BootsnAll Travel Community

Howdy all!

I just want to get some opinions from anyone out there who's worked while they traveled, written, volunteered, etc.

I have a Bachelor's degree in English, a TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) Certificate, soon a Master's degree in Communication, lots of magazine article writing experience, teaching writing experience and about $8000.

Seem feasible that if I packed up my crap and hit the road to Mexico, Central or South America that I'd be able to find my way and never have to come back?

Anyone done anything similar?

I'd like to hear any experiences and/or advice!

Thanks!

Best of luck on your journey! Having just come from Central America (Costa Rica Fortune more specifically), I have to say that the English jobs that I heard of payed really poorly. Depending where you go and your housing situation, you may be able to get by or may just be able to pay your rent. There was one opportunity in Panama that I had heard of that paid $600/month, which is gold down there (that coming from my TEFL teacher).

In other words, it is possible, but don't expect to make tons of money. Room and board may/may not be provided (all the opportunities I saw it was not provided. Some had a stipend). I met some people who had applied for jobs in Costa Rica, and they had mixed messages, delays, and whatnot. There are lots of opportunities. But sometimes you have to be patient.

Anything is possible. It's true that the teaching positions pay poorly (about $5/hr in Puerto Vallarta) and it's harder to get them during high season (dec-april). BUT, if you don't mind living cheaply, it can be done.

For example, you can find apartments and houses for $300/mo (sometimes less, depending on your standards/requirements). I wrote an article on the five job opportunities for gringos here.
http://hubpages.com/_GWreferrals/hub/Working-in-Mexico-Five-Jobs-for-Gringos

Hope that helps!

YOu could always teach English, work your way up and end up in an international school, with cushy pay.

Two things:

1) My understanding is that pay relative to cost of living for ESL teachers is best in Mexico.

2) If you don´t know much Spanish, learn as much as you can before you leave. It will help immensely in your everyday life.

As far as international teaching goes in South America it's notorious that the pay does not compare to other places in the world. An average salary in Mexico for a person with teaching certification, BA in education and 4 years of experience is about 15,000$ (plus housing). Great if you are living there relative to cost of living. Not so much if you have debt such as student loans or credit cards back home.
I know it's pretty difficult to jump from TESOL to international teaching. They're not exactly considered the same field, but with your educational background I don't see that you'd have a difficult time finding work even within the international school world. But just know they usually hire for the next school year in Jan/Feb.


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You may want to check out Serious Teachers for job opportunities.

I've spent a lot of time working in the region, though not at jobs you would qualify for.

Only going to talk about Latin America. Lets start with English teaching. Most countries the pay sucks.

I presume John Law isn't on your ass so you have time to prepare.

Mexico has about the highest pay and that is in DF. You have to decide if you want to live there. I like the city... many don't.

You really have to research the schools. They have to handle the paperwork to make you legal. Don't touch a school that says they will let you work on a tourist visa. Any problems... like pay is suddenly a couple months behind.. you threaten to complain to the government.. you are the one that gets kicked out.

Best way to teach English is to have private students. Pay can be double. But it takes time to develop a sizeable clientle.

Where do you live? Reason I ask, although you have about the worst degree if you can easily tag on a teaching credential then your prospects increase.

Best schools are international schools. Many were started years back by the State Department to provide education for Embassy folks kids and kids of American businessmen. That later expanded to dependents from western Europe. Pay, by local standards is good. They usually toss in health insurance and some plane tickets.

Most of those schools don't recruit direct. There is an outfit here in the US which does all that. International School Services. ISS. Google and they come right up. They have a fee. It's legit. They have an application. They do all the screening and then have have a couple of events each year where invitees are met by school or ISS reps. They are selective. Since the kids in question will be returning home they must be taught in accredited schools. That means a legit credential is in order. California is one of the best since it is accepted by the most states. Texas and New York are good too.

Problem with schools is they tend to be in capitals. Many of those are pisser cities. Not good if you are a newbie to the road.

One option that lets you work at the beach... and I only bring it up without making any assumptions as to your moral values. This works best in Mexico, although the business is also established in Costa Rica (where anything is legal) and Panama. By now you've probably guessed that I'm talking about timeshare sales. Doing it means you will be excluded from the ex pat community.. plus decent locals. It's generally considered about the same level as a tranny hooker with scabs on the knees. But if Matzatlan is your thing...

Lots of other stuff too... but you need to study up. Example.. I was in Guatemala 4 times in the past year on shopping trips for an import business I run. If I was the type to pay taxes I could have written off all the trips.

Start your own business.. you would need a couple years minimum to prep. Gotta find that niche. I knew someone who set up a factory in Peru to make toilet flappers. At the time all toilets in the country had that trickling sound. He sold a couple hundred thousand a year.

Then there are the shadow and black jobs. If you are prepared to make a one way move..

I spent the better part of a year working in Cartagena Colombia at Berlitz. The pay does blow, at least at Berlitz. I was headhunted at a Berlitz in San Jose Costa Rica. The pay there was WORSE.

I was offered a number of jobs in Cartagena and once you get in with one school, I could see potential to move like a monkey, Let go of one branch only after you have the next one. Also, in my brief time in Carta, I found that you could easily garner private clients after a while, but you have to be industrious...I wasn't. I had people offering to pay me tons of times, but declined.

So, what I'm saying is that its possible. \I assume that there are far better jobs for certified folks and that you can make a lucrative living if you get one of these places. But I think the bulk of these things are only enough for your day to day survival and you should have back up dough to get you down the road.