November at the Times is dedicated to a series of articles from Sharon K Couzens de Hinojosa, the creator and writer of TEFL Tips, The LA Job List, and The Ultimate Peru List.

Unlike places like the Middle East and some parts of Asia where you can save a lot, here in Latin America, you might not be able to pay off your debts, but you can live like royalty with little money. By working 35 hours a week, you can have a laid-back lifestyle, afford a maid, dine out daily, and still have money left over to travel is what draws people to Latin America. You can find lists of schools at The LA Job List.

Where to work

There are many countries in Latin America, starting way up north in Mexico and moving down to Argentina, each country is different and has amazing things to offer. The first thing that you should do is do a bit of research and see which countries appeal to you. Then see if there are opportunities for English teachers. Costa Rica and Mexico are popular destinations and it’s easy to find work there. Places like Panama, due to visa issues and Belize, due to language issues are harder to get into. Here are some things to keep in mind upon arrival.

Many teachers end up at language schools/institutes. You may have to work split shifts as they cater to business people or students. If you have more experience, you should try to get into a bilingual or international school, where you’ll get a higher salary and paid vacations. If you have qualifications and experience, you might be able to teach at a school. There are bilingual and international schools. International schools are more competitive. They require QTS (Qualified Teaching Status) in your home country and usually two years teaching experience in a primary or secondary school. Universities might be another option as well, you’ll have to have at least a BA and a couple years teaching experience.

Although many places want to meet you before having you sign a contract, it is possible to set up interviews and sometimes even jobs before you arrive. The best thing to do is start contacting schools and let them know you are interested in working for them. Tell them when you will arrive and try to set up an interview. The majority of teachers are able to secure teaching positions within one or two weeks. Wear professional clothes (no shorts, jeans, tank tops, or sandals) and go to the schools you contacted with your CV in hand. After interviewing you may have to do a short demo lesson, but don’t worry, relax and smile. Keep in mind that timing is also important. Coming during holidays, such as Christmas and New Year’s is not advisable since many people go on vacations and teaching jobs are limited during these times.

Most institutes will want you stay for at least six months, though some will accept teachers for shorter terms, such as three months. Universities and primary or secondary schools will want you to sign a contract for 1-3 years. Remember the longer you stay, the better pay and more benefits you will receive. If you do decide to leave, remember to write a letter 30 days beforehand and have it signed and stamped by the school. Keep one copy of the letter for your record.

Many institutes and universities will have you work split shifts meaning that you’ll get a break in the middle of the day to eat lunch and relax for a few hours. Sometimes classes finish at 9pm, or even as late as 10pm. Although at first it seems difficult, you will get used to it and can use the time in the afternoon to take a nap or run errands. Remember that you will usually only be teaching 20-30 hours a week, and then the rest of the time is prep time. If you manage your time well, you will have plenty of time to teach private lessons.

Signing a Contract

Remember that each school is different. Some institutes hire only those with working visas. Others hire teaching on tourist visas. Some will require you sign a contract, some require a working visa, and some are more flexible and just have verbal agreements. If your school uses contracts, then after you’ve passed your interview and demo lesson, you will be asked to sign.

Typical contracts usually include the minimum number of guaranteed hours, amount and frequency of pay, length of service, hours the teachers must be available to teach, whether teachers can teach classes outside of the school, and how the contract can be broken. Make sure you read everything, including the fine print. Some places have “no compete” policies. This varies from school to school and can mean anything from not being able to teach at another school while you work for them, not being able to teach privates, or even not being able to teach in the same city for X months after you finish their contract. So make sure you ask questions about anything you don’t understand.

Visas

Countries seem to be changing their visa regulations all the time. For example, Ecuador just cracked down on their visa laws, eliminating border hopping and visa extensions and now it’s almost impossible to teach on a tourist visa. On the other hand, Peru just changed its 90 day visa to 183 visa, making it easier to stay.

Be sure to check about visa rules beforehand and know how long you can stay and if visa extensions are allowed, and if they are, how much more time you can get. Some countries have a limit on the total numbers of days you can stay in a year, some enforce this law and others are more flexible. Others give you 90 days, and then let you renew your visa for up to three months, and then have you leave the country. Others make you pay a fine if you overstay your visa.

It’s not uncommon for people to work on tourist visas, it’s not legal, but it’s still done. Just don’t tell the authorities that you are. If you are working on a tourist visa, you may have to border-hop every once in a while. You simply leave the country, stay in another one for a couple of days, and then re-enter and are given a new tourist visa that’s good for X amount of days. Or, if the country you are in fines people who overstay, you could just overstay your visa and pay the fine as you leave. It might be cheaper than border-hopping. I know a handful of people who have been on tourists visas here in Peru for two or three years. They just border hop every couple of months. If you’re looking for short-term work and don’t mind working under the table, you’ll probably have no problems finding a job, just realize you won’t get the best pay.

