Bye-bye Microsoft, Hello Open Source

I love Ubuntu although I am only superficially “into it” so to speak.  (I love my eeePC, too. Thank you, Hank, and Joe of the PC Radio Show!)

Ubuntu was installed this week and Microsoft Windows operating system was relegated to less than 10% of the available space on my dual core hard drive. I have played most of the games offered on Ubuntu and checked out at least half of the screen savers. Wow…so much more variety and depth of imagination. I love Ubuntu.

Besides the really superficial stuff I also have been using Tomboy notes and several of the Open Office applications.

Ubuntu, Open Office, Firefox…all make me feel warm and fuzzy.

Bye bye Microsoft…Hello Open Source.

…and many thanks to the Gomez Morin center in Queretaro. The 10 hour class that they ofer is outstanding. I love Ubuntu. I love my teacher. (He is practically billigual Spanish English and studying Dutch and German…how cool is that?)

Feeling Fine and Dandy

Two weekends ago I made a run to the border. I was fortunate enough to get all the really important stuff taken care of. RT trip it was about 28 hours but it was definitely worth it. I have my new “netbook”, an ASUS eeePC. It is the one with a dual core HD, total of 120 GB with built in microphone. Yeah, it is a Windows machine but that’s okay for the moment.

I just started my Ubuntu class this past weekend and it is great. I have most of the Microsoft software that my eeePC came loaded with. I installed all of the free security stuff suggested by my guys at PC Radio Show and also the Open Office suite of programs. Sweet. So sweet.

Oh, and did I mention(?), I resigned from InterAct.

Here was my farewell to InterAct…sent from the main library in Laredo:

Hi Chad,

It was necessary for me to return to the USA Sunday night (last night). My return to Queretrao is undetermined. Therefore I can no longer be available to teach for InterAct. My last class was in effect on Saturday morning.

 

InterAct, as we all know, has some fine teachers and is hiring new teachers on a regular basis. I know that the InterAct clients that I serviced will enjoy classes their their new teacher(s).

 

I apologize for the short notice. It couldn’t be helped.

 

Sincerely,

Niamaat 

Here was the good-bye to my students:

Hi there,

 

I know that you and your families enjoyed the holiday weeend.

 

It was necessary for me to return to the USA Sunday night (last night). My return to Queretrao is undetermined. Therefore I can no longer be available to teach for InterAct. My last class was in effect on Saturday morning.

 

InterAct, as we all know, has some fine teachers and is hiring new teachers on a regular basis. I know that you will enjoy classes their your new teacher and that your English will continue to improve.

 

I apologize for the short notice. It couldn’t be helped.

 

As usual, feel free to contact me with any question you might have about English. I will answer by email as soon as I can.

 

Have a wonderful week. Enjoy your new teacher.

 

Sincerely,

Nia.

I will miss my students however the circumstances of employment were not acceptable and of course more notice would have resulted in the liklihood of not getting paid at all. I donated 4 hours on November 1st and I didn{t recruit clients from THEIR clients…yeah, karma intact.

It is going to cost nearly $900 MXN for me to get my notarized passport to where it needs to be but what the hey, I have to deliver the goods so I can re-commence the precious metal hording, lol.

The broccoli, tomators, oregano and parsely are doing well. I added the butt of a head of hydroponic lettice and a sprig of geranium to the bedroom garden.  The crockpot is working like a charm and tomorrow I get my first deliver of purified water…not distilled but the best I can do, commercially, given my present location. I visited the plant, met the owner, the driver and saw the process of purification…

Yeah, I am feeling great!

MWF days start EARLY! I start teaching at 7am! so I am out of the house by 5:45am! Wow! I’ll make some papaya water before I hit the hay tonight so that I can drink a liter on my way in the morning.

17,950 Days Left

This morning I did a calculation and the resulst were both sobering and edifying and exhilarating. I am now busy living the rest of my life. lol.

Progress Report

 I haven’t heard from Dad in several days. He must not be having too many good days. I hope that he can access and read his email. 

On the business side, the independence campaign is in full swing. I need to get a document notarized in the USA to continue my asset acquisition outside of the US so I have to figure out the most efficient way to get that done. This is a time sensitive thing since things are so volatile, so much in surface flux these days. 

The next two weeks are particularly critical…

• Send Guido the goods (done)
• Get a phone (done)
• Get up to date at Twitter (done)
• Transcribe Lyrics to 3 songs (done)
• Place newspaper ads (done)
• Set up calling card website for disponible:maestra de ingles  on blogger (done)

I am teaching 6 groups and all are going well…some better than others. I do not enjoy teaching the children’s class. The poor dears are already exhausted after a full day at school followed by video games and internet entertainment. The benefit I get is practice with being patient, encouraging and loving even when I’d really rather be sleeping, too.

I have 3 groups interested in beginning studying with me so I am busy preparing readings, listenings and lyrics and all the accompanying pre-teaching of vocabulary material to sustain the course for at least 2 months. I am using the Betty Azar Chartbook Grammar Refernce as the grammar point curriculum and The Oxford Picture Dictionary as the basic vocabulary foundation. Today I am putting the grammar points and the basic vocabulary onto the skeleton. The next step is to find or create appropriate readings and listenigs to support the grammar points and/or vocabulary.

