Job Discussion Forums

[torentosan]

Just a question for those who know...if you teach in Mexico I would appreciate your comments...

I have a degree and several years of experience. Now I want to try either Mexico or somewhere in South America...

So I have some issues to consider...

In Mexico-

1. Is it hard to find work ?
2. Should I come there first to find work or try to get hired abroad?
3. Will pay cover living expenses minus any heavy partying?
4. Are the people friendly towards foreigners?
5. How dangerous is it really for foreigners?
6. Is it possible to save minus any travel or heavy partying?
7. How hard is it to get a decent apartment and good internet connection?

I know some of these answers can be found... Just want some fresh and new responses from teachers currently working there.......


thanks

[Phil_K]

1. Is it hard to find work ?
With certification and experience, no. You may have to start in a language school though.

2. Should I come there first to find work or try to get hired abroad?
Come here first.

3. Will pay cover living expenses minus any heavy partying?
Depends. A good job in a university or serious college will be OK. You may struggle in a language school

4. Are the people friendly towards foreigners?
Absolutely! It's called Malinchismo here in Mexico - anything foreign is better"

5. How dangerous is it really for foreigners?
Not at all. I'd stay away from the border states though.

6. Is it possible to save minus any travel or heavy partying?
See answer 3

7. How hard is it to get a decent apartment and good internet connection?
Again, depends on your salary, if you want to live in a good area and don't have money to spare, it may be only a room - no connection.

[Phil_K]

Of course, it would help to know which part of Mexico you are thinking of. It varies a lot. My answers were based on my experience in Mexico City.

[Guy Courchesne]

Ditto...helps to know where in Mexico you want to go. Generally speaking, there are usually more/better opportunities for work in the larger cities such as Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Monterrey, though there is good work in many other cities and towns.

1. answered above

2. Definitely come here first. Do some research from home first and try to make some phone and email contacts, but just about everyone save for the top international schools will hire face to face.

3. Entry level work at a place like Harmon Hall and Berlitz will have you scraping by. Some language schools pay better, and like Phil says private colegios pay well. Very well, if that experience you mention is in IB or other international schools.

4. Mexicans are a very warm and inviting people in my experience.

5. Moctezuma's Revenge is best handled with Pepto...a stronger case may need Bactrim. It gets everyone the first time.

6. Not at entry level work. When looking at jobs, you'll want to earn a minimum of 6000 pesos monthly to cover the basics. 10,000 and you are starting to save money.

7. Usually not hard, again depending on where. Easy in Mexico City for example.

[torentosan]

Small towns have never been good for me...too boring and everyone knows what your business.

So we are talking mid to large cities.

Mexico City may be a good choice if the people are not too cold.

In my experience, people in large cities are always more stand-offish....something I can live with...but at present I am weighing the "friendliness" of people more heavily than other factors.

My experience is all in private schools and language centers. I would love to teach at a University.

[notamiss]

[MotherF]

I live in a small town. I do agree employement options in the larger cities way out number those in small towns. There is really only one employer of foriegners in my small city. The options are pretty much work here or free lance.

The people are very warm and open to foreigners. It is a region with a remarkably high rate of immigration so almost everyone has a family member or close friend in the US and they want to talk to you about that. I find particularly little old ladies want to know what it's like where their son is and they want to take care of you in his place!
As for it being boring, well there is a wide variety of things to do--but they are different things than what you are used to and I've found that city people are less able to adapt to those differences, so yes, become bored easily.

As to danger. Oaxaca is not dangerous for foreigners. In my town it's really only dangerous if you are a car--then you are likely to be broken into.

Its not at all hard to find an apartment here, internet is becoming more and more common--there are still internet cafes on every block downtown so if you don't get it at home (or enough of it at work) it's about 6 pesos an hour in a cafe. And last time I checked I picked up about 20 wifi signals in the Zocalo, half of which were unprotected.

(disclaimer, I think I've had too much coffee today...)

[Isla Guapa]

[BadBeagleBad]

[uh huh]

My two cents worth: I recently spent a few days in Mexico City and was pleasantly surprised by the warmth of the people there.

It's great that you're getting different perspectives. Asking what it's like to work in Mexico is like asking what it's like to work in the US. Learning more about the country and narrowing down your choices will net you more and more of the specific and helpful information that you're already getting.

[BadBeagleBad]

The only thing I would add is, if you do decide to come to Mexico City, is to seek out an area to live in a away from touristy or foreigner infested areas. There are several reasons for that. First, you will pay less rent. Second, the areas tend to be more stable. Some of the trendy areas are the ones with the highest crime rates, lots of people move in and out, don�t know the neighbors, etc. Third, in a more traditional area you will get to know people. Your neighbors, the people at the corner store, etc., and you won�t feel like you live in a big city, like Isla pointed out. Mexico City is really a city of neighborhoods, each with it�s own character and personality. When I am in my neighborhood I don�t feel like I live in a big city at all. I know pretty much everyone on my street, if not to speak to, at least to say good morning. I have regular places for everything from food to getting a haircut, to having lunch. And most of these people know my name. And, if you don�t speak Spanish, you will learn a lot faster if you have to go about your daily life speaking Spanish.

[torentosan]

Thanks for your information.
Mexico City sounds good so far. Guadalajara may be an option. Are there any anti-American sentiments?
Probably one of the biggest turn-off about Mexico, if the reports are true, is that Employers always pay late. It seems that most of the violence is gang related.

[Phil_K]

[Isla Guapa]

[BadBeagleBad]