Job Discussion Forums

[GemGem]

Hi All,

I'm currently in the process of applying for my first full year teaching after completing my CELTA. I have applied for a position in Hong Kong and also Ho Chi Minh and had an interview for each which I think have gone well (fingers crossed!).

Both are entry level salary - HK being just over USD2000 per month and Vietnam just over USD1400 with accomocation needing to come out of that.

I'm waiting to hear back on both but I am completely torn about where to go so I was hoping some of you more experienced EFL teachers may offer up some pearls of wisdom?

My criteria is:

Quality of life - I know they are both busy, noisy, polluted cities but I mean more in terms of the salaries above - can I pay rent, live comfortably, maybe enjoy a beer or two twice a week, and still save for travelling in my holidays?

Accommodation - what is typical of a shared apartment or house in terms of ameneties and facilities and size?

Local community and things to do - I have been to Hong Kong a couple of times in the past but never to HCMC. How will it differ in terms of friendliness of locals, opportunities to escape the city at weekends, ease of getting out to other countries etc...

Any thoughts welcome to help me make a decision!

Thanks

[sistercream]

Like you, I have never been to HCMC, but here's up to the minute info on living in Hong Kong (as opposed to visiting) -
Rent ... um, er, well, ah, hideously expensive. A lot will depend on exactly where you are teaching, your commuting tolerance (fares need to be calculated alongside rent) and what kind of place you want. If you are teaching on HK island, and want to walk to work, think of a 150ft sq (15 m. sq) studio, or sharing and having a 48ft sq. room. If you live out somewhere like Tuen Mun the same money (around HK$6K)can get you a decent small flat in an older but well-maintained building. To commute to Central, add about 1K a month (and an hour each way). Don't expect a condo clubhouse, gym or swimming pool, although I'm paying that much and we have a big podium level recreation area - some garden, shaded seating areas, badminton courts, room to go jogging. Of course there are several gazillion other possible combinations & permutations.
As for the beer, no problems if you buy at the supermarket and take it home or to the beach, but it will do bad things to your budget if you drink in one of the tourist/ professionals places around Soho or LKF.
Also, if you want to eat the same way you do at "home" it will cost you big time, but it's possible to eat a balanced (if boring) local diet, doing most of your own cooking, for 300 a week or so.
It is possible to save, but you would need self-discipline. The best advice I could give for this is make friends with people in similar positions to yours; the green-eyed monster gets in if you start mixing with people such as lawyers and bankers who spend 10X your salary on rent alone!

I don't know which bits of HK you saw while you were here, but nearly half of the SAR is not built up at all, but *country* (think national) parkland. Hawaii it ain't, but there are plenty of OK swimming beaches, hiking trails, and most of the outdoor activities you can find elsewhere outside of bungee jumping (go to Macau), surfing and skydiving (Philippines).

[naturegirl321]

Moneywise, you'd have a better quality of life in VN.

[GemGem]

Thanks sister that's great inside info! Especially about the national parks etc - I have been to HK about 4/5 times with work now and like the city alot but never really ventured out....

The school in HK are proposing to put me up in a shared flat with two other teachers for the cost of HK$5000 a month (bills extra). Flat is in Quarry Bay. Tempted as it will relieve the hassle of finding my own place (and also if my flatmates are not nutters) it will be a good way to meet some peeps too, but is this an OK deal? Or should I look for something by myself. Could I save money in HK on the salary they are offering and the lifestyle you suggested?

Nature - In VN I would be finding my own place anyway so no issues there. I guess I want to know how different HCMC actually is compared to HK? Is it easy to get around? Is there lots going on there and can I escape to the country like I could in HK? I love asian food so not planning on wanting to eat western very much (unless I get a craving for it occasionally) so that side of things doesnt bother me...I guess it's more of the culture shock aspect of it all - I'm comfortable with the idea of living in HK but a part of me wants to experience somewhere totally different (and stuff myself full of delicious Vietnamese food) - and also be able to save for some travelling in my time off and it sounds like VN would make this a bit more possible perhaps - would I also find HCMC easy to adapt to? Did you?

Once again thanks for your inside info!

[Captain_Fil]

From what I've heard in these forums, Vietnam has low living expenses and fairly high earnings.

Less than a year from now, this is where I'll be in life (after I complete my CELTA). I'll be trying to figure out where to apply for my first full-year teaching job. It will be an exciting time for me.

I envy you.

Good luck to you.

[naturegirl321]

[sistercream]

I would actually give differing advice from Naturegirl, at least for HK. As long as you don't immediately get tied down for a full year's lease, having a flat share already organised makes huge sense, and Quarry Bay is a decent area to live (not top of the town, obviously). I'd just make sure that you have an "out" available in your living arrangements in case your flatmates are in fact total nutters.

I'd also hazard that Naturegirl isn't too familiar with HK ... I admit I don't know HCMC but I doubt very much whether you can get from the centre of town there to a national park within 20 minutes walk.

If you live a conservative lifestyle in HK then yes, you can save on 16K a month. You won't starve, you can afford occasional treats, but it will take discipline, specially if colleagues are blowing their entire pay every month and expect you to join them.

[naturegirl321]

I don't know. I'm not a college student anymore, so I want my own place. Having lived with people I worked with, I'd never do it again. And that's not to say that they weren't nice peopel, ikt's just that you'd like to get away from the office every once in a while. Different strokes, for different folks, I've been to both and have contemplated moving to both HK and VN. If I were going to go to either, it'd be VN, money simply goes further there.

[1st Sgt Welsh]

Never been to HK (although that's something I'm hoping to rectify in a few months by going for a visit), but I've been living in HCMC for a while now.

[sistercream]

Good to see a balancing view from the Vietnamese side!

[GemGem]

That's brilliant guys - thank you! You've all been really helpful! Still waiting to hear back from both so my decision could be made for me but I'll let you know what the outcome is.

And thanks for all the good lucks!

[Captain_Fil]

Keep in touch.

Tell us how things are going for you.

We would love to know.

[RL]

Although I have never been to either, you should search out the blog "saigonalive," or some permutation of that. Seems to be informative on the expat teacher's life in Saigon, albeit from the male perspective.

Best of luck!

[GemGem]

Hi All,

Just to let you know - I've taken the job in Ho Chi Minh and really looking forward to it!! I may come to HK in a year or so when I've got a bit more experience, but for now I'll be chowing down on Pho bo in approx 5 months time!

Thanks again for all of your advice.

Gem

[Captain_Fil]

CONGRATULATIONS!!