why you might see me soon (if you live in new york)

so, we came to buenos aires with the hope and expectation that the job market would be more or less like the job market in cuenca, just with more options because it is a bigger city. well, let me start over: we came to south america with the idea that we could probably get good jobs anywhere we went because they are available and we are qualified - no - overqualified for the majority of them. in cuenca we found a school. a decent, well enough run school that had semesters, regular pay - all the things you would expect from a school. we worked there for the amount of time we agreed, then came here to buenos aires more or less expecting to find something similar. sure, the pay wasnt great in cuenca, but we werent expecting anything much better and we were able to cover our living expenses and not spend too much of our savings.

 

however, here in buenos aires, the job market is a little bit different. for example, there are no schools. well, of course there are international schools - schools where diplomats send their children. you go to these, sign a 2 year contract, get paid an american salary and sometimes get housing. we are of course qualified for this, but, we didnt think of this last year as we were planning our year. so, the job market that we are thus a part of - the backpacker job market here in buenos aires is quite grim. for teaching english, you are basically a temp working for various agencies that hook you up to teach businessmen. the pay is paltry, and can change at any moment. the classes are not in fact classes and can be cancelled at any moment. the hours change week to week and you might not get any classes at all. you know ,a temp job... after one of these interviews, we decided that ok, we are now in teh system so we might get a call at any point for one of these jobs so great - but it is rather beneath us to try to base our lives around this kind of work - us with masters degrees and years of teaching experience etc.

 

the other thing is that in order to get paid, and to get paid in such a way that the company who finds the jobs for you dont have to pay so many taxes, you have to falsify a tax document called a 'factura' which is also the word for some kind of commonly found pastry here in buenos aires. everyone says that it is quite common for people to falsify tax documents in this way. but the way i look at it, people of my age, education and experience should be getting jobs that give them visas to legally be in countries if they want to work in foreign countries (immigrants to the u.s. notwithstanding). so, either way, the job market is grim. on the other hand, there are personal ads taken out on craigslist for people who want to learn english and will put cash in your hand for your services. and, there is the option of posting flyers so that you can get this kind of work without the agency. but this is not the way i want to make a life. anna either.

 

so, rather than go find another city where we will probably have the same problem, go back to cuenca where it is fine but will cost money to get there and we will only get paid a little, find some village somewhere who needs someone to give out condoms or something all day for room and board, find some hotel somewhere who needs someone to clean up the piss of backpackers for a free spot on the couch, etc., weve decided to come back to new york early so as to not spend all our money doing any of the above mentioned, or just sitting around unemployed in buenos aires - fun as it may be what with the steak and wine and espressos and overall good-citiness of it all.