Job Discussion Forums

[drpangloss]

Howdy everybody! Just looking for some insights here. I'm 26, male, from the US, and I've got a BA, a CELTA and ~3 years experience teaching. I'm looking at moving somewhere seaside, namely Vung Tau, Nha Trang or Da Nang.
Have any of you had experience with these cities? Would you recommend one over the others? I'm a musician as well as a teacher so I'd like to be somewhere around a music scene.

I also saw a British Council posting in Do Son in the North which I'm going to apply to. From a quick Googling, however, Do Son doesn't sound like the best spot to live. Any experiences there?

Of course, any other advice you can give me would be well-taken. I'm experienced in small towns in southeast Asia and can find my way around most places pretty well, so I'm really looking for specifics on Vietnam.

Thanks!
-Sam

[Dekadan]

Hey there, best of luck with your job hunt! I didn't explore the music scene too much, but most of what I heard were cover bands (this was in Sai Gon). Perhaps with some digging you can find more. While I did not live nor work in any of those places, I can pass on what I've heard for some of these areas.

Vung Tau: the water isn't supposed to be the cleanest. It's a Vietnamese destination for vacations, and they've got a different approach to beaches than we do. They tend to be a bit noisier (karaoke on the beach anyone?) while we're more laid-back and more interested in getting tanned - something the majority of them avoid at all costs.

Nha Trang: A bit of a party town. The local beach is okay, though as a general tourist destination you're more likely to encounter (and at times be harrassed) by vendors, but there are many beaches close to the town that are more secluded and cleaner.

Da Nang: The largest of the main three choices that you mentioned, it's supposed to be more laid-back than Sai Gon or Ha Noi. There's also the UNESCO site of Hoi An (I absolutely loved my 2 day stay there and would like to go back some day) close by, which is supposed to have a nice beach.

I don't know anything about Do Son, but I do know that the north of Viet Nam has the full four seasons, including winter, as opposed to the south which only has two seasons, rainy and dry, but otherwise pretty hot all year. Most people expect all of Viet Nam to be warm all year round, which is a fallacy. I heard that the north can get quite cold. You might want to keep that in mind.

As another option, there's also Mui Ne, a beach town outside of Phan Tiet. I've heard that there are some English schools in the area, though you're not likely to make as much money there. I believe the cost of living should be cheaper than the big cities. Also, it's in the south, so hot weather all year round.

[inhanoi]

To reinforce what dekaden said about northern winters, it can be quite depressingly relentless for several months. While the changeover seasons are lovely, and the change to cold weather can be refreshing at first, the humidity never really drops much and there is virtually no central heating, so it's difficult to really warm/dry off or get laundry dry. It's a lot like the NW US coast, except much more humid.

Anyway, it keeps the sissies at bay and of course it's always an easy flight to someplace nearby and tropical when the gloom starts to get to you.

[drpangloss]

Thanks for the feedback, I appreciate it. Sounds like Nha Trang might be the spot for me. Do you guys have any lowdown on schools in NT? I can always get gigs teaching online if need be but I'd prefer to have something solid in person set up. I also realize that it may be much easier to find something once I get there...

[drpangloss]

Important question as well: I'm a DJ, does the average young person in VN like to go out dancing?