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How to be English teacher in Colombia

So you want to teach English (or Japanese for that matter)?

Work visa's are harder to get these days. But there are less foreigner looking for jobs. Bogota's easy, Medellin's hard. Certified teachers can get a job in advance. Native speakers can get a job on the spot. Non-native speakers can still get a job. News:

At the end of 1999, the rules on getting working visa have changed. Now, only people who can prove with papers they are certified teachers are given a working visa. Quite a few schools are in problems because they've had teachers refused, even visa renewals are being refused.

Bogota's easy, Medellin's hard.

I investigated a bit, it turns out in Medellin it is very hard to get a teaching job in a school without a working visa. In Bogota not so, there it's relatively easy. Funny country...

You are a certified teacher or native TESL teacher.

Good for you! You'll have no problem finding a job. The main way to get a job is a job-fair, where the big schools go to hire people. They'll offer you a 1 year contract to teach full time. Maybe you'll teach English, maybe you'll just teach other subjects in English (some schools here are all English). You should be able to get a plane ticket, visa, apartment and decent pay out of the deal.

You are a native English speaker without any teaching degree.

Still not too bad. Native English speakers are in high demand, you can get private students or work at private schools. However, read the info above on the changed rules on getting a work visa. There'll be more info here in soon. You should be able to get a full time job. However, it's not sure, and you'll have a lot better chances (and better pay) if you take a TEFL course first in your country. If you just come here as a tourist and start looking (preferably around april or december), you can get jobs at private schools that teach English. You'll get 4 hours here, 8 hours there and should be able to make a living. The main problem is the working visa.

You just speak more or less decent English, but that's about the end of your qualifications.

A bit tougher, but possible. This is the situation I am in, and hey, I'm here, no? However, reles have changed now. I'll investigate what the real possibilities are in the following weeks. So you can probably do it, but it's best to have saved a bit of money (say a few 1000 US$) to help you through the dark times. You won't be able to arrange a job from your homecountry, so you'll have to come here on a tourist visa and start looking. Until you'll get a regular job, you can try to get by on private students. (That's where those few 1000 US come in handy).

Schools to try:

Bogota:

www.NativeEnglishCenter.com/tchrs A small school that will give you a place to stay, students and pay you some money.

By Peter (Moderator) on Nov 11, 1999, 13:33 in Friendly Talkzone.

Peter (Moderator) (☼Travelguide writer) says on Nov 11, 2003, 13:35:

Great life By Kim, kverdone at fcas.pitt.edu 2003-05-15
I lived in Colombia for several years teaching ESL at a very upscale Bogotano private institution. As a white American with an excellent education, I can tell all of those other Americans aspiring to teach in Colombia that it was the best experience of my life. I would not trade it in for the world. Yes, Colombia is not the safest country on the planet, but apparently neither is the USA anymore. In Colombia you must be aware of your own personal safety. You cannot be careless and take things for granted like you do in the USA. I travelled all over Colombia including the Amazon region. I always took various safety precautions. I heeded the warnings of the state department but did not let them deter me from exploring one of the most beautiful lands I have ever seen. The culture and the people of Colombia are unbelievable. However, as I have already said, you must learn to live differently. I resided in Bogota my entire time in Colombia although after seeing the remainder of the country, Bogota is not my favorite city. If I had to do it over again, I would have lived and worked in Medellin. However, the salary I wanted was not there. If you want more info regarding where to look for jobs in Colombia, specifically Bogota, or just to chat about Colombia and what to expect, contact me at my e-mail listed above.

Poor but snappy

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Peter (Moderator) (☼Travelguide writer) says on Nov 25, 2003, 11:12:

Gringo Going To Colombia Hello Peter,
Thanks for the helpful suggestions on Colombian travel.
I'm an Italian American citizen from NYC who is going to Colombia for 2 weeks with my fiancee(who has relatives there).
At first i was extremely skeptical about the trip due to obvious reasons.
However, after reading that Colombia major cities are not much more dangerous than the state's major cities, I became a bit less aprehensive. Is it true that Colombia is not nearly as dangerous as the media displays as long as you stay in nicer urban areas???
I am going to three cities; Bogata, Bucaramanga and Cartagena.
I've heard Cartagena is safest city in Colombia. So, I'm not that worried about traveling there. Bogata, on the other hand, concerns me a little. Since you have traveled there, what tips can you give to better prepare me?
Thanks Much!
-Chris

