Job Discussion Forums

[Funkman]

Hello all,

Glad I found this forum a couple of days ago, some interesting info and opinions here (Yes I have read through before posting).

I am in Sydney, I gave notice that I am leaving my job June 18, and I am planning to come to VN June 22.

I have worked in various customer service and business environments, and I also have a double degree arts in Asian and International Stuides and Business in International Business.

I could do with a change, so I am thinking that rather than just a quick break I will stay and teach English for a while.

I have read all the bad news about the market for teachers, so not really interested in hearing that as I am determined to give it a go anwyway, if it doesnt work out I will just come back home.

So, I would like some advice if I can please - basically, I am going to turn up in HCM find myself a hotel and start from there. (I did travel to VN once for two weeks about 10 years ago and I loved it, cant wait to come back).

So, step 2 - should I enrol in a TESL course or similar? If so any recommended places to do one? I would like to spend no more than $1,000 on this. If I dont need to do one then that is fine too, only interested in doing the course if it means I will get a better job and better pay.

Second, job searching, how to go about it, what to bring?

Do I need to bring the original copies of my degree with me? Can I just bring photocopies? What is this notorised copies people talk about? In Australia, we have certified copies, where a registered Justice of the Peace (can be Police officer or similar) has signed that the copy is valid. Will that do?

Should I just apply for a tourist visa and get a business visa when I find a job?

I will need to make minimum $1,500 per month if I can, as I will be paying $1000 rent for my apartment back home while I am there, yes I know I will be scraping by like this, but that is ok. I wil have a little to back me up and I will make it work. I just want to get away and do something different for a while.

Any other tips? my written and verbal english is very good, and I am sure I will make it work, although I have never done any teaching before, would just appreciate some useful advice to help me get started.

Many thanks,

Stephan.

[mark_in_saigon]

[Funkman]

I already did spend a couple of hours doing just that, and I want to come anyway,

With all due respect, if you read my post properly, you would see that I am asking for practical advice - I am asking for practical advice on HOW to proceed, not WHETHER to proceed.

Dublin girl has been asking and getting plenty of positive replies, dont understand why it is so hard in my case.

[deadlift]

1. You have no teaching cert and no experience, which means you don't qualify for a work permit, meaning you'll be limited in terms of quality jobs. This will make getting that $1,500 net per month that much more difficult. Certainly, you'll not get a salaried position, so whatever you do earn will be variable from month to month.

2. This means, yes, you should do a CELTA or some other cert to increase your employability.

3. Getting paid in dong, and most likely without a contract, you'll have great difficulty remitting money overseas.

4. Business/tourist visa doesn't really make any difference.

5. Living on $500 per month would be interesting to say the least. Being generous, you might be able to find a room in a shared house for $200 per month, leaving a kingly amount of around $10 a day for food, entertainment, travel, medical costs, clothing... a very very frugal lifestyle would be required.

6. Good luck to you. I agree with Mark that your plan is unreasonable, but you've made up your mind. Go for it and see what happens, but realise that you're putting your apartment at risk (I'm assuming you mean that you're paying a mortgage on it and that you need to maintain those $1000 payments) if you do what you plan to.

[Funkman]

Thanks for the reply - that is more helpful.

No I dont have a mortgage, I just want to keep the apartment I am living in and happy with rather than move all my stuff out and have to stay with my folks when i get back.

Remitting money overseas, that is an issue. I know I can withdraw money from my Australian Bank there at ATMs, however, I am assuming what you are telling me is that I cannot make a deposit. This is something like the rules that China has about taking money out of the country then I guess.

This will be interesting.

Ok, great, so I will do an TESL Course, are there any recommended courses or institutions to get me started? Preferablly that are not too expensive?

[LettersAthruZ]

Yepper.....

....wiring money out of Viet Nam or doing an International Banking Electronic transfer to your bank account in Oz is pretty much impossible unless you can show the Vietnamese wiring bank physical documentation as to WHERE this cash originated from, such as a pay packet receipt from whatever mill you are employed by.

If you do NOT have certification AND a Bachelor's Degree or higher from a Uni, you are not going to obtain a Work Permit (WELL....you COULD, but that's either $1500USD out of your employer's pocket or out of your own pocket.....and, unless you're the best teacher on Earth, I don't think an employer is going to pay that bribe up-front so you can get a Work Permit).

