Footprints Recruiting

Chile is a great country.  Teaching English in Chile is the perfect way to learn Spanish and explore a vibrant friendly culture.  Teaching in Chile is NOT going to make you a fortune. 

In most cases, teaching jobs in Chile do NOT include airfare, housing OR medical.  This is definitely something to consider before getting to far into your research.  If you have student loans or debt of some description, you are better off considering Korea or Taiwan or an Asian or Middle Eastern country.

Classes will be LARGE. The average class size in Chile in public and semi-public schools is about 40 students give or take 10. Combine this with the fact that this will be many of the students first exposure to a native speaker of English and you now have a frenzied level of excitement and enthusiasm among them. Come in friendly, but start the year very strict.  

What will my students be like?

There is no one answer to that question that could encompass the dynamics that you will encounter within the class. You will have angels and children that are very studious and do all the work. Others you will have to have to tell them to do work repeatedly. Chilean national pastime is soccer so all of your students will want to know who your favorite soccer team is. 

The type of students you have is directly related to where you're teaching.  The socio-economic demographic is one of the biggest factors is how much exposure your students have had to English.  Consider an IVY league prep school or an expensive private boarding school... consider the education standards.  Stereotypes are not always completely accurate but they do hold some truths.

Chile has some great food.  From epanadas to fresh seafood to chicken and rice and the infamous barbeque.  Argentinians will tell you they are the masters, Brazilians will tell you there is only one great barbeque while Chileans quietly say very little but have amazing skill and taste.

At the heart of it all, Santiago has many international restaurants; waiter service is usual.   In many cases, in restaurants, the evening will often include floor shows and dancing.

Examples of typical national dishes are empanada (combination of meat, chicken or fish, with onions, eggs, raisins and olives inside a flour pastry), humitas (seasoned corn paste, wrapped in corn husks and boiled), cazuela de ave (soup with rice, vegetables, chicken and herbs), bife a lo pobre (steak with french fries, onions and eggs) and parrillada (selection of meat grilled over hot coals).

Seafood is great. Best known are the huge lobsters from Juan Fernández Islands. Abalone, sea urchins, clams, prawns and giant choros (mussels) are also common.

Of particular note is the wine.  Chile is famous for its wine and it is cheap and delicious.  There are a great many varieties and bottles range from $1-hundreds.  Another favorite drink is Pisco, a powerful liqueur distilled from grapes after wine pressing. Grapes are also used to make the sweet brown chicha as well as aguardiente, similar to brandy. Beer is also popular throughout the country.

Every resident of Chile has national insurance, as a legal teacher there who has registered for residency, you too will have this coverage.  In most cases, when you arrive and go through the paperwork to legally get a working visa, temporary residency forms and national medical forms will be part of the legalization process. 

BE AWARE: you will not actually have coverage until the end of your first month or later.  We highly advise you go with expat medical insurance.

Insurance here varies from school to school but may be something like this:

• Reembolso 50% remedies con receta medica
• Reembolso 50% consultas medicas y examenes
• Reembolso de gasto do operaciones 50% de lo que no cubre la Isapre
• Deducible mas o menos $10.000-el la primera situación de reembolso
• Prescriptions are available but may not be exactly the same.
• Count on allergies to be affected by smog and dust.

The process to get a teaching visa in Chile can be complicated and expensive.  In many cases Footprints teachers will enter Chile on a tourist visa and they will apply for a working visa shortly after they arrive.

In most cases teachers will enter Chile on a tourist visa and they will change the status of their visa while they are in country. Once a teacher gets settled the school will take you to the Ministry of Education and the formalities of sponsorship for the proper work visa will be worked out.