Poor but snappy

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Peter (Moderator) (☼Travelguide writer) says on Nov 29, 2003, 14:13:

ESL teacher looking for a position in Colombia... ESL Teacher Resume Daniel Jephcott Dygert
Dear Director

My name is Daniel Dygert and I am an American accredited TESOL teacher. Being born in the United States has enabled me to be exposed to many different and diverse cultures from around the world. This coupled with my heartfelt passion for teaching has fueled my interest in experiencing other cultures. I have always been drawn to the people and the history of Latin America.

Education:
1. I am a graduate of an American senior High School(Minnesota, USA)
2. I have an Associate of Arts degree from Minneapolis Community College
3. I have been enrolled at the University of Minnesota and Augsburg College (Minneapolis, USA). I currently have one year of classes left to complete a BA in either History or Political Science at either school.
4. I am a graduate of a Canadian government-approved TESOL program (Teach and Travel, CA)

Work history:
1. I have worked for the Target Corporation based in Minneapolis, USA. Here I learned good customer service skills and creative ways to help customers remain clients.
2. I have worked for an accounting firm named R.V.D.A., Inc. My job entailed a lot of data entry using a wide variety of accounting software (Peachtree, Lotus and MS) and general office duties.
3. I worked part-time for a valet company while attending school.
4. I worked for the Audio King Corporation as an inventory control specialist.
5. I worked for UPS as a driver and a general warehouse worker.
6. I am currently employed with Land Rover USA in Minneapolis.

Hobbies:
My hobbies include traveling, mountain biking, weight training, reading and experiencing many aspects of different cultures. I like to stay involved and aware of my community. I stay active and current with the situations that affect my community. I also consider learning one of my most exciting hobbies. Different cultures and their histories have always intrigued me. I think now I am at the point where I would like to also experience those cultures for myself. I believe that my intellect and communication skills would be a great asset to any school.

Synopsis:
Through my education and my work experience I have evolved into a positive, hardworking, creative, and reliable individual that possesses a genuine passion to help others. I believe that being culturally aware and sensitive is an asset. Through this understanding I believe that we can bridge the language and cultural barriers that exist. We live in a global community and the best way for people to get along and understand their fellow man or woman is to experience their culture. I firmly believe a teacher can learn along with his or her students and this motivates me as a person.

Contact Information:
I am available from January 1, 2004 and I may be reached at 1(952)995-1146 or 1(612)789-2543. Or alternately, you may E-mail me at ttddygert at hotmail.com or at djdygert at yahoo.com.

Thank you for taking the time to read this introductory letter and I hope to hear from you soon.

Yours sincerely,

Daniel Dygert

Poor but snappy

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turpentyne says on Jun 11, 2004, 15:49:

I'm just curious to know the teaching conditions in cartagena. I don't have toefl and only an associates degree... this proved to be no problem in Peru, where I am now. But Cartagena???

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CaspinLange says on Apr 5, 2005, 17:52:

Qualifications for Living and Working Abroad Many of our past great minds(philosophers, writers, actors and the like) have never had a degree or certificate and they enjoyed succeeding despite the lack thereof. I myself would never deem myself as being one of the above. However, I have come out of a very limiting environment, as far as sociology and family are concerned, and I've found that street smarts, or basic smarts, are all that are really required in order to survive in the USA or abroad. I've taught English in two private schools in Turkey illegally and since I'm satisfied with cheap living and healthy non-processed food, I have been ok surviving on what has come to me. If you are the type to spend every dime earned in order to satiate the rush instilled in most of us as children by the marketing campaigns that have made so-called countries great, then you will find yourself just as broke making thousands as you will making hundreds at the end of the month. A good, solid, well-read mind is all that is required for survival and contenment in a foreign land as well as at home. I've lived in 4 countries and have never once found myself without a pot to piss in even though before this journey of consecutive country relocation began I only had about $4000 US to my name. 4 years later I am happy to say in those immortal words of a certain character played by Rob Schneider: "You can do eet!!!"

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vicky mcmahon says on May 6, 2005, 05:44:

advice for a qualified teacher looking for work Greetings !

