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Bendrix11
Newbie
Posts: 18
Registered: 6-11-2015
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Greetings from China
Just a quick introduction, I am an ESL teacher currently working in China. Recently my good friend returned from his hometown of La Paz and got me
seriously thinking about buying property and building a home there.
I am Australian and the idea of home ownership in my own country is but a distant dream, due to exhorberent property prices (unless you're willing to
live out in the burbs) which I am not. Baja shares many similarities with Australia - great beaches, scenic deserts and relaxed, friendly people. I
will visit La Paz early next year with my friend and hopefully buy a small lot.
So, the first of my many questions..
Will I be able to find an ESL gig? I have 5 years teaching experience and I dont mind travelling. My friend assures me this will not be a problem, but
I would like to hear from someone who may have some first hand experience.
Thanks for reading, I look forward to your replies.
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Bendrix11
Newbie
Posts: 18
Registered: 6-11-2015
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Also, I have over 10 years experience playing guitar & bass guitar in various cover bands (bar bands) in Australia. Would I be able to pick up a
regular gig in La Paz or surrounding areas?
(And sorry for the double post, Chinese internet can be a bit wacky at times)
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BajaBlanca
Select Nomad
Posts: 13196
Registered: 10-28-2008
Location: La Bocana, BCS
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Hi! I teach ESL but one does not make enough to live off of....I do it because I am passionate about teaching and my husband has retirement benefits
that cover our expenses.
Although I do NOT teach in La Paz, I think I can safely say that you should not depend on ESL for a livelihood- even college ESL professors don't
make a decent living wage from what I hear.
As for music, universal and you should be able to find people to play with. Your main challenge will be to get legal to work - in my case, before I
became a citizen, we opened a corporation.
Best of luck!
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Bendrix11
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Posts: 18
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Thanks for your reply, in my experience payment for bar bands I played with was usually handled off the books, that is to say "cash in hand" I assume
many establishments in Baja operate in a similar fashion? But hey, I am happy to sing for my supper (as it were) :-)
Perhaps there are fellow musicians in Baja who can offer me some more info..
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64836
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Quote: Originally posted by Bendrix11  | Thanks for your reply, in my experience payment for bar bands I played with was usually handled off the books, that is to say "cash in hand" I assume
many establishments in Baja operate in a similar fashion? But hey, I am happy to sing for my supper (as it were) :-)
Perhaps there are fellow musicians in Baja who can offer me some more info.. |
In America, we use the term, "Under the table"... I don't know the Mexican equivalent, but in Spanish the words are "Bajo de la mesa". I am sure one
of the fluent Mexican language Nomads will give us the phrase, if it is different!
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captkw
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3850
Registered: 10-19-2010
Location: el charro b.c.s.
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Mood: new dog/missing the old 1
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Amazing
The bankers have all the mice chaseing a small bit of cheese !! and have them paying to do it !! I Love it when I hear someone say my
house/land/place...Question ? How many times a week do you hear someone..anyone say "Yep,,I just paid my house off ?? " your only here for what 75.6
yrs...You don't own it folks !! and your willing to spend you life slaving to a false fact of life that its yours.....Get a grip !! Have fun,,give to
the planet...anyday your elbows don't hit pine,,is a good day on the up side of the green grass....no stupid reply's ...please...think about your
short time here and how much you have had to slave to a BS system.....time for a MAJOR change for this planet....Crew member spaceship earth
[Edited on 6-12-2015 by captkw]
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larryC
Super Nomad
Posts: 1495
Registered: 8-11-2008
Location: BoLA
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Capt, Capt, Capt, are you off your meds again? Is the tide of life on the way out for you?
Off grid, 12-190 watt evergreen solar panels on solar trackers, 2-3648 stacked Outback inverters, 610ah LiFePo4 48v battery bank, FM 60 and MX60
Outback charge controllers, X-240 Outback transformer for 240v from inverters, 6500 watt Kubota diesel generator.
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captkw
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3850
Registered: 10-19-2010
Location: el charro b.c.s.
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Mood: new dog/missing the old 1
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HI/Hola Larry
I don't take meds or drugs..Just a bit smarter than most !! if you think you own a house/land that you spent your life for..thats your choice..no
problem.......next time you walk thru a graveyard and think for a second,,,,you might get it...good day mate
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Bendrix11
Newbie
Posts: 18
Registered: 6-11-2015
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| Quote: Originally posted by captkw | | I don't take meds or drugs..Just a bit smarter than most !! if you think you own a house/land that you spent your life for..thats your choice..no
problem.......next time you walk thru a graveyard and think for a second,,,,you might get it...good day mate |
Welcome to the land of the internet, where the motivations of a complete stranger can be conveniently summarised by a couple of postings. Great to see
there is humour round' these here parts.
