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Accomadation in HCMC for English teacher new to Vietnam

 
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Silent Shadow



Joined: 18 Oct 2007
Posts: 380
Location: A stones throw past the back of beyond

PostPosted: Fri Jan 16, 2009 6:08 am    Post subject: Accomadation in HCMC for English teacher new to Vietnam Reply with quote

Hi, everyone.

I've been teaching ESL in China for 6 years, but fancy a change of scenery. I'm considering a spell of teaching in Vietnam. From what I've read so far, it seems the best bet is to find work on site, as schools prefer to either see your face or hear you speak on the phone, before hiring you.
In that case I'm considering coming to HCMC, finding a base and then checking out some schools.

How much would I expect to pay a month for basic temporary mid-range price/standard accomodation that is of medium size? I don't need a large place, but it needs to be clean and in good condition. Can you get cheap monthly deals on hotels or guesthouses that are of decent living standard? How much would I expect to pay?

Thank you.
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shanewarne



Joined: 21 Feb 2008
Posts: 146

PostPosted: Fri Jan 16, 2009 6:33 am    Post subject: Re: Accomadation in HCMC for English teacher new to Vietnam Reply with quote

the going rate for a good guest house is $300 per month. That usually includes a bathroom, air con, and tv. I recommend you turn up and check out the guest houses for yourself as some differ in quality. There are plenty around Pham Ngu Lao (tourist area) for you to choose from.
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Silent Shadow



Joined: 18 Oct 2007
Posts: 380
Location: A stones throw past the back of beyond

PostPosted: Fri Jan 16, 2009 1:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks Shane,

That's given me a bit of perspective. Do they wack the rates up for foreigners? Maybe my Chinese wife could get a lower rate, as opposed to myself with my Western looking visage. Is it true that schools over there don't generally provide accommodation? Do you know if universities in Vietnam start new semesters in February?

Much appreciated!

P.S

Are you still turning your arm over, mate? Wink
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shanewarne



Joined: 21 Feb 2008
Posts: 146

PostPosted: Fri Jan 16, 2009 3:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Silent Shadow wrote:
Thanks Shane,

That's given me a bit of perspective. Do they wack the rates up for foreigners? Maybe my Chinese wife could get a lower rate, as opposed to myself with my Western looking visage. Is it true that schools over there don't generally provide accommodation? Do you know if universities in Vietnam start new semesters in February?

Much appreciated!

P.S

Are you still turning your arm over, mate? Wink


well the only guest houses i know about, are the ones which cater for foreigners. I dont think being asian would make much difference, as most of these places have a set rate. however you can negotiate if you commit for a month like i did. I was lucky, my deal included free laundry and three free meals a day. But i ended up paying just over $400 for it.

It might be worth looking into finding an apartment instead. There are some good deals out there, but probably still more expensive compared to chinese prices. For instance a typical 1 bed apartment in Binh thanh district costs about $450 per month.

I only know of one international school which offers accommodation as part of a 1 or 2 year contract. But it depends on what qualifications and experience you have. My friends girlfriend who works there full time has a PGCE from england and 5 years experience.

I dont know about the universities here, as i've only worked in language centres and high schools. But i expect after tet holiday they will be recruiting like most other places.
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Silent Shadow



Joined: 18 Oct 2007
Posts: 380
Location: A stones throw past the back of beyond

PostPosted: Sat Feb 07, 2009 6:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for the information, Shane. Very useful and much appreciated!
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blateson



Joined: 12 Mar 2006
Posts: 144

PostPosted: Sat Feb 07, 2009 1:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

housing and most anything else a foreigner is concerned about paying for has shot up ridiculously without fair value since early 08. It was originally a reaction to huge increases in local gasoline prices, then it immediately trickled into the local restaurants and spread from there. And NONE of it has gone down.

Until late 2007 a GOOD guesthouse room with nice bathroom, large bed, small fridge started at about $150/mo, and back then landlords were nice and appreciative to have you. I was personally paying $100 and then $120 until late 2007. Then the greedy local landlords pushed the same rooms up above $300 for STARTERS. These have no kitchens so you'll also be eating out constantly.

Whats so bad about all this is you have foreigners coming into Vietnam these days and openly accepting their fate at $300 to $400 a month as the "lower" rents. Landlords apparently have a monopoly on housing as really, there isn't much to choose from in HCMC anyways! Drive around all day and find just how little selection. You certainly can't say there is free and fair competition -- the landlords put minimum limits on what available property there is. I saw a local Real Estate website recently, 90% of the "apartments" were listed at $900, $1500, $2000 a month!

