Job Discussion Forums

[txlumberjack]

Columbia seems to have some mixed reviews. Would anyone here recommend teaching in Columbia? Or, would you suggest somewhere else? I'm mainly interested in learning Spanish, but I want to teach English as a way to be able to live there.

[spanglish]

Forget supporting yourself teaching English - it will leave you exhausted and bitter and without time to study Spanish. Work a little harder and longer in your home country and save up money. Then come and study Spanish. I recommend La Universidad Nacional in Bogota.

If you truly want to live long term in the country (at least 2 years), then save up even more money, get a CELTA, come on over (or vice versa) and work your way up from the bottom. International House is a good first job.

[txlumberjack]

Thanks Spanglish! Actually, I really wanna learn Spanish. Is Columbia a good place to learn Spanish, or would recommend somewhere else? Also, what is Bogota like?

[spanglish]

I think it's a good place to learn. If you come here, just be prepared for the stresses of big city Latin America life. You'll meet lots of interesting people and see lots of intersting places. You won't find lots of opportunities to make money. the old poorbuthappy forums are a good place to read up on life in Colombia as a foreigner.

[txlumberjack]

Thanks! I'm thinking about heading there after I teach in South Korea

[CarolinaTHeels]

[MNguy]

yeah�Columbia�is�fantastic,�take�these�folk�with�a�grain�of�salt

[windowlicker]

MOD EDIT

I'm sure Spanglish will qualify his "forget supporting yourself" statement after seeing this. My guess is it has more to do with the frustrations that occasionally come with living in a foreign country than actually wanting to communicate that you can't support yourself on an English teacher's salary.

Both Spanglish and I have long agreed, and consistently said on this forum that if you want to make a go in Colombia, you've got to put in a year of not-so-fun work (very preferably working legally), with livable, but less than spectacular wages. After that, well-paying colegios will open their doors to you, and you stand a chance with some unis. This has been the experience of just about every qualified foreign teacher with a decent head on their shoulders and a basic command of Spanish language that i have ever met in person in Colombia...all of whom after a year of being here have found jobs paying well over 2 million, and in most cases more in the 3 million range. They may be frustrated about their students, bosses, or possibilities for further upward mobility from there, but they're not just making a living wage - they're saving money every month (provided they're not supporting a family). I will argue it to hell with anyone who says otherwise.

[JonnyBravo]

I think windowlickers assessment is spot on, though I think it can be accomplished in a shorter period of time. At 6 months its possible to have a lot of good connections and doors opening for you. When you land, you're going to be making crap and barely skimming by on your wages if you like to go out a lot and if you consume alcohol. If you find a girlfriend (which you should, because girlfriends can be awesome (beware of the Colombian sirens)) you're even deeper in the hole. But higher wages, additional work opportunities, and more favorable opportunities soon present themselves. It's so freaking worth it.

[spanglish]

My comments were addressed to txlumberjack's specific situation, not to anybody interested in teaching English in Colombia (the misspelling of the country's name probably biased me a little as well....). Let me clarify that if your main purpose in coming to Colombia is to learn Spanish and you plan to be here for a year or less, I think you'd be better off coming here planning to live off savings and focusing on your formal Spanish studies and social life.

Teaching English can provide a (more than) decent life in Colombia, but if you're coming here as a newbie teacher I would see it as a very minimum 2 year commitment for it to be worth it to even start teaching in the first place.

[MNguy]

If�you�have�a�CELTA�and�a�masters,�you�can�waltz�into�universities�and�get�4milliones�easy.�Don't�forget�the�CELTA

[MNguy]

[windowlicker]

[MNguy]

First,�you�can�tell�me�which�institutes�give�visas?
lived�in�colombia�for�2�years,�but�it�was�a�pain.�average1.2�milliones,�no�CELTA

[reddevil79]

Interesting link to the bios of the teachers at Universidad Externado; I was expecting them all to have Masters. I wonder what the pay would be at such a place...