Primary and Secondary Schools are more likely to get you a work visa than other places, although universities will do so as well. Check with your employer about what you need to bring. Often you will need to get your original university degree Apostillised in your home country before. If you enter on a tourist visa and you’ll need to find out if you can convert the tourist visa to a work visa, or if you have to leave the country, or even go back to your home country. If you have a business or work visa, what you have to do to get your residency ID card. Ask who is going to cover the costs for this and how long it takes to get it. You’ll need to know about the requirements. Sometimes you may need a medical check up or a police background check in order to get residency. And find out if you’ll get help to do all this.

If you’ve married a local, then you should be entitled to residency and a work visa, be sure to ask immigrations for more information.

Qualifications

Having a BA is often a basic requirement when teaching in Latin America, although you maybe able to get around that if you have life experience or teach at a more laid-back institute. TEFL certification classes will help you know about your subject matter and giving you practical teaching tips and experience teaching students. If you aren’t able to do a TEFL cert now, then at least go to your local library and do some research, observe some classes, or talk to some teachers. Whatever you do, you should prepare yourself before arrival. If you have teaching experience, all the better. You’ll know what to expect and might have some resources as well.

Money Matters

Many teachers end up at language schools, and they typically pay about 6 to 15 dollars an hour, depending on what country you’re in, the city, the type of institute and your qualifications. Some schools may offer you room, board, and a small stipend in exchange for teaching. Others pay you a salary. You may find yourself working at more than one language institute to pick up enough hours. Getting jobs at other schools are fairly easy, just make sure that if you sign a contract, you’re allowed to work at other institutes or teach private classes. If you’d rather just work in one school, try to take on a couple of private students. Private students aren’t difficult to pick up and once people learn that you’re a good teacher, you’ll have a full schedule. Try advertising at schools, universities, or try putting an advert in the local paper. Teachers usually charge between $5 and 20 USD an hour.

Taxes depend on the country you’re in, your immigration status and how much you earn. Check with your school for more details about taxes.

As usual, when moving to a new place, you should bring money to tide you over before you get paid. 1000- 2000 USD should be more than enough. Cost of living here in Latin America is pretty low compared to other places such as North America and Europe. Most teachers can easily earn 800 USD a month by teaching 25 hours a week. Most teachers can live off of 500 USD a month provided that they don’t expect to live in the lap of luxury and learn tips from the locals. For example, learning how to navigate the bus system and cooking at home are great ways to save money, meaning that you’ll have more money to use to study Spanish or explore Latin America.

Most teachers will want health insurance. Teaching and living in Latin America is exciting, but also poses many unpredictable situations, such as injury or illness in a foreign country. This is why teachers should secure international health insurance before arriving. Be sure to ask if they cover medically supervised emergency evacuations, emergency reunions or repatriation. Some places will provide health insurance for their teachers. If your institute does, be sure to ask exact what is and is not covered.

Some places will provide housing or assistance in finding housing. If housing is provided, be sure to ask for details, such as is it furnished? single or shared? are utilities covered? Other places wil offer free housing, meals and language lessons in exchange for English classes, read this article to find out more. If you have your own housing, find out about costs, such as utilities.

Sound fun?

If you want information, try chat with teachers already in Latin America with this Skype network available from Teacher’s International. If all these things sounds appealing, then dust off your CV and start applying for jobs, in a couple of months you could find yourself basking in the glory of living in Latin America. Don’t forget adapt to the local customs. See Respectful Travel for more information.

About the author

Sharon K Couzens de Hinojosa is the creator and writer for TEFL Tips, The LA Job List, and The Ultimate Peru List. She enjoys answering people’s questions about TEFLing and Peru.

By Douglas Bower

What’s more disappointing than a person who makes a promise he can’t keep? A person who makes a promise that is a lie. Many promises to make a “decent living” teaching English in Mexico are just that—a lie.

If you do a phrase search on Google, “teach English in Mexico,” you will get almost 900,000 hits. Some of these sites are filled with tantalizingly appealing phrases like,

“For only a few dollars a week you can have_____in Mexico”.

“First-class bus travel to such and such a place is only____”.

All are allurements trying to sell their how-to book, tapes, seminars, or placement service for teaching English abroad. They give the impression that you will be able to make enough money to live a life of luxury and ease with all that money you will make teaching English in Mexico.

We’ve met many young women who come to Guanajuato with the hope and dream of getting a teaching job making a bundle. The word “shock” is putting it mildly when they find out what their salaries will be in some of these private schools. A good pay scale would be less than $3.00 an hour. I know of some schools that pay even less than that amount.

Can you imagine how many hours you would have to work to make ends meet? Minimum wage is about $400.00 USD a month. Granted, many Mexicans live on that. But could you—an American? Could you downscale to living on so little?

