The Skinny

The hardest part upon my return to Buenos Aires is encountering many hurdles in my job search. Prior to graduating school in May, I looked up every job portal available to me looking for the golden, coveted position in Buenos Aires that would guarantee me some kind of security. After sending many applications to student travel tours, travel agencies, NGOs, the embassy, and marketing firms, I realized many things. First of all, with the exception of a random mix of internships that have given me some minimal experience, I have no real expertise that I can boast. Secondly, the market is fierce. Therefore, teaching English soon enough became my best bet.

In New York, I deliberated over obtaining a TOEFL certification that would setback my savings back by a $1,000, if not more. Although it would certainly guarantee me better paying jobs, the average English teacher in Buenos Aires makes anywhere from 30 to 50 pesos, which amounts to anywhere from $7-12 dollars per hour. Scared by the certification price tag, I reasoned that it would only be worth it were I going to a country where it actually pays off to teach English, like China, South Korea, or Japan. Feeling frustrated, I halted my job search in the states, hoping to figure it out once I got here.

Two weeks and half went by before I found employment. I wrote to about a few dozen English schools, receiving only three responses. My first response told me that although she would possibly interview me next week, I have hit the low season for hiring English teachers. From what I know, the city shuts down after the Christmas and New Year holidays, half of Buenos Aires leaves on vacation in January making the city a pleasant oasis. I felt a bit dumbfounded by this piece of information that I hadn’t come across in my planning at all.

Feeling desperate I hit the streets of Palermo with my retail CV in hand and left it at any cool looking cafe or restaurant. A few places took interest, however, my status here immediately came up. One or two owners asked if I had a CUIL/CUIT or DNI, essentially a number that allows businesses to pay taxes for their employees. Obtaining either is hard, without a DNI or permanent visa, you cannot get either. I then began to attack job portals like ZonaJobs and others in addition to checking Craiglist at least three times a day everyday. Finally two weeks after landing here, I received my first positive response after answering a Craigslist ad looking for an English teacher to teach online courses. Skeptical, but desperate I answered, and interviewed immediately the next day. As it turns out, a couple of teachers in the company were leaving, therefore they needed people asap, even an inexperienced schmuck like me. I got the job realizing that it was a matter of luck and timing, and some experience. Many people applied for the job - in fact the teacher who hired me told me what I had already known, people, even established English teachers, were desperate to find a job right now because English schools are probably letting people off as things wind down. What’s more many English teachers save up money so that they can ride these next couple of months out.

At the moment, I am making 2,000 pesos, which is the equivalent of $503 per month. Upon landing the job on the spot, I was ecstatic and felt as though things were certainly looking up - I was lucky to find this at least. However, the reality begun to sunk in. I am paying $1000 pesos per month equivalent to $251 per month. Essentially, half my pay goes to rent. Not to mention that the position is already full-time, Monday through Friday 8am to 4pm. Although I enjoy the comfort of having a position and knowing that I will receive at least something within the first few days of the next month, I am making about $100 pesos a day, or $25.18 a day or even worse $3.14 an hour. Honestly speaking, the work is not at all grueling or tiring; however, it is far from the $30 peso rate I imagined would allow me to keep my savings intact and live comfortably.

In fear of exhausting my savings, I have taken yet another part-time job that I will begin next week as a telephone operator for a new delivery service. They will pay me $12 pesos to begin with, $3.02 an hour, and $14 pesos, $3.52 after a two-week trial. When I asked my recruiter if this was the minimum wage, she said there really was no minimum wage, but that perhaps the more minimal paying jobs start you at $10 pesos per hour, or a mere $2.51 an hour.

All these figures would be fine in the Buenos Aires that I remembered over a year ago with delightfully cheap services, food, and living. However, things are changing in the city, and prices have certainly increased exponentially. The national government denies growing inflation, but the people know this is not the case as they feel their pockets pinched more and more.