Job Discussion Forums

[ak&lo]

Hey crew, I've been reading a lot of the posts, but this is my first message. My girlfriend and I have just signed up for a TEFL course in HCMC, and we plan on staying in Vietnam for at least 6 months to teach.

First, can anyone tell me anything about TEFL International? Do they help sufficiently with finding a job after the course, and do they help sufficiently with Business Visas during the course time, or are we on our own for this stuff?

I've only read posts about teaching in either HCMC or Hanoi, and have not seen any other job posts outside of these areas either. Ideally, after spending a month in HCMC, we would love to teach in a smaller city or town. Are there jobs available in the smaller cities, and if so, can anyone recommend an area that they've enjoyed? I'm sure all of this will become clear when we arrive in the country, but its always nice to have an idea of one's options, ya know.

Has anyone tried to get a job along with their significant other -- ie: is it possible to find 2 positions in the same school?

And lastly, my girlfriend is also a Veterinarian, and we would both like to volunteer with either an animal welfare charity or Vet clinics while we are there. Does anyone know how we can find organizations like this throughout the country, and whether volunteering is a viable option? Will we need a seperate business visa for volunteering?

Sorry for the bombardment of questions everyone, but any info at all is extremely helpful!

Take care all

[Micro67]

I know that ILA and Việt Mỹ have schools in Vung Tao and I've heard there is some work in Da Nang. I'm pretty sure S.I.T.C. has schools in other smaller cities.

Check out Phan Thiệt / Mui Ne too.

[Alexandria]

If you're looking for a smaller city, one of the best kept secrets is Danang. It's the fourth largest city in Vietnam and is adjacent to China Beach, and about 45 minutes from Hoi An.

There are plenty of teaching opportunities here, and I know of several schools who would be happy to hire a couple who are both native speakers of English. The average salary is $12/hr. and the cost of living is low enough here for that to be a good wage.

Regarding your request for information on vet clinics / animal charities...
I'm afraid that the chances are slim that you'll find anything (but maybe you can in Hanoi or HCMC). To be blunt, animals are not very well cared for here. I doubt most Vietnamese would be able or willing to spend any fees for vet services, so there are no animal clinics established.

Personally, I find it heartbreaking seeing dogs and cats tied up on VERY short leashes beside stores and homefronts. They are fed rice and scraps (but mostly rice) so they are not very healthy. Personally, I think that printing (in Vietnamese) and distributing information on basic animal care and nutrition would be a start. As incomes increase and as little, white lapdogs grow in popularity, maybe the Vietnamese people will begin to give more humane treatment to their pets. I certainly hope so. Good luck!