Staff Testimonials>>Kim Betts

Kim Betts
Grade 2 Teacher
2002-2005

January 2004.

Hi! My name is Kim Betts and I am a Second Grade teacher here at ASFM. I have been here for one year now and I have honestly loved every minute it! My decision to come to ASFM began the moment I met the administration team at the ASFM presentation at the Queen’s University Recruitment Fair. They were professional, friendly, very approachable and represented the kind of people I wanted to work with.
As a first year teacher, ASFM was the ideal school to begin my teaching career. I was placed on the Second Grade team where I now work with seven other dedicated, caring and inspiring teachers with whom I share ideas and resources. The support I have received from everyone- from fellow staff members to parents, team leaders to curriculum coordinators- has been over-whelming. There has always been someone there to lend a hand whenever it’s needed. And the help and support doesn’t stop there, either! Before I even reached Monterrey in late July, a group of teachers from ASFM were at the border in McAllen, Texas to help us new teachers cross the border into Mexico and get our vehicle permits. Once we arrived to Monterrey, there were teachers at our apartment ready to help us move in and answer any questions we had.

Our fridge had been stocked by volunteers from the PTA with some essentials to get us started (i.e. peanut butter and jam, bread and bottled water), and there was even someone available to help us find domestic help! To say the least, I felt spoiled!It’s true- I lead a very comfortable life here in Monterrey. Working and living here has enabled me to have a lot of “perks” that I wouldn’t be able to afford to have if I was living at home, such as weekly domestic help, not to mention the travel opportunities that Mexico has to provide!
The hardest part about living in Monterrey and working at the ASFM, for me, has been finding a balance between work and play. We have a very rigorous curriculum here and there are always lots of school activities to be involved in. However, the city of Monterrey is equally busy with lots of outdoor activities, like rock climbing in Huasteca Canyon, hiking in Chipinque Park, camping and jogging along the Calzada. If you’re a shopper, you can find lots of unique Mexican decorations, artwork and souvenirs at the 7-Mile Market, or shop at Walmart at Zara at the local mall. Monterrey also has a great selection of restaurants including Korean cuisine, Chinese, Indonesian, American (yes, there is a McDonalds!), and of course, Mexican. Monterrey seems to have it all! If I could offer any advice to a new teacher planning to come to Monterrey to work and live, I would strongly recommend that you bring your car, if you have one. Monterrey is a big, industrial city and it can be difficult to get around. Plus, there are lots of smaller, culturally rich cities and towns just outside of Monterrey (i.e. San Miguel, Zacatecas) that are ideal destinations for weekend road trips.
I hope I have helped give you a better perspective of the ASFM community and what the city of Monterrey has to offer. If you like adventures, personal and professional challenges, then ASFM is the place to be!