Job Discussion Forums

Fatcat · Joined: 17 Mar 2005 Posts: 92 Location: Athens, Georgia

I just wanted to ask about roommate situations for ESL teachers. I'm guessing most people have roommates or live with families. Which do you prefer? Also, is it popular to room with native Mexicans in apartments, or do they tend to shy away from foreigners? I'm a single female and definitely don't want to live alone to begin with for several reasons.

Flo · Joined: 29 Mar 2004 Posts: 112

I lived in another country in a boarding house (pension) with people from many different countries, and it was fine. If I was bored, there was usually someone to hang out with, or if I wanted to I could go to my room and lock the door. The family that owned the house lived next door, and they treated me like their own daughter. They would invite me to eat (or the maid sometimes brought me food) and took me to the beach and other places with them. Being a typical conservative Latin family, they were very smoothering and nosey. I don�t think I would want to live in their house with them just due to lack of privacy. However, it was nice to have the family atmosphere while I was "away from home".

In Mexico I tried sharing a house with some other English teachers. In the end, it was a disaster. Now I live alone, and it isn�t any more expensive. Actaully, it is probably cheaper since no one is stealing, throwing my things in the trash, or comsuming my food.

My advice (based on my experience)...
1. If you decide to have roommates, avoid those from the states
2. Men are generally easier to live with than females.

Good luck!

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

Fatcat · Joined: 17 Mar 2005 Posts: 92 Location: Athens, Georgia

Flo, are you from the states, or just had some bad run-ins with roommates from here? I'm from the US and have a fair share of roommates, some good, some bad----I do agree with you about guys being better roommates. You don't have to worry about them stealing your clothes, makeup, etc. And it seems that if there is a problem, guys aren't as catty as girls and you can settle disputes quicker. Thanks for your advice. Are you living in Mexico now? I would like to live by myself but don't know if I could afford it.

Thanks Guy, I'll be googling my arse off....[/quote]

moonraven · Joined: 24 Mar 2004 Posts: 3094

I have found that living with other people has been fine: only when they have been Mexicans.

My one experience with living with other teachers was the absolute pits: it only takes one crazy gringa--and I mean crazy--to make life hell. The one I suffered with dragged home men in groups from bars to pull trains with them, screamed in the street and woke up the entire neighborhood every weekend when the guys finally left, stole food, refused to wash dishes yet dirtied all of them, and the list goes on and on.

Don't do it. The money you save is a pittance compared to the loss of your tranquility.

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

M@tt · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 473 Location: here and there

I lived with a family. It was a good deal: cheap rent (1200/month included utilities), furnished already with phoneline and all that stuff, private bathroom, nice bedroom, they treated me like family but I had my privacy... Actually that part was hard to work out because I felt strange the evenings I didn't want to be bothered. Anyway, it was near ideal. There were like boarding houses that a lot of my students lived in, mostly singles but some with roommates. I think those usually included a meal a day, but they were more expensive and less luxurious than where I lived.

I don't think there's a difference between men and women in terms of sloppiness. It all depends on the person. Likewise for nationality. Just settle all the details up front so there won't be too many big surprises later on.

Good luck.

p.s. I also don't get "pulling a train." It must refer to either alcohol or sex.

moonraven · Joined: 24 Mar 2004 Posts: 3094

"Pulling a train" must have passed out of the lexicon. It began as a biker term, and it means that a woman will take on all the guys in a group--sequential sex. "Gang banging" is a synonym.

The cracker cretin that was in the apartment with me was not the only gringa to give EFL teachers a bad name with those antics--I have heard of several more.

Just one of the reasons I avoid young gringos and gringas like the plague.

Flo · Joined: 29 Mar 2004 Posts: 112

Yes Fatcat, I am from the states. I have had some good roommates from the states, but mostly bad ones. And like you said, the men just aren�t catty, usually. You can afford to live alone in Mexico, but it depends on how much money you make and where you live. It is expensive where I live, but I got a good deal on a house and my friends helped me out with furniture and things like that. If you have more specific questions, you can PM me.

