Job Discussion Forums

J Sevigny · Joined: 26 Feb 2006 Posts: 161

This question gets asked so often that I thought I'd take an unscientific survey. Please answer all three questions (take it easy, the last one is multiple choice).

A) Do you live and work on the Mexican coast?

B) If you are working on the coast, how much money are you making (more or less)?

C) I want to come to Mexico and work near the beach for a decent salary, get a tan and maybe catch a few waves between classes. Should I:

1) Come on down, the water's warm and the jobs are waiting.
2) Expect to scrape together enough classes and/or bartending hours in one of Mexico's three or four big resort cities to pay exaggerated, resort-city rent.
3) Look for a lifeguard position in California or Florida that will allow me to live the lifestyle I desire.

PlayadelSoul · Joined: 29 Jun 2005 Posts: 346 Location: Playa del Carmen

A) Yes

B) I make enough to support my family of 4. I am in management. My teachers do OK. They are neither rich nor poor.

C) Bartending won't be an option, and there are no waves on this coast.

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

I live about a 20 minute walk from a couple of decent beaches. I make enough money to rent a decent furnished apartment, eat well, live in modest comfort, and bank a few hundred bucks a month. (Of course, whenever I fly back to my'home' country, those savings evaporate quickly.)

I have a bit of an unusual situation though: while there are many decent TEFL jobs in Mexico, the vast majority are not within an easy walk of the beach - or an easy drive for that matter. The 'beach' jobs tend to be harder to get, as that's where a lot of folks want to be.

You have to decide what's more important to you: the beach or the job. If you get a decent teaching job elsewhere in Mexico, you can often 'migrate' to a beach location once you get a bit of Mexican experience on your resume. On the other hand, if the beach is more important to you than the teaching, Mexico is probably not for you.

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

MELEE

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

1. Yes
2. About 13,000 a month all told including savings plans and bonuses.
More than enough to live quite well now that I quit the habit of travelling back to Canada and blowing all my savings in the process.
3. We've had surfer teachers who do manage to get some waves in before classes start in the morning, as well as during our break from one to four.

As you've indicated that your primary reason for coming to Mexico is to catch waves, get a tan and make a decent salary I would suggest out of fairness to students and those who would be paying your salary that sticking with lifeguarding might be the best option.

The school usuall does a pretty good job of differentiating between teachers who come here to teach and are also interested in surfing and other hobbies that can be pursued on the coast, and those that are primarily interested in securing funding to catch waves.

geaaronson · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 948 Location: Mexico City

Four years ago I had a German student in my class who was purportedly offered a scuba diving instructors position in Playa De Carmen, Quintana roo.
She returned to Germany her homeland, despite the fact that she was extremely excited about the job offer.
I suspect that the offer was never made as the woman consistently overestimated others interest in her applying for a position and considered it a given that she would receive the job.
Nevertheless, I am suggesting you might check with dive schools for possible teaching positions if you are as much a ^beacher^as you say you are.

geaaronson · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 948 Location: Mexico City

I did notice that in Tulum there were several gringoes employed in the hospitality sector, both at the Weary Traveller Hostel and the adjacent tropical restaurant next door.

MELEE · Posted: Wed Dec 13, 2006 2:54 pm Post subject:

Wierd how many posters took J's post very seriously. If I'm not mistaken he works in Guadalajara, but he started this post for the benefit of lurkers. Very Happy

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

From my house it's about a half-hour drive to the nearest beach town, but it's definitely not a place to surf. The only time there would be anything close to "surfable" waves would be during a hurricane. Chances of finding a job teaching EFL there would be quite slim. Not much for language schools there. Maybe a chance of getting a job at one of the tourist places (restaurants, bars, B&Bs, small hotels) owned by Canadians there, but I don't know if that could be done legally.

tonydicer · Joined: 03 Mar 2005 Posts: 81 Location: Monterrey, Mexico

Not interested in experiencing other parts of Mexico?

Expand your horizons, unless all you are interested in is surfing and nightlife at the beach.

J Sevigny · Joined: 26 Feb 2006 Posts: 161

Yes, melee, you're right. I was joking around for the benefit of those who are really thinking about this.

I was born on the coast (Miami) and have never really had much desire to teach in a Mexican coastal city.

I posted this thinking of how many times I've seen the question asked, in one form or another, over the past few years on this forum. I was also thinking of my well-paid colleagues in Guadalajara who are constantly threatening to "leave and get a job at a smaller school on the carribbean coast."

Most of them are doing their first jobs here, earning 8,000 or 10,000 a month, and have no idea what the job market is like outside of the DF-Guadalajara-Monterrey "triangle."

business2300 · Joined: 14 Nov 2006 Posts: 60

That's a very nice salary for first timers, isn't it?