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I am absolutely going through the racial discrimination thing here in Hanoi. I think it's absurd that back in the West us Asians have enough stereotypes and racial barriers as it is and to get that type of treatment even worse here in our mother land angers me.
To share my experience I've been lucky that a Mom and Pop school has hired me, but it is not enough hours for me to earn what I would like. I hope that locals of Vietnam have a chance to read this so that they know that there are many qualified Asian ESL teachers out there that can speak perfect English and who are driven to help their own people.
It is so frustrating to know that every job I apply for I must tread carefully. I even went to the extent of changing my first name (Vietnamese name) to an English one. I am so angry that normally I would just quit. I want to stay and change this view on Asians not being able to teach English. I hope other Asians decide to do the same thing. Good luck to any other Asian ESL teachers out there and if you have overcome this obstacle it would be appreciated if you could share your experience. Thank you.

[tefl peasant]

[tonyjones01]

"I think it's absurd that back in the West us Asians have enough stereotypes"

Yes, but Western stereotypes are postive in nature.

The schools, like any good business, cater to their customers.
When the parents don't mind having an Asian teaching their children, the schools will hire locals.

[yogurtpooh]

In my eyes, I really think the general public in Vietnam have it all backwards. Viet kieus who have some knowledge of Vietnamese should be highly sought after. They eliminate the need to hire local Vietnamese teachers to translate within the classrooms and students with questions can get better and more precise help. I remember learning Spanish in high school and the fact that the teacher spoke English made it so much easier to learn. I can't imagine going into a classroom and not being able to communicate efficiently with my teacher.

I know I'm going to face similar discrimination when I tread on over there too. My other disadvantage is my age. I'll be 22 but I look like I'm 17 on a clean shaven day. But I'm not going to be picky on who I teach. Children or teenagers will be fine, but I am picking on wages and what city to call home for a year.

[ajc19810]

Yogurtpooh. I started off in Vietnam at 22 and at that time my age worked for me. I was often given more hours than my elder,more qualified and more experienced co-workers. You will have a very large target audience which if you play your cards right will lead to a higher salary. Work for the schools where popularity in the classroom is the most important thing, they're not hard to find as they are on every road. You'll love being in Vietnam and 22, i know i did and for sure stay in Saigon it will have everything you could ever want.

[Andy123]

Hang in there and ride it out.

Yes, many Viet Kieu are hired because the schools often pay them less. A shame. Yes, many students think that a VK can not teach English as well as a white face.

On the reverse side of the issue, many students want a white face but they want the teacher to teach in a Viet style. I have seen many teachers get the boot because they did not adapt an Eastern lexical approuch.

I have seen many schools put in a young and unqualified (most without a uni education) teacher into the classroom over an older experienced teacher.

Trust me, there are some very good VK teachers here. Let them be your role model and do not give up.

[snollygoster]

Parents often dont want a VK teacher because they are dubious of his/her ability to speak English. Stupid? Yes but the reality.
I have worked with some really top shelf VK ESL teachers (a few downright terrible ones too-but generally more on the positive side than with foreigners).
I often wonder why a (say) Hungarian ESL teacher with a thick accent and a less than perfect grasp of English is a "better" ESL teacher than a native English speaking VK who lived from childhood in an English speaking country, was educated there in English and speaks English just like a local from that country.
Prejudice is alive and well in Vietnam, and the myth continues to gain support. I would have thought that locals would show more pride and support for people of their own ethnic origin who are able to demonstrate the ability to mix it with foreigners. The ability to speak (and teach) English depends no more on ethnic origin than on having all your fingers on your hand. (Laughable but I know of an ESL teacher who has some fingers missing and he has a hard time getting hired because "how can he possibly teach English with some fingers missing?").

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@tefl peasant: I am Chinese/Canadian but not born in Vietnam. I was offered a lower wage and flatly declined

@tonyjones01: Yes you are right but some are also bad and stereotypes are still stereotypes which are made to define a person according to a group rather than individually.

@yogurtpooh: If you are Asian descent, you will have a problem. ajc19810 is correct that your age is an advantage. My advice to you is when you come here look as western as you can. Bring clothing from back home and that way you will look less like a local.

@Andy123: Thanks for your sympathy and support. Racial discrimination as a factor of being hired is something us Westerners are definitely not used to.

@snollygoster: Good analogy and insight.

[tefl peasant]

[ajc19810]

4 years ago I introduced two of my friends to my boss for a job. My boss told me the following day that he wouldn't hire my friends because one looked Asian (25 years old, born in Brisbane, graduated from uni with me, completed his masters, dad is from Rockhampton and mother is from Singapore). The other he said he couldn't hire because he was too fat (He is about 120kg).

