Hello again from ITTO!
How have you been? Still contemplating your TEFL course initiation and destination? Great! There are a couple of things you should contemplate before making up your mind.
TEFL training is not just about the course, the school, the time of the year, or the cost of the investment. There are several other characteristics that should be taken into consideration such as: the culture, the language, the customs, the distance and many other. Ok, so now that you have chosen your TEFL destination, pause and think about it. Ask yourself the following questions:
Are the people friendly?
How familiar am I with the culture?
How far is it from home?
Is it easy to apply for a visa?
Will I be able to live off my income as an EFL teacher there?
I bet you had not thought about that right? If you did, then great! You are a smart traveler and will do just fine abroad! But let's look at some of the facts that make Guadalajara the perfect TEFL destination and Mexico an ideal EFL teaching location.
Yes, the people are friendly! For starters, Guadalajara is one of the few cities in the world that can pride itself for the warmth of its poeple. Unlike many cities around the world that have lost their small town charm, Guadalajara has not only managed to retain it but even gone to extent of overshadowing some of the small towns themselves when it comes to the warmth of its people. In Guadalajara you will always find a friendly pedestrian who will be more than happy to give you directions, talk to you about the significance of a landmark, or amuse both by trying to have a conversation with you in Spanish. Taking this into consideration, you can rest assured that your days in Guadalajara will be very easy-going and entertaining. Now, can you say that about all locations around the world? Probably not, right? Especially nowadays with so much cultural friction and intolerance going on in certain parts of the world.
You will experience genuine culture... Guadalajara is the cultural cradle of western Mexico and the second most important cultural center in the country. It is nicknamed the "Pearl of the West." Guadalajara is the birthplace of two of the most iconic symbols of Mexican culture: Tequila and Mariachi music. Nevertheless, the city's population is also up to beat with the newest trends in fashion, glamour, and music. The great cultural advantage of taking you TEFL course in Guadalajara is that you will experience deep routed Mexican tradition and color without the hazardous side effects of entering a country with radically different philosophies. Imagine being in a place where you are enchanted by the culture but are afraid to offend somebody because you showed him the palm of your hand in a harmless gesture of friendship... quite the culture shock, right?
Distance is an important factor... Your first transition into the TEFL world should be one that does not place you half way around the world in a situation that at some point may just cause you to run back home. Also, think about how expensive airfare is nowadays... yikes! That's another great advantage of making Guadalajara, Mexico your TEFL destination. Guadalajara has an international airport where flights from all over the USA and Canda arrive constantly. Airfare to Guadalajara is very accessible; you can expect to pay anywhere between $400.00 to $600.00 USD for a round trip ticket from the USA and Canada or as little as $250.00 USD for a one way ticket. What's the point of spending ridiculous amounts of airfare traveling to a location you may end up disliking, right?
Immigration Conditions Some countries around the world have very stringent migratory regulations for visitors. There are certain countries where obtaining a tourist visa can be rather time consuming and even impossible when it comes to acquiring your working visa. Mexico presents a great advantage for travelers because you need only your valid passport to enter the country. Upon entering the country at any border crossing or airport you only require informing the immigration officer to stamp your passport for the number of days that you plan on staying in the country. Your tourist visa can be for up to 180 days. A working visa can be easily requested once you have an employer and your official ITTO TEFL Certification from the Mexican Department of Education.
Living off an English teacher salary... The big question on everybody's mind when it comes to teaching English in a foreign country always revolves around income. There are many countries around the world like Korea, Japan, Qatar, and Brunei that will provide fabulous salaries for EFL teachers. But, you should always bear in mind that a high salary is always accompanied by a very high cost of living which in the end will always turn out balancing out your net income. A great advantage of working in Mexico is that the cost of living is very low especially in cities like Guadalajara. Your income as a EFL in Mexico will provide you with enough money to not only cover your living expenses and housing but will also allow you to have a bit of extra money to go out and have fun at night or on an occasional tour on the weekends.
As you can see, there are many advantages to making Guadalajara, Mexico your TEFL destination. Why wait any longer? Step into the world of TEFL... our world.
