This sounds all too familiar! I have met a number of ESL teachers who have been fed nothing but lies and half truths in regards to visas in Ecuador. Southern Cross is without a doubt one hell of a corrupt and nasty place to work. I have seen the way they treat American teachers, it is not nice! I have even seen the way the treat Scottish teachers!! Avoid this school!!! The CELTA course is ran by jumped up social missfits with highly over inflated opinions of themselves. I have met a number of people who studied at their CELTA school and they said the environment was oppressive, unfriendly and upsetting. Enough said really.