Job Discussion Forums

Linda T. · Joined: 02 Dec 2007 Posts: 49 Location: California

Guatetaliana,

Since I'm not working in Mexico (YET!), I have no advice to offer based on experience regarding future prospects for jobs. All I can offer is my support and my agreement with all the rest that health (both mental and physical) comes first.

It has been my experience of life that our worst times are necessary to pave the road to our best. So, maybe it's necessary to quit "work" in order to free yourself up to accept a job which doesn't feel like "work."

According to Confucius: "If you enjoy what you do, you'll never work another day in your life."

Wishing you all the best.

Linda

mapache · Joined: 12 Oct 2006 Posts: 202 Location: Villahermosa

Unless you have a contract that will affect your continued stay in Mexico, walk out immediately.

Samantha · Joined: 25 Oct 2003 Posts: 2038 Location: Mexican Riviera

mapache wrote:

mapache · Joined: 12 Oct 2006 Posts: 202 Location: Villahermosa

I think a school could enforce a contract with the state agency of arbitration and conciliation. They can also write a "baja" letter to IMN. The Director of a school I worked for threatened teachers with deportation and rushed to IMN every time someone walked out on her because of her abuses.

Samantha · Joined: 25 Oct 2003 Posts: 2038 Location: Mexican Riviera

That's why walking off the job with no notice is not the best plan because it causes hard feelings. But if someone is sick, they are sick. A doctors note might even be useful. Incidentally, the school is obligated to write the letter to Immigration if the teacher is no longer working there. It's not done for punishment. There is a period of 30 days in which the teacher can regroup and do a status change.

MO39 · Posted: Sun Mar 30, 2008 6:55 pm Post subject:

Samantha's advice to get a doctor's note is a good one. That way you have an objective reason for your actions and one that isn't directly critical of the school.

Just to add one more anecdote to this thread - Some years ago I took a job teaching high school Spanish in the States. It was a nice little school in a suburb of Milwaukee with none of the problems that public schools in the US suffer from these days. But I was really miserable there; high school teaching was just not my thing. I started dreading going to work, and it got to the point where I was hoping to have an accident while driving there every morning! Plus I had all sorts of physical symptoms, that turned out to be psychosomatic. I gave a months' notice and immediately felt much better. The next semester I returned to graduate school, which is where I really belonged.

I'm sure you'll find a workplace in Mexico where you'll feel you really belong too!

guatetaliana · Posted: Sun Mar 30, 2008 7:17 pm Post subject:

OK, as far as all this stuff about notifying immigration - after all this, I've never signed a contract with this school (can't figure out if that's on purpose or what, but after several requests on my part, they never did show me one), and obviously I've never held an FM3. What exactly can they do to me?

MO39 · Posted: Sun Mar 30, 2008 7:30 pm Post subject:

Other than bad-mouth you after you're gone, not much!

guatetaliana · Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2008 5:26 am Post subject: I DID IT!!!

I am experiencing sweet freedom. I took the advice here and quit today! I don't know how, but by some miracle, they were so understanding. Everything has been left on good terms, and I was told there is "an open door" should I ever want to find a job there again. Meanwhile, they were already interviewing people about 2 hours after I told them I'm quitting. This position is apparently quite the commodity; my husband even works with a guy who interviewed for it at the same time as me back at the beginning. So I guess they'll have no trouble getting someone new in there. I guess for those interested in working the hellish life of teaching kids, the benefits at this job are big.

Anyway, I want to thank you all so much for your great advice and helping me to free myself from this situation. I'm seriously already feeling an improvement in health simply from not having to worry about this job anymore!

I'll be flying back to Chicago for about a month to substitute teach. Apparently my old district is desperate for bilingual subs right now, and the pay is quite decent, enough that I'll be able to make enough to keep us very much afloat when I return to MTY to seek a new possibility here. I'll miss my husband and, to a lesser extent, Mexico, but I'll be back soon!

NinaNina · Joined: 10 Jan 2007 Posts: 78 Location: Oaxaca

I've been following your drama and feeling your pain. What a relief to be out of there, and even peacefully.

If you're heading back to the U.S. to sub, you could also look into summer school teaching possibilities. Typically the pay is pretty high in inner city districts. Good luck!

-Serena
Mexican Pop Spot
http://mexpop.blogspot.com/

sarliz · Joined: 22 Feb 2006 Posts: 198 Location: Jalisco

Hey, where in Chicago are you from? I lived there for 11 years, and still try to go back for the summers for an art teaching gig. I love Mexico, but there's nothing like Chicago in the summer!

Linda T. · Joined: 02 Dec 2007 Posts: 49 Location: California

Congratulations Guatetaliana!!! And thanks for letting us know how it all turned out. At first, I was going to say that I appreciated your final post because I love happy endings. BUT, that's not what I mean at all. What I REALLY mean is that I love new beginnings!!!