|
Job Discussion Forums
"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Students and Teachers from Around the World!"
|
| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
Jyulee
Joined: 01 May 2005
Posts: 81
|
 Posted: Thu Sep 21, 2006 6:05 pm Post subject: What I know about Bogot� & Colombia |
 |
|
Hey there
A few months ago I was looking into moving to Bogot�, and tried a bit of internet research before arriving.
Although there was lots of helpful info here on Dave�s (and less, to be honest, on poorbuthappy.com), I found it rather scattered and often dated. Although I'm no expert on Colombia (I've only been here a few months), I though I'd share what I know/have experienced here so far for anyone that is interested - perhaps like someone who was in my position a few months ago.
BOGOT�
Is quite nice! As it is so high, the weather ranges from being quite hot when it is sunny to quite cold when it is cloudy. I don't think the temperature ever exceeds 25 or goes below 15 during the day. 5-day forecast from the BBC: (Max, Min, Wind, Visibility, Pressure, Humidity)
| Quote: |
Thursday - Sunny
Sunrise 05:46 ()
Sunset 17:54 (COT) 21�C 1�C 5 very poor 1023 39
Friday - Sunny
Sunrise 05:46 (COT)
Sunset 17:53 (COT) 21�C 6�C 5 very poor 1022 42
Saturday - Cloudy/Rainy
Sunrise 05:46 (COT)
Sunset 17:53 (COT) 18�C 9�C 4 very poor 1020 68
Sunday - Cloudy/Rainy
Sunrise 05:45 (COT)
Sunset 17:52 (COT) 18�C 3�C 4 poor 1019 65
Monday - Sunny
Sunrise 05:45 (COT)
Sunset 17:52 (COT) 21�C 7�C 3 very poor 1020 38 |
Roughly speaking, the further north you go, the richer, cleaner and safer the city becomes. There are nice views of mountains to the east, most of the buildings are low, and although the traffic is bad, it's not that bad. Mostly, Bogot� has a nice vibe to it. There are nice bars and restaurants, shopping centres, and every western amenity.
As there is no metro, public transport is buses, taxis and the Transmilenio. Buses are not easy to get the hang of - each one has a board in the front window with a confusing code on the front explaining the route...
(Cll62 K11 ANDINO Cll120, for example, would mean "I go down Calle 62, then down Carrera 11 to the Andino shopping centre until Calle 120...)
It, for me at least, is difficult to ascertain whether or not I need whichever bus before it has raced past me. I am assured one gets the hang of it eventually!
Opinion on taxis varies. There is a general consensus of opinion, however, that they are risky to some extent or another. What happens, you see, is that once you are inside, the taxi driver will let in two more people who stick a knife to your throat (or whatever). They then take you to a cash machine and rob you.
To counter this, many phone reputable taxi companies to get them to pick you up from home (this, apparently, rules out rogue taxi drivers). However, the "baddies" have radio interceptors and can get to your house before you, so it's still not completely safe.
Some say "don't take taxis ever", some say "phone for them first", some say "it's only dangerous at night time" and some say "don't worry you'll be fine!". I still haven't made my mind up.
Lastly, there is the Transmilenio, which has a metro style route and map, but is essentially a network of large and modern buses with their own exclusive bus lanes. It is fast(ish), cheap and easy.
Every Sunday morning half the roads in Bogot� are closed, and people come out en masse to cycle, jog, or walk around the city.
The "Bogotanos" (I can't remember what they are called now) are not exactly your stereotypical "hyper-friendly, always singing, always dancing, really really nice and sexy South Americans". If you are expecting guys with sombreros and guitars on every corner waiting to give the exotic foreigner free Mojitos, you'll be disappointed! Big City Syndrome works in Bogot� too, you won't be making friends on the street - and contrary to popular belief (well, in my opinion), not all the girls are pretty, and not all the guys are good-looking.
THE REST OF COLOMBIA
Medell�n seems nice, Cartagena is beautiful, Barranquilla is a bit of a dump, and Pereira and Armenia look okay. I've only made fleeting visits to these places, and so know nothing more!
JOBS AND VISAS
In Bogot�, it would appear that everyone and his dog wants English classes. It was in the newspapers last week that in order to get a degree at university all students must pass an English test to B2 standard (that's more or less Upper-Intermediate/Pre-Advanced, I think). This will come into effect in 2007. Less than half of undergrad students currently have this level of English, and less than half of the teachers.
The upper-middle class (with whom most foreigners will spend most of their time) are very open to globalisation (lots of sushi restaurants here) and Very Serious about either learning English and/or having their kids learn it.
So, you would think that there would be jobs galore. There are not.
