As a tourist, you are always a foreigner. While hostel-hopping and sightseeing can be great fun, you may want to consider going beyond tourism. Experiencing a foreign place through studying, volunteering, or working can help reduce that touristy stranger-in-a-strange-land feeling. Furthermore, travelers can make a positive impact on the natural and cultural environments they visit. With this Beyond Tourism chapter, Let’s Go hopes to promote a better understanding of Mexico and to provide suggestions for those who want to get more than a photo album out of their travels.
Volunteering can be a powerful and fulfilling experience, especially when combined with the thrill of traveling in a new place. The country currently faces significant challenges in terms of education, the environment, public health, and rural development. Be aware that volunteering—particularly in rural areas—will likely mean giving up basic comforts and may involve risks besides travel, including disease, snakes, scorpions, or less accessible health care.
Much of the volunteer work in Mexico relates to economic development or environmental conservation. Most people who volunteer in Mexico do so on a short-term basis, at organizations that make use of drop-in or once-a-week volunteers. The best way to find opportunities that match your interests and schedule may be to check with local or national volunteer centers.
Study-abroad programs range from basic language and culture courses to college-level classes, often for credit. In order to choose a program that best fits your needs, research as much as you can before making your decision—determine costs and duration, as well as what kind of students participate in the program and what sort of accommodations are provided.
In programs that have large groups of students who speak the same language, there is a trade-off. You may feel more comfortable in the community, but you will not have the same opportunity to practice a foreign language or to befriend other international students. For accommodations, dorm life provides a better opportunity to mingle with fellow students, but there is less of a chance to experience the local scene. If you live with a family, there is a potential to build lifelong friendships with natives and to experience day-to-day life in more depth, but conditions can vary greatly from family to family.
As with volunteering, work opportunities tend to fall into two categories. Some travelers want long-term jobs that allow them to integrate into a community, while others seek out short-term jobs to finance the next leg of their travels. In Mexico, people who want to work long-term should attempt to make arrangements before they arrive. Otherwise, due to the need for employees with language skills, the tourist industry can be one of the most welcoming to foreigners.
International placement agencies are often the easiest way to find employment abroad, especially for those interested in teaching English. Although they are often only available to college students, internships are a good way to segue into working abroad; they are often un- or underpaid, but many say the experience is well worth it.
Teaching jobs abroad are rarely well-paid, although some elite private American schools offer competitive salaries. Volunteering as a teacher in lieu of getting paid is a popular option; even then, teachers often receive some sort of a daily stipend to help with living expenses. Expect your salary to match the low cost of living in Mexico. In almost all cases, you must have at least a bachelor’s degree to be a full-time teacher, although college undergraduates can often get summer positions teaching or tutoring.
Many schools require teachers to have a Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) certificate. You may still be able to find a teaching job without certification, but certified teachers often find higher-paying jobs. Native English speakers working in private schools are most often hired for English-immersion classrooms where no Spanish is spoken. Those volunteering or teaching in public schools are more likely to be working in both English and Spanish. Placement agencies or university fellowship programs are the best resources for finding teaching jobs.
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Let's Go sees every trip as the chance of a lifetime. With 49 years of experience, we take you beyond the basic tourist experience. ©1960-2009 Let's Go Publications, Inc. All rights reserved.