I have one young gringa friend here in Mexico, and she is very down to earth. I am in the same boat with Moonraven on this one, I tend to avoid the rest like the plague. I am temped to write one of my nightmare gringa roommate stories here for an example, but maybe another time.

rafomania · Joined: 25 Mar 2005 Posts: 95 Location: Guadalajara

Are young Americans that bad to live/hang with? I've been hearing not so great stories of making friends with gringos in Mexico.

I would prefer to live in shared accomodation, I prefer the company, though what was the saying about no company being better than bad company?

magpie · Joined: 27 Mar 2004 Posts: 54

It is said that you never really know someone until you live with them. A person who appears to be the greatest in the world may turn out to be the roommate from hell. Like most of those who responded I've had more than my share of terrible roommates and honestly, no company is far better than after a long day teachingcoming home and finding someone ate your last morsel, left the kitchen a mess (inviting pesty little visitors), or opening the door to an apartment full of unwelcome and unknown "guests" some of whom linger on forever. And, talking it out upfront does not always mean people will do as they say they will!!!

Do not rush into roommatedom. If you can budget it, live alone and go out and meet people. You can invite them over and the nice part is that they have a place to go home to. You will not have anyone going through your things, taking your lose change (or worse), taking your clothes or breaking your electronic equipment--if they don't steal it. I really don't think age or nationality or sex makes a difference. People are people and unfortunately a heck of a lot of them don't give a hoot about anyone else or anyone else's property,

I rent the two bedroom teacher's apartment for myself. I have had a visiting teacher stay with me on occasion--this is fine--but long term--no way. A few less pesos a month in my pocket means I'm able to sleep well at night and not have the extra stress.

moonraven · Joined: 24 Mar 2004 Posts: 3094

I move around a fair amount, but my home base is a village in the state of Morelos where I live with a campesino family of 6 in a small house. I have had this arrangement now for going on 6 years. Despite the lack of space, lack of doors to rooms, 2 teenagers out of the 4 kids, it's pretty harmonious. The kids have been known to get into my stuff--or each other's, but no harm done. We are a happy family.

I would never consider sharing a house except with people from Latin America. I don't know why gringos are so egocentric, but they are getting worse with each generation. And I thought my own generation was pretty bad....

lozwich · Joined: 25 May 2003 Posts: 1536

I have the opportunity to apply for a pretty good job in Mexico City, but it involves a bit of to-ing and fro-ing, and I'm not sure I want to do all that if it turns out its impossible (or ridiculously unsafe) to live alone in el DF.

What is the average rent for a nice-ish apartment in a nice-ish area in DF? Is it safe for me (a woman) to live alone in said luxury apartment. Of course, if the job paid a lot more than I'm assuming it does, I'd live in Coyoacan, but I doubt that's possible! Laughing

Lozwich.

MixtecaMike · Joined: 19 Nov 2003 Posts: 643 Location: Guatebad

Lozzie, have a look at El Universal online classifieds, they have the best to rent ads available, bar wandering the streets looking for signs on windows. From memory its aviso-oportuno.com.mx.

In Mexico City you will almost certainly need a fiador, a person who owns property in the Greater Metropolitan Area (DF plus adjoining pieces of Edomex) and is willing to cosign your lease. Almost impossible, so you can pay an agency to find you a guarantor, not really acceptable for the better real estate agencies but if you're careful you can get it by. When I did mine I was told to say I know their (the fiador) son from UNAM.

Rent was horrendously expensive when I lived there in 2000-2002, especially what you get for how much you pay. A mate had a pretty nice apartment right behind the future ground zero, the US Embassy, and he wa paying more than his sister paid for a 3-brm house in Gladesville, Sydney.

I lived in the allegedly terrible Col. Morelos because I could a tiny 2-brm (and I mean TINY) in a vecindad for about $2000 pesos back then. A mate paid almost 8000 a month for a smallish one bedroom on a rooftop in Zona Rosa, nice spot but nothing fancy.

Even out in the war zone suburbs, like Morelos, Guerrero, Doctores, Iztapalapa and Moctezuma there was almost nothing with 2 bedrooms going for less than 2,500 back then.

lozwich · Joined: 25 May 2003 Posts: 1536

Hmm. Thanks Mike. Some of the places on that site cost more than this prospective job is going to pay me!

And therein lies the problem I guess..

Decisions, decisions.. Rolling Eyes