Pros & Cons of Teaching English in Bogota, Colombia

Recently, we asked some of our International TEFL Academy alumni graduates to provide a candid ground-view perspective on what they love about teaching English abroad, in addition to a frank take on what isn't so always great in particular cities where they live and work.

Here,  Lisa Koprowsky shares her thoughts on why she enjoys teaching English in Bogota, Colombia along with some of the challenges.

Is Bogota a Good Place to Teach English?

Yes, Bogota is a good place to teach English due to its high demand, diverse job market, cultural experience, and lower cost of living.

Read more: Teach English in Colombia

Pros of Living in Bogota, Colombia

Holidays

Apart from regularly scheduled vacations from school, Colombia has the most holidays (think only two months of the year without any long weekends). This is great as you have the opportunity to travel and explore more of your new home!

Lots of Teaching Opportunities

Whether you are doing private classes, or teaching in a school or business, there are a lot of job opportunities for native English speakers to teach English in Bogota and in Colombia.

Read more: How Much Do English Teachers Make in Colombia?

The students

Colombians are the kindest, most welcoming people, and Colombian students tend to have a lot more respect for teachers than their North American counterparts. If you’re teaching kids, you will be showered with drawings, candies and hugs, so embrace it!

Cheap Flights & Great Travel Opportunities

In addition to mad amounts of long weekends, you can also find super cheap domestic flights within Colombia (particularly out of major cities such as Bogota, Medellin or Cali) – so you can easily take advantage of all the long weekends!

Read more: What Type of Visa Can I Use to Teach English in Colombia?

Support & Making Friends

There are plenty of foreign teachers in Bogota, so you are sure to meet others to form a support network – whether it be advice for classes, materials, others to celebrate Thanksgiving with, or emotional support from others in the same boat as you.

For more, check out 9 Pro Tips of How to Make Friends while Teaching English Abroad.

Cons of Living in Bogota, Colombia

Organization (or Lack Thereof)

Classes canceled last minute, changes to schedules, and meetings that could easily be a WhatsApp message are just a few of the joys you’ll experience teaching here!

Commute

Bogota is ginormous, traffic is nuts and the Transit System has lots of room to improve. As a result, the commute to and from classes can take a while. To make it worth your while, I give my price for private classes as a two-hour block minimum.

Early (I Mean EARLY) Mornings

Bogotanos start the days early. School starts at 7:00 am, so that can mean waking up as early as 4:30 am to catch the school bus.

Lots of business people and those wanting private classes may also request classes before they start work, so prepare to become an early bird. (Even at 6:00 am there’ll be traffic, so there really is no bright side to this).