Job Discussion Forums

[Marieonearth]

Hi everyone.

I am new on this forum and I am presently looking to take a TEFL certification course next month. I have to make a decision about where I want to do this course and I have a few questions I�d like you to answer, in order to help me make a choice.

I lot of people think it�s better to do the certification in the country you want to teach and I do think it�s a good advice and also really logic. I�d like to teach in a Spanish speaking country, that�s why I am considering a certification in Mexico/Argentina/Costa Rica or in some place like that.
I know you can�t be I the ESL business to make money, especially in Central and South America but do you make enough money to travel around?

And what if in a couple of years I want to take a position in Turkey, Taiwan or China?

In fact, the real reason I am asking these questions is that I am afraid of being �stuck� in Central or South America. Not that it would be a bad thing. Maybe I�ll fall in love with a place and live there forever� but what if I don�t and want to move on?

How can you all afford to pay for your flights, apartment deposit, etc� when you move to the next country?

I�d just like your answers to help me make a decision.

Thanks in advance.

[spanglish]

I'd recommend having at least$4000 US in the bank before embarking on an ESL career in Latin America. First, you'll spend around $2000 on the CELTA or equivalent (if that's important to you), then you'll spend time looking for a job. And once you get the job you might find that you want to live at a slighter higher level than the income realistically affords (that's when you'll start building up private students for extra money) and want to fly home occasionally.

But saving money can be done. $50-$300/month is realistic.

I think a lot of people choose to go to Korea because they get flights/apartment paid for along with a relatively good salary.

It might be a better idea for you to go to Asia first for a couple of years. Get established, get experience, save money, maybe do a DELTA, then come to Latin America and pick up a plumb job at an elite university or the British Council.

[Marieonearth]

Thank you for your advice.

I guess Asia might be a better option...

But what do you mean by:

[naturegirl321]

The better you buget, the more you save. Living with someone helps as well. My hsuband spend his salary and save mine. About moving. Some schools pay for flights and housing which helps a lot.

I've been in Peru for five yaers. We're finally going to Cusco. Things are expensive here on a TEFL salary, because here you DON?T get housing or flights, or a pension, or insurance.

if you dno't want to be stuck, be careful about dating. I would have left 4 years ago if it weren't for marriage.

As it is, we'll be going to Asia early next year. But I'll be working and my husband will be on my dependent visa. Which isn't the norm. Usually the man is the native speaker and the woman is the foreigner, I mean, the norm when they go to another country that isn't hers nor his. it'll be hard, I know. BUt i'll be better than Peru

Universiteis here don't pay the best. I got 700usd FT in a small town and 800usd PT at another. But again, no housing, no flights, no insurance. Myabe I'd retire here, but saving money is hard to do in LA.

About goign without certification. Sure, it's an option. Easy to get a job. YOu'll be at the bottom of the barrell though. But you could work your way up. work a year, then do a cert, work some more, do a DELTA or an MA.

[Marieonearth]

naturegirl321

Thank you for your reply! It is really useful.

When I said being stuck, I mean not being able to earn enough money to have any economies and the result being having no choice but staying where I am.
I am not a big spender and I lived in Central American countries on a shoestring� so I know I can budget, but if you don�t have a �decent� pay to budget you�re kind of screwed I guess.

I know Asia would be the solution but I would prefer to live and work in a Spanish country first, that�s just how I feel. I prefer to share accomodation and being with Spanish people than having a nice apartment and being in Asia...

About the certification� I was thinking maybe I could do an online course, I know what most of you think about online course, but just to give me a good start so I don�t look like a total idiot in class and I could maybe find an Internship somewhere so it would give me a place to go. This way I would not be randomly travelling around looking for someone to hire me. What do you think?

[Chancellor]

[spanglish]

You can do the CELTA for $1300 with Southern Cross in Ecuador. It costs $2000 at the British Council here in Bogota.

Serious jobs ask for post-certification experience, so it's ideal if you do a serious cert before starting teaching (though you could go to Korea and teach for a year to save money). My recommendation: stay an extra 6 months to a year in Canada, work hard, live frugally, then go wherever you go with money in the bank, do the cert and get started teaching. On that plan you could come to Latin America initially. It's not easy teaching here as a newbie (traveling to classes, low salary, can't save much, crime, pollution), but neither is it that hard - I worked a lot more hours in the US than here (and it was physical work) and Latin America is attractive to a lot of us for various reasons.

But just in terms of the EFL profession (not taking into account where you might want to live/what language you want to learn), I think Asia is probably the best place to get started. That's just from my observations of salaries and what was expressed to me by a more experienced teacher here.