The problem is the visa that is required - in order to hire a foreigner companies must pay a lot, jump through a lot of bureaucratic hurdles and commit themselves to a weighty contract. Most small language academies simply can't afford/don't want to do it. Thus, they stick with local teachers.
Some will take you on illegally, paying cash in hand. This has problems, beyond the obvious...
From the UK Foreign Office website...
| Quote: |
| Our current understanding is that a British national may enter Colombia for up to 90 days as a visitor without a visa, but that there is no unconditional right to do so....As a visitor, you cannot remain in Colombia more than 180 days in any twelve-month period.. You should not outstay your visa. |
So, for a Brit at least, you could come for 3 months, leave (to Ecuador normally), come back for another 3 months, then that's your lot for the year.
Once you have found an organisation that will sponsor your work visa, it isn't finished. You need your certification (degree, CELTA, DELTA, whatever) approved by a notary and apostilled by the Foreign Office in the UK. (Well, for Brits, of course! I imagine it's something similar in other countries). It would be easier if I had done this before coming...
You then need to go to the Colombian consulate in Quito to get the visa. My school paid for this.
There are, technically, a lot of people who want private classes. Private classes are notoriously shaky though. I have landed a good one (2 hours a day Mon-Fri). For this I charge CP$25,000 an hour (about �5). Hopefully this will continue for ever! To get these it helps to know some people here beforehand.
So where are the jobs? Where do the foreigners work? Legitimate work that pays well is not generally to be found in language academies (apart from the British Council) - most of it is English classes at universities, and at expensive bilingual schools. These pay well, you will immediately be (financially, at least) a firm part of the upper-middle class, with enough money for your own apartment and fun at the weekends.
Although I found my job by emailing the Director of an bilingual High School while I was in London, I am told it is generally better to arrive and hand out CVs in person.
Oh, and the Spanish in Bogot� is quite nice. All syllables are pronounced (unlike, say, in Andalucia!), and the accent is clear and easy. While Colombian Spanish has it's curiosities, on the whole it is not daunting.
None of the above is concrete, of course, I am welcome to corrections and additions!
Hopefully this is of some help and/or interest to someone.
 |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
lozwich
Joined: 25 May 2003
Posts: 1536
|
| Posted: Thu Sep 21, 2006 6:39 pm Post subject: Re: What I know about Bogot� & Colombia |
|
|
| Jyulee wrote: |
Opinion on taxis varies. There is a general consensus of opinion, however, that they are risky to some extent or another. What happens, you see, is that once you are inside, the taxi driver will let in two more people who stick a knife to your throat (or whatever). They then take you to a cash machine and rob you.
To counter this, many phone reputable taxi companies to get them to pick you up from home (this, apparently, rules out rogue taxi drivers). However, the "baddies" have radio interceptors and can get to your house before you, so it's still not completely safe. |
What you do to avoid this is get the two codes from the taxi company. They'll give you the license plate number of the taxi and their "mobile" number. If you're like me and forget the two numbers as soon as you hang up the phone, you should write them down. Then you check them both before you get in the taxi, and if they don't match, don't get in.
Otherwise, a good summary, and yes, you will get the hang of the buses eventually. Just remember to hang on! I remember once on the bus on a Sunday, the roads were deserted, the bus driver thought he was Juan Pablo Montoya, and I actually flew about a foot into the air when he went flying over one of Bogota's interesting road bumps! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
wildnfree
Joined: 14 Jun 2005
Posts: 134
|
| Posted: Fri Sep 22, 2006 2:28 am Post subject: |
|
|
That was great and just what I was looking for...it is good to see a positive, informative post on Colombia - just what I was looking for.
Out of curiosity, how did your family/loved ones react when you announced Colombia as your next destination? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Jyulee
Joined: 01 May 2005
Posts: 81
|
| Posted: Fri Sep 22, 2006 5:56 pm Post subject: |
|
|
My family are themselves relatively well-travelled, and so did not react with abject horror when I announced my intentions. My father, however, is a little concerned. Just recently he forwarded this to me from the FCO website:
| Quote: |
We advise against all travel to Putumayo, Arauca, Nari�o, Caqueta, Guaviare and Norte de Santander departments, and to rural areas of Sucre, Bolivar, Choco, Antioquia, Valle de Cauca, Cauca and Huila departments. We also advise against all travel to southern parts of Meta department and to the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta (including the �Lost City�). There is a high risk to your personal safety in these areas.
There is a high threat of terrorism in Colombia. We believe terrorists are in the final stages of planning attacks in Bogota. You should be particularly vigilant in the vicinity of government buildings and other public places such as shopping centres and places of entertainment.
On 6 April 2006, two bombs exploded on the Trans-millenio Transport System buses, which run throughout Bogota. Two children died and approximately 20 people were injured. You should be extremely vigilant throughout Colombia, particularly when you are visiting or staying in public places used by foreigners, such as hotels, bars, restaurants, nightclubs and shopping-malls, malls, and in the vicinity of government buildings.
