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corporatehuman · Joined: 09 Jan 2006 Posts: 198 Location: Mexico City

Business english can really get a bad rap sometimes I've noticed. Once you get the hang of it all you do is just accept classes in a certain radius where you live. As of right now all of my classes but one (and that's about ten classes) are within a 15 to 20 minute bike ride maximum. Granted...at the beginning I definitely did some travelling; I quickly eliminated those classes and just kept searching for ones that are closer and closer. Now I won't accept a class unless I can get there on a bicycle within that allotted time.

I did work for a language school briefly, that sounds similar to the one you described; but I left it because of the money.

The big advantage for me of business english is that after every class I come home so I can eat, and then I have time to read and write during the day. Run errands. Whatever. In general I always have 3 to 4 hours during the day to do whatever I want.

Also the 150 to 180 price eventually becomes too low. You can charge easily 200 to 250 now. Then you can charge 300. After that, 350, 400...you get the idea! You just keep charging more until...

You get kidnapped!

And you know, part of the fun is the travelling actually and meeting new people. I have classes in an office on top of the Plaza de Computacion. A place I normally would have been intimidated going to...having not known anyone. Having just a class there opened up the whole area to me. While I have many, many other Mexican students that think I am crazy to teach there; now I love the Plaza!

I have a Cuban student who recently came over on a raft from Cuba. He has a P.H.D in economics and well the raft story is AMAZING! Dramatic. Cinematic!

I mean, -some-, not all, have great stories. And I love having the opportunity to collect these stories and meet these people. As you know business english classes come and go (its an ephemeral, constantly changing art) so you are constantly meeting new people.

I bicycle to the center everyday and have stumbled into welcome and unwelcoming sites. All sorts of people, some dead, some limping, alive -- I've seen a huge ambulante bust where they arrested over a 100 people. Yes I was in it!

And I am teaching English!

Well it's not for everyone. But I love the energy of being on the streets and walking around Mexico City, or bicycling in my case. This is one of the thing my classes afford...it forces me to...well, GET OUT of the apartment.

I love schools too, though, don't get me wrong. I just think the experience is entirely different. I've done both. For now this is what I choose.

The big disadvantage of business english is no health insurance, and paid vacations (as you stated.). However I did have typhoid in Mexico City and to cure myself I spent I think 400 or 500 pesos in total. Also if you save your money right you can actually give yourself a vacation (I did this recently...a month long visit to the U.S.).

It's not for everyone, but I think people with certain personalities really enjoy being able to work independently out of a school administrative atmosphere.