Job Discussion Forums

vabeckele · Joined: 19 Nov 2010 Posts: 439

I'm getting bored...

Mushroom Druid · Joined: 19 Oct 2009 Posts: 91

skarper · Joined: 12 Oct 2006 Posts: 477

I briefly considered the ME (before 911) but was put off when I started to look into it more deeply.

There is money to be made but that is about all. I don't think experience in that culture is valued elsewhere nor should it be.

Also - I taught UAE students in the UK and found it soul destroying. Nice enough lads but close to zero progress despite huge resources lavished on them. It is not a culture based in any way on merit or hard work.

I know here is bad at times, but there is 100 times worse.

Think very carefully about taking any jobs in the ME. It's a dead end.

vabeckele · Joined: 19 Nov 2010 Posts: 439

Thanks guys for the advice and sharing your experiences, it is valued.

Yeah, I have heard of the military jobs; some ESL teachers are making upwards of 8k a month and then all of the benefits on top, and I hear the compounds of Aramco etc are superb for direct hires.

At least I can buy beer in Qatar, in the KSA I would be without beer (at least legally) and women (perhaps young boys are on the menu!?). Just kidding, lest anyone gets any ideas.

About the M.E. I have my concerns too and I wouldn't want to live too close to the Yemeni border; one uni I applied to was only 60km away from there (the pay was good though). I think Qatar, Doha to be a very different place than KSA, perhaps not Dubai but not too far behind.

You echo what many say about the students;lazy, disrespectful, not punctual, cheating...something to think about as, like you said, the Vietnamese are quite good.

ExpatLuke · Joined: 11 Feb 2012 Posts: 744

VietCanada · Joined: 30 Nov 2010 Posts: 590

There is no money in Vietnam.

If you have IELTS training or a teaching cert. like a B.Ed. from North America you can earn a salary equivalent to or a bit better than an entry level position in Korea less the cost of housing and transportation. It's more likely that you will be scrambling around looking for hours, working 13 hours a day, 7 days a week to accumulate something quite a bit less than what a K-job offers less the cost of housing and transportation.

There is no money in Vietnam. Even the schools acknowledge this.

If you have some superior certs much beyond a bachelors and a TEFL equivalent then you might find a decent position. Don't be duped into coming here under the belief that you'll make money. It just isn't true.

There is no money in Vietnam.

No work in June through August. No work for half of February. No work for various holidays or week long exam times twice a year if you work in public schools. You may be required to do free admin work which takes away available hours for paid work.

There is no money in Vietnam.

Only the most bald faced liar would intimate in any way that one could earn the same money in Vietnam as one can in Korea with the same qualifications required to gain an entry level position in Korea.

Any old bachelors gets around $2000 USD salary in the land of K-pop. Blue eyes, blond hair and an athletic build with a modicum of personality could net you as much as $2700 USD a month salary. The same quals in VN would get you $14 to $15 an hour for maybe 14- 20 hours a week less the cost of housing and transportation. You also get to renew your visa every three months while working illegally in VN since you need an online TEFL minimum or equivalent to work legally here along with the bachelors.

There is no money in Vietnam.

I'm With Stupid · Joined: 03 Sep 2010 Posts: 432

cb400 · Joined: 27 Sep 2010 Posts: 274 Location: Vientiane, Laos

I don't know what Korea pays, but the newhanoian website is showing a 178 jobs for hanoi and a majority of them are 18-22 USD an hour. Even my school is looking for a full-time teacher starting at 2000 a month, with WP support, some paid holidays and completion bonus.

I personally know 2 people making over 5000USD a month, but they are on the verge of breakdown...but they have a pile of cash in the bank and plan on going on a looooong holiday. Not sure if it matters they are both married so they have ties to VN, myself even though I am making and saving good money I feel living in VN is just not worth it, but I don't have any ties here.