Four types who come to Mexico to teach English are:

1) Someone who wants a new adventure—something different.

2) Someone who wants to build a resume, no matter the salary.

3) Someone who wants to earn a little traveling money.

4) Someone who thinks they can earn a decent living. Groups 1 through 3 don’t care what the dollar sign is in their salary. They have other sources of income like savings or parents who help support them while they are in Mexico. These are the most transient. Here today, promising their employers a year contract, and gone tomorrow. Some employers will not hire these “floaters.” Schools would love to hire those with ties to the community but they are rare.

Group 4, people who think they can make a living, do not accept the reality that you can rarely make a living at teaching English in Mexico. They are like those who go to Hollywood with the delusion of becoming an actor, “Oh, it’s a long shot, but maybe I can do it.”

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In an informal e-mail survey I took of Mexican schools that offer ESL classes, the overwhelming majority agreed that it is rare for anyone to make a living at teaching English in Mexico. One called it “an unrealistic expectation” to believe otherwise.

“…the pay is very low and it is difficult to imagine how one could live on it.”

Another source told me that unless the teacher had signed a contract with a large established organization before departure to the country, it was unlikely that a good salary would be waiting for them. Countries like Japan or China offer a competitive salary with benefits.

Mexico does not.

Most of the available jobs are with small private schools that pay little.

Some told me that those who do not fulfill their teaching commitments no longer surprise them. They’ve grown accustomed to this unethical practice by North Americans.

Some have come to Mexico and made a living teaching ESL. But, that is all they can do—work until they drop. They usually have to sign on to teach with at least three schools to get enough hours to earn enough to pay for cost-of-living expenses. There is little time to anything else.

A life of luxury, excitement, and adventure? Hardly. But they keep coming, filled with the delusion that perhaps they can make it work.

Sad.

About the author

Douglas Bower has published Mexican Living Print & eBooks.

By Luke Fisher

In this article, Luke Fisher discusses the life of the TEFL teacher in the South American nation of Argentina:

There are a wide variety of TEFL courses in Argentina offered in cities throughout the country. Completing a TEFL course in Argentina leads to TEFL jobs teaching English in Argentina. This is a truly wonderful and unique country which offers great opportunities for travel and teaching. In terms of initial costs for TEFL certification, Argentina is one of the best deals going in South America due to the financial crash of 2003.

Argentina is a country of stunning natural beauty. Due to the waves of immigration throughout the 20th Century, Argentina is truly cosmopolitan. It has beautiful big cities and huge expanses of untamed wilderness. It is a place where the visitor, particularly if they have a lively interest in soccer, can blend seamlessly with the surroundings and friendly people. The local language is of course Spanish, but there are some native South American dialects still in use. The population of this vast country is thirty-seven million, and the religion is predominately Roman Catholic. In a country where US television and baseball is enormously popular, there is considerable enthusiasm for learning English and as a result a plethora of TEFL jobs teaching English in Argentina are available. Those actively looking for TEFL jobs teaching English in Argentina will find a good variety of opportunities throughout the country, and be rewarded by the experience of teaching some of the most enthusiastic and fun-loving students in the world.

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Completing a TEFL course in Argentina with TEFL certification is sufficient to teach in state and private schools. Generally, employers for TEFL jobs do not require a degree, PGCE or previous teaching experience. Within language institutes you can expect to find yourself teaching those who work in tourism or business. Also businesses and companies provide TEFL jobs teaching English in Argentina for English language training purposes for their employees. A good TEFL course in Argentina will provide components within the course for teaching business English and in some cases specialized courses dealing only with business English teaching leading to CTBE: Certificate in Teaching Business English.

Argentina has a needs driven market when it comes to English language learning and as a result you will find highly motivated students. TEFL jobs teaching English in Argentina have to be paid for and this is generally at a cost to the student of English. Students, school managers, companies and businesses will expect a respectable, well-turned out, professional teacher. An important thing to note is that Latin languages are inflected and students will naturally have a high awareness of grammar. Teachers teaching English in Argentina will need to prepare well for their classes in order to provide rich and structured lessons and a solid learning environment. Argentinean students are amongst the most warmly spoken of by experienced TEFL teachers. Expect fun, great enthusiasm, but do not be too surprised if class sizes are low should there be a major sporting event being broadcast.

Buenos Aires is a great location for TEFL courses in Argentina and TEFL jobs leading to teaching English in Argentina. The capital city boasts cafe lined grand avenues and cobbled back-streets in a style as that of Europe, a buzzing night life and many places of interest. It is not too difficult to escape the somewhat unusually easy paced life of the city for the quieter suburbs and natural expanses that surround Buenos Aires. Cordoba is the education centre of the country with seven universities in total. As an academic town it is alive with interesting people and events and there is plenty to do on a budget. Mendoza in contrast, with giant sycamore lined streets, feels like a desert – as you will notice from the high temperatures – but it is a desert made green by the work of plantation owners.