How have you been? Still contemplating your TEFL course initiation and destination? Great! There are a couple of things you should contemplate before making up your mind.
TEFL training is not just about the course, the school, the time of the year, or the cost of the investment. There are several other characteristics that should be taken into consideration such as: the culture, the language, the customs, the distance and many other. Ok, so now that you have chosen your TEFL destination, pause and think about it. Ask yourself the following questions:
Are the people friendly?
How familiar am I with the culture?
How far is it from home?
Is it easy to apply for a visa?
Will I be able to live off my income as an EFL teacher there?
I bet you had not thought about that right? If you did, then great! You are a smart traveler and will do just fine abroad! But let's look at some of the facts that make Guadalajara the perfect TEFL destination and Mexico an ideal EFL teaching location.
Yes, the people are friendly! For starters, Guadalajara is one of the few cities in the world that can pride itself for the warmth of its poeple. Unlike many cities around the world that have lost their small town charm, Guadalajara has not only managed to retain it but even gone to extent of overshadowing some of the small towns themselves when it comes to the warmth of its people. In Guadalajara you will always find a friendly pedestrian who will be more than happy to give you directions, talk to you about the significance of a landmark, or amuse both by trying to have a conversation with you in Spanish. Taking this into consideration, you can rest assured that your days in Guadalajara will be very easy-going and entertaining. Now, can you say that about all locations around the world? Probably not, right? Especially nowadays with so much cultural friction and intolerance going on in certain parts of the world.
You will experience genuine culture... Guadalajara is the cultural cradle of western Mexico and the second most important cultural center in the country. It is nicknamed the "Pearl of the West." Guadalajara is the birthplace of two of the most iconic symbols of Mexican culture: Tequila and Mariachi music. Nevertheless, the city's population is also up to beat with the newest trends in fashion, glamour, and music. The great cultural advantage of taking you TEFL course in Guadalajara is that you will experience deep routed Mexican tradition and color without the hazardous side effects of entering a country with radically different philosophies. Imagine being in a place where you are enchanted by the culture but are afraid to offend somebody because you showed him the palm of your hand in a harmless gesture of friendship... quite the culture shock, right?
Distance is an important factor... Your first transition into the TEFL world should be one that does not place you half way around the world in a situation that at some point may just cause you to run back home. Also, think about how expensive airfare is nowadays... yikes! That's another great advantage of making Guadalajara, Mexico your TEFL destination. Guadalajara has an international airport where flights from all over the USA and Canda arrive constantly. Airfare to Guadalajara is very accessible; you can expect to pay anywhere between $400.00 to $600.00 USD for a round trip ticket from the USA and Canada or as little as $250.00 USD for a one way ticket. What's the point of spending ridiculous amounts of airfare traveling to a location you may end up disliking, right?
Immigration Conditions Some countries around the world have very stringent migratory regulations for visitors. There are certain countries where obtaining a tourist visa can be rather time consuming and even impossible when it comes to acquiring your working visa. Mexico presents a great advantage for travelers because you need only your valid passport to enter the country. Upon entering the country at any border crossing or airport you only require informing the immigration officer to stamp your passport for the number of days that you plan on staying in the country. Your tourist visa can be for up to 180 days. A working visa can be easily requested once you have an employer and your official ITTO TEFL Certification from the Mexican Department of Education.
Living off an English teacher salary... The big question on everybody's mind when it comes to teaching English in a foreign country always revolves around income. There are many countries around the world like Korea, Japan, Qatar, and Brunei that will provide fabulous salaries for EFL teachers. But, you should always bear in mind that a high salary is always accompanied by a very high cost of living which in the end will always turn out balancing out your net income. A great advantage of working in Mexico is that the cost of living is very low especially in cities like Guadalajara. Your income as a EFL in Mexico will provide you with enough money to not only cover your living expenses and housing but will also allow you to have a bit of extra money to go out and have fun at night or on an occasional tour on the weekends.
As you can see, there are many advantages to making Guadalajara, Mexico your TEFL destination. Why wait any longer? Step into the world of TEFL... our world.
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