# Moving to Chiapas with 2 children, can anyone advise regarding work and location?



## ninaromina

Hello there,

I will be moving to Chiapas within the next year. I will be 34 years old and I will be moving with two children (they will be 3 years old and 6 months old). I have a university degree (in foreign languages) and I am fluent in Spanish. I am consiering moving to Comitan or San Cristobal de las Casas. I am very concerned about finding work to support myself and my children while over there, as well as good preschools/kindergarten for the kids and things like access to good health care. I have one year to prepare. Can anyone give me any advice on what kind of jobs I should be considering while over there and how I could prepare myself or improve my qualifications in order to ensure a more successful job search? Also, can anyone recommend either Comitan or San Cristobal or another appropriate location in Chiapas? I am looking for a cooler climate with no humidity. Howeveer, if I can find a great job in a hot humid place, I will learn how to live with it  Thank you in advance for your advice!

Evelyn


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## Isla Verde

ewelinaw said:


> Hello there,
> 
> I will be moving to Chiapas within the next year. I will be 34 years old and I will be moving with two children (they will be 3 years old and 6 months old). I have a university degree (in foreign languages) and I am fluent in Spanish. I am consiering moving to Comitan or San Cristobal de las Casas. I am very concerned about finding work to support myself and my children while over there, as well as good preschools/kindergarten for the kids and things like access to good health care. I have one year to prepare. Can anyone give me any advice on what kind of jobs I should be considering while over there and how I could prepare myself or improve my qualifications in order to ensure a more successful job search? Also, can anyone recommend either Comitan or San Cristobal or another appropriate location in Chiapas? I am looking for a cooler climate with no humidity. Howeveer, if I can find a great job in a hot humid place, I will learn how to live with it  Thank you in advance for your advice!
> 
> Evelyn


Chiapas is one of the poorest states in Mexico, so any work you could find will probably not pay very well. I would be concerned about having to support yourself and your children on your salary. If you're looking for a cool dry climate, you should consider somewhere in the Central Highlands of Mexico, since Chiapas is either cool and humid (San Cristobal, for example) or hot and humid (Tuxtla Gutierrez). If you are interested in looking for work as an English teacher, I recommend you post an inquiry at this website for expat English teachers: Job Discussion Forums :: Index. The posters on the Mexico forum will be happy to help you.


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## conklinwh

ewelinaw said:


> Hello there,
> 
> I will be moving to Chiapas within the next year. I will be 34 years old and I will be moving with two children (they will be 3 years old and 6 months old). I have a university degree (in foreign languages) and I am fluent in Spanish. I am consiering moving to Comitan or San Cristobal de las Casas. I am very concerned about finding work to support myself and my children while over there, as well as good preschools/kindergarten for the kids and things like access to good health care. I have one year to prepare. Can anyone give me any advice on what kind of jobs I should be considering while over there and how I could prepare myself or improve my qualifications in order to ensure a more successful job search? Also, can anyone recommend either Comitan or San Cristobal or another appropriate location in Chiapas? I am looking for a cooler climate with no humidity. Howeveer, if I can find a great job in a hot humid place, I will learn how to live with it  Thank you in advance for your advice!
> 
> Evelyn


Evelyn, it is very hard to move to Mexico and get any job, let alone one that would pay you enough to live on and support two kids. You talked about degree but not work experience. The easiest way to get work status approved is to have a job before you get here but the company that sponsors you needs to be able to justify the uniqueness of your skills. Is there something about your degree or experience that would differentiate you?
By the way, most of the bajio has very moderate temperatures and pretty low relative humidity.


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## Isla Verde

conklinwh said:


> By the way, most of the bajio has very moderate temperatures and pretty low relative humidity.


Evelyn might not know where the Bajío is located.


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## circle110

Mexico heavily protects it's jobs from foreign workers so, unless you have a very needed skill (frequently technical) it can be very difficult to get the required permission to work legally.

One option you do have is to teach English. Your degree will help you there some, plus if you can get certified (ie CELTA, TESOL, TEFL) you will have a leg up in the job hunt. Unfortunately, many English teaching jobs don't pay very highly and salaries may be lower still in an economically depressed area like Chiapas. However, if you have quality certification and a relevant degree you might be able to land a better paying position. Experience would be a huge help too; perhaps you could work part time as an ESL volunteer while in the US to get some experience.


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## conklinwh

According to Wikipedia, the bajio consists of:

El bajío mexicano lo conforman los estados de:
Aguascalientes
Guanajuato
Jalisco (solo parte norte)
Michoacán (solo parte norte)
Querétaro

This surprised me as thought also included parts of San Luis Potosi, Zacatecas & Hidalgo.


