Job Discussion Forums

jfurgers · Joined: 18 Sep 2005 Posts: 442 Location: Mexico City

Is it possible to have a kid or two living in DF or anywhere in Mexico if you're an ESL instructor? Hope I'm not getting too personal here but everytime I think of a question I try to see what types of answers I'll get.

Currently I have no kids but one never knows and I thought I would see if anyone here is raising one or two on the salary of an ESL Instructor.

Thanks.

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

Probably not possible on a one-income family, unless you are making very decent money. Let's say 17,500 per month. That would be borderline, on one income, for one child. Much better if your kids are getting free tuition at school.

I have no kids, so that makes me a DINK.

MELEE · Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2006 7:14 pm Post subject:

Sometimes you plan to have one kid and you end up with two! Razz

I don't live in DF. I wouldn't set foot there pregnant or with a baby, the pollution levels are too high!

The cost of living in my city is way below the cost of living in el DF, With two kids and a take home pay of about 10,000 a month, I'm getting by. My husband gets a stipened of 6,000 a month. My mortgage payments are 2,600 a month. We pay the housekeeper-nanny 2,400 a month. My husband spends about 1,000 a month travelling between Huajuapan and Morelia. His rent in Morelia is 500 a month. I spend about 600 a month on gas to get me to work. Food and things here add up to about 3,000 a month, and in Morelia 1,000 a month. And we've spent a lot since October treating the twins colds (possibly allergies Sad

) with private doctors. That last expense is what's really got me the last few months.

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

Often more expensive than rent or mortgage payments in DF is education. How much of a bite will that be for you, MELEE, in Oaxaca?

MELEE · Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2006 7:55 pm Post subject:

Well, first of all, I don't know that we will be here for their education. If I've learned anything in my life, its that you don't know where life will take you.
My husband will run out of school to attend before the girls are old enough to start school, as he only can attend school for three more years! (please don't let him discover post-docs! Laughing

) If he came back here and took the job my university has promised him once he has a PhD. He'd make more than 20,000 a month. And my mortgage will be paid off in 5 years. So if I continued working we'd have 30,000 a month of income and household expenses around 5,000 a month! (not factoring inflation into those figures) I've always been a fan of homeschooling. I would consider that option. If we stay here, there is only one school in town that is anywhere approaching "posh" and I don't know what the tuition is, but I don't think I'd like my children rubbing shoulders with those kids anyway. Rolling Eyes

jfurgers · Joined: 18 Sep 2005 Posts: 442 Location: Mexico City

17,500 a month is almost impossible to make in DF isn't it? I won't have to worry about rent which will be a good thing. Perhaps my wife, who's a Mexican, could teach Spanish or even English since she's been living in the States for ten years.

Is it possible to make more $$$ if one has a Masters pr a Ph.D?

MELEE · Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2006 10:25 pm Post subject: Re: Kids & ESL salary

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

Totally agree. Masters' or PhD would open up posh DF private schools to you, at 15,000+.

It is only slightly possible to earn that much working the company English class circuit, but you might kill yourself running around town. You'd certainly never see the kids.

snorklequeen · Posted: Wed Feb 15, 2006 6:51 am Post subject: Kids on an ESL/EFL salary

y'all mentioned earning a higher salary with a Masters or Ph.D.; is that only if it is in ESL?

is a J.D. from a US school, well ranked, worth anything extra if one wants to teach ESL [obviously a totally unrelated field]?

Queenie

Melee, i love your new poochie picture; is that the kind of doggies you have?

Ben Round de Bloc · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1946

MELEE · Posted: Wed Feb 15, 2006 3:03 pm Post subject:

Just to contrast, the university where I work only offers tenure track positions, with the tenureship process beginning after satisfactory completion of two six month contracts. Here its usually the case the the MA or PhD has to be in a related field for you to get the pay. But it is at the discretion of the academic council. We had one teacher with an MA in studio art. Her Spanish was quite good, and in addition to teaching English, every other semester she taught an Art History class to the design students. Our business students do take International Law classes. And the Rector of this university system is a JD in international law, so your resume would probably attract some attention.
I know you're particulary interested in one area of Mexico, but PM me if you'd toy with the idea of Oaxaca as well.

jfurgers · Joined: 18 Sep 2005 Posts: 442 Location: Mexico City

Sounds like I need a Masters first. Perhaps I could do an online degree while teaching in Mexico.

snorklequeen · Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2006 5:53 am Post subject:

thanks, Melee! appreciate it. i'll keep it in mind, for sure. it would probably be at least a year from now, as i have some things to do in DF first. Very Happy

about how far is Oaxaca from DF, say from the hotel district on Reforma, by car? i know the approximate distance from Reforma to Tepo.

and Ben, thanks for the info, too! yes, indeedy, i'm too old for the tenure track, tho' i don't feel it. Very Happy

Queenie

ls650 · Joined: 10 May 2003 Posts: 3484 Location: British Columbia

MELEE · Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2006 3:36 pm Post subject:

Well, I wasn't thinking Oaxaca, Oaxaca. Our city is 6 hours to Mexico City, maybe 5 in a very well handling car. Oaxaca city is further in distance, but has an autopista, so the time is essentially the same, 4 hours would be a pretty wild ride!