Job Discussion Forums

[amalik99]

Hey, have been a longtime lurker and occaisonal poster for the past few months. I'm so excited, I just got a job at Cambridge Academy for this fall in Oaxaca City! I can't wait to go back to Mexico.

So I've done lots of searches, and have my to do list + things to bring that are hard to find (aka disposable razors, good cosmetics) This week I'm getting my documents apostillized, booking my ticket, checkng in into traveler's insurance (mine doesn't cover past a month abroad)

If anyone has any particular advice or warnings, please pm or post...especially advice on living in Oaxaca City. I plan to ask around and rent a room with a family.

Thanks everyone for all the wonderful information you have posted on the forum, it definitely helped this poor little newbie in my times of confusion.

(Doing little ESL dance)

[M@tt]

do i know you?

[amalik99]

I don't know, I know there was someone from B-town on this board that I pm'ed a while back...was that you?

I grew up in Bloomington, went away for college (small Quaker school), you?

[apfennig]

I'm thinking of taking a job in Mexico City or Puebla...just trying to make sure I'll be making enough money. What are you going to be making if you don't mind me asking? Is the school helping with housing?

[MELEE]

[tonydicer]

You could have a hairy arrival.

[amalik99]

Well, since I first posted my situation has changed. Due to the State Department travel warning that was put into effect this week, my health insurance won't cover me if I travel to Oaxaca now.
I was supposed to leave next Wednesday...
I emailed James, the director of studies of Cambridge Academy, he wrote me back that there is nothing to worry about and that the State Department warning is bogus. Unfortunately, even if that is true, my insurance company can still use that as justification not to cover me.
Argggghhhhhhhh!!!!!!!
I have written Cambridge back, telling them of my situation, and that I need to wait a few weeks until the warning is lifted (as of now it's in effect until September 24th) I also asked for the email addresses of some teachers with whom to correspond about life in Oaxaca (as Melee had suggested) I had asked for these emails a while ago, just learn more about teaching at the school and living in Oaxaca City. As of yet, the DOS hasn't given me anything. It does concern me a bit too that James had not mentioned anything at all to me about the situation, though I do understand that he is probably very busy and other concerns now...still it makes me a bit nervous, I've been staying informed of the political situation, but for all the school knows, I could be a very naive young woman from the US with absolutely no clue stepping off the plane.
Of course, I wrote that I completely understood if they need to fill the position right away and I apologized for the unexpected situation with my health coverage.
So, I expect I will not be going.
On a personal level, I'm feeling very frustrated and disappointed and unsure of what to do. It took me all summer to find and interview for this position and I was so excited...I've worked for a year to save and get my CELTA.
I could use some friendly and constructive advice, if anyone is willing to offer it. I understand that for those of you living in Oaxaca State and City now, the situation may seem very managable and not dangerous...but from the perspective of a foreigner coming alone and someone being bombarded by daily reports of violence and blatant warning from my own government...well, it's hard to justify going right at this very second, not to mention that my family would go mad with worry.
So you know where I'm coming from, my main goal was always to improve my Spanish, hopefully to the point of fluency and find an enjoyable community to be part of while I'm there. I enjoy teaching ESL, but it was also a means to an end and a way to support myself while in Mexico.

[M@tt]

maybe you could try getting some travel insurance through someone like CIEE/council travel. i'm sure there are other providers too.

as for the state dept warnings, they always err on the side of caution. things are rarely as bad as they make them out to be. or, if they are that bad, they are that bad in isolated places, and you might not even be aware of it while you're on the ground in that area.

i would focus on getting the email addresses of other teachers. they will be more candid about how things are going and possibly more in touch with reality than the DOS.
good luck. your situation sounds frustrating but something good (maybe even better!) will come up.

p.s. yes, i'm the guy from bloomington. sorry about not answerinig your pm (too lazy to check right now). hey, maybe we even went to grade school together...

[Samantha]

Go and take the job if it's only about medical care. Medical care (if something should ever happen to you) is very inexpensive in Mexico. If that is all that is holding you back, you are making a mistake. If you have cold feet over the Government warning then you have to decide if you are ready for Mexico. The Government puts out all sorts of warnings, but they are there and we are here. People LIVE here and deal with life here. Today was a regular school day in spite of warnings of the impending hurricane.

[ls650]

Hmm. The Canadian Consulate in Oaxaca is officially closed as of today. It will remain closed due to security concerns "until further notice". Personally I would recommend seeking work in another city until the dispute is settled.

[Samantha]

I agree, now that I know that. I doubt they would have taken that action without good cause.

[Guy Courchesne]

Oi, if Oaxaca is short on people joining protests, I'm sure DF would be happy to lend them some.

I noticed the US embassy here yesterday didn't have the usual visa applicant line of several hundred people...and I wondered if it was closed for some reason. The website says everything is normal...the storm comes later over at Congress for El Informe.

[saraswati]

I've been in contact with friends from Oaxaca and this is what they've been saying...

1. The downtown area is a mess and most are avoiding it because it's full of protesters and/or road-blocked.
2. A couple of radio stations have been taken over. (One was actually taken over by a group of housewives with frying pans.)
3. No buses are running at night because protesters are blocking, with burning tires, even more streets starting at about 7PM.
4. Some buses and cars have been burned.
5. The ADO bus station was blocked at one point and could be again.
6. All businesses, including English schools, are being affected by the situation.

[/list]

[MELEE]

As I just posted on another thread, I was in Oaxaca yesterday.
Do you have health concerns? I came to Mexico with no health insurance. It was 1998 and I was 25. I didn't give it a second thought. Even now, I'm only covered by IMSS (Mexican national health). Every time I've visited the US, I've had no insurance for the time I was there, (up to six weeks) but now with children I will probably get some sort of travel insurance if I ever visit the US.

Oaxaca is not pretty right now. But its not dangerous unless you plan to join in the marches, or I guess, there's always that I-was-in-the-wrong-place-at-the-wrong-time risk. The mood is mounting and another bust of violence will probably break out before its over. This is what happens when people don't have confidence in their government, the nation should be taking notes.

On the upside, yesterday I did get some really good deals in the crafts market: