Melody in Jardin Botanico

Two years ago, I was offered a job working with Colombian students who were going to participate in an English immersion program at my university. I was just beginning my graduate studies in TESOL and was happy to accept the job, but I was extremely curious about these Colombian students.

First of all, I wasn’t entirely sure where Colombia was (somewhere in South America? Maybe in the jungle?) and all I could remember ever hearing about Colombia were news reports about drugs and Plan Colombia and cartels and paramilitaries and Pablo Escobar and… well, nothing that made me want to jump on a plane and check it out, if you know what I mean.

That summer made me reconsider and reevaluate all of my preconceptions about Colombia. The students (between ages  9 and 14) that I worked with were clever and funny. They spoke English and played soccer and tried to talk me into taking them to Taco Bell every day. They certainly didn’t act like children who had been brought up in the middle of conflict and drug violence. They had iPods and laptops and cameras that were nicer than mine. In fact, within ten minutes of meeting them I realized that I knew absolutely nothing about the real Colombia.

I’ve lived in Colombia now since January of this year, and before that I was here for a lovely 6 week stint as a volunteer teacher last summer. I may not be Colombian or speak the language perfectly (yet), but I definitely know where the country is, how to cook an arepa, and why jugo de lulo is the best thing you’ve never heard of in Colombia.

Swinging in Salento, a small town in the coffee region.

I’m going to help contribute to Medellin Living by writing about traveling opportunities in (and near) Colombia, and I’ll also be writing helpful tips regarding living in Colombia, such as how to laundry at an affordable price.

While I don’t currently live in Medellin, I do live in Pereira, which is also in the “Paisa” region of Colombia. As Pereira is just a quick 35 minute plane ride away from Medellin, I love to visit and will be happy to share my adventures with you.

Hasta luego!

p.s. If you’re interested in hearing a more personal account of my time in Colombia and Pereira, please check out my blog at www.barelyamerican.blogspot.com.

_________

Written by Melody Stratton

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I have been to three of them since I have been in Medellin, and I find it’s a great way to keep up my English awareness while I’m here.  Also, it’s a great way to meet locals that speak enough English to communicate with me.  It’s been pretty enjoyable to attend.

Last time I attended, I ran into the lead singer of Atrefacto (A band I had just seen play the day before at Altavoz).  He was kind enough to speak to me after the class, and he invited me to see him play at the bar he works at.  Yay, random networking.

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I bet you have been wondering why I’ve spent more electronic ink on nightlife and salsa dancing the last few weeks then my trials and tribulations teaching English.

The reason is simple….I decided to stop stressing about trying to teach English and focus instead on writing for my blogs – Medellin Living and GoBackpacking.  In addition, I have also begun to do some freelance work for AskMen.com, a popular men’s lifestyle website.  Obtaining my own laptop has made this possible, or at least afforded me the opportunity to work in a more comfortable and conducive environment (my Medellin apartment).

As much as I enjoy sitting in front of a computer with the world at my fingertips, writing all day and catching up with friends at home is not exactly the most exciting of topics to discuss, therefore I will continue to focus on sharing my adventures at night, and introducing the cool people, both Colombian and foreign, I am meeting.  I hope to even take a few sidetrips to nearby national parks or traditional towns in the coming weeks.

The Future

Since I am no longer putting myself in a position to obtain a work visa, my tourist visa in Colombia will expire by mid-July.  While I could extend my time here by taking Spanish classes and switching to a student visa (I think), I have neither the money nor the will to do so.  I love it here.  Truly.  And I am living every day to the fullest, which is extremely satisfying.

That said, I am also ready to return home to the States for a respite from life abroad.  I want to see what happens after having been gone for 20 months.  I know I’ve changed.  I am sure people at home have changed.  The American economy and job market has definitely changed.  I’m increasingly curious about my homecoming, whatever may happen.

My plan is to continue building this blog, from Medellin and the States.  As a result of the latter, I will be trying to recruit local contributers in Colombia, especially an English teacher (for his/her perspective on working here)!

Please contact me if you would be interested.

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She asked about my rates, and I showed her the rate sheet I created.  She could hardly believe the low amounts I was charging.  I tried to explain the initial strategy was to attract a large number of students, however her counter was the concern in the back of my mind at present.  If I am paying for transport to/from the student, plus internet time reading about how to teach effectively, and the cost of printing materials, then I need to be charging more per hour if I want to make any money.  Otherwise, as she commented, it is hardly worth getting out of bed.

At the moment, I am asking for 20,000 ($8) pesos per hour for a private class.  She suggested as a native speaker, I could double that rate.  As a Colombian, she was charging 35,000 ($14) per hour and had plenty of students.  I told her I didn’t have any experience, and her advice was exactly the same as everyone else – don’t tell the prospective students that!