1. Enroll in the TEFL Intro class at English-International (not done)
2. Complete Curriculum (This will take all available time from now to end of October) Grammar Points, Basic Vocabulary are getting dropped into the spread sheet today then every day thereafter I will collet the songs, readings, listenings, and video dialogs. It is a lot of work however once the work is done it can be re-used over and over again with little or no alteration.
3.  Pursue HongKong-Korea-Turkey and Morocco (I’ll start working on this every Monday when the library is closed.)

This Week’s To-Do List

Enroll in the TEFL Intro class at English-International, Send Guido the goods, Get a phone, Complete Curriculum content outline for 8 levels, Get up to date at Twitter, You Tube, My Space and Stumble Upon, Pursue HongKong-Korea-TUrkey and Morocco, Transcribe Lyrics to 3 songs, Place newspaper ads, Set up calling card website for disponible:maestra de ingles  on blogger…

Remember to Eat (and Grow Your Own) Vegetables

So I am feeling great. The brocolli and tomatoes and parsley are sprouting in my bedroom. The oregano is stil germinating undercover. The vegan diet is a very gental way to cleanse the body. Admittedly I could use some more agressive techniques but this is certainly an excellent back drop to whatever else I engage in consumpttion-cleansing-wise. I’m coughing jup thick white phlegm and I am not sick so I think it’s either old stuff leaving or the cilia filtering the captured junk in the air. lol. The skyline here is pretty LA and the traffic where I travel is bumper to bumper 4 or mroe lanes wide. Yuck. Mexico City may hae the pllution reptation but I’m on the ground and my experience is that where I live and have lived shows me that Chalma, Chalmita,  and Queretaro are at least if not waaay more polluted than my Mexico DF.

I am getting thristy. Time for a mango juice break before heading home to a veggies salad of cucumber and red cabbage and raddihes. Oh, yeah and some pasta with mushrooms and tomato sause what the hey. I guess since I am eating pasta I’m not 100% vegan (vegetarian)…and my dies is definintely nt cleans since the produce is probably mostly not produced under California or Oregon organic conditions. Oh, yeah, forget about USDA Organic that is Anything Goes Organic.

So I will be eating homegrown veggies in 2-3 months if I am still in Mexico.

Liberation: It Really IS a Mind Thing!

Two days ago I decided to quit my job and it was the most liberating thing I’ve done in months! I was talking with my collgue at work and he suggested that my talking so freely with a staff member might get me fired.  It was then that I decided that from that moen on I was going to act as if I didn’t have a job. What a feeling! My classes have been supper and I am having the time of my life in the classroom.

I am asking for and getting help for all quarters. I found a phone for $200 MXN PESOS and the names of three local rags I should put an ad in. I already have two parties inquiring about utilizing my services. I have indicated to my employer, through my immediate supervisor, that I want the 5% that has been taken from my pay since day one and that is not reflected int he accounting receipt that accompanies the cash in the envelope. Also I have requested, again in writing, the return of my original document which their attorney has told me he cannot use to secure my work visa. (Of course on the CELTA letter return request this was probably my 4th or so communique on that score but now it feels different.)

In the meantime I am working to get 5 client goups of 1 to 10 students each, 4.5 hous per week. The sooner I can get that in place the sooner I can send my resignation email. My students will know before my employer and I will not intentionally leave before this current month for which my none private tudents have paid. Heck but if I am “let go” prior to resignation it is all good becuase in my mind I am already gone. I am free. I have enough cash reserves to last in place for 3 months without any income at all.

I am targeting Hong Kong, Sourth Korea, Morocco and Turkey. Mexico is off of the list…there is too much evidence of police state action down here and well, you know I{m a California girl and am no interested in living in under marshall law. No siree. Not me.

Business Promotion

Of course this is isn´’t acutally business promotion since I am trading my time (= my life time) for cash, however in the short term (LIFE is short, but anyway…) it serves the purpose of fnancing my survival and also enahancing my health status

• Business Card
• 5 Private Clients
• English International Course #1
• Gold/Silver Purchase Offshore
• L/S sweatshirt w/ Promotion Text

For health concerns I have adopted a vegan diet and am indeed drinking about 4L of water daily. I blend it with fruit or have it as herbal tea for th emost part.  My feet hurt when I carry stuff and I´ve noticed a general stiffness of all joints so I´m stretching gently for a minute or two throughout the day.

It will be nice to have a GuardIT product that I can actuall use and by demonstration sell. Now THAT indeed would be a business promotion.

I guess I’ll be back here tomorrow at this cybercafe completing my English International Intro to TEFL course application. I do not want to lose touch with best practices. And even though I am implementing much of what I learned it is really quite time comsuming and pricey since the current school in fact does nto freely provide me with internet access, computer access or copìes.  LOL

Hong Kong, yeah. I´d like to hang out there for awhile. I may end up in North Africa or Turkey before I get to Asia…we’ll see. So much depends on either having the bachelors or being in the right place at the right time.

Good Food, Decent Income

Time really does seem to fly! I am looking for work either in Mexico or in Asia (Taiwan? Korea? mainland China?). But I am working and I get paid every two weeks and my living expenses are low. I am working on filling my private schedule and estimate that I will be consuming less than 25% of what my income will be so I’m comfortable. I have to figure out a way to convert pesos to dollar to pay off both credit card debt and personal debt. Western Union is TOO expensive!

