Job Discussion Forums

[ladiga]

Can anyone point me in the direction of a site where i might find information on the different language schools in Guadalajara. From my own research i have found a few, but there seems to be so many. I'm a teacher (Bachelor of Arts/Education but no TEFL or CELTA) from Australia, wanting to find work here. There seems to be a huge difference in pay scales. I have heard of schools that pay 35 pesos an hour and schools that pay up to 120 pesos an hour. I don't really understand how there can be such a large difference. Obviously, i'd prefer to earn more rather than less, but i also would like a good school environment...so i guess it's about finding a balance.

Any thoughts, tips or otherwise would be greatly appreciated.

Also (while i'm on a roll) i've been living here for a few months already, and am now looking to move house. I am travelling with my girlfirend, and we're looking for a house that might be a little more communal than the one we've been staying in, where we never see our other house mates....ever. They are old Mexican men.
We are learning Spanish, so we'd be keen to live with people who are willing to speak Spanish at least some of the time.
Cheers

John

[Wouter]

Hi John,

We already met and I wrote you an email for work at our school. If you are still looking please give me a call. A good way to find other schools is have a look at the mexican yellow pages. You can find them on the following address.

http://www.seccionamarilla.com.mx/

Here you can search for schools.
For apartments there are several websites for Guadalajara.
You can have a look at the following pages.

http://www.arkredi.com/
http://www.mexplaza.com.mx/

and ofcourse look in the newspapers.

At the moment we have as well an apartment for rent in the center of Tlaquepaque. One block from the center. You can rent this for 4000 pesos a month and it is furnished. Their are also living other ex spanish students their. The owner is a nice mexican lady who is maried with a guy from England. The apartment is totaly redone and has a new kitchen and a new bathroom.

Wouter

[magpie]

Wouter:

I am wondering just how well teachers are paid in Guadalajara to be able to afford an apartment at 4000p a month! I feel I am paid well in San Andres Tuxtla and my apartment (2 bedroom furnished, cable TV, gas, drinking water paid by the school and I have no roommate) is 1300p.

How can a teacher affford this, or was it a typo?

[Wouter]

Hi Magpie,

These are 2 person apartments and we offer this for our students. So if you stay with two persons this will be 2000 per person. They are redone apartments so new kitchen and new bathroom. Also they are in the heart of Tlaquepaque. From your window you can almost see the center.

This is a normal price for this part of town. I know that it is hard to make 4000 pesos for a teacher but I just give the option. The price you are paying is incredible. I rent an apartment here as well but paying 2200 pesos and it isnt furnished and not in the center. I know a lot of people here and I know somebody who rents for this prices as well but this is only one small room.

Maybe the prices are cheaper in Tuxtla or maybe you live far a way from the center. I know there are places in Guadalajara where you can pay this amount for rent but then you are more then an hour by bus from the center.

Wouter

[magpie]

WOW! Prices sure are different. I live a half block from the center of town and right across the street from the school where I teach. I have the convenience of having a small grocery store, pharmacy, bakery and cheese literally within steps of my apartment! The apartment here is not new, but it is well above the standard for most of the locals (except, of course, the very well-to-do).

Obviously, teachers must make more in Guadalajara as the cost of living appears to be much higher than here. What is the rate per hour of teachers there these days?

[Wouter]

Hi Magpie,

The average hourly price is between 40 and 50 pesos an hour. There are ofcourse companies that pay more as well as there are who pay less. So if you would work for 8 hours a day you would make around 7200 pesos a month. Ofcourse their are many different structures for salary. Some schools offer less salary but offer free room and board.

I�m curious what the average salary is in San Andres Tuxtla.

Wouter

[magpie]

Hi Wouter:

We are paid 60 pesos an hour. I work a 32 hour week teaching 4 evenings a week from 3-9PM and all day on Saturday. The classes are small (5-12 students usually) and they are wonderful!! I teach all levels beginners through advanced and a Business English class as well. When I read of some of the very difficult situations some people have gotten themselves into when securing a teaching position, I feel quite fortunate to have stumbled upon such an excellent experience.

I know the hourly wage is higher here than in some areas, but this is not a "hot spot" for most TESL teachers, especially young ones. It is a moderately remote nature's paradise in the mountains near the rainforest, though the entire area does have about 300,000 inhabitants--few of them tourists. But San Andres might not appeal to many young teachers since there is not a lot of nightlife or even a Wal-Mart and it does lack the excitement of the larger Mexican cities. It IS, however, a wonderful place to learn the language, culture and hone teaching skills, and, even save a little money.

Magpie

[ladiga]

I've been doing heaps of looking around for teaching work, and literally holding off until I find something i really want. The thing is the pay varies SOOO much. A lot of places pay between 40-60, but i have also found a few that pay 100, which obviosuly are the ones I've approached. As for housing....it gets cheaper the more people you live with. I live with 7 other people in a huge house, 4 mexicans, a french girl, an american and myself and my girlfriend...and i pay 600 pesos a month. It's furnished, clean and comfortable....and very good for my Spanish. It's like having free lessons, because it is the common language for everyone!

Just thought i'd add my two cents, since i started this post.
cheers
John