by Roy Freedman

Upon waking up in Guanajuato, Mexico for the very first time, on January 4, 2008, I planned to connect with my chosen Spanish-language academy (my anchor, so to speak, in a foreign land). My second priority was locating a suitable apartment for the next three-and-a-half months (more on that later). My third order of business was to find English teaching work. I knew I would have plenty of spare time, and I always need to feel productive. The extra money would help me breathe easier, as I did not yet know how to gauge my expenses. Finally, teaching would be an excellent opportunity to meet local people. I knew from previous experiences overseas how easy it would be to retreat into speaking English with fellow students studying Spanish, tourists and expatriates, many of them unable to speak much of the local language, and thus avoid the difficulty of communicating in another language.

Sure enough, from my Spanish-language school staff I found out about two private schools hiring native English speakers. From my landlady, a retired dance professor at the University of Guanajuato (20,000 to 30,000 students depending on the source), I got encouragement, an address, and names of people to approach about teaching work. And from Mitch, a friendly and very loquacious Oregonian, who seems to have found the revolving door at the Mexican-American border, a few more teaching contacts. He advised me that December/January and July/August see the highest turnovers of teachers, so I had arrived at a good time for finding work. It was welcome news.

Being a long-time college adjunct, the University of Guanajuato was my employer of first choice. Teaching English there would, perhaps, be a plum job with much prestige. However, for the spring term they hire in December. In addition, I was staying only until mid-April and the college’s Spring term ends in June. While on campus, I spotted a prominent courtyard wall displaying photos and credentials of people offering to teach English privately. I didn’t know if these individuals were teachers looking for extra work, or rejected part-time faculty applicants like myself. I did learn that classes at the university can contain up to 39 students, although they rarely do, and that beginning instructors earn 65 pesos an hour (about $6.50). I was told that if I worked less than 20 hours a week, no working papers were needed, but if I worked more than 20, the school would help me with documentation. (Tip: If there are any papers you can obtain from a Mexican consulate or embassy in the States, get them. Once you are here, you are at the mercy of the gods. However, thanks to NAFTA, it is perfectly legal for Americans to work in Mexico without having to secure a work visa.)

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