It looks like I’m slipping into raw again. Only this time, admittedly, it’s more intentional. Before I was living in an isolated place and was dependent on what I ordered online and that was delivered to my door…and naturally I ordered organic raw food. Occassionally I ordered chicken eggs (which I cooked) and cooked bagels but when the egg source stopped and the stove top remained covered as extra counter top space, I was raw for several months.

This weekend I made a salad…cabbage, celery, cucumber, onions, tomatoes, salt, olive oil and grapefruit juice. Wow! It was so satisfying. My GI tract was humming with enthusiasm. Okay, the lentils, rice and plain yoghurt of last week was yummy but the raw of this week is going to be both yummy and exciting! I

just finished three lesson plans for my elementary group and am now am working on two more plans for my intermediate group. In between planning sessions I had more of yesterday’s salad. (I made a bag batch so I could have some for several days) Wow! My insides are are giggling with delight.

Every Moment a Conscious or Unconscious Decision is Made and Acted Upon

Precious Moments

Since I posted last I’ve been thinking a lot about my own mortality and what I would like to do, or at least be involved with from here on out. I’ve also be thinking about the fact that there are no second chances, every moment that I am living is fleeting and in unrepeatable. Thinking like this has made it very easy for me to make better choices.

Like eating. I went grocery shopping and bought rice, a garlic bulb, organic rice, 2 quarts of plain (no sugar added) whole milk yoghurt, a more or less whole cooked chicken (rostizado), lentils, a pineapple, two mangoes, two papaya, 8-9 bananas, raw sugar, sea salt, and 3 liter bottles of water with great tops. I came home and made a puree of papaya, pineapple and banana, garlic, water and sugar. I then filled the three bottles with this blended whole fruit. The garlic gives it a bite and the papaya seeds provide the black flecks. On Saturday I had one bottle and then a re-fill of pure water. Today, I had two bottles and re-fills of pure water. That feels like a good start. 4 liters of fluid. So I’ll have a liter of the whole fruit drink in the morning and refill with pure water at the language center, then work on the 3^rd liter with lunch and re-fill at the language center before heading to the off site assignment.

And cleaning. I experienced success in lighting the water heater so now I’ll be showering every night not just when I ask my host and roommate to light the water heater for me. That’s great. I’m still doing hand laundry which works out just fine. I’ll be washing the bed linens every couple of weeks. There is a washer here that I can use but it has to be moved, and hooked up and re-positionsed each time. The dryer of course is just air and sun outside (or inside in my open closet area) With sheets and comforter and blanket I’ll need to string more rope—which I have luckily).

And being frugal. Well I have a lot of debt to retire and my income is more than enough for me to live so I really need to avoid taxi rides from school to where I live. So what it takes 20 minutes. So what I’ll be walking home after dark. If I’m smart I’ll come home for lunch and forget junk food (microwave popcorn, Arizona iced tea, cookies) from OXXO (like 7-11) and just walk home mid-day for lunch and to leave my computer. That way in the evening I won’t have so much to lug back, just my shoulder bag with my lesson plans, markers, and didactic materials…

And exercising. Well I am frighteningly stiff. By walking to and from and to and from M-F I should be good for the body. Also trying different sleeping positions might help with the right should articulation issue I’m having.

And seeing family. I have to figure out a way to get a RT to Montgomery by air before December. Ground won’t work because it will take too long and I have to work.

Like working. For now I want to work as an English teacher for a nationally known language institute. The small guys, are more likely to be problematic. Their visa attorney has only communicated to me that he cannot help me with a visa with the CELTA letter from International House. Which is fine. I believe that if my application is in process that I can legally work here in Mexico. So I will go to the immigration office and find out how I can successfully apply for a work visa on my own. I believe that I need an employer (name, contact information and a letter offering me a job at a certain pay for a certain period of time or whatever), a passport, a current visa (of any sort that gives me permission to be in country) and maybe such things as a lease or an address where I live… What I need to do is go in person, here in Queretaro.

Like working for an employer that has a presence in Mexico City AND Queretaro…since I happen to be in Queretaro with a very good living situation and all my stuff in Mexico, is with me here. So if Iwant to be in Mexico the easiest thing to do is to work where I am with a company that has a branch in Mexico and then transfer from Queretaro to Mexico City. I really DO prefer Mexcio City so if I get a job offer to go immediately to Mexico City then, so be it I’ll go check it out and if I like the set-up I’ll find housing and then come back to Queretaro to pick up my stuff.

Yeah, so this week:

(done) Send InterAct attorney my physical address to get my original CELTA letter back

(in process) Get list of English Teaching businesses in Queretaro

Find out which ones are hiring and which ones also have presence in Mexico City

Visit the ones that are hiring and that have presence in Mexico City

Visit immigration and find out the procedure for application for work visa

I don’t need to work for a bully, a scum bag or an elitist. I don’t need to work outside the law. I see no advantage of doing that in Mexico. In fact, with a work visa I will be able to open a regular bank account and that will make it easier for me to wire funds to eradicate the debts that I have (2 personal and 1 no longer used credit card).

