corporate work, etc. You would be able to be contracted which would also provice you with government IESS health insurance.

There is lots of work in Guayaquil, and the city is just a couple hours from the beach. And it is not nearly as horrible as everyone says. Smile

PittsburghSound · Joined: 27 Aug 2014 Posts: 103 Location: Colombia

Thanks for the info on the flights, everyone. It's a relief to know I can get a cheap flight to Ecuador, if I choose to go there.

MotherF · Posted: Thu May 28, 2015 4:15 am Post subject:

Quayaguil is a hot humid port city. Sending large shipments of bananas, mangoes, and other fruit to countries not on the equator. When I was there in 1995 it smelled of rotting fruit. I was told there was a faint pit full of the stuff that didn't make the boat.
Quito is a cold crumbling city with two seasons rainy and not so rainy. In the 90s the airport was known as one of the hardest to actually land at and about 50% of flights were diverted to Quayaguil.
Cuenca, now there's a lovely place...

HLJHLJ · Joined: 06 Oct 2009 Posts: 1218 Location: Ecuador

HLJHLJ · Joined: 06 Oct 2009 Posts: 1218 Location: Ecuador

wanderingxelmundo · Joined: 25 Mar 2015 Posts: 86

Thanks for the info HLJHLJ

HLJHLJ · Joined: 06 Oct 2009 Posts: 1218 Location: Ecuador

wanderingxelmundo · Joined: 25 Mar 2015 Posts: 86

Thanks for the info, HLJHLJ!

I was hoping to avoid the double fees on visas (get the professional visa within three months) - and also start being a bona fide resident ASAP so I can be exempt from Obamacare. That will cost up to around $300 per month, depending on what my income ends up being this year, so it would be worth it to me to pay something to make the visa process faster.

Is it possible to enter as a tourist and then get the 9-V visa? I'll have to look back at the timeline here and in other threads to see if registering my degree earlier will help much in those regards (my school isn't on the pre-approved list, I don't know if that takes more time or just means the extra transcripts.

(This is all if I decide to move back to Ecuador where I lived from 1997-2001. Back then you could get an investor's visa by depositing $1,200 in an Ecuadorian bank.)