Job Discussion Forums

[manxomejoe]

As my jump-off date inexorably marches towards me I want to ask one of those classic, "How will I fare?" questions, but with a twist.

Having read through most of the forty odd pages of the forums, I happen to fit, according to Cafe standards, just exactly what the language schools are looking for- I look very western (blond hair, green eyes), am considered attractive, have a degree in liberal arts, will have a CELTA after a month in-country, am confident in interviews, dress well and I have very limited teaching experience. There might even be more to add to the list, but my brain isn't working so hot at this hour.

Now, the only issue is- after a biking accident quite a few years ago, I am blind in my right eye. Not lacking a right eye, nor is the eyeball damaged. Just I cannot see out of my right eye. There are no visible scars left from the accident and most acquaintances never realize anything the matter. But, when I am tired (say having worked out, or running on too few hours of sleep) my right eye starts to wander. Sometimes a lot, mostly just a little.

How will I fare in Saigon trying to find and more importantly retain a position?

Will a sometimes visible aberration from the norm preclude me from sharing in the Vietnamese Dream?

[1st Sgt Welsh]

Not quite sure what the "Vietnamese dream" is, but anyway . In regards to your concerns about your eye, based on what you have written, I personally don't think that it would be too much of an issue.

[toiyeuthitmeo]

Some schools require a medical check, so if that is your case someone will find out about the condition. Otherwise, I'd probably not mention it unless required to.

[1st Sgt Welsh]

[snollygoster]

I am sure your eye problem womnt preclude you from a job. I worked with a guy who had only one hand, and despite my being told by the Vietnamese School Director that it was impossible for anyone with only one hand to teach English, I failed to see how it would imped his pronunciation etc, so hired him. He was very good and stayed with it for years, very successfully.
Go for it!

[Oh My God]

[Jbhughes]

There's a very nice chap who works for Cambridge in Vietnam who has a similarly wandering eye.

I've attended a couple of his workshops and the Vietnamese present didn't mention anything or seem to even notice at all. Our school took lots of pictures with him each time that they have plastered up everywhere.

This suggests to me that it wouldn't be a problem whatsoever.

Good luck

[esbam2002]

I would agree that on order to get the work permit here, there is a medical check that is required as part of the documents that you need for the permit application. They will check for HIV/AIDS, urine, hearing, chest x-rays, lungs, mouth and throat, blood pressure, and eye sight.

They will check though, and I am not sure about eye sight, or if being blind in one eye, will cause you to fail. I have been told that HIV is immediate rejection from the country, but not sure how vision affects you. I had my blood pressure a little high in my last health check, and was "consulted" by the doctor about how I needed to stop smoking, cut down the caffeine I drink, and do more activities....

[bludevil96]

I find it pretty distasteful from a couple of people here to laugh at someone's "Vietnamese dream". I pray that you will replace the persons who thought it's a big joke. The bigger joke, I think, is what everyone calls, "the American Dream" See OWS. Talk about unattainable. Just like a well educated native Vietnamese at earning a salary of a backpacker, that's a "Vietnamese dream". And I'm not really sure why I'm upset over it, being that I'm a joker myself, but to just laugh off what someone's perceived to be a dream of what others have discarded as a joke, maybe it hits home.

As long as you can teach, I don't think it matters. Will the students point it out? Sure, just like people here who will look at fat people and point at them. But it's more for curiosity than ill intent. I know I wouldn't even consider that a problem. I take that over a backpacker any day. Good luck dude.

[haller_79]

[bobpen]

[generalgiap]

What is the Vietnamese Dream?

This depends on the individual who is doing the dreaming. However, if you ask the Vietnamese who make USD500 or more, they will tell you
that the dream is buying a car. Of course, most of them will never be able to afford a car and have no idea on the costs of a car- gas, insurance, maintance etc.

Most Vietnamese do not really need a car, it's all about face, keeping up with the Nguyens. Nevertheless, it has not stopped them from enrolling in the drivers education course so they can get a auto drivers license, a long and expensive course. This is also for face-they can tell their friends that they are in the drivers course and they are now a VIP, but a VIP without a car.

Regarding the Vietnamese dream of being paid the same salary as a foreigner, unfortunately, this will not happen to a majority of the Vietnamese. This is because they don't have the same skills. Having worked with many Vietnamese, the first skill they need is the ability to think- and to have some independent thoughts, to solve problems etc.
One may think this is a racist comment but the fact is that the education system in Vietnam is all about controlling the public mind, indoctrination etc.

Finally, there was a comment about the locals making the system better.
The most important question is do they have the knowledge and skills to make Vietnam better. For example, would one prefer to drive their car/moto on a road/bridge made by a Vietnamese or foreign construction company. What about buying an apartment. Vietnamese or Foreign built?

The answer is simple.

[inhanoi]

I'm afraid I must disagree with some of those comments about Vietnamese people, at least regarding the students that I've encountered so far are concerned.

The vast majority of students I've met, teens and young adults, are bursting with opinions, ideas, and imagination. I have found them to be clever, thoughtful and challenging. Granted, I haven't been here for twenty years, but maybe that's a good thing. Your description of Vietnamese people sounds like it may have been accurate 10 or 20 years ago... from what I've gathered from research and from comments by long-term ex-pats that's how it was. But thanks to globalization, satellite tv, and the internet, combined with the natural inquisitiveness of the young, that seems to have changed.

As far as the original question is concerned, I have also met a handicapped person who is teaching here (in Ho Chi Minh City) and she has no problems at all, so I would encourage the original poster to pursue his "dream."

[The Mad Hatter]

My answer to your question- of whether having a slight problem with your eye would become an issue is that yes, it will always be an issue, but it won't stop schools from hiring you or prevent you from working. What will happen, I think, is that you will end up having to explain it and talk about it all the time, to everyone of your classes and to people outside in public wherever you go. If they do not ask you directly you will notice people looking at it and doing so very quickly when you first approach them. I have noticed that people here seem to notice anything wrong or unusual about someone's body or clothes and stare at it almost immediately. It could be some societal schadenfrede. It's good in a way that you have such a visible problem so they can be satisfied right away and not have to continue wondering what's wrong with you.
For example if you have a slight shaving nick students who would never normally want to talk much , will call out in class and ask you what the little bandaid is for, what happened, or if no bandaid they will make that a point to tell you about it as if you don't know, and ask what happened. If you ever try to lecture them that it might not be so polite to be pointing out flaws or suggest that it is obvious what it was caused by they mostly respond that they are "helping you" or something like that. but it get's real annoying , no matter how hard you try there's always something wrong with your clothes or whatever.
So, if you have an eye problem it will be a constant object of discussion, and you might get annoyed because of explaining it, students might laugh or suggest certain doctors for you, but they will be asking all kinds of personal .
questions anyway . You could also wear a huge black pirate patch which might help you somehow by giving you a character and it's all about personality when you're an English teacher and you could capitalize on it somehow by excentuating the positive aspects.
So never mind about that.

[haller_79]