Job Discussion Forums

[pipdog]

Does anybody have up to date info on the work situation in Monterrey?
I know about the narco related violence and get freaked reading the local news reports but the city would be a convienient place to be based as I need to be near Texas.
Is anybody there now who could give me a heads up? Thanks

[tagastelum]

I taught in Monterrey for 5 years and ultimately left to come to Mexico City. Not because of the security situation, mind you, but because Monterrey is as dull a place as you can imagine, with horrible weather to boot. (Oh, unless you like hanging out in shopping malls and driving everywhere all the time.)

I now work as an editor for a security firm and am privy to all sorts of unsavory information about security incidents in Mexico. Monterrey may be reasonably near Texas as the crow flies, but forget about driving to the border on a regular basis. There are often illegal roadblocks, and sometimes public firefights, on the highways leading to Nuevo Laredo and Reynosa. So if you lived in Monterrey, you'd essentially be stuck on an island. (At least for the time being. Things will calm down once a single drug-trafficking organization has firm control of the territory. Then, of course, you'll still have to deal with the corrupt security forces.)

Sorry to be a downer, but it's reality. You'd be much better off in a city like Quer�taro.

[Tretyakovskii]

[kizezr]

He needs to be near Texas, I'm guessing family...

Well, there is a lot to do in Monterrey, one of the biggest cities in M�xico, so I'm sure you'll find a job. There are major universities you can apply to and big english teaching companies as well.

but what tagastelum wrote, he's right. Monterrey is not that safe anymore and there is a lot going on the media doesn't show. Plus corrupt authorities, if you look from the States, (white skin, blue eyes, blond hair), be prepared for the "fines" they are going to ask you to pay. But don't worry, this would be the last thing you'll need to worry about.

And, if you're planning on bringing your own car, really, forget driving to Texas on a regular basis since you could be easily spotted. Busses get assaulted too and buying tickets won't be anonymous believe me, many public workers have nexus with the narco, so if you keep buying tickets every weekend or so, you can be spotted as well, because if you travel to Texas often, means you have money, and if you have money, then you have dollars.

My advice here is, if you need to be near Texas, stay in Texas. If you want to come to M�xico, choose other location. Just keep in mind M�xico's legal system its not the same as the States, won't be the same ever and if you don't have an acquittance inside the police, you'll struggle A LOT in case something happens.

[Prof.Gringo]

[ellecbee]

I'm currently in Monterrey and I have to agree with the others. It's not exactly safe here right now. I recently moved to the center of the city to take a job at an affluent colegio and I've seen a lot more than I did working in the burbs. I was on the bus a few months ago when the feds flew by blasting their machines guns at a car in front of us. Shootings at bars are common, so its not really safe to go out at night (to clubs that is). You can't really drive either, I think buses are ok, but the 2 hour drive takes closer to 6 hours. A flight just right across the border is ridiculously expensive, you would do just as well living somewhere else and flying to Texas.

It is rather boring and painfully hot in the summer. I will sign for one more year, save some money and then head south to DF or Guadalajara in 2013.

If you are still set on coming here I can point you in the general direction of some good places to check out. San Pedro is going to be the safest place in the city and has a few decent paying colegio's for all the rich kids that live there.

[J Sevigny]

Once upon a time Monterrey had a few advantages in that it wasn't all that expensive, had no crime to speak of, and offered easy access to the States, or at least Texas. One of the big advantages was that because of its reputation for being an "americanized" city, few people wanted to go there and there were a lot of jobs to go around.

That's all changed. Monterrey has become an epicenter for major violence and only half, if half of what happens, makes the news. The highways between Monterrey and Reynosa/Laredo have become very dangerous roadways, and Nuevo Leon itself is just a mess when it comes to shootouts and crimes.

I worked there for a number of years and found it enjoyable enough in its own, kinda non-traditional Mexican way, but there's no way in hell I'd live there now. Between 100+ degree temperatures and rampant crime that has shut down most of the nightlife and much of the daylife, there's just no reason to be there.

[canucks94]

Anyone know anything about Colegio Bilingue Madison in Monterrey? Additionally, does anyone know of any schools that I should steer clear of in Monterrey? I've been to Monterrey several times but would like to know more about the local English schools.

[Prof.Gringo]

[canucks94]

[reddevil79]

Looks like the British Council are moving into Monterrey:

http://www.britishcouncil.org/es/mexico-trabaja-con-nosotros-teachers-of-english.htm

[Tretyakovskii]

I would agree with anyone who thinks the risk manageable, with just a few precautions, like not be involved in the drug trade and not spending too much time in bars/casinos. I personally, would not be afraid to be there, so long as I could fly in and out of the city.

But, why do it at all? In what way could it be a better experience than one of many other Mexican Cities, including Mexico City. If it is an experience with living with just a little bit of danger you're looking for, you could still do it in a nicer place!

[Samantha]

The pay is probably higher in Monterrey for decent teachers, just like it is in Culiacan, for example. Life goes on, students attend private schools, and these schools need to attract good teachers.

[canucks94]

I'm a rookie and it looks as if I'll be teaching at Colegio Madison. I basically chose Monterrey because I have a lot of friends in the area as I spent the summer of 2010 there. I'll take the same precautions as anyone else living there right now - probably a few more due to my weak Spanish.

[EFLeducator]