Job Discussion Forums

blunder1983 · Joined: 26 Jan 2005 Posts: 26

Hi guys,

I am looking at coming over to Hanoi next year to teach. Currently I'm in Incheon in South Korea, its fun but I wanna see more of the world Smile

.

I have a few standard questions, soz to bother the board with them.

1. What can I save? Here I save $700 a month, next year I'll be debtless so I dont need to save as much but I am starting my own business pretty soon so that incurs costs Smile

. Oh and to put my lifestyle in perspective: I dont really drink, except diet cola which i live off of. I like cooking myself, and would be looking to go out mebbe one in two or three weekends.

2. Can I teach in a school? I am working in a middle school here, and I really love it. I dont mind the large classes, my students are lovely and so are my hours. Would love to find something equivalent. I have no official teaching degree but I do have a Trinity TESOL.

3. How easy it to go "offroading" into the countryside? I like nature and walking up relatively easy mountains etc. I'd be looking to hit a hike every week or so.

4. What sort of timeframe will it take me to find a job? I'd be coming over first and then negotiating. I'm from England, 23, have a 2.1 in Economics and Management Science, a Trinty TESOL and a year teaching in a public school in Korea. I'll be coming over in the summer next year.

Hmm thats about it! Thanks for your time!

Chris

Micro67 · Joined: 29 May 2003 Posts: 297 Location: HCMC, Vietnam

Porlestone · Joined: 24 Aug 2005 Posts: 95 Location: Asia

Wow Micro, your post was an exaggeration from my everyday experience. Remember this is a guys life your dealing with, it's not a matter to joke around about. A job before even leaving the airport? Why joke around about such a matter.

My first time job hunting here I had a successful interview in the second week and was working by early the third week, so that was a good time frame (14 days from arrive to start work), and I did just a normal search. Of course that was a school that was handing down large taxes to all new foreigners (6 months and under). Another full job search I later did wasn't quite as easy. I went to 11 schools, only the 11th one had some part time hours. The other 10 were like "yah, umm, no, ummm". Plenty of schools aren't worth the time anyways. Only because a foreigner pointed me to another school that needed someone as well, I was able to put together a schedule at two schools. That search I had to do alot harder and was more difficult. It did not at all reflect the "job off the bus". Vietnam isn't that easy. $5 a night motel rent makes it easier on us, but still...

Micro67 · Joined: 29 May 2003 Posts: 297 Location: HCMC, Vietnam

lizarddoctor · Joined: 11 Aug 2004 Posts: 141 Location: HCMC, Vietnam

The good job season starts in March and lasts till November for getting a job in Vietnam. If you happen to come in late December to start your job search, you may be out of luck till March due to the Tet Holiday which shuts down nearly all need of new teachers. I am also a former song sang nhiem from just south of Seoul right off the subways blue line. I have to give Vietnam a much bigger thumbs up as far as living and public life compared to the daily grind of Korea. The reaction toward foreigners here is much more positive, but some teachers can't handle being treated like dollar signs from the massive amounts of peddlers here. I just tell them to give Korea a try and garuntee that they will be some of the first midnight runners back to Vietnam.