Job Discussion Forums

SinaloaPaisa · Joined: 27 Sep 2015 Posts: 33

Wondering how much of an issue I will have finding enough or decent work without any ESL cert. I have a bachelors and an actual teaching license from the states with 3 years ESL exp in Korea.

Also, would 4,000 usd be plenty to hold me over until getting that first decent paycheck?

Wanting to get out of Korea asap.

skarper · Joined: 12 Oct 2006 Posts: 477

Yes - you will have issues getting decent jobs without a CELTA of equiv. The better centres know the other TEFL certs are bogus and they also know a Teachers license has no bearing on EFL [anymore than a CELTA makes you a school teacher].

3 years experience in Korea also has little weight. Better than nothing maybe but Korean hogwans are very different to what happens in Vietnam. Different culture, different L1, different problems. In some ways Vietnamese are easier to teach IMO but they are certainly very different and some things that worked in Korea will not fly in Vietnam.

4000USD is tight. First month you'll spend up to $2000. Next months you can manage on $1000 if you are frugal. That gives you 3 months to find your feet and make a living wage - say 1500 a month. That's 25 hours a week assuming you average 15 USD an hour. 20-25 is possible but you won't get 25 hours at that rate for a while, if ever.

You may need to get a CELTA - which is costly and far from easy to get the grade B which is a default pass grade. You should have money on hand for that [say 3000 USD including living expenses] plus an emergency fund of maybe 3000 to get back home or back to Korea if it all goes pear shaped.

I'd wait until I had 10K USD. I know Korea can get you down but hold out until you have 10-20K. You should be able to save 10K in a year there if you focus on saving and are not paying off debts.

SinaloaPaisa · Joined: 27 Sep 2015 Posts: 33

Why would i spend 2k in my first month?

Arrive and get 10 dollar hostel for 1 week.

Locate a room or small studio apartment for 150-250 dollars.

Eating cheap VN style food or cooking yourself will cost about 6 dollars a day.

If you are pressed you can find those charity type eat joints that are super cheap.

Can drink cheap local beer for like 10-22k dong. Although I wouldn't recommend any partying even local style without getting your first paycheck.

Only way I could see myself spending anywhere close to 2,000 dollars my first month is if I pay for 4 months of rent up front.

TRH · Joined: 27 Oct 2011 Posts: 340 Location: Hawaii

Looking over your posts seems to reveal a pattern. You pose a question then refute the answers if they are not to your liking. Why don't you do this. Go to Vietnam with 4K or any amount you like. Report back to us after two months. Either you will be sitting pretty in some international school, or working for $15 for three separate companies in three districts. Lets just go for it.

SinaloaPaisa · Joined: 27 Sep 2015 Posts: 33

The issue is I am getting conflicting info. Has nothing to do with whether I like it or not.

Just had a guy on another forum tell me he was hired at one of the main institutes without having a CELTA etc.

Hell, people post conflicting info on the Korean ESL scene which is pretty set in stone. So I guess it should be expected with VN.

kurtz · Joined: 12 Mar 2008 Posts: 518 Location: Phaic Tan

SinaloaPaisa · Joined: 27 Sep 2015 Posts: 33