Hello folks,
Just wondering if you could help me with a query I have. I'm hoping (if all goes well) to be heading to Madrid in January for my first ELT job after completing my CELTA course. What do I need to wear/pack as far as clothes for work are concerned? (I'm a guy by the way). Does dress code vary according to position, school, age range of students, private lessons etc. Or do you stick to a similar "uniform" for all situations? Also, do requirements vary according to the season? ie. will I have to wear a suit in July/August? Any pointers on these matters would be v.much appreciated!

Teaching wear is pretty free, as far as I have seen. Maybe in a super-conservative school you'd have to wear a tie, but this is not the rule by any means.

And I have seen English teachers wearing the same clothing we see tourists in the streets with: jeans, shirts or a nice t-shirt, sport footware ...

Thanks Ignacio, you've just saved me a lot of ££££! I was about to go and get a suit for work - I don't like wearing them anyway so its a relief to know I dont have to. Does this even apply when teaching buisness english on company premises, or do clients prefer a smarter profile in these cases?

Well, if Chica reads this, she is the one with real experience in the matter. Chica?

I think you may or might have to use a rather more conservative clothing if teaching a big firms' group of executives, but I guess it depends on the corporate customs, for example, in the major chain of deparment stores El Corte Inglés, I bet you'd better dress more formally than in Telefónica group, for example, where they are much more laid back

Again, for this matter, lets see what the rest say.

EDIT: BTW, Do you like Conga? I see in your profile you like latin dance. Madrid is a great city for Salsa, Bachata and merengue.

Hey Ignacio, thanks again for the info. So it seems that even Buisness english teaching can be flexible regarding formality. I guess I should start smart in these situations, until I get a feel of what that particuclar company expects of its teachers, then relax a bit if possible!
O/T in answer to your query, yeah I love various latin styles of music, although up 'till now I'm only experienced in PLAYING it and listening to it. I'm still a typical gringo when it comes to DANCING ability!! I'm hoping to get exposed to lots of different styles In Madrid - this is a large factor in my wanting go there. In particular If anyone on this board participates in or has experience of Afro-Cuban and Brazillian percussive styles of music (rumba, bata drumming, samba, candomble etc) I would be very pleased to hear from you!
p.s. what is bachata Ignatio? I am ignorant of this style...

I am sending you a Private Message, not to move this thread nay more to the Off Topic.

I know it's off the topic, but i'm interested to know what's a bachata. I can do salsa,tango and merenge but bachata???

Bachata is THE dance, from some years ago, in the Dominican Republic, replacing Merengue. It's more difficult than super-easy merengue. First steps are not so complicated and are easy to learn with some effort, but twisting, turning, ..., while keeping that strange four-steps rythm gets pretty complicated.

Anyway, as usual, Dominicans dance it in the more simple and original version, with less twist and more personal proximity . As spanish women think they are "too sophisticated" to get soo close, what we do is dance rather apart and do some twists, not to get very bored (both), and this version is the really difficult to learn (the twisted one).

Hi All....chica here!

First off, I thought the bachata was from Colombia, not the Dominican Republic.

Secondly, english teaching attire...

Remember this, what you wear is a representation of who you are and an indicator of the respect that you will command. Yes, it´s true, there are many "English teachers" out there who wear what they want to class, but *very* generally speaking, they are the ones who don´t take it so seriously... especially the ones showing up in shorts and t-shirts. You have completed your CELTA, dress the part.

That doesn´t mean a stuffed shirt....I would recommend business casual or as is said in England, business smart (?). If you are going to wear jeans, make sure that they are clean, pressed without any holes and pair them with a nice button-down (or pressed polo for spring/summer), sports jacket (Americano as they call them here in Spain je je je!!) and polished shoes...no trainers (sneakers)!

This dress code will work well for the majority of companies as well as the schools. When teaching company classes, take your cue from the students. If their tendency is to dress-up more, then you do the same...if they are biz-casual... likewise.

I haven´t seen a need for men to wear ties, but it also depends on the consulting agency that you may teach for. Some places expect that their teachers follow a dress code regardless of the style of dress for the company where they are assigned to teach. For example, one of the places that I consult for does not allow its teachers to wear visible piercings (nose rings, tongue piercings, etc) or have visible tatoos. Nor are they permitted to wear jeans or trainers (sneakers). It´s all about image. Kind of a way to separate the wheat from the chaff.

Hope that still keeps you within your budget!

I never heard that bachata was anything but Dominican.

Here is a link supporting my point. I suppose it could be biased, though, considering the name of the website.

Origin of Bachata (according to this website). Click on "Origen de Bachata"