I wish I had something more substantive to report, however with it being a holiday week, people are putting their desire to learn and practice English on hold.  I still hope to gain a student or two from the dozen or so potential leads I’ve received over the last few weeks.  I would rather charge a higher rate and have a few dedicated students than try to manage teaching 10 or 15 people.

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On campus at the University of Antioquia

My efforts to build a clientele of private English students is slowly but surely moving in the right direction.  I am receiving interest from potential students via my advertisements, networking, and chance encounters.  It seems the more I embrace the role of teacher, the more potential students emerge from thin air.  The challenge seems to be getting commitments and a routine schedule established sooner rather than later.  Jobs, university studies, and personal lives are all understandable competition with people’s desire to learn English.

Advertising

I received three positive responses from one advertisement I had posted in the giant Carrefour grocery/department store located on Las Vegas Avenue in Envigado.  One response was from a medical student whose mom wrote the information down.  We´re currently trying to work out the logistics, including payment, number of hours, and time and place to meet.  The most recent call came over the weekend from a guy who speaks no English, and actually works at the store in addition to studying communications at a local university.  The idea of teaching a person from scratch before I have a good command of Spanish seems daunting, but I can’t afford to be picky at this point.

Last week my friend Andrea helped me post ads around the University of Antioquia, so hopefully those will yield results.  Since I never saw the ads I submitted to EAFIT’s communications office around campus, I taped up a few by one of the cafeterias, and along some well-seen bulletin boards.  At worst, they’ll be taken down after a few days but hopefully not before someone takes down the information to call me.

Networking

Rodrigo’s sister mentioned she has a coworker at EAFIT who would be interested in taking classes with me.  I am hoping for an introduction this week.  Advertisements in department stores are no match for positive word of mouth from happy and satisfied students!

Chance Encounters

It should come as no surprise my chance encounter with three friends at Blue a few weekends ago didn’t result in a paying client.  Interest after a night of drinking should always be taken with a large grain of salt.  I need to do better about keeping my expectations low!  I followed up by phone once or twice after my first post-party conversation, but didn’t hear back.

On a brighter note, last Saturday I was at the place where I get my hair cut when a pretty young woman walked in.  The ladies that work there are quite friendly, and always try to talk with me.  I was too shy to try and talk to the other customer, but the ladies asked her if she spoke English, and the answer was yes.  She actually spoke quite good English, and expressed strong interest in taking classes with me.  We exchanged information.  The next day, I bumped into her as I was walking back from the gym, as she was out walking her little dog.  She said she had mentioned me to her best friend who had previously lived in Canada, and he too was interested in practicing with me.  I just hope there is follow through, as having as many clients as possible close to where I live would be ideal.

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First, on Monday, I forwarded my teaching advertisement and rates to David, an engineering student from Mexico.  He forwarded them to a classmate, who forwarded them to her friend taking English classes at the university’s language center.  We were introduced two hours later, and she signed up for 10 hours over the next 5 weeks.  I was excited and nervous, though as I write this, I am happy to report with 3 hours already completed, things are running smoothly.  We hold class outside on the school’s campus which should work well until we get caught in the rain!

My second student is Rodrigo’s sister.  He had previously mentioned she would be interested, however it wasn’t until last Friday that we actually met to talk about classes for the first time.  She began working at EAFIT after graduating with a degree in Economics.  I can already tell I will enjoy working with her.  She was interested in my biggest program – 50 hours.

I received a voicemail and a call from two guys who I believe were responding to my advertisements, however both spoke only in Spanish, so I didn´t understand what was being said to me.  I am probably better off sticking with intermediate students in the beginning anyways.

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We sat outside the library catching up and people watching.  He was dressed in a button down shirt and tie for dropping off his teaching application at EAFIT’s language center.  As a result, we learned the school tends to hire in June of each year, as that is when the year long contracts expire.  This coincides with a break between semesters as well.  I also got to see his paper advertisements and draft of a business card.  Both were in color.  He bought a printer with both black and color ink for just about $30, which seems like a worthy investment.  Right now, I print all my stuff at a cheap copy center across the street from the university, but a few dollars here and there start to add up, especially when I keep wanting to change the look, design, and phrasing.