Teaching English in Queretaro

….well so far I am spending most of my waking hours preparing to teach but not actually working with any clients. I had a 2 hour session last week and 2 cancellations. This week I begin with two new groups, off campus. I will be going MWF for an hour and a hal in the evening and TT for two hours in the evening. Needless to say I have been preparing for days! I haven’t seen the space that we will be using so I am anxious to get there as early as possible to set things up. The more I can put on the walls beforehand the smoother things will be for me. More than half of what will be “written” on the board has been put on posters which I will tape to the walls.  The language school manager tells me that it will be in a conference room whose walls function as dry erase boards.

So, I’m teaching English in Queretaro…almost. I am certainly poised to do so!

Here is what the Google search for “teaching Enlglish in QUeretaro” came up with from my location:

1. Gypsy Journal – Teaching English in Queretaro, Mexico

   Chapters of Teaching English in Queretaro, Mexico. Preparations · Starting out · More pictures, etc. A typical day · An interesting weekend …
   www.gypsyjournal.com/Journal.asp?JournalID=264 – 18k – Cached – Similar pages
2. 
   

   TESL / ESL Job Opportunities

   Teaching English in Queretaro, Mexico … Global Volunteers has a volunteer program for teaching English in Mexico. Oaxaca, Mexico …
   www.tesol.net/links/Employment%20(Mexico).html – 13k – Cached – Similar pages
3. 
   

   TEFL Jobs in Queretaro Mexico

   Teach English in Queretaro Mexico. April 2nd, 2008 | Mexico. Position: 5th grade teacher. Package Offered:. Monthly $10500 Mexican pesos (approx 1000 USD) …
   www.esljobs.com/mexico/teach-english-in-queretaro-mexico/ – 9k – Cached – Similar pages
4. 
   

   Queretaro Language School: Learn Spanish in Mexico,Spanish School …

   Learn Spanish in Mexico with the Queretaro Language School (QLS). … Our Spanish classes are designed to teach Spanish for all levels of proficiency. …
   www.queretarolanguageschool.com/ – 22k – Cached – Similar pages
5. 
   

   Great TEFL Jobs » Blog Archive » Teach in Queretaro Now!

   EnglishWORKS! is a growing English school in beautiful colonial Queretaro Mexico and is looking to fill the teaching positions. Come and work with the best! …
   www.greattefljobs.com/teach-in-queretaro-now-2088.html – 26k – Cached – Similar pages
6. [PDF]
   

   Erlyn Baack Lago de Texcoco Desarrollo San Pablo Querétaro, Qro …

   File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat – View as HTML
   curriculum development, teaching, and testing of English at all levels. TEACHING EXPERIENCE. ITESM, Campus Querétaro January 1995 – Present …
   www.eslbee.com/Resume_Erlyn_Baack.pdf – Similar pages
7. 
   

   Onestopenglish | Mexico: working and living

   I’d taken a job in the city of Queretaro in central Mexico after a 20-minute …. teaching business English in-company and running TOEFL preparation courses …
   www.onestopenglish.com/section.asp?theme=mag&catid=58256&docid=145866 – 29k – Cached – Similar pages
8. 
   

   Queretaro,Mexico / North american School project looking for …

   American TESOL Institute – TESOL Certification – Teaching English Abroad. … bilingual, English medium primary to High School school in Queretaro Mexico. …
   www.eslteachersboard.com/cgi-bin/start-your-own-school/index.pl?noframes;read=1117 – 21k – Cached – Similar pages
9. 
   

   Mexico Non Profit Organizations – El Puente de Esperanza …

   El Puente De Esperanza – Queretaro, Mexico Queretaro, Mexico … TEACHER OF ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE: Teaching English to small groups of high school …
   www.mexonline.com/elpuente.htm – 12k – Cached – Similar pages
10. 
    

    visiting a canadian friend at a mission | Queretaro Travel Blog …

    visiting a canadian friend at a mission: A Travel Blog from Queretaro. … about 90 of them, and my friend was teaching english to them. …
    realtravel.com/queretaro-journals-j4401184.html – 36k – Cached – Similar pages

My Mexican Visa

What The Manzanillo Bloggers say still holds water. US citizen needs to have a US passport to enter Mexico and at the entry point must obtain an entry permit, an FM-T. It costs, these days $23 (USD). Once I entered from San Diego CA to Tijuana and in Tijuana, at the airport I approached the migration officers requesting permission to enter. It was totally after the fact of entering Mexico (I came over on a shuttle bus provided to booked passengers on Volaris airlines) but I figured I’d better seek a permit or visa. It was a neat preprinted card that I was asked to complete. The officer then looked at my passport to make sure that I had filledin the form accurately. Then he asked me how long I would be in the country and what I would be doing. He gave me me 180 days. I entered Mexico on el dia de Guadelupe, December 12, 2007.

I tried to extend the length of stay but was told by migration officials in Mexico City (Polanco neighborhood) that I could renew for 2 weeks on the expiration day. That option didn’t make any sense to me since I would not be available on that “expiration day” and I would need more time thatn 2 weeks to complete my CELTA course which was scheduled for July 7 through August 1.

So I exited and re-entered via Laredo Texas. Wow. Talk about wild wild west.

Anyway, when I re-entered Mexico by private car, we were simply waived through and no visa was asked for or offered.

