Working Holidays in South America?

[Prawn_86]

Ok so i know a lot of people do the European working holidays, picking up work in bars and hostels. But i was wondering if this is easy to do in South America also?

Or is the culture gap too different and they generally dont employ gringos? Or are the wages that low that they dont need to?

[kennas]

There's a few options for 'work' in South America and Central America, which I think should be lumped together as Latin America.

For traveling Gringos the first option is English teaching. LOTS of work for English teachers especially if you have a degree and TESL qual. Could get work anywhere.

Next may be to work at a hostel or cafe or bar or shop who need good English speakers.

Another option is to do some dive courses and become a DM or Instructor (especially in Honduras and Belize) and work.

If you have some money behind you then buying or starting a business in the region is possible. Like a cafe or bar or buying a hostel. Every country has a different business law however, so it needs to be researched. It can be very simple to buy a small cafe in Guatemala, southern Chile, Bolivia, or central Colombia, but more difficult and much more expensive in Cancun, Mexico.

To get just some normal type of job here, you are competeing with locals. Therefore you need to be able to speak Spanish and accept the local wage. In Peru the average wage is about 1000 Soles a month. $330 USD.

You could get work here as an Expat, hired from oversees in a specialist roll like business or accounting or law or geologist.

Or, marry someone who gets a job as GM of a travel company based in Lima.

[Prawn_86]

Thanks Kennas,

The last option sounds the easiest. Lucky you.

Im not sure if you will know, but is a degree enough to be able to do some english teaching? Or qould you definitely need the TESOL qualification? The reason i ask is that in some asian countries all you need is a degree.

If we were to do it, obviously we dont speak spanish, so would probably be at quiet a disadvantage im guessing.

Do you know how easy expat roles are to come by? (or can you get us one? ;) )

[kennas]

It's a legal requirement here to have TESL, but it is often overlooked. A friend of mine got a job with a company that did it's own in house training to get their teachers up to their standard before unleashing them on students. She just had a degree.

Spanish is essential here. You'd think that due to tourism most people working in it would know some English, but not so. Need to remember English is the third of forth language here. They have their indigenous language, then Spanish and/or Portuguese, then English.

The only Expat jobs you could get would be in the mining industry I think.

In tourism, there are many expats and the companies have to prove that no local can do the job. That means a specific qualification in business management or tourism and also have extensive experience. Rachs company has 2 expat type jobs. Her's and the Ops Manager. Everyone else is a local. They don't even hire Expat leaders anymore. All local leaders.