As we were sitting outside, David (Mexico) came up and said hello.  I met him first through Martin.  He mentioned his roommate who works at the massive headquarters of Bancolombia in Medellin, might have a lead on teaching English at the bank.  Apparently, one of the higher-ups wants staff to speak English.  The thought alone brought dollar signs to my eyes, however we later found out the existing American teacher’s contract was renewed, and thus the opportunity had vanished as quickly as it had appeared.  Still, it reinforced in our minds the importance of networking.  Clint had previously told me about a lack of results from simply e-mailing resumes here.  In Colombia, or at least Medellin, looking for work seems to be a more personal affair from the start.

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It is another small step in the right direction. 

This Sunday, I have plans to meet with a friend of a friend for the first time, who also wants to work on his English.  My hope is to transition a pro bono offer into a for-pay experience.  If I am going to build an income, I need to change my mindset from being the nice foreigner willing to spend his free time with people to the nice foreigner establishing a value for his time.

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Next up, posting the ads around the larger, public Universidad de Antioquia.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Looking To Practice & Improve Your English?

My name is David Lee and I am a native English speaker from the United States. I am a university graduate with a degree in English Literature and Art History.

I offer customized programs on conversational and written English.

The first meeting is free.

We will work together to create a personalized program to meet your goals.

Contact Me Today!

Phone: 301-287-7699

E-mail

Travel Site: http://www.GoBackpacking.com/Blog

CV: http://MedellinLiving.com/CV

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

¿Buscas practicar y mejorar tu Inglés?

Me llamo David Lee, soy un profesor de inglés, nativo de los Estados Unidos. Me gradué de en Literatura Inglesa e Historia del Arte en New York.

Ofrezco programas personalizadas de inglés conversacional o escrito.

El primer encuentro es gratuito.

¡Contáctame!

Celular: 301-287-7699

E-mail

Pagina de viajes: http://www.GoBackpacking.com/Blog

CV: http://MedellinLiving.com/CV

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

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View toward the soccer field at EAFIT

Sundays in Medellin are quiet. The young people are recovering from their late nights out, while others are going to church and exercising along certain main roads which are closed every week to encourage walking, running, and cycling.

On Monday, I resumed the English for Spanish classes with Rodrigo. We began with Spanish, reviewing a sample of the 50 or so words I had to look up in the first five pages of a novel he gave me. I was suppose to write a little about the first 15 pages, but I could barely understand what was happening. We then reviewed the Spanish alphabet, numbers, and how to tell time. He encouraged me to spend the time standing, rather than sitting, to keep the energy level high. He also made sure I wasn´t standing with my arms crossed.  When it was my turn to teach, he asked that I project my voice to help him hear well.  As I´d hoped, my plans to teach were going to help improve my public speaking as well.  His class turned out to be fun, though I suggested the newspaper for my second homework assignment as it is easier for me to comprehend.

My English class began with the alphabet too, however Rodrigo was strong on it, so we moved on to numbers where I think I was able to give some useful feedback. He is very good about pointing out where he has trouble, which makes my job easier. Then, we moved on to the days of the week and months of the year. Lastly, I had him dictate some animal names just as he had me do. And before I knew it, our two hours were up.

We fine-tuned my teaching advertisement as well, having already established the rates last Friday. I think I am finally ready to post it around the EAFIT campus, and elsewhere if the response is muted. Gaining EAFIT students would be great as the university offers the perfect meeting place and is a short bus ride from my apartment. I also intend to post the rates on this site, which will work well with the more traditional forms of advertising.

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Let´s Teach Some English!

Friday saw me back in the physics lab. I had Martin review my tutoring advertisement, and we made quite a few revisions, though the Spanish translation would need to be reviewed by Rodrigo. Martin and I also went on a mission to scan a document but we had no luck at several of the administrative hot spots for students on campus. I joined Martin for lunch in the food court, and then left campus briefly to use a shop across the street for the scanning task. At the shop, which due to its proximity to the university was clearly popular with students, I noticed a bulletin board filled with advertisements of rooms for rent and calculus tutors, among other things. I made a mental note to put my ad up there once it was completed.

Returning to campus, I spent a little time reading through some of Rodrigo’s English learning books. At 4pm, we had our first 2-hour tutoring session. The day before, we had scheduled time together through the following week. I would help him with his English, which he wanted to improve in advance of a TOEFL test, and he would help me with my Spanish. In addition to helping him, I would also be helping myself as I would gain some real experience tutoring a friend before I began to seek money for the time and effort.

The first hour was dedicated to Spanish, and while he wanted to review the alphabet and numbers, we focused on revising the tutoring advertisement. Much of what Martin and I had previously done, was undone, however Rodrigo was my target audience, and he knew better than any foreigner what students would respond to and what they would be willing to pay for my services. My homework for the weekend was to read 15 pages of a Spanish novel and write a little about it.

