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NinaNina

Jan 13, 2007, 9:46 PM

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Oaxaca questions

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I have been having fun reading through the posts on this board. My husband and I are planning to move to Oaxaca in August, bringing our two children (ages 2 and 6) with us. We lived in Oaxaca city in 1997 (and loved it very very much, but I am prepared for a changed Oaxaca, I think...). Anyway, coming with kids is a whole other kettle of fish. Some obsessive questions:

We've heard good things about a school called Teizcalli, but the school eludes Google searches. Does anyone know about this school and what tuition costs? Has anyone had experiences with Oaxaca schools?

We're a family of four, with a modest but consistent income (that, I believe, squeaks by the FM3 income requirements). Are there any major financial surprises I should budget for as we make our journey there and settle down (into renting a home, not buying)?

Finally, as a bilingual elementary school teacher with ESL experience, I could attempt to find some work. Has anyone done this in Oaxaca?

Thanks to everyone for sharing your insights about your experiences. Que le vaya bien.

--Serena

waltw

Jan 16, 2007, 7:00 PM

Post #2 of 21 (8299 views)

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Re: [NinaNina] Oaxaca questions

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Hello,

I'm not familiar with that school. Insituto Carlos Gracida and Instituto San Felipe are probably two of the more reknowned, private schools in Oaxaca City.

My kids go to Colegio Motolinia De Antequera in Col. Reforma. Their Spanish and understanding of the culture have expanded immersurably in the last few months. The school is good, but class sizes are too large! 35 + kids per class.

Generally, when we were looking around for private schools in Oaxaca, most schools were charging around $160-$200 a month, so that's probably what you should budget for.

I haven't taught ESL since 1989, but I would imagine that you could probably find work. You won't make much at all. It may be better to work a little overtime where you're at and live off your savings when you come down, but your choice.

Oaxaca has calmed down in the last few months. Everything is pretty much back to normal.

If you rent an unfurnished place, ofcourse, you'll have to take into account the additional expense of buying furniture, etc. That might be a financial surprise.

NinaNina

Jan 17, 2007, 1:58 PM

Post #3 of 21 (8265 views)

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Re: [waltw] Oaxaca questions

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I greatly appreciate your detailed reply. That's the exact sort of information I was seeking.

Are your kids enjoying school? Did they respond well to the move SOB?

waltw

Jan 17, 2007, 4:14 PM

Post #4 of 21 (8251 views)

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Re: [NinaNina] Oaxaca questions

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Yes, they've adjusted quite well.
One thing that's nice is that a lot of private schools here also offer after-school classes in things like: soccer,
basketball, guitar, dance, photography, etc. It's often included in the overall cost of tuition.

Bubba

Jan 17, 2007, 5:39 PM

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Re: [waltw] Oaxaca questions

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What is it about extranjeros who move to Oaxaca City. What a bunch of space cadets totally out of touch with their new community. Frankly, it seems to me that they are using this poor and anarchic community for their own entertainment the way bacteria would use laboratory media as a playground. How pathetic.

arbon

Jan 17, 2007, 6:16 PM

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Re: [Bubba] Oaxaca questions

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Even bacteria have children, and they are found on soccer/footballs.
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NinaNina

Jan 17, 2007, 6:16 PM

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Re: [Bubba] Oaxaca questions

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Hello, Bubba!

Okay--let me have it. In what way am I out of touch with Oaxaca's community? I would presume many ways, since I haven't been there for 10 years!

Reading your post was a nice bit of nostalgia. I haven't heard the term space cadet since high school in the '80s. Are you a Valley Girl at heart?

From somewhere between Venus and Mars,
NinaNina

arbon

Jan 17, 2007, 6:34 PM

Post #8 of 21 (8221 views)

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Re: [NinaNina] Oaxaca questions

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Bubba is from Uranus, that is close to Venus!

But it could be Briget, that is close to Bubba.
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(This post was edited by arbon on Jan 17, 2007, 6:41 PM)

esperanza

Jan 17, 2007, 7:00 PM

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Re: [arbon] Oaxaca questions

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<falls on the floor laughing>

http://www.mexicocooks.typepad.com

Bubba

Jan 17, 2007, 7:55 PM

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Re: [NinaNina] Oaxaca questions

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Okay--let me have it. In what way am I out of touch with Oaxaca's community? I would presume many ways, since I haven't been there for 10 years!

Reading your post was a nice bit of nostalgia. I haven't heard the term space cadet since high school in the '80s. Are you a Valley Girl at heart?

From somewhere between Venus and Mars,
NinaNina

Actually, NinaNina, that´s pretty good. Most extranjeros living in Oaxaca have never really been there at all.

You were in high school in the 80s? I was in high school in the 50s. You are a mere child. When I was in high school, Valley Girls were in toilet training. The people in Oaxaca were seeking access to the town´s 14 telephones. Arbon was still six months from retirement in the Frozen Tundra.

arbon

Jan 18, 2007, 7:44 AM

Post #11 of 21 (8166 views)

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Re: [Bubba] Oaxaca questions

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"Arbon was still six months from retirement in the Frozen Tundra."