And let's not talk about the unfriendly "get lost" attitudes of these guesthouse owners and landlords. "If you don't like it, leave!" kind of stuff. Pretend "speak no english" and shove their hands in your face to imply rent figures. They quote NYC and Tokyo prices, and honestly, where are you gonna go? HCMC is poorly designed for housing. And landlords are capitalizing on it with snobby attitudes. If you develop any grievances or are dissatisfied for example with a rude maid, they will tell you "you can leave my house."
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ajc19810



Joined: 22 May 2008
Posts: 214

PostPosted: Sat Feb 07, 2009 1:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
HCMC is poorly designed for housing.
No argument from me.

Living in guesthouses gets old real quick. I know people who have lived in Pham Ngu Lao for over 4 years in a guest house. Personally, I dont know how they do it. I remember having to wake up the poor door boy to open the door for me after I arrive home after a big night out and then promising him that I wont do it again only to do the exact same thing the following night. Sucks to be him.

If you are sticking around a little longer it's best to get a house. Check the trading post, Mua Ban with a Vietnamese Friend to help you with translation. You can find good deals on guesthouses, houses for rent and apartments for rent at all kinds of prices. Most real estate searches online are really expensive.

You will need to set aside some time to do it as it takes a while to find a good place. I found all my places through that paper and recently got a place for my friend using it, not to mention picked up a few bikes as well.
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blateson



Joined: 12 Mar 2006
Posts: 144

PostPosted: Tue Feb 10, 2009 10:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Vietnamese friends are frequently not always a good idea, for more often than not they conspire with their own kind. Even two Vietnamese that don't know each other will form a bond instantly, as you watch your "friend" take the interests not of you but of their own kind. But having strangers walking up to you and yelling out the price to the shop owner, thereby ruining your negotiations, is one of the really displeasing aspects to everyday life and shopping in Vietnam. The only thing equally stunning to that is watching it, as yet another newbie foreigner wanders around Vietnam and gets ganged up on by a group of Vietnamese that bid his price up for whatever good or service he is interested in, and the foreigner stands there helpless and smiles about it.

I would agree that guesthouses are bad beyond the short term, but I would disagree even more with the idea of apartments. First of all, this is a police government with endless regulations -- when you sign a lease agreement and put down your deposit, there's still no guarantee for this is not a free business zone. I have heard on one occasion that after a guy paid and moved in, three weeks later the police came by and told him he was living in a place that had not been approved for foreigners. He not only had to move out but the owners gave him none of his rent or deposit back. This happened a few years ago, but I don't put that much trust in this country that it has improved on those terms, personally. Then there's other problems. Say you want to change schools as you quickly tire of working there -- oh wait, you've signed a 1-year apartment agreement. That means you may end up driving all the way across town every afternoon and night for work. In this traffic, no thank you. Or say you take a good long month off (or vacation) and decide to backpack through SE Asia. Your apartment is now a really good target for crime (a commonality here) as it's being left alone all that time. In these situations, having a room in a guesthouse presents far more convenience. But I agree that it really sucks that guesthouse owners and their doorgirls often go to bed by 11pm, meaning doorbell and wait experiences. Likewise guesthouses aren't made for maximum privacy and freedom -- it's just a notch above a homestay as you have no choice to walk past them every morning and night. Also this country still has laws on the books regarding not having Vietnamese nationals (read: girls) sleep over at your place, guesthouses are less free than a single apartment. Plus the staring and gossip.

All in all the housing situation in Vietnam ranks really low. And it's worth repeating that, in 2008 inflation went way up and then back down, but the rent and even restaurant prices clearly have not. Certainly an opportunistic scheme by the owners to bilk you all they can yet leave you with poor service and attitude. It is pretty disgusting watching newbies move here and agree to pay 300 or 400 a month and get so much less than just a few years ago. Even the $200 range is a big jump for such small, lousy rooms that used to be in the low 100s.
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inky



Joined: 05 Jan 2009
Posts: 283
Location: Hanoi

PostPosted: Tue Feb 10, 2009 3:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have had the opposite experience in Vietnam from that described by blateson. Please keep in mind that the opinions expressed here about Vietnam are from individuals based on their unique experiences, and that often these experiences are self-fulfilling based on preconceived expectations. I find phrases like "they conspire with their own kind" to be particularly offensive, and particularly predictive of a visitor's experience here. And we are all visitors.
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mach114



Joined: 14 Jan 2009
Posts: 56

PostPosted: Wed Feb 11, 2009 1:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

If you plan to stay in Vietnam for any length of time, then I suggest you learn the language or at least enough to get buy so you don't need a translator. Knowing what people are saying around you and being able to communicate with them what you are thinking can eliminate a lot of hardships and uncomfortable situations. I know learning Vietnamese is easier said than done, it took me the better part of five years to be fluent. However, I was using what little I learned right from beginning and it proved useful. Now that I understand what people are saying around me, I find Saigon to be like any other metropolis it is filled with good and bad people.
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