I am a british citizen who has been teaching secondary school English literature and Drama in Canada for 11 years. I'm now looking for a change and have had my resume forwarded for a job in Bogota.
My question is , what kind of salary and package can i look forward to ?
Also, I am married with a small child. Is Colombia a safe environment in which to raise a family ? Or would it be best to teach for a year and leave my family in Canada ? In that scenario , is it safe for a lone female to work here ?

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cityogi says on Jun 21, 2005, 11:55:

hello Thanks for the information on the site. I was hoping you may be able to answer some questions for me. My wife(Doctor from Colombia) and I have plans to settle in either Cartagena or Barranquilla. She is from Colombia and has been in the US for 7 years(Perm Res). I am a US citizen and have been in the US my whole life. I have completed a Masters in Business Admin and a Masters in Health Admin. I would like to teach in a good University in one of the above mentioned cities. What needs to be done? Do they teach courses such as Leadership, Organizational Communication, or Healthcare courses in English? (I'm also trying to see if there are other options besides teaching English.) Thanks for any assistance!

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niceguy says on Jul 20, 2005, 23:45:

I'm a native speaker with three years experience But no degree
But I do speak spanish and specifically have experience with spanish speaking problems

Steve

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niceguy says on Jul 20, 2005, 23:48:

What kind of a schedule does a teacher keep? Can he work in the pm (afternoon classes) and make enough?

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JeannieC says on Oct 10, 2005, 16:55:

in need of some advice anyone who has advise please help!!!!!!!!!!!
I was in Colombia this past summer and fell in love with the country! I am currently finishing my Masters Degree in Social Work at a New York City University to graduate in May 2006 - and I want to return to Colombia following this to live there for about 6 months and would like to teach English while I am there. I have been doing research and have found that some websights say that it is necessary to have a TESOL certification while other websights say don't worry about it... so my questions are these - if I did want to get my TESOL certification does anyone have a specific organization they can recommend to do the certification? Also, does anyone know of specific schools that they could recommend to work for in Bucaramanga or Bogota (preferrably Bucaramanga)??? Has anyone heard of getting the TESOL certification in Colombia??? Also, any input on the idea of just going and trying to wing it when I get there would be helpful...would this be a wise decision? thank you in advance for your input!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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malarconc says on Oct 13, 2005, 06:22:

Colombian Spanish I would like to teach Colombian Spanish in USA(FL). In exchange, I would like to have some conversational and written English classes.

MARGARITA

MARGARITA

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claudejack says on Jan 13, 2006, 10:24:

teach english in medellin i am experienced/certified teacher of special education(mentales especial) in the US,,I am curious as to what kind of work i could get in Medellin,,,special education is high priority in US,,,is that so in Medellin?,,i recently visited for a couple weeks and i loved it,,the experience changed my life forever,and i quickly bonded with some very good people in medellin,,,i know some spanish/ learn very quickly. I was curious if the teacher's working schedules were similar to that in america? i work 188 days/year and the rest is paid vacation---thats kind of hard to beat since i value my free time greatly. any info. or websites to look into would be appreciated.,,,gracias mi amigos

Damn it! I wish I was back in Bello!!!!

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Tim Trimble says on Feb 1, 2006, 10:26:

So you wanna teach. As with the gentlemen above, just do it. If you spend too much time worrying about work papers, learning the language, where to stay, etc....you know what will happen. Sometimes intelligence is you greatest enemy. I just finished 6 months in Quito and did just fine, thank you without excessive preparation. Just go, keep off the drugs and you won't believe how good it will be for you.

a.k.a. Professor Loco

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beinor says on Feb 13, 2006, 13:55:

Visa & Dental My girlfriend has recently taken a job at a priviate school in Cali. I'm planning on going with her I just don't know the best way to get a visa. I do not have a degree. Should I apply with the Consulate in Chicago? Should I go to the Tefl course in Cali? Should I talk with a lawyer here or there? Do I stand any chance of getting a visa at a school? Can you just do visa runs every three months without a problem. I will have outside income from a trading account but I would not mind working as well. Secound I need some expesive cosmetic dental work done does anyone know if I should wait and have it done down there or would the work not be worth it monitarly or not done right. Thank you is advance.