It was a real relief to return to my native language after an hour of trying to keep up with Rodrigo. I asked him about his goals for our time together, and his previous experiences learning English. Through some of my questioning, the conversation then turned to the strong sense of family in Colombia (ie. why children continue to live with their parents and family into adulthood). He talked about the day-to-day dangers of living in Medellin 15 years ago when Pablo Escobar and the drug cartels were at war, and how people came to appreciate the safety and security offered by their families as a result. I could tell it wasn´t easy for him to think back to those times, however I really appreciated his willingness to share.

I have a feeling tutoring students will be more than just helping them to speak better English while allowing me to earn a living. It is another way to dig deeper into the culture of Colombia.

Friday night was spent at the apartment, getting to know Maira a little better.

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Rodrigo

I spent almost 12 hours this past Wednesday on the campus of EAFIT, mostly in the physics lab which Martin and Rodrigo call home. They were trying to help me prepare for my first teaching interview which Rodrigo helped to set up with a 6-year old institute in the center of the city. I developed a lesson plan, though I felt decidedly unconfident given my complete lack of teaching experience, knowledge of different methodologies, and personal teaching philosophy. But, they continued to be supportive and offer encouragement. I also spent a little time reading in the language center’s library which has enough books on teaching and learning English as a foreign language to keep me well occupied.

On Thursday, I read up on some interviewing tips specifically aimed at teachers looking for work abroad, and met up with Rodrigo at the physics lab around 3pm. By 3:30pm, we were in his car cruising down the highway toward the city center. By 4pm, we were in the lobby of the institute. It has been a long time since I´ve been on a job interview, and while I am confident in the work I have done for two previous employers, my blogs and time spent traveling the last 15 months, none of that really applied when I was asked how I would teach a class of Colombians who speak no English!

The institute was run by the parent’s of his friend, so I was at a table with her, her mom, and Rodrigo. I did my best, however it was not meant to be. The institute only began to offer English classes at the start of the year, so there were no established materials for teachers. There were two teachers giving classes, and both were Colombian.

After the interview, we stopped by a bigger, more established English school in the city center and I picked up an application, however it was clear to me that if I am going to succeed at teaching here, I would be better off building experience in private tutoring. Then, if necessary, I could use that experience to bolster my chances at the English schools.

In th evening, to take my mind off the interview, I invited a friend over who speaks no English to help me practice my Spanish.

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EAFIT's Library

Monday turned out to be another day of progress toward my goal of living and working in Medellin. It started with a good night’s sleep in the room I´m renting. I had a copy of the apartment keys made at a local store, and joined Maira on the local bus to Universidad EAFIT. Typically I avoid buses whether at home or traveling, but my money is waning and the distance is so short it makes little sense to be hailing cabs. The cost is approximately $0.50 each way. At the university, I spent a few hours in the morning, and again later in the afternoon, working on the internet. In between, I met up with Martin at lunch.

He happened to be with his friend Rodrigo, to whom I had submitted my resume and cover letter for a teaching job the prior week. As we stood there talking, Rodrigo actually received a call on his cell phone notifying him of an interview which was set up for me on Thursday afternoon at Politecnico Andino Iberoamericano in central Medellin! Rodrigo suggested we meet up Wednesday at EAFIT to develop a teaching methodology/program for me to present and use at the school (if I am offered and accept) the job. Plus, he is going to join me for the interview, as it sounds like an interpreter will be needed.

As my energy waned in the chilly computer room, I decided to call it a day and boarded a bus back to the apartment. I managed to get off within a block, which I considered a small success. I walked around the neighborhood trying to find the closest grocery store, but ended up getting some food items at a convenience store instead. I also picked up a pair of khaki Ralph Lauren Polo pants ($24) for my job interview at one of the three small outlet stores next to the apartment building. Together with a cheap blue polo shirt I bought at Exito previously, I should look presentable. I think it´d be worthwhile to invest in a cheap pair of shoes too. You only get one chance to make a first impression!

In the evening, I caught up with the American news on CNN and worked on my conversational Spanish with Martin. I find watching movies in Spanish which I have already seen a dozen times in English, such as Along Came Polly and How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days, is a fun way to learn.

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I walked around my first Medellin university campus last week, Universidad EAFIT. I saw three different people advertising for private or group English lessons. While one of the ads was fancy, the other two were decidedly low-fi and straight to the point. With the help of Henry, a resident I met through Poorbuthappy.com, I created my own ad with information in both English and Spanish. I am going to post it around EAFIT’s campus and see if there is a response. I am purposefully undercutting the competition with regard to rates, and seeking students with an intermediate level of English interested in conversational practice.

