Teaching English in Venezuela
Venezuela is a good place for English language teachers to gain teaching experience, while enjoying interesting cultural and sightseeing activities. The English language is in demand in Venezuela, and so are good English language teachers. If you are interested in teaching overseas, you might want to consider Venezuela.
Life in Venezuela
Venezuela is a land of extremes. It has steamy jungles and snow-capped mountain peaks. Venezuela has white-sand beaches fringed with coconut palms on the Caribbean coast and odd-looking flat-topped mountains on the Gran Sabana plateau. Venezuela has the highest waterfall in the world, South America's largest lake, the third-longest river, and the longest of all snakes. It also has some of the warmest people you will find anywhere.
The strained political situation in Venezuela sometimes creates a certain risk of danger or inconvenience for visitors. It is advisable to investigate current political conditions before venturing into Venezuela.
History of Venezuela
Venezuela was one of three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others being Colombia and Ecuador). For most of the first half of the 20th century, Venezuela was ruled by generally benevolent military strongmen, who promoted the oil industry and allowed for some social reforms.
Democratically elected governments have held sway since 1959. Current concerns include: an embattled president who is losing his once solid support among Venezuelans, a divided military, drug-related conflicts along the Colombian border, increasing internal drug consumption, overdependence on the petroleum industry with its price fluctuations, and irresponsible mining operations that are endangering the rain forest and indigenous peoples.
Economy of Venezuela
Venezuela continues to be highly dependent on the petroleum sector, which accounts for roughly one-third of GDP, around 80% of export earnings, and more than half of government operating revenues.
Despite higher oil prices at the end of 2002 and into 2003, domestic political instability, culminating in a two-month national oil strike from December 2002 to February 2003, temporarily halted economic activity. The economy is likely to remain in a recession in 2003, after sinking an estimated 8.9 percent in 2002.
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