Job Discussion Forums

geoboz · Joined: 19 Jul 2006 Posts: 39

Please be fully advised that Universidad del Mar in Oaxaca, Mexico poses security risks to both male and female teachers from north of the border. After enduring nighttime harrasment for 6 months, the university personnel made veiled threats against my life for exposing a crime that the university administration had committed. When I reported this level of harassment to the US consulate in Oaxaca, Mexico, I was advised to evacuate immediately. I was gone in 2 days with the help of friends there and in the States.
Other security risks exist at this university as well. I advise extreme caution when considering a job opportunity there. You may be their next victim.

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

I work at one of the three campuses of this particular university.
I have no idea what you might be writing about, but I'd certainly like to know more details!
Please PM me.

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

Wow...can't leave this hanging. Any updates here? What crime did admin perpetrate?

englishgibson · Joined: 09 Mar 2005 Posts: 4345

I was threatened before by certain international chain of schools, but I didn't contact my Canadian consulate and neither did I leave the country where I was threatened. So OP, I know how you feel. Threats are to be considered seriously and if your consulate's advised you to leave then you've done the right thing. Since you might've alerted many by posting on the forum and you are in a safe place now, it'd be helpful to know what really happened there. I am not in Mexico, although have been contemplating some work there.

Peace to Universidad del Mar in Oaxaca
and
cheers and beers to all hard working FTs around the globe

delacosta · Joined: 14 Apr 2004 Posts: 325 Location: zipolte beach

To clear things up about this matter, I work at the school in question and am aware of the situation.

All I'm going to say is that sometimes in the ESL world people go off the deep end. I mean we meet crazy characters all the time, some more than others and anyways we're all a bit crazy, are we not?

If someone were to have a meltdown in a foreign country the consulate or embassy would always advise that said person return to their country of origin.

Crazy stuff happens at UMAR and Mexico as a whole all the time.

Luis Bu�el, the Spanish master surrealist filmmaker lived here for over 30 years and loved it because the surreal was the stuff of daily existence. If one were to be already walking the thin line between insane and sane Mexico would in all likelihood provide the little shove over the precipice.

There are plenty of reasons to not work at UMAR if one were so inclined, but there are as equally many to work here. I have experienced many of both types over the six years that I�ve been here.

I can assure Dave�s readers that having one�s life threatened does NOT enter into the range of possibilities. I�m positive that the other posters who work in the Oaxacan state university system will agree.
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