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## Heyduke

Getting a job teaching that pays can be difficult. You will need a FM 3 visa to work. I live in San Cristobal and know a couple of English teachers and I don't think they make much money. Comitan is even smaller than SC so there is probably less chance for work. You may have better luck in Tuxtula. Make sure you have a job before you move here.


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## Isla Verde

circle110 said:


> One option you do have is to teach English. Your degree will help you there some, plus if you can get certified (ie CELTA, TESOL, TEFL) . . .


The CELTA is the name of a well-regarded certificate program that trains you to teach adults English as a Foreign Language. TESOL is not the name of a certificate, just the name of the field itself (Teaching of English to Speakers of Other Languages), as is TEFL (Teaching of English as a Foreign Language).


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## Isla Verde

Heyduke said:


> Getting a job teaching that pays can be difficult. You will need a FM 3 visa to work. I live in San Cristobal and know a couple of English teachers and I don't think they make much money. Comitan is even smaller than SC so there is probably less chance for work. You may have better luck in Tuxtula. Make sure you have a job before you move here.


It's almost impossible to get a job teaching English before arriving in Mexico unless you are highly-qualified and land a job with a prestigious bilingual _colegio_, the only ones that pay really good salaries. By the way, a _colegio_ is not a "college" as the term is understood on the States but rather a school for children from the elementary grades through high school.


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## Heyduke

I would hate to move here needing a job and then have to find one. Check Daves ESL cafe. Lots of info on teaching from people who teach.


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## Isla Verde

Heyduke said:


> I would hate to move here needing a job and then have to find one. Check Daves ESL cafe. Lots of info on teaching from people who teach.


In Mexico that's how it usually works. Someone looking for a secure teaching position before arriving should look for work in countries in East Asia or the Middle East. FYI I posted a link to Dave's ESL Cafe a few posts ago.


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## sparks55

I echo what Isla Verde said about Chiapas. Speaking fluent Spanish would help because there are no Americans and very few tourists, expecially in areas like Tapachula. It is very poor there. I may move there soon, but I have a retirement income and don't need a job to support my husband and I. Chiapas is very beautiful place, especially up in the mountains. It is also cooler in the higher elevations. Everyone is very friendly and welcoming. We were in Tapachula, Cabrillo Puerto and Cacoatan area.


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## mickisue1

It concerns me that you say that you ARE going to Chiapas, but don't say what the driver is for going there, and your lack of a source of income, with two tiny kids, is even more worrisome.


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## circle110

>>Lots of info on teaching from people who teach. 
@ Heyduke: Isla Verde does teach English for a living here in Mexico so I definitely wouldn't disregard what she says.



Isla Verde said:


> The CELTA is the name of a well-regarded certificate program that trains you to teach adults English as a Foreign Language. TESOL is not the name of a certificate, just the name of the field itself (Teaching of English to Speakers of Other Languages), as is TEFL (Teaching of English as a Foreign Language).


I'd like to clarify regarding the acronyms I used. 

CELTA is also an acronym (Certificate of English Language Teaching to Adults). It is a program offered through Cambridge University and, as Isla Verde said, is very highly regarded worldwide. [My Mexican wife and I are using the Cambridge materials to help her learn English and I find that they are very well done compared to others we have used previously.]

TESOL -- I should have used the full name "certTESOL" since TESOL is indeed a generic acronym. certTESOL is a program through Trinity College of London which is also highly regarded. If a certification program uses TESOL in its name and is not from Trinity College it is likely to be a sham since they are trying to play off the name recognition of Trinity's certTESOL. 

TEFL and TESL (Teaching English as a Second Language) are generic acronyms that most of the other teaching certification programs use in their names - largely because they can't use CELTA or certTESOL, which are trademarked. Certification programs that are not CELTA or certTESOL are generally not as highly regarded but are usually still seen as far better than no certification at all.


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## Belizegirl

As a parent who moved to Mexico with two very young children, I could not ever imagine saying, before visiting, let alone moving, that I would be moving within the next year especially if I was very concerned about finding work to support a family.


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## mickisue1

The OP has been MIA. 

I hope that she wasn't frightened away, but, rather, decided to think through the decision a bit more.


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## Heyduke

Just my view..I would rather she be frightened away than show up with her kids and then find out she can't get a job. Having said that I think with some searching she may find what she is looking for.


