Job Discussion Forums

jdm · Joined: 28 Mar 2010 Posts: 8

Hello,

I have hopes of traveling abroad to teach English before Jan 2011, and would like to know if anyone has experience doing this in Ecuador or other places in South America? I mention Ecuador specifically because I have heard it is easy job placement and the living is cheap. I have spent some time in Argentina as a student, and the location would be ideal, but I'm not sure what opportunities are out there. We are open to any location as long as we can work, make some money to travel, do outdoor activities, and experience the local culture.

Money is not my #1 priority,however it would be an added bonus to be able to travel around South America during our time spent teaching. Also, I are looking for a place that would be welcoming and where I could study to perfect my Spanish. Also, I am interested in areas that have an eclectic mix of activities to do including surfing, hiking, cycling, swimming, etc. Which places in South America would offer this?

Here are some questions I have about teaching in South America:
Is the pay substantial enough to make a living and save for travel?
Are there specific companies that will hire you, set you up with housing and teaching jobs? or do you have to just go and see what happens?
Is it easy to find housing? or say work part-time in a hostel for free room and board in addition to teaching?
What is the teaching experience like?--do you have full classrooms of students at public schools, or is there opportunity for small tutoring sessions?

I'm sure more questions will arise, but at this point I am happy for any advise, comments and feedback. Any links would also be helpful as there is a world of knowledge out there, and I need all the help I can get to narrow things down and begin my journey. Thanks!

Justin Trullinger · Posted: Fri Apr 09, 2010 12:34 am Post subject:

Is the pay substantial enough to make a living and save for travel?

Was for me. Depends a LOT on your expectations, though. You'll be looking at some adaptation to local lifestyles, but if you don't mind living in a simple way, a good teaching job should pay enough to live well enough and travel on the cheap.

Are there specific companies that will hire you, set you up with housing and teaching jobs?

For Ecuador specifically, it's important to plan before you travel. Either get a job beforehand or enrol on a decent TESOL course there. DON'T just turn up and job hunt, or the best employers may not be able/willing to get you a visa.

Is it easy to find housing? or say work part-time in a hostel for free room and board in addition to teaching?

Finding housing is easy enough. Working in a hostel of suchlike, really uncommon. THey can get a full time local for less than a foreigner pays in rent, so...

Very few foreigners working in public schools in Ecuador, due to the bureaucracy involved in getting quals recognised. Public school teachers must be licensed teachers, in any case- what's your background?

Language institutes or private schools would be much more common...but when we say "Ecuador," we're talking about several different cities and maybe 10million people. A lot of different teaching situations exist, from upscale private high schools to squalid kindergartens in poor neighborhoods. What is your background and what are you looking for?

Best,

Justin

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

ONly thing I'd say about Ecuador is be careful of visas. I know they've cracked down on illegal teachers.

I was in Peru for nearly 6 years. Here's what I think.
Is the pay substantial enough to make a living and save for travel? Yes and no. TEFL teachers can make about 600 dollars a month. If you budget, pick up extra classes you can do OK, but I wouldn't put Latin America up there for saving money. That's why I'm in Korea now Smile

Are there specific companies that will hire you, set you up with housing and teaching jobs? or do you have to just go and see what happens? Institutes in Peru will not get you a visa, flight, or housing. INternational schools will get you a visa and help you find housing. And pay your flight. Sometimes, they will pay your fligtht.

Is it easy to find housing? or say work part-time in a hostel for free room and board in addition to teaching? DOn't know about working part time. HOusing is pretty easy to find. YOu can walk up and down the streets and find signs in windows. Look around unis as well.

What is the teaching experience like?--do you have full classrooms of students at public schools, or is there opportunity for small tutoring sessions? Nix public schools. Go to institutes, private schools, and international schools. For unis, you' usually already have to have a legal work visa.

Atlan Training · Joined: 02 Apr 2009 Posts: 76 Location: Spain

A lot depends on your qualifications. If you have a TESOL or CELTA, finding work that pays well given the cost of living will be easy. You might consider getting a qualification there if you haven't got one since the courses in Ecuador are inexpensive and the CELTA center places its graduates with vetted employers.

just_a_mirage · Joined: 11 Nov 2008 Posts: 169 Location: ecuador

I think the biggest issue is getting a visa. Many schools here will not go through the hassle of getting one for you...its a lot of paperwork, and usually they dont have much trouble filling jobs, even though in some cases the people they are filling the jobs with are sometimes sub-standard teachers.
Personally, I have been teaching here in Guayaquil for about five years. I have TEFL and advanced TEFL certifications. My background is in network news, and I have many years of experience teaching speaking and writing for broadcast. I currently make around $1200 a month, depending on how many classes I take. I work at a high school, and English institute and sometimes at a university. For the most part I teach subjects in English rather than basic English. I pay $200 a month rent for a small house, I dont save a lot, but do okay. I am suporting two children. We travel a bit, and do some entertainment related things. No we arent rich, and saving tons of money, but life is okay, and we are enjoying it. I am lucky enough to get good health insurance for the three of us through one of my employers, so that is a plus too, and something that isnt always common here.

socratesocks · Joined: 27 Apr 2010 Posts: 5

Ok so the d/l on Ecuador.

How long can you stay on a tourist visa without teaching illegally or at all?

How much is a one bedroom apartment or cheap house/bungalow in a nice area of Quito? Guayaquil? Any other recommendable towns/cities?

How dangerous is it? How easy is internet access to come by? How much is a meal at an average restaurant?

Thanks.

jml3 · Joined: 20 Apr 2010 Posts: 9

I've recently arrived in Ecuador with a 12-IX visa. If you go this route, you should know that you will need to register this visa in Ecuador once you arrive. (I wasn't aware of this until I received the visa itself, and it was only through luck that I had a week in-country before the course.) These days the relevant offices in Guayaquil are only processing requests M, W, F, so I suggest budgeting a week for the registration. Good luck whatever you decide.

just_a_mirage · Joined: 11 Nov 2008 Posts: 169 Location: ecuador

And to register, you need color copies of your passport picture page, the visa in your passport, the actual visa paper they gave you, which they will keep, so make copies for yourself, copies of the stamp from when you entered the country, and a letter, in spanish requesting that your visa be registered.

jml3 · Joined: 20 Apr 2010 Posts: 9

and then after all that, you get the censo. for which you need a photocopy of the passport page with the registration stamp. at least that is how they are making me do it. and these days at least they are only open monday, wednesday, and friday, and you have to go there early (before 6 am) to get in line because they only process 40 requests a day.