In order for me to get a work visa I was told that my US Passport, my CELTA credential and my current entry permit (tourist visa) would be needed by the school’s attorney. So I re-exited, through Laredo and re-entered the following day through the same portal. This time I was using the bus and boy oh boy was that more of a hassle…but getting the visa was like clockwork.

Officials on the Mexican side of the border ask me if I have a visa to be in their country. If I have one great, if I don’t there is a hefty fine. They may make you pay the fine AND pay for the entry permit (that you don’t exactly need any more since you are exiting their country.) They also may just make you pay for the entry permit. However if you do not have cash…either USD or MXN something else might happen. They may just wave you away and tell you to re-board the bus.

Coming back form Laredo TX to Laredo MX you get off the bus, pay for the entry visa and then get back on the bus. I wasn’t asked how long I would stay. The officer filled out the form with my passport opened before him. Then he told me he had given me 180 days. Afterwards I looked at the document. “180″ is not legible, my name is mispelled and the passport number is slightly ambiguous.

Ah, well. The attorney has my credential and now I am trying to figure out how to get him my US Passport and this sloppy, but official and current, entry permit. Of course, I am also having some second thoughts about these very important documents leaving my hands.

Yeah, I was warned. Don’t work illegally and don’t work for a company that would let you work without a work visa because there may be other untidy things going on that one doesn’t want to be involved with…like payroll issues or whatever.

If I haven’t heard from the Attorney or one of the principals by Monday I’m going to make it a point of going to call the school in DF to figure out how I can do the legwork myself. They or their attorney can complete the paperwork and then I can go, with my US Passport and Tourist Visa/Entry Permit, with the attorney to migration office in the Distrito Federal, stand in line or whatever and get it taken care of.

…only thing is I teach M-F….so I’d have to take care of it in the morning and be heading back to Queretaro by 1pm to make sure that I am where I need to be in the later afternoon.

My Ship Came In and I’m Teaching in Mexico!

Got saved. Got the 7pm out of Dodge…it left around &:30 and I changed busses in Monterrey and arrived save and sound in Queretaro close to 9:30am.

I was met by the language center manager. I think he had been waiting for me for 3 hours!

Yesterday I slept in a bed in an almost new house, walking distance from where I will work. My new roommate owns the place. Everything is clean, uncluttered and quiet and bright. Just the way I like it. The rent is a sweet #1300/month. The school paid first month and deposit in cash–no receipt, lots of witnesses. I’ll get a receipt tonight for the school’s records.

Anyway…

Yesterday I began. I sat in on one training session and got a sense of the style and education of the Center’s trainer. I also observed one of his classes. This morning I will observe another teacher and afterwards I have a one on one class with him on lesson planning and methodology. It will be a good chance to practice diplomacy. lol

I am living about 20 minute walk from here. I live in a 4BR/!BA with another woman who works at a nearby college. The place is clean, and uncluttered and it was probably built 2 years ago or less. She speaks English and likes the idea of getting in some speaking/listening practice while I am around. I’ll be here, happily until December 15 but I will pay through December 20th. My responsibility starts September 20. My employer is paying August 20 to September 20. Next week I have to reimbursh my employer for the deposit ($1300). Basically I will pay $1300 X 3 and at the end of my stay the owner/housemate will give me $1300 (deposit). The price is good the location is working class. In general I will walk because the buses are too small for my frame and because walking will give me more outside time. She works out at school in the morning, takes her shower there before work.

I’ll have to ask the administrative assistant to leave internet connection ON so that when we come at 7am we can actually use internet! Anyway I have other stuff to do, and only 30 minutes anyway until my time is gobble up until 12. At that time I’ll have just 3 hours to prepare for my first class. Of course that will be just enough time for me to recopy the plan, and produce the materials that I will use in class.

I’ll get a loaf of bread and a stick of butter. I have herbal teas and there is bottled water. So I think I can maange with that today. On the weekend I’ll find a place to buy produce and Jumex liter boxes.

…oh yeah.

The bread and butter hit the spot. I had another banana and gave one to a teacher whose class I had observed earlier today….

yeah, so I’m hungry and thirsty…I think I’m going out now to get something!…I’ve got butter…so I guess I’ll get more bread and a couple of bananas.

SOS

So who in the world do I think I’m going to send this to? yeah, I don’t know either. So I’ll publish it on my blog. Could it hurt?

I completed my CELTA course on Friday August 1^st (thank goodness!).

I am now in Laredo TX reviewing/editing my course notes as I type them into useful folders on my computer.

I arrived at the border before noon and we waited in the traffic for a good 2 hours before we were close enough to deboard and have our documents examined and our bags looked into with machines.

I was going to see my father and somehow have delivered a suitcase full of business attire however lack of (1) funds (even though I am traveling by bus I don’t have enough to get back even,) and (2) time (I begin my new job on Friday and I am traveling by bus

So here I am. Connie Rodriguez of California, visiting her husband’s family in San Luis Potosi, gave me cash understanding that I might need to eat before I got back to Mexico, however I was getting back. She left me her email and phone number to contact here if I was stuck. I just had a bag of popcorn and a package of cookies from a vending machine. Good thing, too. Thanks, Connie.

