Job Discussion Forums

Global-Hobo · Joined: 29 May 2011 Posts: 37

I just bought a one-way ticket to Cancun. I'll have $2000 to make it in Mexico. I've got a degree in English and Education, a TEFL and an ICELT. Whar are your thoughts on my success? I plan to make my way from Cancun along the coast stopping by coastal cities looking for work.

BTW, I'm British, can I just arrive in Cancun on a one-way ticket and get a tourist visa which can be extended to work visa?

Didn't know where I was going until this afternoon, in the morning I was going to Mozambique but by the afternoon I bought a ticket to Mexico. Life is good.

Tretyakovskii · Joined: 14 Aug 2009 Posts: 462 Location: Cancun, Mexico

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

BadBeagleBad · Posted: Mon Jun 06, 2011 10:25 pm Post subject:

Isla Guapa · Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2011 1:22 am Post subject:

I�ve never looked for work in the Cancun area, or even been there on vacation, but I wonder what the job market is like there these days for English teachers. Surely with $2000 in his pocket, the OP should be able to survive nicely till he finds a decent job.

rob01 · Joined: 16 Mar 2008 Posts: 20

I like your attitude! If you are serious about making it in Mexico, hopping on a place and taking the door to door approach is definetely the way to do it..

Infact I was in almost exactly the same position as you this time last year, so I can speak with some authority on the matter;

$2000 USD should get you about $23,500 Mexican Pesos.. that should easily last a few months until you can get hooked up with work, aswell as pay for the first few months rent etc.. as long as your fairly prudent and dont go mad, you should be just about ok with that, to get set up here. I bough about $30,000 pesos, and spent pretty liberally, and got set up just fine.

Youve ticked all the boxes in terms of degree, certificates etc..

Although it sounds amazing to live in Cancun, in terms of work.. unless you are amazingly lucky; the chances are that you wont be staying in Cancun, there isnt much teaching work, what there is; pays low in comparision to the cost of living, which is high.

Last year I headed to Merida and hooked up some job interviews there, I would highly recommend it to you.. its a dam near perfect city, amazing, lots of schools; two drawbacks though, the first is that it is insanely hot and humid, the second drawback is that in Merida its supremely difficult to get teaching work over the summer months, and things dont start back up until September (Unlike here in Central Mexico; Queretaro where things dont really slow down over the summer).. so you could find yourself at a loose end over july and august, be warned, im led to believe this is the case for all of the Yucatan/Quintana Roo. Maybe someone else can weigh in for confirmation on that.

Merida is about 3 hours from Cancun on a bus.. ive also heard of things happening work wise in Campeche, but I cant personally vouch for that. My advice actually, would be to arrive into Cancun, search for work, and if theres nothing avail.. head to central Mexico, which lacks the beach, but has alot alot alot of potential and opportunities, and the cost of living is reasonable..

Shouldnt be a problem turning your tourist visa into a work visa, search on this forum for thr requirements though, you need to get your degree apostilled by the foreign office in milton keynes, and stamped by a public notary.. it can all be done in an afternoon if you travel to the office in Milton Keynes, you can do it by post, but I believe it takes awhile..

Good Luck!

Global-Hobo · Joined: 29 May 2011 Posts: 37

Wow! Great information, Rob. I'm only flying into Cancun because I got a cheap flight, I really wouldn't want to work there. Merida looks beautiful, I haven't found a place yet that is too hot and humid, that's just the way I like it.
I'm hoping to find work in a second or even third-tier international school, any hope in Merida? If not, any ideas?

Thanks.

rob01 · Joined: 16 Mar 2008 Posts: 20

Yea I got a cheap flight into Cancun too, a charter.. you can save almost half on the ticket cost, im surprised more Brits dont do the same Wink

Do a search on paginas amarrillas mexico (see google) in any city, just search with the term "english", and youll find a list of schools. International Universities will require a visa before employing you however, be aware of that.. and language schools will probably look the other way at least for a time.. but in Merida, yes theres hope for language institute work, theres not quite the opportunities as central Mexico though..

BadBeagleBad · Posted: Thu Jun 09, 2011 1:01 pm Post subject:

New Haven · Joined: 05 Nov 2005 Posts: 52 Location: Merida, Mexico

I'm confused GH. On June 5 you wrote, in the general discussion forum, that, "I am planning to relocate to Columbia." The next day you announced, in the Mexico forum, that you bought a one-way ticket to Cancun. Which is it?

Global-Hobo · Joined: 29 May 2011 Posts: 37

AGoodStory · Joined: 26 Feb 2010 Posts: 738

Global-Hobo · Joined: 29 May 2011 Posts: 37

If you sit down and concentrate really hard you might find that I was considering THREE countries. Go on, give it a try.

Isla Guapa · Posted: Thu Jun 09, 2011 4:18 pm Post subject:

Global-Hobo · Joined: 29 May 2011 Posts: 37