There ARE some low, low-end centres and schools up here that WILL hire you, but you're looking at $1000USD/AUD per month, 25 classroom teaching hours per week, and POSSIBLY them providing your housing!! Your food, medical, transportation, etc. etc. etc. are all on you!

Oh, and after three months of working on the tourist visa that you entered the country with, you will have to pay out of your pocket for a flight to and from Bangkok so that you can fly in and obtain a NEW three-month tourist visa (whichever low, low-end school actually hires you would never pay for your visa run. OH - also, said visa run is required to be done BY AIR ONLY [it ain't like Thailand])........THIS new wrinkle (NO more in-country visa renewals/extensions) came into effect January 1st, 2013

So, truthfully? I'd probably wait until you can actually find somebody to SUB-LET your apartment before you hop on the flight to Viet Nam!

Best of luck.

[lenny321]

Even after January 2013 I managed to get visa extensions WITHOUT doing a visa run. Last time my school did it for me, I paid 40$ (single entry of course, double is about 120$), before that a travel agency did it for me. It's still quite expensive, especially if you want to travel to other countries from time to time.

Good luck, Funkman. Teaching in VN is no piece of cake (just in my opinion, some people "love it" here, I don't - still a good experience), and I could never ever imagine living here and being behind 1000$ every month. You have my absolute respect for your plans. Enjoy your experience

[Funkman]

Thanks Lenny.

Like I said, I did visit here for two weeks in 2003, and I did "love" it, so very much looking forward to coming back.

Hmm, so the money issue is - you can send it back home as long as you have proof of where it came from? Does that mean it doesnt have to have been money that your brought from home, but just showing that you earnt it is enough? That is not so bad.

Hmm, I am re thinking my apartment plans ...Hmmm.

[kurtz]

Hello Funkman,

Most folks are just getting by here, let alone sending back a grand before attempting to get by. Sure, you've got the black and red schoolbag wearing RMIT crew with their $2,500 salary, or the British Council peeps and a handful of other "aren't completely useless" schools but the deal is, without proper qualifications or at least a CELTA, you've set the bar a little too high for a newbie.

I'd have to agree with our Lettered friend here that you'll have to sublet your apartment before joining us in the Land of the Nose Pickers. How many people, even with a CELTA, are clearing $1,500 big ones on a monthly basis would be an interesting poll. Not many would be my educated guess.

Make sure you've got a bunch of savings and a sense of humor before getting on that flight.

Welcome, and do keep us posted.

[Funkman]

Thanks Kurtz, good reply.

Question - can anyone recommend a good CESL course or similar to do once I arrive? Preferably not too expensive / time consuming but that will still give me reasonable qualification when job hunting?

Yes, the apartment issue is definitely going to require some thought - I like it where I am and I dont want to move my stuff out / come back and have to stay with my folks - big no no for me, that is why I was planning to keep it. Will definitely chew over this for a while now.

[LettersAthruZ]

[Funkman]

Ha, I like the last point.

But is that actually genuinely true, that offering a bribe like that will help me get a better visa and wont get me arrested?

[LettersAthruZ]

[lenny321]

A through z, it seems there are still some workarounds in the south regarding visa stuff. Apart from that, things have tightened up. It's been getting more expensive and people ask more questions. I was actually questioned for five minutes by vn airlines staff in Bangkok before flying back to Saigon. One of those WTF moments. Weird...

Funkman, loving vn is I'd say one if the most important requirements to live and work here, so no doubt you will enjoy it.

[Funkman]

Thanks for the great replies guys, I appreciate it.

I'll give you a little background so you know where I am coming from. Originally I was planning VN as a short holiday to get away, having been stuck in a stressful job not getting paid enough I need a break. I was hoping to find another job here in Sydney and have it lined up before I left, that way I could have my holiday and come back to that. We that hasn't happened - I resigned from my job anyway, knowing that that having that security blanket was actually an obstacle to me finding something else.

As I am now leaving (I gave notice in writing already) I am still coming for a holiday, only I will see if I can stay longer.

I may find something and stay for a while or I may find something and come have to come back after a couple of months, I don't know so you can see why I dont want to get rid of my apartment - I need somewhere to come back to if it doesn't work out after a short time.

I am looking into one of those flexible tickets for the return trip, and we will see how it goes!