Like you, I also believe I'm smarter than most - always a joy to meet a fellow narcissist (you wouldn't be a musician by any chance?)
And as we like to say in Australia, I think you're barking up the wrong tree MATE.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64836
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Online
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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| Quote: Originally posted by Bendrix11 | | Quote: Originally posted by captkw | | I don't take meds or drugs..Just a bit smarter than most !! if you think you own a house/land that you spent your life for..thats your choice..no
problem.......next time you walk thru a graveyard and think for a second,,,,you might get it...good day mate |
Welcome to the land of the internet, where the motivations of a complete stranger can be conveniently summarised by a couple of postings. Great to see
there is humour round' these here parts.
Like you, I also believe I'm smarter than most - always a joy to meet a fellow narcissist (you wouldn't be a musician by any chance?)
And as we like to say in Australia, I think you're barking up the wrong tree MATE.
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I thought the phrase was: "A dingo ate your baby" ? 
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AKgringo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6025
Registered: 9-20-2014
Location: Anchorage, AK (no mas!)
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Mood: Retireded
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Welcome to the forum!
You will fit right in on this board, thick skin and a sense of humor is required.
Are you fluent in Spanish? How cool would it be to learn to speak Spanish with an Australian accent!
You might even pick up a few bucks teaching us Gringos (and Canadians) how to sound down under. A lot of us would like to be a little more exotic
than we really are.
If you are not living on the edge, you are taking up too much space!
"Could do better if he tried!" Report card comments from most of my grade school teachers. Sadly, still true!
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bajabuddha
Banned
Posts: 4024
Registered: 4-12-2013
Location: Baja New Mexico
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Mood: Always cranky unless medicated
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Welcome to Nomads, Bendrix. As with any web site, some tinfoil hats don't stay seated at all times....
You'll find that moving to Mexico and wanting to MAKE money are two opposing words; they (Gov't) wants you to spend it, not make it. They don't want
foreigners coming in and taking away any kind of jobs a citizen can, so there are lots of hurdles and red tape. And, as with any 2nd world country,
there are ways around most everything (nudge, nudge... wink-wink...) but time in Baja will show you the ropes. Keep it legit and there's a lot less
hassles down the line, but you will find it quite complicated.
Far's investing, buying and building, you'll also hear a recurring theme that's iron-clad; do NOT invest in Mexico with whatever you cannot
walk away from. Best advice: RENT first. Give it at least a year to learn the ropes, establish what you intended to (or not) and don't
rush into anything. Take your time. As an international traveler you're no dummy, so i'm sure you have the 'third-eye' open and alert. Things are
in kind of a flux in the La Paz area right now, so maybe another reason to go slowly.
Good luck in your endeavor.
I don't have a BUCKET LIST, but I do have a F***- IT LIST a mile long!
86 - 45*
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shari
Select Nomad
Posts: 13048
Registered: 3-10-2006
Location: bahia asuncion, baja sur
Member Is Offline
Mood: there is no reality except the one contained within us "Herman Hesse"
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Buen dia Bendrix...so nothing is impossible but if you plan to live & work in La Paz...be prepared to live very frugally which is a good thing to
practice anyway. Many folks get by doing a variety of things like teaching, tutoring, playing music etc. To teach you will need to speak Spanish
though to be realistic about it. You might find some tutoring gigs with people who already have some English skills.
Music you could probably make some beer money but be careful with immigration. La Paz is NOT cheap by any means so unless you have some money saved up
to buy something...well...dream on. There are places for pretty cheap around if you look...in the smaller outlying areas.
For example a guy yesterday asked me to find him a buyer for his 2 bedroom house that is only 15 grande but is in the middle of town with no ocean
view so deals are out there if you arent fussy.
I would hang out for awhile in Baja and talk to other expats in the area you want to live in before buying something to avoid disappointment later.
Dont rush into it...there are alot of cultural twists that can foul you up especially if you want to work bajo el agua. You could buy something and
get deported! I'm just sayin...
When I first moved here I did what I could to survive...and yes teachers are paid a very low salary so I made jewellery, tutored etc to make ends
meet...but I was accustomed to a meagre existance.
