Job Discussion Forums

[antran1976]

A warm Hello to all ESL teachers in Vietnam!

I will soon arrive in HCMC to embark on an ESL teaching career there. As to qualifications, I am holding a B.A. degree and a TESOL certificate (from Oxford). I am also a private English tutor and have been tutoring for more than 6 years (on a part-time basis) in the US. I am planning on a long-term teaching career in Vietnam after realizing that teaching is what I like to do above all other things. I am serious about my goal and that is I teach to educate rather than just to make a living. Below you will find a few facts about me and my expected goals once I am in Vietnam. For those of you who have been teaching English in Vietnam, and are experienced with "how it is over there", could you please give me some facts and advices about my coming arrival in VN?. Thank you all very much.

1. I will be leaving an easy job that pays 50,000 USD + per year to go to VN to teach English. Why? I have been working full-time at this job for more than 5 years (while tutoring English part-time) and have finally realized that I love teaching English more than working at my current job. So I am determined to go to VN to establish myself there. Any comments on this?

2. I am a Viet Kieu, 30 years old, and good-looking (I don't think this matters at all when it comes to teaching well!). Any drawback on being a Viet Kieu in Vietnam?

3. I am a true bilingualist (English and Vietnamese = one language to me, both in written and communication skills). Would this be an advantage in Vietnam? For example, can I also teach Vietnamese to those who are interested in learning the language but are not Vietnamese? This means I will be teaching Vietnamese to non-Vietnamese learners, as well as teaching English to Vietnamese students (as a full-time job). Are there enough non-Vietnamese learners who are willing and love the language enough to learn it in VN?

4. I am happily married! No comment on this!

5. I wish to be able to have my own place one day (it doesn't have to be a big school or anything close to that!) and teach there (a few classes per day maybe). Would it be possible for a Viet Kieu to legally own something like "a teaching place of his own" in VN?

6. Regarding salary expectation, provided that I am a truly commited individual (with a genuine dedication to teaching English to others) and extremely hard-working (I can work 7 days per week for years! Not a lie! I have done it before!), can I make around 15,000,000 VND per calendar month in VN (I know this is a low expectation of salary for many of you teaching English over there! But again, I am happy with it because I do really enjoy teaching. I just want to have a regular base income that will cover my most basic needs.)?

I would love to ask more questions but am afraid that you might get sick! Thank you again for your time reading this long message and (I hope) your replies.

An V. (Leslie) Tran

[Snaff]

................