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## norocysuerte

ewelinaw said:


> Hello there,
> 
> I will be moving to Chiapas within the next year. I will be 34 years old and I will be moving with two children (they will be 3 years old and 6 months old). I have a university degree (in foreign languages) and I am fluent in Spanish. I am consiering moving to Comitan or San Cristobal de las Casas. I am very concerned about finding work to support myself and my children while over there, as well as good preschools/kindergarten for the kids and things like access to good health care. I have one year to prepare. Can anyone give me any advice on what kind of jobs I should be considering while over there and how I could prepare myself or improve my qualifications in order to ensure a more successful job search? Also, can anyone recommend either Comitan or San Cristobal or another appropriate location in Chiapas? I am looking for a cooler climate with no humidity. Howeveer, if I can find a great job in a hot humid place, I will learn how to live with it  Thank you in advance for your advice!
> 
> Evelyn


Hi Evelyn, 

I can't speak to the part about bringing children here, but I can share with you my experience with the job search - specifically with looking for english teaching jobs. I moved here to Chiapas (Tuxtla) about 6 weeks ago. Within my first week, I found a job teaching English at a small language school. I am not a certified teacher and didn't have formal english teaching experience. The job is sponsoring me for my FM3 - I arrived on a tourist visa. I've found a second job also teaching English at University - one of the few that doesn't require a certificate in order to teach. The english teaching jobs don't pay a lot - about 110 pesos per hour. Some of the English teachers I've spoken to said they do private english classes for about 150 pesos per hour. I don't know what line of work you are searching for, but my point is that, from my experience, being a native english speaker is beneficial here and can help you find a job. I'm currently working on my TESOL certificate - but neither one of the jobs are contingent on me being certified.

As for the healthcare, it's been a concern of mine since I arrived. However, today I went to visit a doctor that read about in a Mexico Health / Travel book (found through google) and he was quite good - comparable to the type of environment and care I would have received in the US. I paid 600 pesos for an office visit. Also, there is a chain of hospitals that is supposed to be quite good - Hospital Angeles - and there is one in Villahermosa - about a 4 hour drive from Tuxtla. 

Good luck.


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## mickisue1

If you are working forty hours a week, that $110 is only $4400, which even if you are lucky enough to work full time teaching English, is less than the $1500 US you'd need just for one person, much less for a woman with two kids, in order to get your FM3.

I know that different states in MX have different lower limits; perhaps Chiapas, being such a poor state, has lower than the $1500?


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## Isla Verde

mickisue1 said:


> If you are working forty hours a week, that $110 is only $4400, which even if you are lucky enough to work full time teaching English, is less than the $1500 US you'd need just for one person, much less for a woman with two kids, in order to get your FM3.
> 
> I know that different states in MX have different lower limits; perhaps Chiapas, being such a poor state, has lower than the $1500?


That income limit is only for the FM3 _rentista_, which you get when you are not going to work in Mexico. To be eligible for an FM3 _lucrativa_, the kind I and norocysuerte have, you either have to have a job offer or show proof that you are qualified to work in Mexico in a particular field, often on a free-lance basis. In my case, I presented proof that I had taken a TEFL course to the INM bureaucrats, so I would be able to give private English classes legally. Every month I pay taxes on my teaching income, which is considerably less than $1500 US dollars.

On the other hand, I imagine that living on the salary that norocysuerte is earning must be very difficult.


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## ninaromina

Thanks to everyone for their comments. I should have mentioned that i will be going to chiapas to reunite with my husband who is in the process of applying for an immigrant visa. A lot of people mentioned that i would need to have a fh3 visa in order to work legally in mexico. We will not be able to meet the financi requirement ( some 1000 usd per dependent) in order to even apply for the visa. Is there any way of getting around that? My husbands income is not even worth mentioning here. I would love to teach english. I have some prior experience tutoring esl. I have a bs degree from a prestigious univ ( in german and spanish and linguistics). I just dont know where to start. I have a year to prepare here in the us before i head out and i have no idea where to begin. Im very overwhelmed with everything at this point and time.


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## edgeee

ewelinaw said:


> Thanks to everyone for their comments. I should have mentioned that i will be going to chiapas to reunite with my husband who is in the process of applying for an immigrant visa. A lot of people mentioned that i would need to have a fh3 visa in order to work legally in mexico. We will not be able to meet the financi requirement ( some 1000 usd per dependent) in order to even apply for the visa. Is there any way of getting around that? My husbands income is not even worth mentioning here. I would love to teach english. I have some prior experience tutoring esl. I have a bs degree from a prestigious univ ( in german and spanish and linguistics). I just dont know where to start. I have a year to prepare here in the us before i head out and i have no idea where to begin. Im very overwhelmed with everything at this point and time.


hang in there. you are among friends, and it sounds like you need some.
you and i share a need. we need to survive. we will do what we must.
you will find that your new friends here wish you all the best and will help in many ways. they have helped me immensely.
like mickiesue1, i wondered what your motivation was, but now i get it.
you have an immense challenge in front of you, so don't look back, except to learn from mistakes.
it's all about what to do next.
start by defining your position. your last post clarified things somewhat, but the devil is in the details, so be specific.
you don't have to post it here, but get it clear in your own mind. then post as needed.

it seems you are locked in on location, so be it.
with regard to job prospects, i have no knowledge, so i defer to the others who are already in Mexico, but i would offer these ideas, in principle.

