This is my 5th year teaching (3 stateside, 2 in South America). I have been teaching in mainstream classes the whole time, but have my Master's in TESOL and would really prefer an ESL position over another classroom.
I went to the AASSA fair in 2007, and had a great experience. For my next position I am looking worldwide, so I need to choose a fair that has schools from around the world. It would be cheaper for me to fly to Boston for the SEARCH fair (should I be invited to, which I'm a bit concerned about reading previous posts), and I feel like there will be more variety of schools there, but I have heard really positive reviews about UNI? They are both the same weekend. Any thoughts on which would be a better experience and where I might have more luck of finding a quality school willing to hiring me with my credentials?
SEARCH vs. UNI
I love South America and would considering staying should the right position arise. There is one couple at my school with children, and I know that they use some income from Canada to help make ends meet, so for that reason I'd steer you away from my school. Some schools you might look into in South America that I think may have good packages for people with dependents (as I have no children I've never looked into this, so I'm merely hypothesizing), but perhaps look at FDR in Lima, Nido in Santiago, Nueva Granada, Bolivar, Jorge Washington, and Columbus in Colombia (I am in Colombia and love it as far as culture and the people.), Lincoln in Buenos Aires, and perhaps the American School in Quito, and some Brazil schools. As a single with no kids, after money I spend to travel over breaks, I have about 8,000 a year to save or put towards student loans and retirement. It might be hard to get 20,000 a year. Good luck!
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calciodirigore
- Posts: 155
- Joined: Mon Jan 26, 2009 12:16 pm
- Location: Europe
Hello.
If you are looking for good packages in South America, you can't beat ECA in Caracas, Venezuela or Graded in Sao Paulo, Brasil. However, I don't know if you would want to live in either of those cities with kids.
Nido in Chile offers a decent package (no where near as good as the two mentioned above) and is kid friendly. Except of course for the pollution. Didn't really bother me too much when I was there, but some claim that it's unbearable.
Lincoln in Buenos Aires also offers a decent package and the area where the school is located is quite nice for families.
The American School of Quito offers a terrible package. When I was there I barely cleared US$20,000 a year.
The Colombian packages are not that great either.
South America is amazing. I worked there for 10 years and absolutely loved it. I'm now in Europe and would love to go back; however, the packages don't really allow for us (we have a one year old daughter) to consider it. So, we are off to the Bangkok fair with hopes of landing an Asian gig.
Good luck.
If you are looking for good packages in South America, you can't beat ECA in Caracas, Venezuela or Graded in Sao Paulo, Brasil. However, I don't know if you would want to live in either of those cities with kids.
Nido in Chile offers a decent package (no where near as good as the two mentioned above) and is kid friendly. Except of course for the pollution. Didn't really bother me too much when I was there, but some claim that it's unbearable.
Lincoln in Buenos Aires also offers a decent package and the area where the school is located is quite nice for families.
The American School of Quito offers a terrible package. When I was there I barely cleared US$20,000 a year.
The Colombian packages are not that great either.
South America is amazing. I worked there for 10 years and absolutely loved it. I'm now in Europe and would love to go back; however, the packages don't really allow for us (we have a one year old daughter) to consider it. So, we are off to the Bangkok fair with hopes of landing an Asian gig.
Good luck.
Thank you both for your responses. This is excellent information. I would love to go to Asia but for my husband, that would be too extreme in terms of culture shock. He will only go to a tropical location or somewhere south of the border. I am going to look into all of the schools you both named. Thanks again and good luck to you both.