Job Discussion Forums

junkyak · Joined: 21 Jul 2007 Posts: 24 Location: LA Cali

After much research, ive pretty much decided to go to ITTO. The main question is...when?

I still have 2 months on my lease, and im debating whether to stay here for a while longer and save up some money, or just go at the end of my lease. Are there places hiring in nov/dec?

Anyway, for me, going to a new foriegn country and leaving everything behind is very scary to me. How did everyone do it? Or was it really easy for you? And do you miss your old home?

reddevil79 · Posted: Fri Aug 03, 2007 7:08 pm Post subject:

Yes!!! Any big change in life is scary Shocked

The best advice I can give is to try to meet people straight away, and not stay cooped up in a hotel room. Guadalajara is a great place, so you should soon meet people and make friends. Some places will be hiring for January, though actually being in the country and being able to talk to employers will open more doors for you.

Good luck Very Happy

junkyak · Joined: 21 Jul 2007 Posts: 24 Location: LA Cali

MELEE · Posted: Fri Aug 03, 2007 10:27 pm Post subject:

When I first came to Mexico I was 17.
I was a middle class midwesterner on a school trip--I naively thought I was invincible, turns out I am! Laughing

But seriously 8 years after that I returned to Mexico and without the scaffolding of the school trip, it was pretty daunting to arrive alone in Mexico City. Like the devil dude said, any big change can be scary. Just know that most of the hype about dangerous in Mexico is mostly hype. That and everyone who ever went down in history did so by taking risks.

jillford64 · Joined: 15 Feb 2006 Posts: 397 Location: Sin City

Yes, leaving everything behind and moving to foreign country where I didn't speak the language was scary as h*ll. I experienced every emotion from euphoria to despair more or less on a minute by minute basis for the first four to six months. I especially missed my cats, my boyfriend, and being able to flush my toilet paper. I almost packed up and went home numerous times, but I am still here and I am glad I came.

El Gallo · Joined: 05 Feb 2007 Posts: 318

Sure, I think everyone is nervous. But the rewards are far greater than the anxiety. The advice to meet as many Mexican people as possible is very good. What is interesting is that most Mexicans don't like los gringos but once they get to know you, they like el gringo/la gringa.

People are the same all over the world. You will find what you look for. If you look for adventure and friends, you will find them. If you look for ignorant racists, you will find them too. I think we create our own reality by what we expect or look for. Look for the best in Mexico and the Mexicans. That is what you will find.

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

Phil_K · Joined: 25 Jan 2007 Posts: 2041 Location: A World of my Own

I came at the age of 38, and things weren't going too well it England at the time. I rented a self-drive big Mercedes Sprinter, filled it with the contents of my apartment twice and had a ball throwing everything into the skips at the council waste depot - seeing if I could break an old TV screen with a piece of furniture! Then I came to Mexico with all my worldlies in a large suitcase, a small one and a flight bag.

Very liberating!

I had my future wife and new apartment waiting which made things easier, but I felt at home right away.

danielita · Joined: 06 Mar 2006 Posts: 281 Location: SLP

I was pretty sure of myself when I left for Mexico, but when I arrived, I also rode the roller coaster of emotions. There were days where I wanted to hop in my car and drive fast to the border for the first couple of months. I really didn't miss my family so much. After a couple of months, I joined a club, made some great friends and family and I am so happy that I resisted the urge to run. It has been the most rewarding experience of my life and I would do it again in a heartbeat.
I think that it is healthy to be nervous about moving to a new country. You are dealing with a strange language, culture and food. There is a lot of unknown. It's when you are NOT nervous in any way where you can encounter the most problems.

D

hlamb · Joined: 09 Dec 2003 Posts: 431 Location: Canada

I arrived with no Spanish ability at all and a naive assumption that a month at ITTO would secure me a good job. I don't regret choosing ITTO but I did learn to make my own luck in terms of job searches. I also had to learn some Spanish and quick! It was a scary move and got even more difficult after the excitement of the first few months wore off. But over two years later I'm still here. It's been well worth the effort.

lisa1968 · Joined: 10 Aug 2006 Posts: 52

Yeah, I was nervous. I came and got certified, not at ITTO, but don�t regret my certification course either. I spoke some Spanish, so that helped, but I loved it so much the first time, that I am back again! You have made a great choice, and it will be hard at times, but that is to be expected. New country, new language, new customs and ideas, but loads of new friends and experiences.

corporatehuman · Joined: 09 Jan 2006 Posts: 198 Location: Mexico City

Absolutely it's natural to be nervous and if you aren't nervous either you're crazy or just an impressively controlled person but honestly probably crazy because EVERYONE is nervous. Now I hid that nervousness as much as I could but the days towards my impending airplane flight into Mexico when I didnt speak any spanish, 2. had no idea why I was going, 3. didnt really know too much about the program I was going too...all lent to anxiety.

What's more important is that you DO it. The nerves go away fast and you just deal with life day to day. Learning the language is the key, and once you get that life gets easier...in fact, my life began to reflect the comfort I had in the states. So much so that in a year in Chiapas, Mexico, I will be returning in a little under six months. This time, I'm NOT so nervous! (still a little bit.)

Chris

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

Yes. Exceedingly, as I was sabotaged from the beginning of my move. It was a strange set of circumstances and mishaps but I inadvertedly left my apostilled diploma certifications (2 of them) back in Atlanta.
My roommate had given me a ride to the airport. When we got there she noticed that one of my backpacks`zipper was partially open, she opened it completely and took out my papers to reorganize the contents. She forgot to put them back.
After the fifth day in Merida I realized I was missing them and called her long distance. She promised to look for them but only made a halfhearted attempt. I called her repeatedly on a daily basis for more than a week while she was elsewhere on Christmas holidays, leaving extremely irate messages for her to contact me to no avail. I finally spoke with a second roommate who made a search of her car, and sure enough that`s where he found them. She FED EXED them to me.

So yes, I was extremely nervous. I did not relish the idea of spending $800 to return to the states round trip.