My job starts on Friday I actually start teaching on Monday. I will have 2to 3 groups for the first few weeks and then 5 to 7 groups by the second month. ‘

I’ve been encouraged to wrk closely with school coordinator and school manager and to be supportive. The two principals with whom I interviewed see me as management material, as someone who could have a positive influence on other teachers, assisting them and the other school staff members. Apprarent they want to groom me for management. They are opening two more locationsin Mexico City next year. My goal is to get a solid two years of teaching experience, post CELTA under my belt and if in a year or less I am managing one of their new offices in Mexico City that’s fine. It looks good on the CV and it would be a great experience.

Anyway you can follow me in my pos-CELTA world at http:://readlistnspeakwrite.wordpress.com

The school will be finding furnished accommodations for me and will be paying the first months rent. That’s great because it gives me a change to find a less expensive place for myself. I have been led to believe that $2,500 to 3.500 is to be found in Queretaro 3^rd to the last syllable gets the/stress).

December 15^th I let the main principal know if I want o stay in Queretaro or move to DF. I already knowthat I prefer DF. I do not want to work in a place where Iam walking to work on cobbled streets. I’m a smooth pavement, nobus kind of woman.

Anyway, if you can help me leave Laredo and get back to Mexico, this is what I need: $82

$59 (bu ride to Queretaro) and $23 (entry tourist visa) That will get me to Queretaro. When I arrive I will get to the school. I have enough pesos to eat in Mexico for a couple of days and I will request an advance to pay back whatever loan might be forthcoming at this time. I think an advance is likely since I was actually offered this during the interview…which was at least two and a half hours long, by the way. Lots of “psychological” questions.

Receiving Account Name: Capital Area Realtors Federal Credit Union

Reference: :Niamaat 25085

Account of Receiver: 255 077 639

Address of Receiver: 1201Fulling Mill Road, Middletown PA 17057

Phone Number of Recipient Institution: 717 985-3300 800 622-7494

Name of Receiving Instittution Mid Atlantic Corporate Federal Credit Union

Whatever you can lend is appreciated. I will repay the cost of loan plus the cot of shipping (Western Union fee, wiring fee, whatever)

On a Hope and a Prayer

This is Plan A.

By the first week of September I may indeed have come up with a more realistic Plan B. We shall see. But for now I am going to work to make Plan A a reality. I think it will serve me well, as written. What do you think? WIll I need a PlanB?

It is Sunday and I am checked out and ready to roll.  Today’s reality is that I have to get the USA to Dad and back to Mexico by Friday afternoon. How the heck am I going to pull that off.

This is why Plan A has a direct sales/mlm element. I simply have to figure out a way to increase my income such that I can have savings so significant that feelings such as I have today are a thing of the past.

I Got a Job

Today I interviewed at Inter Act here in Mexico City and I was offered a job. Actually I was offered much more than that and I feel both grateful and excited. I begin October 25th however need to report in on October 22nd to do some class observations and complete lesson plans for the first week of classes. I believe that I will be teaching MWF at a company off-site. I will start off with 2 to 3 classes and then by the second month be teaching 5 to 8. Here is the ad that I responded to:

Fields of Expertise: ESL/EFL,
Other details: Our Mission:
To be known as the best language institute due to the excellent results obtained by each and every one of our clients through personalized attention and our high quality training of our native-speaking teachers in a fully conversational method.
Our Vision:
To be a nationwide language institute proud to work for and to study at.
Our Philosophy
Commitment
Honesty
Hard work
High moral standards
Focused Customer service
Excellence driven staff
Internal team work
Attention to market evolution
Strategic planning to meet company needs
INTER ACT OFFERS TEACHERS: Small groups (4 students), adult students, morning and evening groups, highly competitive local salary, first month housing is complementary, assistance during the first month complementary housing in looking for permanent housing, same level groups, initial training offered, on-going training workshops, great working environment, fun and conversational method, reliable payroll on assigned dates, cultural experience, low-cost Spanish classes for our teachers, guaranteed 5 groups at any given time (enough to pay living expenses although more groups are always available.
INTER ACT EXPECTS FROM TEACHERS: friendly, reliable, serious about teaching English in Mexico, one-year commitment, must take morning and evening classes (7 am, 5 pm, 6:30 pm and 8:30 pm) classes and Saturday morning classes when applicable since our students are adults with day jobs, arriving to class fully prepared, participate in training when and if needed.
General teaching conditions
You will have groups with one to five students. At times, companies contract closed groups exclusively for themselves where they may choose to include up to 8 students in a group. Under these circumstances, companies are aware that progress will be slower than with our recommended four-student groups. Student age is between 18 to 60 years old averaging 30. There are almost never any problems that arise in teaching the material nor the students but if any do come up, your coordinator should be the first to know. You will be provided with material packets that should last you about one month per group. You will be trained during the first week and asked to observe other classes. Training is not paid. Teachers are obligated to teach between 6 to 8 groups at any given time. Inter Act offers on-going training to those teachers with less experience or for those who wish to improve their teaching skills.

I leave for USA tomorrow and will be back here in Mexico at the end of next week, if not sooner. I upload my new tourist visa and make sure to give it along with my passport to the attorney who will be working on my FM3 (the common name for the work visa)

I come as a tourist and then application is made for the work visa fully supported employer and attorney working for employer.