2 years ago a i was told to reject two applicants one because she was South African and the other bec he was from NZ.
In both of these situations there was no mincing of words they said exactly that.

[yogurtpooh]

One benefit of looking like the locals is that the street hawkers won't usually bother you, but on the other hand, I noticed that the service I received compared to my white counterparts was definitely lower. Just this past summer, whenever I met and ate with other white backpackers, the waitresses would be very gentle and happy when waiting on them but when it was finally my turn, they would often pushy and rude. I gave up speaking Vietnamese and as soon as I started speaking only in English the service got better, but then I was getting cheated left and right. I also found out that generally the locals were admirable when I told them I was VK. I never received any direct hostility, even in Hanoi or Bac Giang with my thick Saigon accent. But you're right about the assumptions that VKs don't speak English correctly. Twice some travel agencies told me that my English sounded Vietnamese. Which made me laugh because their English sounded like it was taught by a local Vietnamese. My own grandfather asked me if I was as good in English as I was in Vietnamese. It's a common misconception that if you're good in one language then you can't be fluent in another.

As far as looking like a westerner, it's really challenging because in the modern cities, locals can look just like a westerner and beyond. My few days spent in Saigon made me realize how "trendy" and "extreme" the teens were here and how behind the times I felt. Everything was so flashy and complicated when I just wanted the bare essentials to stay cool. My grandmother who resides there actually told me I dressed like an old man and the neighbor's kids were more up to date than me.
What's the fine line between looking "western" and remaining professional enough to teach a class?

When it comes to physical structures, I'm even at a greater disadvantage. I look like I came straight out of the streets of District 2. But of course my mannerisms is different and I can see the physical differences in my face compared to the locals, but I'm afraid I don't know if the locals know. I walked down Bui Vien St. and nobody offered me a "good time" so I guess I do blend in very well. Similarly while walking down the streets of Sapa with a Swiss guy, the numerous massage places would holler out at my friend and completely ignored me - yet I was probably the one more likely dumb enough to shed extra cash for a pretty face.

I always thought that Confucian standards dictate that the older a person is the more wisdom and knowledge he has and thus more legitimacy he owns. Wouldn't I get backlash from old people who have daughters and sons older than me? Then again chances are I would likely start off with younger children, which is fine.

My plan is to actually incorporate Vietnamese into the lesson plans. I feel like this is the best way to bridge the gap between the two languages over merely repeating what the teacher says. I really think VKs should deserve much more credit, ones with language abilities in both languages understand what it takes to comprehend and utilize both.

Lastly, I actually do not want to live in Saigon! It's too modern and trendy for me. I'm looking for something simplistic but not too simplistic. Ideally I would live and work in Da Nang or near Saigon, especially Bien Hoa or deeper into the Mekong Delta or Central Highlands.

Is a monthly salary of 1 grand plus living arrangement realistic? I'm sure I can get by with some savings for that amount. I know food is "cheap" there, but eating out and always asking for double the meat adds up.

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I want to thank everyone for their understanding and allowing me to have an outlet to vent my frustrations. I am pass the anger part and have decided to channel that anger into positive energy.
The one thing I've learn from Confucius is to have understanding, no matter how ridiculous the situation sometimes may seem. What I have come to understand is that most Vietnamese locals do not have the opportunity to travel and see the outside world. Reasons could include not earning enough money to experience the pleasures of travel. They therefore are not exposed as much to things such as multiculturalism and eventually develop stereotypes like the one I am going through at the moment.
If they can't change their way of thinking on their own, then it is up to myself and all other Asian ESL teachers to help them do it. With time, barriers will come down and mentalities will change. The locals will be more accepting of an Asian ESL teacher and thus giving us all teachers (whatever race) what we are entitled to, an equal opportunity to find work based on qualifications and not on looks and false stereotypes.

[tefl peasant]

[Oh My God]

[yogurtpooh]

I don't necessarily agree that being able to speak Vietnamese weakens ones ability to be proficient in English. Knowing Vietnamese actually allows one to link the differences and similarities between both languages. Maybe your wife or your VK friends are first generation immigrants, but second generations like myself and many of my other young VK friends speak and sound just like your average American. If you didn't see us you wouldn't know at all. In fact throughout high school VKs were constantly better at English than most other kids despite speaking Vietnamese with their parents at home. Hopefully when my time comes, I can bring this all up to my future employer. Hopefully they'll be desperate enough to hire me. hahaha.