decide what you are good at, and continue to get better.
find what is needed where you are going. see if you can match it in some way.
given your formal education, i would think maybe your translation skills can be used to edit/proof-read for a Mexican company, but that's just a guess.

be prepared to accept that what you want is not going to happen.
as humans, we always want gratification, but what we usually get is a kick in the teeth.

if you seriously want something, anything, be prepared to get it in small doses, one day at a time, and hard fought. if it came easy it would have no value.
you will struggle. but you will get some form of what you want, if you never stop chasing your dreams.

since you have a year to prepare, you have an edge. use it.
learn Spanish, study Mexico, reach out to those who have been where you are.
and probe the minds of those who are already where you want to be.
this forum is gonna be helpful, so make friends here.
you'll be glad you did.


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## mickisue1

Since you have a year, you could start checking into TEFL programs. Some are better than others, and there are people here who know the difference.

I know my daughter went to the one in Barcelona, which is internationally recognized. With, by my calculations, a toddler and one on the way, I don't think that's an option for you at the moment, is it?


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## beachbaby

I lived in Comitan for 5 months (November-April - the dry season) and in San Cris for 2 years including the rainyist rainy season in 50 years. 

Comitan: I loved the climate. It was warm but not too hot and I didn't notice humidity at all. Easy access to lots of natural beauty. Very nice locals and relaxed vibe. It seems like an upper middle class Mexican town. But not a lot going on with international travelers coming through or an ex-pat community (I think I only saw 4 other "white people") during the 5 months of living there. I don't think you would have much luck in finding work in Comitan - unless you started by giving group English classes in your home. The locals would love to put Comitan on the international traveler stops, but with San Cris so close by (1 1/2 hours away) that is so well developed - I think it will be difficult for Comitan to develop enough business to really need English speakers. Cost of living for my husband and I was about $11,000 pesos a month: which included eating out about 5 times a week, a large 3 bedroom/2 bath - unfurnished home in the best area of town, and gas/insurance for our car.

San Cris: Always mild and cool. I am very sensitive to cold and humid (like fog in San Francisco, CA), but never felt like San Cris was that humid. Well developed ex-pat community. We had friends who moved to San Cris with children. There is a private school, Los Pinguinos, that the children would attend - however, your's are too young still. It is a very enjoyable city with a town feel; and lots of public free activities and parades and festivals. Our cost of living ran about $16,000 pesos a month for about the same type lifestyle we had in Comitan. But I think San Cris would offer a lot more opportunities. San Cris has at least a couple of private language schools: Jovel being one and I don't remember the name of the other. 

Either place, you would need to have some money saved up (or a separate income stream) that would cover your expenses while you worked on developing your own business or finding work.


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## conklinwh

beachbaby said:


> I lived in Comitan for 5 months (November-April - the dry season) and in San Cris for 2 years including the rainyist rainy season in 50 years.
> 
> Comitan: I loved the climate. It was warm but not too hot and I didn't notice humidity at all. Easy access to lots of natural beauty. Very nice locals and relaxed vibe. It seems like an upper middle class Mexican town. But not a lot going on with international travelers coming through or an ex-pat community (I think I only saw 4 other "white people") during the 5 months of living there. I don't think you would have much luck in finding work in Comitan - unless you started by giving group English classes in your home. The locals would love to put Comitan on the international traveler stops, but with San Cris so close by (1 1/2 hours away) that is so well developed - I think it will be difficult for Comitan to develop enough business to really need English speakers. Cost of living for my husband and I was about $11,000 pesos a month: which included eating out about 5 times a week, a large 3 bedroom/2 bath - unfurnished home in the best area of town, and gas/insurance for our car.
> 
> San Cris: Always mild and cool. I am very sensitive to cold and humid (like fog in San Francisco, CA), but never felt like San Cris was that humid. Well developed ex-pat community. We had friends who moved to San Cris with children. There is a private school, Los Pinguinos, that the children would attend - however, your's are too young still. It is a very enjoyable city with a town feel; and lots of public free activities and parades and festivals. Our cost of living ran about $16,000 pesos a month for about the same type lifestyle we had in Comitan. But I think San Cris would offer a lot more opportunities. San Cris has at least a couple of private language schools: Jovel being one and I don't remember the name of the other.
> 
> Either place, you would need to have some money saved up (or a separate income stream) that would cover your expenses while you worked on developing your own business or finding work.



I think that you are right, I would focus on San Cristobal vs Comintan unless you could find a US foundation to sponsor/pay you to teach group English for free. I would followup a number of the leads in the above note. Given a year, you have time to contact the private schools, language schools and maybe even a Tuxla college that has a location in San Cristobal. Work on identifying people and schmoozing them. Who knows, you might get a sponsor.


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## beachbaby

Sounds very sensible and best of luck!


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