Employer has offered to find me a furnished place to live and pay the first month’s rent. This gives me a chance to either find another place or keep the place they find for me. I’m going to search Craigslist now and put my own posting up, too.

I haven’t heard from Dad since this morning. I wonder what he will say. I wonder how he is. He must be having a tough day. I wish I could ease some of the physiological stress his body must be suffering.

Job Campaign Mexico

I’ve decided to focus my get-a-tefl-job campaign to jobs posted online for work in Mexico. (Preferably Mexico City. I’m a city girl and Mexico City has great public transportation and here I can get whatever technology I need.)

However I’d go almost anywhere airfare and accommodations and lessons in local language were included as part of the employment package. I am using–to search and to post–Craigslist, Serious Teachers, TEFL.com, Dave’s ESL Cafe.

Create your own visitor map

For Convenience: Mexico–well yeah. I can get here by land in less than 3 days AND I am leaving some luggage here AND I speak the language AND I like the food AND I like the people

For Money: Saudi Arabia, Korea, Taiwan China–well yeah. That’s what I’ve heard. As soon as I have either 2 years of post CELTA teaching experience, a few related distance learning courses under my belt, and am well into my bachelor’s program I’ll start focusing on earning more money for my time. In the meantime I should have developed reliable ways to generate income independent of teaching English in a classroom.

For Language: China, Turkey, Morocco–well yeah. I think learning Chinese would be a worthwhile exercise. I think it’d be cool to be able to have a conversation with Ayesha in Edirne (even if by phone) in Turkish. So when I go to China and to Turkey to teach, I will also actively study the associated language. Morrocco? Well I figure I can use my French and Spanish there as well as learn Arabic.

Serious Teachers

I found the platform very easy to use. I especially liked the fact that there was a list of pre-sorted employers based on the country that I am interested in teaching in. All I had to do was to view the detail on each and for those I was qualified for/interested in I just clicked the “apply” button. And “swoosh” ! This was nice…an email received just a little while ago:

Dear Teacher,
I’d like to invite you to submit your Profile/Resume to SeriousTeachers.com and find a position in your home country or abroad. I am certain that you’re going to be pleasantly surprised with the job offers coming your way.
You can upload your Picture, Resume and Certificates.
Just click on the following link to begin the process and join this free service
http://www.seriousteachers.com/Teachers_Join.htm
All the best,
Samantha Best
Marketing Director
www.seriousteachers.com

So, I’m uploading my docs now. I’d better get my letter attesting to the fact that I passed the CELTA course, scanned so that at least I can upload and email that until I get the actual certificate in 3 months or so.

Thanks for writing, Samantha Best!

I really enjoyed using the site.

Dreaming Teaching

CELTA was an extraordinary and intense experience.

Last night, one week post-CELTA I had a dream…I was teaching a language focus class. Context had been set and marker sentence had been elicited. Students had just finished analyzing the marker sentence form…

• Then I woke up. Today is a perfect day to reduce my huge stack of teaching English related papers to a few tidy files on my computer and in my 1GB memory stick. One suitcase and one small duffle stored here in Mexico and one backpack or small duffle traveling with me. No room or need to store paper.
• This revision was going to take me hours so I had breakfast early and took a walk outside for some open air, sunshine and deep breathing. Also a visit to the ATM would let me know if I would have a bed tonight or not.

That was written last Friday, one week post-CELTA. Indeed I have discarded reams of paper and still have a about about a hundred sheets to sift through and copy or take notes about in Word documents.

I have one large suitcase with everything and a small duffle full of books stored in the locked caged area at the read of the baggage room just to the left of the reception desk. I’ll pick that up on my next trip to Mexico which I hope is later in the month, after visiting my family (Dad in particular) in the USA.

Myngle

I just signed up at myngle as a teacher. Check out this code of conduct:

• - I will not disclose my email/Skype address or other contact details to the Myngle students
• - I will teach lessons to Myngle students always using the Myngle virtual classroom
• - I will accept all lesson bookings from students and will attend the lessons on time
• - I will not cancel any lessons. If I have to change the time of a lesson, I will use the ‘Reschedule’ button and follow up personally with the student so that he/she is not discouraged
• - If I have to cancel a lesson due to an unforeseen event, I will inform both Myngle and the student as soon as possible, preferably before the start of the lesson so that Myngle can find a substitute teacher for the student

This would be a good time to see if my skype assembly are functioning well enough for me to hear and be heard intelligibly.

Classes are one on one, 45 minutes in length and take place on the myngle platform. Payment is via Paypal in EURO. I have elected to charge 15 EURO. Myngle takes 18% commission. Goodness knows what the Paypal fee is or the conversion fee since my Paypal account is denominated in USD (for the time being).

Room & Board in Mexico Next Time

When in Mexico City I have consistently used Hosteling International aka Mundo Joven aka Hostel Catedral. The cost for member si $1234/night and inclues a light-east-as-much-as-you-want dinner and breakfast. This place is well run and conveninet to everything that I want access to. The negatives are the cigarette smoke and the too-loud music. Today I found a place that is ust $100/might, is smaller, has more natural light and NO blaring music. In fact the place is very tranquil and has lots of nice detail. The bathrooms are not in the rooms which totally makes sense and the communal bathrooms are clean and spacious. I prefer it in fact. Unfortunately I may not have the opportunity to stay there this trip. I have $220 in my pocket and they are booked solid tonight but have openings for tomorrow, Saturday.

