Not so long ago I wrote I have been offered a teaching position at a school in Ecuador. Just before accepting it, I got an e-mail from another school in Ecuador who wanted to talk with me.
One would think I have a world of experience teaching with school calling from out of the blue but that's not the case. 6 Months of volunteer teaching and years ago 3 years of volunteer teaching Dutch is all I have.
Still, I now have 2 offers on the table and suddenly I find myself in a luxuries place, not knowing which to choose. Both are, as can be expected, low paying. One however comes with a small apartement where the other one pays less and I have to take care of my own living arrangements.
So, what to choose.... a normal school where I will be a teacher assistant, teaching mainly young children in a warm part of the country, surrounded by only locals, or a language school in the Andes where I will find myself teaching teens and adults with maybe some room for private students, surrounded by other foreigners teaching.
I have to make my decision the latest tomorrow, when they are all back from the carnaval holiday and I still have no idea....
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Actually, I know Cuenca fairly well, it's a beautiful town but a bit chilly! Good shopping and clubs and stuff aswell as culture - can be abit touristy, but it seemed colourful enough when I visited my friends there. CHC have a school there too, so we used to go up quite often for promos and events as well as visiting. Plus it's a good place to stop the night if you get caught out late on route to Loja - don't stay in any of the hostels near the bus station though - yuk! Not sure if I'd want to live there for long but for a while, yes.
As for Santo Domingo, isn't it a fairly large place in Los Rios or Esmereldas? I'd love to know more about that area as I didn't explore there at all... I'd prefer to live a bit nearer to Quito next time I go to - keep us informed?
Ah of course! I forgot it was you that had lived on the Galapagos! which school did you choose? I'm thinking of going back to Ecuador, so I'd be really interested to hear how you get on. Hope it's working out well :-)
As someone who has turned down a few positions already....i know making decisions can be tough. There will always be good and bad things about each place, school etc. For me it was tough turning down the posibility of teaching in Busan, Korea, but not having much vacation time to travel around. Just take comfort in knowing that no matter what your choice is, it will be a good experience to learn and grow as a person!
Oh quite a predicament! Congratulations though and please let us know how you get on!
I have lived in Ecuador before and have many friends ther but yes, a little bit of interaction with foreigners is nice as well. Both offer visa help. If I had a lot of savings I would definitely go for Cuenca but after all my time volunteering on the Galapagos....
the only thing I could say is that the teachers I knew in Ecuador who worked at schools had to get up at the crack of dawn - like 5.30 in some cases and had major discipline problems. Of course it's nice to be immersed in local culture although you don't have to spend all your time with the other foreign teachers - in fact, I was with other foreigners but we allmade plenty of local friends as well.
Language school in the Andes - is it Canadian House?
Good wages are hard to come by but living is very cheap - I paid $70/month rent including bills in Loja. Unfurnished shared flat though, but cheap.
A big question is will they help you get a visa or will you have to wing it? How much do you care about that?
Remember - you can always change schools! Universities pay good wages, as do private students, although they are frequently unreliable.
Hmmm, tough choice! Either way, I'm sure you'll have a great time!
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