Every year since 1966, arbon has been 6 months from retirement, on the Tundra.
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NinaNina

Jan 18, 2007, 11:31 AM

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Re: [Bubba] Oaxaca questions

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Well, maybe I can conjecture some of the ways I'm probably out of touch with Oaxaca:

Economically: In 1997, I lived on $450 a month.
Politically: The only zocalo action I saw over the past year was during a series of documentaries screened at a Sin Fronteras event in Portland, Oregon.
Culturally: I wonder if I can still hop those colectivos at Abastos and head out to Arrazola for alebrijes.
Educationally: Yeah, I'm looking for a private school for my son--are the public schools an option? My only experience with the public schools in Oaxaca is indirect--I tutored indigenous children in their school subjects, but at a community center, not their schools.
Aesthetically: The zocalo got torn up, but it looks like much has been rebuilt.
Linguistically: Alas, since moving from California and my teaching job, I feel my Spanish slipping away each day, especially the slang and jokes that are so prevalent. I still remember a dad telling me about needing "un rato" to talk to his daughter and my speculating why rodents would be necessary.

waltw

Jan 18, 2007, 3:23 PM

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Re: [NinaNina] Oaxaca questions

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Public schools in Oaxaca haven't been in session for a good part of the school year.
We chose a private school because six months of summer vacation for the kids seemed a bit excessive.

Bubba

Jan 18, 2007, 6:04 PM

Post #14 of 21 (8098 views)

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Re: [NinaNina] Oaxaca questions

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Nina & Walt:

It´s refreshing to take on worthy opponents.

arbon

Jan 18, 2007, 7:06 PM

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Re: [Bubba] Oaxaca questions

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"It´s refreshing to take on worthy opponents."

Well Bubba, at least you should be happy, when they can play in the same league.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

wendy devlin

Jan 18, 2007, 7:07 PM

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Re: [NinaNina] Oaxaca questions

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Ninanina,
i think you will find plenty of 'rat'(os) to converse Spanish with your child.

Just the other day, I had a conversation with a rat living in my compost pile.
Most enlightening!

Viejitas like myself, are likely to encourage you to move and enroll your children in schools for an 'education'. Ditto for yourself.

However being vieja, I would also hope that you wouldn't burn any bridges, from wherever you're from. If however, you find the ways and means for your family to survive...well then, it's up to you, no?

You might consider talking to the veteran ESL teachers on the Mexico forum, at:
daves ESL cafe for the long-term skinny on teaching English in Mexico.

NinaNina

Jan 18, 2007, 8:43 PM

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Re: [wendy devlin] Oaxaca questions

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Thank you, Wendy, for your advice.

I must admit I have been haunting the Dave's ESL Cafe forums, vicariously traveling.

I appreciate your reminder about not burning bridges. I may still be somewhat young, but I'm a little less foolish than I used to be! Like others who have posted, I benefitted from the overheated real estate market in the Bay Area. My husband and I became the California cliches, selling and moving to Portland, where we bought the house with cash. Now, we can rent out the house up here and, coupled with my husband's telecommute, soon become the expatriate cliches. My teaching in Oaxaca would be for the enjoyment of it, not to mention a little extra cash, or to perhaps receive free tuition for my son's schooling.

Bubba

Jan 19, 2007, 7:17 AM

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Re: [NinaNina] Oaxaca questions

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Like others who have posted, I benefitted from the overheated real estate market in the Bay Area. My husband and I became the California cliches, selling and moving to Portland, where we bought the house with cash.

Wasn´t that great? The Bay Area real estate market funded many an early retirement. Someone asked me why anyone would sell out and leave the wonderful Bay Area for Mexico as we did six years ago, especially since the house we sold was, until recently, worth twice as much as it was when we sold in 2001. I told him I would never trade these six years in such great places as Jalisco, Oaxaca, Chiapas and the Yucatan Peninsula for even three times the profit in my house. Besides, we would both still be working to make those huge mortgage and property tax payments. and sitting there in that incessant fog and cold,, damp chipi chipi. Had we stayed in Alabama in the 70s instead of moving to Norhern California, our house would have still yielded us a profit but I think we would still be poling for oysters down on Bon Secour Bay just to get by.

I kid you guys about Oaxaca but its historic center is magnificent. We were recently there visiting frinds in Teotitlan and the strike had just ended. There werer plenty of Federales around but the city was freshly spiffed up and repainted. Very nice. One reason we bought in San Cristobal was because it´s centrally located in Southern Mexico - our favorite part of the country. Good luck in your new town.

(This post was edited by Bubba on Jan 19, 2007, 7:36 AM)

NinaNina

Jan 20, 2007, 7:44 PM

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Re: [Bubba] Oaxaca questions

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San Cristobal is, hands down, one of the most beautiful places I've ever visited. I have a few friends who are Guatemalen immigrants who told me that, when I visited Chiapas, I was basically visiting their country. It makes me want to venture a little further next time, into Guatemala.

Bubba

Jan 20, 2007, 9:44 PM

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Re: [NinaNina] Oaxaca questions

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No question, Nina. Chiapas is Guatemala and, in fact used to be part of that political entity. We have traveled a bit in the Guatemalan highlands and the similarities between Guatemala and Chiapas are striking. If you are ever planning to be in San Cristobal let us know.

mexijo

Jan 25, 2007, 7:58 AM

Post #21 of 21 (7932 views)

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Re: [NinaNina] Oaxaca questions

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Hello Serena,

we can recommend Teizcali. Tuition is about 1.400 to 1.600 Pesos/month.
Their website is switched off, but you can email them at musicalissimo@hotmail.com Phone: 951-5200545.

Looks like our kids will be classmates. You got a PM.
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www.house-oaxaca.com