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Bendrix11
Newbie
Posts: 18
Registered: 6-11-2015
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Thanks for the feedback guys. I have been living in China for 5 years so I am no stranger to corruption/under-handed dealings and adapting to a new
culture. I enjoy learning new languages and have become fluent in Chinese (a tonal based language, not easy to learn let alone master) I also studied
Italian throughout the duration of my primary/secondary education, a language that shares many similarities with Spanish.
Of course property investment is a risky endeavour anywhere these days, I intend to spend a couple of months in country before I commit myself. My
friends family currently live in La Paz so it is reassuring to know I have support/guidance when need be.
And sure, I can teach you guys Australian...for the modest sum of 100 USD an hour (or mates rates as we like to say in Aus :-)
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Bendrix11
Newbie
Posts: 18
Registered: 6-11-2015
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| Quote: Originally posted by David K | | Quote: Originally posted by Bendrix11 | | Quote: Originally posted by captkw | | I don't take meds or drugs..Just a bit smarter than most !! if you think you own a house/land that you spent your life for..thats your choice..no
problem.......next time you walk thru a graveyard and think for a second,,,,you might get it...good day mate |
Welcome to the land of the internet, where the motivations of a complete stranger can be conveniently summarised by a couple of postings. Great to see
there is humour round' these here parts.
Like you, I also believe I'm smarter than most - always a joy to meet a fellow narcissist (you wouldn't be a musician by any chance?)
And as we like to say in Australia, I think you're barking up the wrong tree MATE.
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I thought the phrase was: "A dingo ate your baby" ? |
We breed em' tough Down under, these days our babies eat dingo's (repercussions from our earlier Cur based embarrassments)
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bajabuddha
Banned
Posts: 4024
Registered: 4-12-2013
Location: Baja New Mexico
Member Is Offline
Mood: Always cranky unless medicated
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I remember a little of my Ausie-nese from when I briefly visited the Bondi Beach area in April of 1971 for a week...
"G'Day, mate! Oi'd loike a Beeee'. Naw warries! " Loved it, and the people. 
I don't have a BUCKET LIST, but I do have a F***- IT LIST a mile long!
86 - 45*
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Bendrix11
Newbie
Posts: 18
Registered: 6-11-2015
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: Originally posted by bajabuddha | I remember a little of my Ausie-nese from when I briefly visited the Bondi Beach area in April of 1971 for a week...
"G'Day, mate! Oi'd loike a Beeee'. Naw warries! " Loved it, and the people. |
Sounds about right, you could expect a similar welcome now days, we always enjoy having a chin-wag (chat) with our yank mates, you guys talk funny :-p
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Alm
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 2729
Registered: 5-10-2011
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Do some research on key word Odille. The scale of devastation and subsequent looting in La Paz was enormous.
Definitely you should rent for some length of time, before buying in Baja. Seems like a common sense to me.
[Edited on 6-12-2015 by Alm]
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gnukid
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4411
Registered: 7-2-2006
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Not sure but I think Australians have different set of immigration rule than USA/Canada. It may be easier to get work visas.
There are many people who come to the region and work as guides on boats, sailing and work to teach a variety of classes, usually seasonally but many
year round. There is a need for people to be responsible, manage properties for renters, restaurants, and provide services including teaching at the
universities though it helps to have more than english teaching credentials for example, another degree.
While devastation was bad after Odile for some and the economy has taken a hit with deflation which is hard, this also represents an opportunity and a
great time to buy and build with lower prices and better exchange rate. I would say this is a great time to start in La Paz. If one were to build a
nice multiplex you could survive on that alone and enjoy playing music and teaching too.
La Paz has just begun a new era, the elections are done. People are strong and have come together as a community to resolve issues and move forward
with local business as core focus.
[Edited on 6-13-2015 by gnukid]
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captkw
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3850
Registered: 10-19-2010
Location: el charro b.c.s.
Member Is Offline
Mood: new dog/missing the old 1
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bendrx11
Hola,,don't understand your reply to me ?? as You yourself stated prop was Waaayy to much money..and I agreed..then larry post about meds and I
replyed to him....Not you.....spent some time with folks from "Down under" and always had a blast !! and I run a catermaran boat..Ya know..Thinking
The Great Barriar Reff is one of my last "Bucket List" after I sail thru NZ.. And Yes I used to play and teach 6 & 12 string...A Big Welcome to
You..Can we hear about your life in china..that must be change of life for you...K&T
[Edited on 6-13-2015 by captkw]
[Edited on 6-13-2015 by captkw]
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