Job Discussion Forums

[brianc]

Hi, sorry to bother everyone with questions they�ve probably heard a thousand times, but I just had a few general questions about life in Mexico?, I�m thinking about moving to Oaxaca City and working, teaching english. I have a year and half of experience teaching English, I would buy a one-way ticket in October and just go for an indefanite amount of time. I've heard Oaxaca is an amazing place. How is life there?, the ideas I have about the lifestyle sound very attractive to me, very laid back, very non-american, that is really what I'm looking for in a city. The only concern I have is that the smaller cities might get a little boring after a while. Also, how is the working situation there?, and how is the weather?, Any advice, or any thoughts about the general quality of life in Mexico or Oaxaca in specific would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks -Brian

[saraswati]

I lived in Oaxaca in the early 1990s and I still visit at least once a year. It's one of my favorite cities. The weather's great; it cools off in the evenings and warms up during the day. Artesans live in or near Oaxaca and the surrounding area is just gorgeous. The only downside to living in Oaxaca, and this depends a lot on where you live, is that water is constantly a problem. There isn't much of it so the you'll have to come up with some creative water saving techniques.

I don't know much about the current job situation. There are a number of private schools and universities but I can only give you information about one private school - Harmon Hall. PM me is you want more information. As to other schools... there are a couple of regular posters, MELEE and lozwich, who can give you a more complete picture.

Good luck!

[moonraven]

I visit Oaxaca fairly frequently, as it is the capital of the state where I am working. It has changed a lot since my first visit there in 1992--when I met the man I lived with off and on for 6 years. It has become very touristy--and that means there's a fair amount for visitors to see, but prices have risen sharply and that has been very hard on the locals, as their salaries have NOT increased. Oaxaca is one of the most expensive cities in Mexico now. The negative polarity between locals and foreigners has resulted in an increase in crime--and it's not just directed at foreigners (my boyfriend took his Master's degree there, and during that time he was robbed and beaten up 3 times--and he was born in the Isthmus of Tehuantepec!)

It's still an attractive place--especially the architecture--and if you are not asthmatic, it's a relatively healthy spot. I say if you're not asthmatic, as nothing has been done about the problem of air pollution caused by the brick factories that surround the city and release all those particle into the air--along with nasty toxic residue from the tires they burn to fire the ovens. (My boyfriend's Master's thesis covered this topic in 1997--and he gave several presentations of his results in Mexico City.) You shouldn't expect cheap prices for anything you buy there, and you will not have much--if any-- money left from your salary after you pay basic living expenses.

There are a lot of cultural events in Oaxaca, as well as galleries, several bookstores, etc. You mentioned that it is not "American"--I assume you mean that it's not like the US--and I question that. Although a citizens' campaign led by the painter Toledo prevented McDonald's from establishing a beachhead in the z�calo (main plaza), Oaxaca City has a lot of the usual suspects of US mercantilism, and because of the increasing number of tourists from the US, I doubt that the trend is going to be reversed.

[MELEE]

I live in the state of Oaxaca, not Oaxaca City.

Oaxaca City is a magical place, but I almost feel like there should be turnstiles around the city center. When I was in Japan, there was a place called "Parque Espa�a" it was a theme park with recreations of all the famous things that Japanese would want to go to Spain to see, they could save flying half way around the world but just visiting this theme park and not have to deal with pesky inconviences like the difficulty finding decent sushi or those silly western bathrooms. In a way, I think Oaxaca City should change its name to "Parque M�xico" It has everything you want to come for Mexico for, Colonial architecture, prehispanic ruins, colorful arteseanias and fine art, folk dancing, people wearing traditional clothing, fabulous cuisine, live music, and a plesent climate. All right there at your finger tips. Most tourists and foriegn residents are shielded from the pesky inconviences like the lack of water, sewage services, and even electricity in outlying areas.

Having said that, I generally have a good time whenever I visit, and usually spend A LOT of money there!!!

Unlike moonraven, I think the "americanization" is not caused by the tourists, most tourists like yourself want to see quaint Mexican things when they visit Oaxaca, but rather the cause is more the Oaxacans themselves. Particularly the ones who have returned from several years living in the US or Northern Mexico. A consumer/material based lifestyle is like a drug, its very easy to get hooked on and can be very hard to break. And like tabacco, alcohol, and caffine, most people view it as relatively harmless, and many even feel they benefit from it. Like cigarettes in earlier times, or coffee now, people view it as modern and cool and by nature, most people want to be modern and cool.

But that's just my opinion, which is all I could ever possibly give.

[lozwich]

[MixtecaMike]

BTW, lozzer, where are you now?

Oaxaca City, I don't even like to visit it, except for the odd trip to McDonalds. Ain't those McFlurries something, worth travelling 3 hours each way for one of them.

[lozwich]

[MELEE]

Your doing it backwards!!!!

The year I went to Chile I went, winter, spring, summer, spring, summer, spring, summer, fall. But if the winter in Brisbane is like the winter in Oaxaca, then you should be okay. Winter in Iowa is much more worth missing

[Ben Round de Bloc]