There is a serious risk of kidnapping and crime throughout most parts of the country.
The Galeras Volcano, in Narino Department, began to erupt on 12 July 2006. The surrounding area is being evacuated. You should avoid restricted areas, pay careful attention to all warnings issued and follow the advice of the local Colombian authorities. (also see Natural Disasters Section below).
Around 11,000 British nationals visit Colombia every year. Most visits are trouble-free. The main type of incident for which British nationals require consular assistance in Colombia is the theft of personal belongings, including passports.
We strongly recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for the activities you want to undertake. |
Thanks Dad! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
lozwich
Joined: 25 May 2003
Posts: 1536
|
| Posted: Sat Sep 23, 2006 2:49 pm Post subject: |
|
|
By no means do I wish to suggest you ignore these bulletins, but I think that they're sometimes a little over-cautious, as they have to be considering where they come from. The job of Embassies is to protect their citizens, but its interesting to look at the varying levels of threat countries like the US, Britain and Australia have for Colombia.
However, just this weekend, the US Embassy has released a security warning for Bogota and it has made the front page of El Tiempo because the Mayor of Bogota says that he has no knowledge of where this intelligence has come from. Just like the threats on the Transmilenio earlier this year, this probably means that security will be boosted around the city, and I for one will be staying away from bars frequented by foreigners and with easy street access, but apart from that I'm not overly worried. There were lots of bomb threats and concerns earlier this year when the President was re-inaugurated (tanks on the streets of Bogota  ) but nothing happened in the capital, although there were bombs in other areas.
Security is definitely an issue in this country, and I don't travel in the same ways as I have in others, but with a little caution and information, you can still have a great time. My family didn't say much about me coming to live here, especially as two weeks before I had narrowly escaped being blown up in "safe" London.
Look at thorntree.lonelyplanet.com or www.poorbuthappy.com for more advice on living and travelling in Colombia. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
sniper
Joined: 13 Jan 2006
Posts: 7
|
| Posted: Tue Nov 07, 2006 1:54 am Post subject: |
|
|
What do teacher jobs pay in Colombia?
I'm puting together my CV and trying to put together a budget, but I have no idea what I would expect to make if I worked 30-40 hours a week.
I have an MBA from a good US school, I have taught Entrepreneurship classes to adults, and I have owned my own business for the past 5 years. I will get my TEFL in Bogota or Medellin to make it a bit easier as far as legitimizing the documents for DAS.
I need to make about $750 USD a month to make my budget work. Full time is expected but not required as long as I can make what I need. Health insurance would be great also.
Any information would be appreciated. I am gettig a little frustrated with the lack of information out there. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Tiger Beer
Joined: 08 Feb 2003
Posts: 778
Location: Hong Kong
|
| Posted: Sat Nov 11, 2006 6:34 am Post subject: Re: What I know about Bogot� & Colombia |
|
|
| Jyulee wrote: |
| There are, technically, a lot of people who want private classes. Private classes are notoriously shaky though. I have landed a good one (2 hours a day Mon-Fri). For this I charge CP$25,000 an hour (about �5). Hopefully this will continue for ever! To get these it helps to know some people here beforehand. |
Hmm.. �5 for privates..
I'd love to live and experience Colombia as an ESL teacher.. but just picked up a private here in Seoul for US$60/hour.. and was thinking I wish that would continue forever. (Usually they are around US$25-50 here for privates)
Can't imagine �5/hour.. but if living on that is easy in Bogota.. maybe its not bad.
---
Anyways.. great write-up on Colombia. I've long been attracted and interested in that country. I hope to finally make the visit as a tourist anyways in February.. and get a better sense if I want to live there another time in the future based on that. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Jyulee
Joined: 01 May 2005
Posts: 81
|
| Posted: Mon Nov 13, 2006 8:32 pm Post subject: |
|
|
It doesn't sound like much does it? As it is 10 hours a week (and he is very realiable), we negotiated it down to �5 an hour. At first, I had asked for something like the princely sum of �8. It's not �60, that's for sure...
I know of a company that organises business classes that pay more like �10 an hour, but you have to travel around all day, naturally. If I had debts, or wanted to save money to take back home with me, I wouldn't be here.
My school pays foreign-contract workers a little over 5 million pesos a month, off the top of my head I think that's about �1,400 a month. Compared to the fortunes available in the Middle East (and, evidently, South Korea) that may not seem like much. But this is Colombia we're talking about, one can live comfortably like this. Whether or not this is more or less than other similar jobs pay here I don't know... |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Tiger Beer
Joined: 08 Feb 2003
Posts: 778
Location: Hong Kong
|
| Posted: Tue Nov 14, 2006 9:31 am Post subject: |
|
|
Just to balance it out a bit.. US$60 is the HIGH end.. usually they average about half of that. Privates run a risk as they are illegal as well.