Below is the text of my advertisement. The actual copy includes a photograph, which is a common requirement on resumes here as well. I will be adding a page to this blog which I can then reference in future advertisements as well.

If you or someone you know are interested in my services, please feel free to contact me!

________________________

Looking To Practice & Improve Your English?

My name is David Lee and I am a native English speaker from the United States. I graduated from Colgate University (New York) in 1998 with a degree in English Literature and Art History.

I am immediately available to tutor students with an intermediate English level. I offer private or small group lessons focused on conversational English.

The first meeting is free of charge. If we agree to continue, my rate is $15,000 pesos per hour for private lessons, and $10,000 pesos per person for group lessons.

Contact Me Today!

Cell: 301-287-7699

E-mail

Travel Site: http://www.GoBackpacking.com/Blog

________________________

Buscas practicar y mejorar tu Inglés?

Me llamo David Lee y soy un hablante de Inglés nativo de los Estados Unidos. Soy graduado de Colgate University (New York) en 1998 con titulo en Literatura Inglesa e Historia del Arte.

Estoy disponible para ser tutor de estudiantes que tengan un nivel de Ingles intermedio. Ofrezco sesiones privadas o para pequeños grupos enfocadas en un Inglés conversacional.

El primer encuentro es gratuito. Si acordamos continuar, mi tarifa es de $15,000 pesos por hora para sesiones privadas, y $10,000 pesos por persona para sesiones con grupos pequeños.

Contáctame Hoy!

Cell: 301-287-7699

E-mail

Travel Site: http://www.GoBackpacking.com/Blog

________________________

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First, I had an impromptu meeting with Adriaan, editor-in-chief of Colombia Reports. I learned a little more about how he arrived in Medellin, and found his story similar to my own. After getting some food and coffee, he took me to one of the poorer barrios where we had another drink and played some billiards. While I forgot the name of the specific barrio, he assured me it was the stomping ground of Colombia’s future beauty queens. We already have plans to begin working with one another.

I then took the metro from the city center toward Envigado, where I met up with my friend Martin to view an available room in the same apartment where he lives. He rents from a Colombian university student, and while the walk from the metro is a little longer than I´d prefer (10-12 minutes), the apartment itself is beautiful! Well furnished, with a modern kitchen, clean bathroom, balcony, cable TV, and pool. If my ASUS laptop’s AC adapter hadn’t been stolen two weeks ago at the hostel, I would also have wi-fi internet access.

At Casa Kiwi Hostel, I am paying about $49 per week. If I take the apartment, I can get that down to $40 per week, with a private (albeit small) bedroom. And since my status living in Medellin is still week to week, the flexibility to pay as such would be great.

After a quick bite to eat at the apartment, we took the metro to Florista and found the karaoke bar where the Couchsurfing group was celebrating the birthday of Nacho. I had attended his ´going away´party my first Saturday in Medellin and it was a blast. On this night, I saw some familiar faces, and met several new Colombians and travelers. Andrea from the University of Antioquia, and Fernando (who resembled Green Day’s Billy Joe), both offered to help me find cheap apartments near their school ($20/week). And Chad, who arrived in Medellin two days earlier, had already found his first student to tutor! He offered to help me get set up with classifieds and/or marketing online, which sounded promising. I continue to hear private tutoring is a more lucrative route than working for a school. For one thing, you do not need a work Visa to begin earning money. On the other hand, without a work Visa, your time in the country is limited to 6 months (and I am fast approaching the 2-month mark).

My future prospects looked a few shades brighter after a successful and unexpected day of networking!

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A funny thing happens when you stop traveling. Boredom sets in. You´ve seen the main sights, and any locals you´ve met are at work, university, or both during the week. To stay focused and productive, I kicked myself into gear and spent some time in the morning drumming up potential advertisers for my already established travel site, GoBackpacking.com.

After a bagel and coffee lunch in Zona Rosa, I returned to the hostel and immersed myself in tutorials for writing resumes aimed at language institutes in foreign countries. Below are a few of the bookmarked sites I found useful:

• Joyjob.com´s No-nonsense Guide to Finding a Teaching Job Abroad
  
• TransitionsAbroad.com´s How to Create a Great Web Resume for Teaching English Abroad (I like this idea, and it seems like it can be done in a day)
• English International
• Dave’s ESL Cafe International Job Board
• Onestopenglish
• edufind

My briefest, most basic and simple resume ever developed was then forwarded to three contacts I made here so far, two of whom responded with great feedback within a few hours.

As I continue this process, I will build upon the Teach English page. Hopefully it will save future travelers a little time an effort, especially if they´re knew to the whole ¨teaching English abroad¨game.

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