Next time I plan to be in Mexico City I will make reservation at the Mexico City Hostel at Republica de Brasil No. 8, just around the corner from Republic de Guatemala No 4 where I have been staying. Here is the email for reservations (no website): reservations at mexicocityhostel dot com. Yeah, I am pretty sure food is included there, too.

Today I had tacos de la canasta on Tacuba. Great deal. $3 each. You choose the filling. Thy have over half a dozen fillings alreay ready for serving. You eat there with the condiments of salsa verde (with lots of avocado) and hot pickled veggies the reminded me of torshe. Location ON Tacuba between Brasil and the panadaria on the same street. It is a big hole in the wall…there is no front wall, no door. At night they just roll down the accordian metal curtain and call it quits.

This along with the Mexico City Hostel will be my mainstays when in the area next time.

Random Thoughts #1

Would I work for an academic year in Tapachula, Chiapas, Mexico? Yeah, maybe I would. It would give me the opportunity to hone my chops on best practices and give me recent teaching references and post-CELTA teaching experience for my CV.

On Monday I begin my trial with University of Maryland University College. I am looking for an affordable school through which I can earn my bachelors degree online. UMUC isn’t particularly affordable however it would be good for me to participate in the week trial to get a feel for how the interface works. Maybe I can work for a school that grants me education in lieu of a salary. Just a thought…

If I am lucky I will leave tonight and arrive in Montgomery on Sunday morning. I’ll be on the road for about 2 and a half days. That is where my father lives nowadays. (The business and the real estate are for sale.)

The bulk of the day will be spent submitting apps and getting in some face time or at least some voice to voice time. I’m packed. I simply need to move my luggage to the “long term” section of the baggage room.

Short List #1

Today’s Date

DONE–TESL.com resume posted

DONE–Craigslist, responded to all

DONE–Dave’s ESL Cafe, respond to all

DONE–Contact all of the schools in Mexico City mentioned by Ariel

DONE–Contact Tom to see if Thailand is a possibility

DONE–Contact Chris through nomad4ever and email

Today is the day, Wednesday. The goal today is to get a job offer that I can afford to accept. And to figure out how much more I need to get travel to see my father in Montgomery.

Trip Home

Bus is affordable, almost.

Buses leave every hour from 3pm to 11pm. The trip is 15 hours.

10pm Thursday–Mexico DF to Laredo TX

4pm Friday–Laredo TX to Montgomery AL

Arrival in Montgomery 11am Saturday morning.

I need to take ONE bag with me…I would take the computer back pack but it is too heavy, even when empty. So I’ll take a small duffle with the Toshiba inside, a change of clothes, toiletries and food.

On Wednesday, tomorrow, I need to find a place to store my gear in Mexico City AND a job to come back to here. It looks like International House is my best bet. I’ll have to ask Ariel, School Director.

The cost for the trip…2 days and $88 0 (MXN) + $177(USD), ie about $270 (USD) total. To fly would cost nearly $500 and goodness knows what kind of barbarism at the US airports, in US airspace.

The Greyhound schedule from Laredo to Montgomery

Select Departs Arrives Duration Transfers Carrier Schedule
04:15am 01:40am 21h, 25m 1 AAP 9318
10:15am 07:10am 20h, 55m 2 AAP 9346
01:45pm 08:55am 19h, 10m 2 AAP 9358
04:15pm 11:10am 18h, 55m 1 AAP 9382
09:15pm 05:35pm 20h, 20m 3 AAP 9410

Job Hunting

WHO-WHAT-WHERE-WHEN–I’m a recent CELTA inductee who wants a TEFL job in Mexico ASAP!! WHY-Because everything depends on it!

The sources for employers looking for teachers:

Craigslist

International House

TEFL.com

Today I am preparing a paper resume and CV. Also I am giving more detail to the online resume/CV prepared at TEFL.com. Next I will go through job by job from the above three (3) sources and apply to all for which I am apparently qualified. Right now I’m living at a Hostel International affiliate: Mundo Joven aka Hostel Catedral in Mexico City in back of the church that is one of the landmarks of the zocalo. There are tons of people with digital cameras. I want to get some digital portraits of myself. Since looks DO count and I don’t have time to waste with employers who cannot afford– based on my looks and based on what their clients want–to offer me work.

CELTA

WHO–I’m a USA citizen by birth who is currently ouside of the USA. WHAT-WHERE-WHEN–I  completed my CELTA certification course in Mexico on Friday, August 1st 2008. WHY-I want to teach English as a Foreigh Language outside of the USA and I don’t have a university degree.

I highly recommend CELTA to any native English speaker who wants to work as an English teacher outside the USA with or without university degrees. Also I highly recommend taking Jeff Mohamed’s series of three (3) courses offered through English-International.com

I didn’t follow this route and I haven’t taken any of the English International correspondence courses. I passed the CELTA 4-week intensive course but believe it would have been a lot more manageable if I had gotten certified first through Jeff’s correspondence courses. In fact,  I plan to take the (3) part series of courses as CELTA re-enforcement as soon as (1) I find a job, (2) visit my family, and (3) have an income.