-An ESL Teacher’s Dream

Mexico has beautiful beaches, great food, great sightseeing and a nice, slow paced lifestyle. It’s a cheap and fun place to live, and that’s why so many ESL teachers choose to teach English in Mexico.

Mexico is a great destination for recent college grads who are looking for job experience. It’s also great for people who want to experience a unique indigenous culture and rich history. Many retirees choose to move to Mexico and become ex-pats because they enjoy the lifestyle and they can stretch out their pensions.

What You Need To Be A Teacher In Mexico

It all depends on the job. It is completely possible to wander down to Mexico and score a job just by being a fluent speaker of English. But, you can’t really count on that. If you just go down there without even a college degree, while you can find work, your options will be very limited.

Most people recommend having a 4-year bachelors’ degree and a TESOL certificate under your belt. This will make you competitive with other teachers and make lots more opportunities available for you. A one month TESOL certificate program, which you can take anywhere in the US, will be enough to get you a good job. Some positions, like universities, may require advanced teaching certifications or Masters degrees.

As far as documents go, ever place in Mexico is different. There isn’t any particular standard for what is required, so you should bring everything you might need with you. This would include your diploma and certificate, references, a good resume, birth certificate, passport and any other official documents you can think of. You will need to have these all translated to Spanish at some point. You can probably do this at home before you leave, but it has to be officially notarized. Your local Mexican Consulate would be a good place to go.

One more thing you don’t need, but it helps, is a little basic Spanish! If you took Spanish in high school, just brush up a little. Spanish is pretty easy to pick up once you’re there, but a little studying beforehand never hurts.

Where To Look For Jobs

There are ways to land a job teaching in Mexico before you leave, but your options will be pretty limited. Online, you can find companies that place you with jobs and accommodations, and will even help you with 24-hour assistance or loans once you get there. But, they charge a fee, sometimes take a cut of your pay, and may be a little dodgy. If you choose to go this route, thoroughly research the company you are thinking about and see what other people have to say about them.

By far, the best way to find a job in Mexico is to go down there yourself and beat the pavements. It’s best to meet your potential boss face to face, and also if you are in Mexico you will have a chance to meet and talk with other teachers living there. Most people who teach English in Mexico find jobs this way. You can make a little vacation out of it and get some sightseeing in around your interviews. Airfares and hotels are not too much in Mexico, and you can even get there by land if you live in the southwestern US.

It’s Not About The Money

One warning, though: Mexico is not where the big money for English teaching is. If you live in Mexico City or another major city, you will make a decent wage, but don’t expect to take a lot back with you. The Mexican peso just can’t compete with dollars, Euros and other major world currencies. But, you will definitely make enough to live well in Mexico.

Most people go to Mexico for the experience or the lifestyle instead of the money. Beware! If you got to Mexico to teach, you may find it hard to bring yourself back!