A little preparation prior to setting off for your TEFL course in Argentina or TEFL job teaching English in Argentina will pay dividends. Think of not just of Argentina, but the whole continent of South America, as you may well end up traveling around quite a bit once you hit this part of the world. It is a good idea to contact Latin American embassies in your country of origin for the locations that interest you. Enquire about TEFL courses, TEFL jobs teaching English and visas, and see what you get back. You will find that you will have compiled a useful set of information which will help in the long run. Information will vary from country of origin to country of origin, Latin American embassy to Latin American embassy.

In many cases TEFL jobs teaching English in Argentina are acquired on-the-spot. Hence you will need a letter of introduction, in Spanish, your resume or CV translated accordingly, plus a translation of your transcripts and certificates. The best option is to use Castillian Spanish as spoken in Spain. This is seen as the mother tongue, universally comprehended, and carries style, weight and considerable currency throughout Argentina and Latin America.

There are a number of options that can be utilized to gain a placement prior to teaching English in Argentina. Many US TEFL schools have close ties with Argentina and other South American countries. The Buenos Aires Herald carries TEFL job advertisements for English Teachers and sometimes information about TEFL courses in Argentina. The Net has many forums and dedicated websites for TEFL jobs and teaching English in Argentina.

The local yellow pages detail schools, language institutes and universities which are often only too willing to interview candidates. Well presented, organized and enthusiastic TEFL teachers are in short supply. It is quite likely that if an employer likes you they will most certainly find some teaching for you!

TEFL job opportunities for teaching English in Argentina are in plentiful supply. There is a wide and varied market for those having completed a TEFL course in Argentina or at another location. Argentina offers great travel options and the opportunity to become part of the local culture through teaching English. When choosing a location for a TEFL course and teaching English overseas, Argentina and South America should be given some serious consideration.

About the Author

TEFL International offers TEFL courses in Argentina and TEFL jobs leading to teaching English in Argentina. Teach, travel, live and work in Argentina.

Question: why would anybody ever want to do voluntary work abroad? There are, of course, many reasons. Firstly, volunteer abroad programs help people to develop intercultural communication skills and enhance interpersonal skills, skills that would be difficult to develop elsewhere. Additionally, such volunteer programs enable individuals to experience problem-solving professional situations in an intercultural context, thus enhancing critical thinking skills. Volunteer abroad humanitarian trips overseas programs also give people the ability to make decisions in uncertain situations, work independently, and set priorities, while also becoming an effective member in a multicultural team. Furthermore, volunteer abroad programs enable the individual to gain exposure to a variety of organizational structures and awareness of how culture impacts that structure, another important skill that will prove beneficial in other aspects of the volunteer’s life.

These programs also develop new skills and the acquisition of more advanced knowledge in particular fields of expertise or offer the chance to explore a new field of work. Naturally, many improve their language skills. Volunteer abroad humanitarian trips overseas enable people to network with professionals in an area of study and those involved can offer their time and energy to a community lacking resources whilst becoming more comfortable with ambiguity and playing the role of ‘ambassador’.

So, sound interesting? Where can you go to begin? A Broader View is one website specialising in Volunteer abroad humanitarian trips overseas. So, who are A Broader View? Basically, A Broader View has been set up with the belief that one person can make a difference in the lives of others. A Broader View Volunteers, a non-profit organisation based in Pennsylvania, is operated by an enthusiastic staff with almost 20 years combined travel and hospitality experience. Offering opportunities throughout South and Central America, Africa and South East Asia, in areas covering child care/orphanages, HIV/AIDS awareness, construction / community development, conservation and environmental issues, as well as language and cultural immersion, A Broader View is a comprehensive source of information for the would be volunteer.

By Susanna Eguren

Thinking of the whole of South America, politically we have all had similar problems with corrupt governments, hopes, more elections, coups, corruption once again. That is nothing new. What I have noticed in my thirty years of EFL teaching is a change in the type of students we have now.

When I started to teach, English was a luxury taught to the upper middle class so they could tour the world or read foreign novels. Today, our students make great sacrifices to learn the language and about the American culture because that is the survival beacon light at the end of their tunnel.

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As we, teachers, know, we don’t choose this profession to become rich. I’m sure that with all the acting and performing in the classroom we could make much more in Hollywood. We choose to teach as a service to those who need what we know to become better citizens. The books that we use are just a helping instrument. We try to find the best because we know that each page means great effort to buy, on the part of the parents,and on the children to learn. But at the end, when we find our own students teaching others, working at better jobs with English, or simply living under improved standards, we realize it wasn’t a complete sacrifice. It was just a step, a slow and difficult step, but we get there. Don’t give up!

About the author

Susanna Eguren’s article was originally published in the magazine section of One Stop English.