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Lola723

Salutations,

I am currently living in Buenos Aires, Argentina. I'm also currently working random hours as an EFL teacher in a couple of institutes. Although I am very fond of this city, due to the random work hours that are inconsistent, I'm really NOT making ends meet.

The lease to the apartment I'm renting is up in a few months, and I'm trying to decide where to go in Latin America from here. I was hoping to get everyone's two cents about what might be advisable.

I am:

An American female in her mid 20s.
I hold an MAT in ESOL.
I speak an upper intermediate level of Spanish.
Taught in the US (public school internships and to adults) and also briefly in South Korea.

I don't plan on making a fortune in Latin America, but I need to be able to support myself (just the basics like rent and food) and save a LITTLE (ex: for an emergency, etc.).

I am painfully ignorant of how to acquire a decent job, or where it might not be best for a single American female to live by herself. Is it out of the question to find a place that could offer me visa sponsership?

Ideas? Suggestions? Comments?

All and any advice would be very appreciated!

Love, L

naturegirl321 · Joined: 04 May 2003 Posts: 9041 Location: home sweet home

I've heard things might be easier in Mexico. Connections help a lot, try PMing people here on the boards.
Wait, you said you taught in the US, do you have a license? Try intl schools at www.tes.co.uk or www.ibo.org

Justin Trullinger · Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2009 4:39 pm Post subject:

Check the job board, and start applying. Where did you do your MAT? (Many have at least some information about working abroad.)

The big thing, and some posters are gonna disagree with me here, is to apply BEFORE you go. SOme places will want you to come for an interview before a final decision is made- if this is the case, great. But get your foot in the door, before you get your feet on the ground.

Also know that in some parts of Latin America, being there complicates the visa process- for example; where I work, we hire from overseas. We also, very occasionally, hire locally. BUT local hires have to have their own visas. We can't do anything once you're here on a tourist visa. That's the law, and though in Ecuador it may not be written in stone, I'm not going to try to circumvent it, with uncertain results.

So no, getting visa sponsorship, far from being out of the question, is something any reputable employer would do. But get in touch FIRST to see what they can do, and get their advice before you turn up in country.

Best,
Justin

john_n_carolina · Joined: 26 Feb 2006 Posts: 700 Location: n. carolina

i agree with JT -- try and contact before you go. times have changed and it's just not worth it trying to 'hide" and teach on a tourist visa anymore.

EC, Peru, Mexico...you can line up visas before hand usually. maybe in Mexico it's easier to change it over. but not in Ecuador.

Forget about Brazil, Bolivia, and Venezuela.

Chile is different. there, it's still possible to arrive on a tourist visa and switch it over. because a lot of your teaching will be at businesses, they have they have the tools to do this.

In Ecuador, I have a contact for you -- PM me

Lola723 · Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2009 9:55 pm Post subject:

Wow, thanks for the useful feedback so far!

In regards to your question, Naturegirl, yes, I do have a license to teach K-12 ESOL and Spanish in public schools in the US.

And in regards to your question, Justin, I obtained my MAT in ESOL from American University in Washington, DC. I checked their website, but most of the job opportunities posted come from (no surprise here) Asia.

Please, keep the suggestions coming! Thank you so much! Smile

-L

naturegirl321 · Joined: 04 May 2003 Posts: 9041 Location: home sweet home

john_n_carolina · Joined: 26 Feb 2006 Posts: 700 Location: n. carolina

...K-12 ESOL certs, i might give it a whirl, and try for International schools. for e.g. in Ecuador, Cotapaxi Academy, InterAmerican Academy in Guayaquil, Colegio Menor in Quito, etc etc.

otherwise, PM me about something else.

MO39 · Posted: Sun Mar 01, 2009 2:23 am Post subject:

ElJuero · Joined: 24 Jan 2009 Posts: 58

I�m wondering where you are in Mexico out of curiosity? I�m in Oaxaca on a tourist visa, degreed,TESL certified etc.. and it�s not a great situation here as far as the Visa situation goes.

There are apparently some die-hard immigration worker(s) who have made life difficult for schools and teachers here. Migration has shown up at some of the schools and at least a couple have been fined for minor infractions......

I�m looking for f-t positions in Mexico, reasonable pay in relationship to costs etc......any suggestions are highly appreciated at this point.

Thanks.