Job Discussion Forums

[Taurus]

Hey. I am an experienced ESL teacher currently living in a major Mexican city. I am finding that it is too big for my liking, pretty Americanized and lacks the level of nature I crave. I am considering trying to go to Vietnam in January. If I teach in a big city there, will I still be able to stay in contact with nature and get away often?

[Mr Wind-up Bird]

Not sure about Hanoi, but if you're in HCMC you're never too far from the countryside. District 9 is a short bike ride from the centre, 20 minutes & you're relaxing by the Saigon river in a hammock. Mekong Delta's only 90 minutes away and is about as relaxed as you can get without actually being dead. I love it.

But if wildlife's your thing, you'll need to rely on national parks & nature reserves. Anything that moves in Vietnam tends to end up in the pot, so it's rare to see any wildlife at all other than rats, especially in Saigon. Any other live animals tend to be caged, particularly snakes & birds - the kitchen of Bo Tung Xeo restaurant being a prime example Conservationists in Vietnam are usually foreigners and their aims frequently conflict with the needs of rural Vietnamese to feed their families.

Rough Guide & Lonely Planet both have good info on Vietnamese nature reserves. If you've got more time on your hands then do the central highlands or the mountains of the north, otherwise you're going to be relying on weekends down in the Delta. Alternatively there are some nice country roads in the area surrounding Nha Trang, Mui Ne/Phan Thiet is a good base for hiring a bike and exploring the south-central coast.

Hope this has been of some use!