Chile Forum

Hi again, I'm new to this forum and was so happy to find it. I have spent a lot of time over at Dave's ESL Cafe. Dave's is awesome if you're looking for work (or living) in Asia. However, the board there for S. America, and Chile, is quite dormant.

As I already said, I have taught at an Ivy League in the U.S., and recently returned from Korea where I taught ESL. In addition, I have published work in scholarly journals on issues relating to higher education in the U.S.

I am interviewing for jobs in the U.S., but as we all know, things are terrible here, and getting worse. The jobs for which I am most qualified for - editing, writing, teaching, etc., etc. - are disappearing left and right. I'd like more than anything to teach in the U.S., but that doesn't seem possible. Who knows? Maybe in a year or year and a half, things will improve. But if they don't, I refuse to stick around. So, I have my sights set on Chile.

I have studied S. American history and have always been enamored of Chilean culture (I've also learned Spanish formally and can get by - that was NOT the case when I got to Korea. I didn't know one word in Korean). I'd like to move Chile and get a job teaching English. It is my hope that I will eventually be able to find a University job.

It sounds like the job hunting process is entirely different from how it works in Korea, i.e., you must go to Chile to find work and are not offered a job unless you're living there. Is that correct?

Gotta be honest with you bro..it is very difficult to get a university job here in Santiago. You have to know someone personally in a university just to get an opportunity for interview. And for a subject like English, there is very little scope sadly. You'd have a better chance teaching in schools though. They are always on the lookout for English teachers BUT they prefer someone who is TEFL certified at least. Again, it's all about knowing the right people and right contacts when it comes to getting jobs. I personally went to Nido de Aguilas which is an American school here. They were willing to offer me a substitute position job but not a full time permanent position because I was not TEFL certified and they wanted someone with 3 or more years of experience (I had exactly three but it wasn't good enough). You could also try The Grange School and Santiago College.

A simpler way of getting some work would be to check out the various language schools here. They are strewn all about the place but many prefer TEFL certified teachers and people who can teach business english. Also forget about trying to contact them by email (that goes for any job here in Chile). Your best chance is to go personally to the establishment and meet the hiring manager. So you'll have to make 20-30 copies of your resume and prepare to walk all over the place and hand them in personally. That's how I got my current job and it took me 3 months!!!

Goodluck!

Thanks, Rugal. I am happy to teach at those types of schools, and I fully realize that university gigs are hard to come by. That's fine. If I have a chance of being able to teach in my field again, at the university level, that would be great. If not, I'm happy to teach in the places you suggested. I did it in Korea - as I said - and really enjoyed it. So, I'd be glad to do it again in Chile.

Say Paz, if you want why not give Panama a try? I came from Panama myself and they are much more receptive to English teachers than Chile. I got a job over there quite fast and was even sponsored by my school. It's also a more English friendly place. I worked at the Oxford School of Panama and they are always on the lookout for qualified teachers (certification not needed). The only catch is that it is hard work and they really make you slog. The financial rewards aren't that great but manageable (what can you expect on a teacher's salary right?). Cost of living is cheaper compared to Chile as well.

How long were you there, Rugal? Why did you decide to leave? In terms of it being hard work, what was it like for you? I worked my arse off in Korea, but I loved it. I don't expect to make bank (as you said, it's being a teacher).

OctaviaPaz wrote:How long were you there, Rugal? Why did you decide to leave? In terms of it being hard work, what was it like for you? I worked my arse off in Korea, but I loved it. I don't expect to make bank (as you said, it's being a teacher).

I left because I wanted to try something new in another place. I'm a traveler at heart and wanted to explore more of South America. Luckily I have a cousin who lives here in Santiago, so I decided to come down here and check the place out. But it's really tough here plus the cost of living really hurts. Now I'm alone here so I can manage but still you gotta make every peso count.

By the way Rocksana has a point there. You could have a better chance of getting a university job elsewhere in Chile. Try Talca University. They usually look for folks who can teach English literature, Shakespeare, and classical stuff like that.

For those who are US citizens and don't mind working for the State Dept of the Evil Empire, there are occasionally opportunities in the "American Corner" programme.

Several universities in CL have this "American Corner" and these are usually located in the univ library. What with the lockdown of CL university libraries it may be difficult for a non-student to get casual access to use the Corner, but it amounts to a great little reading centre. The idea is "a resource and cultural center to further the mutual understanding between Chile and the U.S." At some of the Corners they have sponsored discussions between CL students and US citizens for the purpose of this sort of cultural exchange. Anyway, State sponsors it, you get a little library with books and magazines and an internet account, the staff of the sponsoring Univ finds out real fast that you are a native speaker and you are soon overwhelmed with requests to help them translate, and you have to keep up a good face because you are representing the US there. But for the right person this is a great way to work in CL in a university environment. View it as a springboard to all sorts of additional work: private teaching, buckets of outside translation work, the latest US magazines, insight into openings for technical or other teaching opportunities, permission to audit certain sponsoring univ courses, great social contact, etc.

http://www.americancorners.cl/

http://www.americancorner.udp.cl/index.php/about-us/

I mean, who wouldn't want to work for the State Dept. of the Evil Empire? That has such a lovely ring to it.

That is awesome. You just made my day!