Job Discussion Forums

[tellersquill]

Has anyone got any experience working with Ninja Teacher in HCM?

I'm considering taking their TEFL course this summer and I wanted to hear about other peoples experiences. I've actually contacted them myself and they are really friendly and I looked around online and their reviews are great, but I'm just being careful and asking on here.

The course is more expensive than everywhere else and is essentially as expensive as a celta, but the two added bonuses of the course is you get accommodation for the month of study, and you get a guaranteed job if you get onto the course.

Anyway, I will stop waffling, if you can shine a light on your experience with them then I will gladly appreciate it.

[skarper]

Sounds like a scam school.

Do without or get a proper CELTA or equivalent.

Even the name. Ninja Teacher FHS.

[RustyShackleford]

They're good at marketing themselves. They're a legit TEFL done by another school, whose name escapes me, that offers the same service for a lower price but they got some sort of deal worked out.

*I* can guarantee you a job in Vietnam if you get off the plane and look hard enough and between service apartments, hotels, hostels and Air B&B temporary accommodation is actually quite easy to get. By far one of the easiest countries to get settled in the place your choosing in fact, with virtually none of the housing discrimination of Japan/Korea nor assigned compounds of Saudi Arabia.

[tellersquill]

[skarper]

OK - you seem to have convinced yourself if not us...

Hope it works out and by all means post an update when you're settled.

I wouldn't trust them as far as I could throw them...but your mileage may vary.

[tellersquill]

[RustyShackleford]

They're trustworthy insofar that they'll (apparently) do what they say.

However, the thing is that I believe NinjaTeacher is aligned with Apollo (I can't be bothered to check). First off, Apollo is considered one of the lower-tier schools in both pay and quality of life. (ILA and VUS in contrast are considered better) Secondly, I'm willing to bet my next month's salary that they will provide absolutely nothing that a guy/gal with just the bare minimum of moxey can't get by themselves without a recruiter.

Vietnam, especially Saigon, while gradually saturating, still has plenty of work for anyone who wants it and you can get it by this:

1) Get a SIM card,
2) Put the number you receive on your CV
3) VUS or ILA are considered the better of the language mills
4) Hire a xe om/make a local connection whether expat or Viet who'll take you places
5) Roll up to a school, preferably in the morning before lunch.
6) Politely ask to see the HR person. Be sure you don't look utter dross.
7) Give your resume to the HR person.
Repeat as many times as necessary
9) Wait for the phone call
10) Don't be an utter wreck during your interview/demo lesson. They want to primarily see that you are able to handle a classroom environment and keep everyone engaged.

Bonus step: Buy yourself a celebration beer or ca phe sua da after.

If you want even more detail, here is a pseudo-diary I wrote back in my first job from 2013-2014: http://forums.eslcafe.com/job/viewtopic.php?t=104369 Some details are out-dated, but the general gist is there.

[nomad soul]

[RustyShackleford]

Essence of backpacker is right. I mean, they're not doing anything wrong per se, but I can't take it seriously as anything more than some charismatic dude who managed find a niche basically selling the obvious. Marketing in its purest form. Good that he's made it work for him, but I get shades of the "English Coach System" peddled in Japan a while back: http://www.letsjapan.org/the-english-coach-system.html

[tellersquill]

[Galileo]

I don't think it's a scam, but it's also not the best value for money out there.

Some of the claims on his website are pretty misleading.

[RustyShackleford]

Yeah, I'm guessing Tyler would be very shocked if he learned what was often in his "coffee" and street food. It certainly isn't impossible to live off of 100,000 VND/day, but I wouldn't recommend it either.

Likewise, living off of 11,000,000 VND a month, while also doable, basically means eschewing a lot of creature comforts and requires strict discipline, especially if that "$500" includes rent!!

Not a scam, but it's got this tinge of kids coming in bright-eyed and optimistic. I hope, for their sakes, that they can keep it that way.

[tellersquill]

I've spoken to four or five teachers in HCM and I've heard of people living off between $500 to $800 per month.

I think the major costs are always going to be rent and how often you go out socialising. I tend to only go out once a week so my costs will be a lot lower then most peoples. Having said that, I will probably chose a much better apartment than most new arrivals.

[ExpatLuke]

$500-$800 per month living in either HCMC or Hanoi is near impossible for someone who is used to a western lifestyle. You have to make major life changes, and accept dismal living standards if you want to live on that little.

The cheapest studios in smaller towns are now around $300 per month alone. You can find cheaper options with house sharing, but still... I can't imagine you could live on $500 per month unless you were a hermit who just goes from work to apartment, no socializing, and only eats street food or cooks at home every single day.

I could probably do that for a few months, but a whole year? No way.

Minimum to live and have a decent social life in the bigger cities in Vietnam is $1000, and that's even pushing it these days. If you live in one of the small towns which occasionally hire (Vinh, Quy Nhon, Dalat), you could do it no problem.

[skarper]

Frankly nowadays and with no local help to get you the proper cost for things I'd say a minimum of 1000 USD per month in the first year. Maybe 1200-1500 is more realistic.

If you try to do it for less then you will be miserable and doing without many near essentials - eg a motorbike.