If you sign an average institute job in Korea.. they average around US$15/hour. Anyways..
Regardless.. thanks for the very informative post. I'm quite interested in Colombia and good to know what to expect. Bogota seems interesting.. but with the prices being like that.. maybe I'd more strongly consider a Cartegena now if I were to do that - as thats more where I'm interested in anyways. Always good to hear about anywhere in Colombia though. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Jyulee
Joined: 01 May 2005
Posts: 81
|
| Posted: Tue Nov 14, 2006 2:11 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Cartegna is lovely, and a million miles away from Bogota in terms of vibe, geography, people and climate. Bogota is in the mountinas, Cartagena on the beach, Bogota is cold, Cartagena is hot, Bogotanos are mestizos, Carteganans(?) are black, Bogotanos speak Spanish in such a way that it can be understood, the Cartagenans maul it so much with their fearsome coastal accent that even native speakers sometimes have troubles. Bogota feels like South America, Cartagena feels like the Caribbean...
The two cities seem like a world away from each other.
One thing I didn't like about Cartagena was the constant hassle. If you are visibly a gringo/a (as I am) then it never stops, you can't walk 10 metres without someone trying to sell you something or rip you off. This is part and parcel of being in a touristy area, I suppose.
I was considering looking for work in Cartagena, as in spite of the above, I really fell in love with the place. In the end I chose Bogota as I know people there. If I were to look for work there now I would check out the university and if there were any large, private bi-lingual schools. As I said in the OP, I doubt you could find legal work with a small academy. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Tiger Beer
Joined: 08 Feb 2003
Posts: 778
Location: Hong Kong
|
| Posted: Tue Nov 14, 2006 2:32 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Just curious.. have you been to CALI? That is the other Colombian city I'm quite a bit interested in. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Jyulee
Joined: 01 May 2005
Posts: 81
|
| Posted: Tue Nov 14, 2006 2:46 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Nope, although I've heard it is nice.
My friend (a Colombiana) that I'm talking to on messenger tells me now that...
...it is a little more "traditional" than Bogota, i.e. more noticably (and stereotypically) Latin American. The "cale�as" - are supposed to be more friendly and better dancers. Also, the men are manlier and the women are more, er.., womenly. Lots of boob jobs happen there too, apparently!
But she doesn't know that well, as she's from Bogota herself. Well, I hope that was of some use! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
julianb
Joined: 15 Nov 2006
Posts: 6
|
| Posted: Thu Nov 16, 2006 12:28 am Post subject: teaching english in bogota |
|
|
| hola jyulee - ive been in bogota for about a month now and colombia nearly 6 - hence i have to leave soon but want to come back in the new year especially if i can get some work here. any ideas of schools to contact here , ive made a few enquires but to no avail so far . bogota is "chevere" but to me its cold - maybe ive spent too much time in cartagena ! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Jyulee
Joined: 01 May 2005
Posts: 81
|
| Posted: Thu Nov 16, 2006 1:36 am Post subject: |
|
|
Hola
Are you a qualified school teacher (PGCE or equivalent)? If so, I would go for the big bilingual schools.
For example...
http://www.britishschool.edu.co/
http://www.cgb.edu.co/
http://www.cojowa.edu.co/
If not, you could try anyway! I got lucky, as my school wanted someone specifically from an EFL background, and I was at the right place at the right time (and I had the right contacts!) Typically, as I understand it though, schools do not hire EFL teachers very often.
I am told that universities are another good bet, and EFL qualifications and experience are enough...
Again, for example...
http://www.uniandes.edu.co/home-visitantes/
http://www.unal.edu.co/index.php
The only traditional-style EFL college that I am aware of that takes on foreign teachers legally (with work visas and contracts) is the British Council...
http://www.britishcouncil.org/es/colombia-job-vacancies.htm
(It doesn't look like they have anything at the moment)
As was said in another thread, it often seems to be the case that it is easier to get a job by showing up in person instead of emailing.
I got lucky, but those elusive contracts and visas are not easy to find! Good luck... |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
MikeySaid
Joined: 10 Nov 2004
Posts: 509
Location: Torreon, Mexico
|
| Posted: Thu Nov 16, 2006 1:37 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Jyulee wrote: |
| Bogotanos are mestizos, Carteganans(?) |
Cartagenero(a). |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
|
This page is maintained by the one and only Dave Sperling.
Contact Dave's ESL Cafe
Copyright © 2018 Dave Sperling. All Rights Reserved.
Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2002 phpBB Group
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