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lalablu3 says on May 15, 2006, 14:20:

this is great Im a Liberal studies major in California and should be done in about two years. I was born in Bogota, but have lived here practially my entire life. Recently Ive really been thinking about moving to Bogota for about 6 months or so with my Gringo Boyfriend...lol. I took him with me last summer to vist my enormous family and he absolutely loved it. Im sure our occupation of choice would be teaching, he is afterall a Spanish major. Before reading these posts I had NO clue where to start. I wasnt too worried since I know Id have my family there to help. I am feeling better about the whole thing now, thanks!

♥
Laura

♥ Laura

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ldumm says on Jun 23, 2006, 22:47:

Dental As for the visa I cannot help you there, but I do have some beta on the dental work that you were asking about. As in any third world country services such as cosmetic dentistry will be considerably cheaper than in the U.S. For the work that I had done, it probably would have cost well over a thousand dollars in the U.S., but I paid only a few hundred dollars. I think that they even charged me a little more since I am a gringo and they know what I would have to pay in the U.S. I found that the dentists were very customer service oriented as well (maybe they just really liked me because I'm American) I went to two dentists, one in Bogota and one in Cajica (rural area near Bogota). Both dentists were schooled in the U.S. Even the dentist that I found in the rather rural area in Cajica had all of the training and the same kind equipment that you would find in an American dental facility (they actually had some technology I hadnt even seen before in the U.S.). My wife visited a third dentist and she had a pleasant experience there as well. Obviously you do not get the upscale building and cozy waiting room that you would get in the U.S.; typically they are very small "consultorios" or office spaces. Personally, if I ever need work done on my teeth, besides a routine cleaning, I will travel to Colombia for it. I think the most important thing to keep in mind is to look for a dentist who has a degree from an accredited dental school in the U.S. If they don't have a degree you may find yourself getting your teeth pulled out with a pair of greasy pliers in back of Pepe's garage. Just kidding!

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lawyerincolombia says on Jul 14, 2006, 09:32:

Lawyer in Cali Colombia I am a certified lawyer in Colombia. My name is Carlos Arturo Dorado and I can help to you about inmigration and legal problems in Colombia.
I am located in Cali Colombia.

Best regards:
Carlos Dorado
http://nicelatinladies.com/abogado.html

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daniaman says on Jul 16, 2006, 13:40:

bogota dentists hey Idumm ..can i get the names and locations of the dentist in bogota..thanks daniaman

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Paul Anthony says on Aug 3, 2006, 08:22:

Calling All Native Speaking English Teachers I am looking for a Native English as a Second Language teacher in Bogotá and/or those who can pass as native speakers. I am only interested in talking to individuals and not established schools/organizations. If you fit this category I would be very interested in talking to you about mutually beneficial teaching opportunities. I can be contacted by email at paulbogota2000 at yahoo.com. I look forward to hearing from anyone interested.

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aleja g says on Oct 27, 2006, 05:29:

would i have a problem??? hi all,
that's me: well, not a native english speaker at all, born in poland, brought up in bogota, colombia, lived in poland for years and now work in the uk...but - english language graduate (have ba in irish drama ), tefl certified and with several years of experience in the elt profession, both in poland and england. i'd love to be back to colombia, i've visited some friends in medellin recently and i'd love to go and work somewhere there (bogota/cartagena/medellin)...lovely. yet i know that many schools in south america prefer native speakers...
so my question basically is: from your experience, do you guys think there's any chance for me???
i'd appreciate all comments:).
chaoo pues

alex:)

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candelaria says on Apr 25, 2007, 12:50:

How to be an English teacher Just send me your resumé oca75 at hotmail.com

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Bill Turley (☼Travelguide writer) says on May 31, 2007, 07:09:

Advice to Vicky and others I was trained as a Science Teacher in the US and was offered a job in Bogota at an elete school who regularly imported teachers on 2 year contracts. I was luck to find a position teaching English Teachers in the management of a English Teaching Software. To make a long story short I then moved into administration and was a coordinator of Discipline, Bilingulism and finally a rector. I have heard of very few incidents of problems with single women coworkers. In fact the only one I can remember was a rude police officer who accused a teacher of taking jobs way from Colombians. Just use common sense and you should have no problems. You shouldn't wear a skimpy outfit on the street in the red zone and be shocked at invitations. I decided to finally retire in Colombia and am Poor but Happy

Mr. Bill Somondoco

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