Job Discussion Forums

[LarssonCrew]

Having been screwed over by the visa people in China, I was looking at alternative places in Asia.

Vietnam appeals to me, try somewhere new. I make a comfortable amount of money working online doing some coaching and some online teaching, say $2000. This year I'll be studying online for an MBA and I just want a place to enjoy doing that.

I heard the internet in Vietnam is pretty good, is that right?
Secondly, how much of a pain is the visa? I saw vids on youtube where people advocate just teaching on visa runs, seems a bit shady but then people have said the process is so ridiculous and expensive and bureaucratic that it's not worth to not do it.

Secondly, I've got 7 years of teaching experience in Singapore, China and various places, teaching mostly A levels, IELTS,TOEFL etc. Normally in other Asian countries I expect a 'better than average' wage for an ESL teacher.

It appears to me that almost all jobs in Vietnam:

Pay from $15-20/22.
Pay per hour
Don't really include housing.

Housing won't be a problem and generally I'm happy to sock away my online 2000.

So what kind of pay/life style should I expect.

If I got $20 an hour and did 20 hour that's 1600. Minus housing[I assume about 500], what kind of lifestyle can I expect for 1100?

And is there any possibility to break the 20/22 barrier? Even IELTS/exam specialist schools, which in China pay a fortune, just seem to want to pay the same level. Is there anywhere to make $30 or so, and if so is it a case of knowing the right people.

Next one, most people seem to be happy working 16-18 hours a day and drinking beer etc. That's not me, I'm here to work and save up for my big plans next year. What's the chances of making say $2000 a month?

If I made $2000 in classes and didn't really party, but rather spend time studying, watching TV etc. could I save say half of that?

Sorry for so many questions.

[Spelunker]

If you can teach online, why not try Taiwan, good internet, you can continue what chinese you have learned from China and singapore, and inexpensive by all accounts. Just an idea, if your set on 'nam, fair enough.

[kurtz]

Firstly, if you're saving decent coin already, why worry about saving your wage in Vietnam, too? You can have a good life on say $1800-$2500 a month which would involve getting off the small red plastic chairs drinking crap beer and drinking in classy bars and going to good restaurants. You'd also have a decent gaff. These are generally only in a few big cities like Hanoi, HCMC and Danang, but wages and costs are lower in Danang.

The figures for hourly rates are pretty accurate. Try RES or RMIT for a good hourly rates. I won't comment on the quality of those schools, but they seem to pay the best.

Internet in Hanoi is good, can't comment on other places.

If you make $2000, you can save half if you aren't extravagent. $500 rent, $500 food etc. as a ballpark figure.

As always, people have different ideas of what decent is. I have visited some peoples' houses and couldn't believe how basic they lived. Furthermore, some people are big on eating street food all the time which wasn't for me. However, a hot bowl of pho bo for brekky was hard to beat. Once you are in a country for a while, you work out how to budget and locate the best places to shop and eat.

Can't help with the visa mess, sorry.

I'd give it a go if I were you, but I'd do some research on what city you want to live in. I found the smaller towns quite generic and dull.

[ExpatLuke]

If you're already making $2000 a month, you should move to one of the nicer coastal towns like Danang, Vung Tau, or Ha Long. Get a part-time job and don't worry about the pay. If you're already making 2k a month, that's more than enough to live extravagantly in these smaller towns.

The main thing you will want is a school which will offer you visa sponsorship. This will eliminate the cost of doing visa runs and the hassle of figuring out the system. The school should take care of it all.

So put in a few hours in the evenings/on the weekends, enjoy the benefits of visa sponsorship, and enjoy the easy life.

[LarssonCrew]

Nah, I think if I'm going to put up with living in China / Taiwan I want to be making some bank, talking 2500-3000 with free housing[usd].

I've liked the idea of Vietnam and luckily if I go in with my $2000[which is likely to go up now that they have asked me to do more work] then I'm under no real pressure to get a job, and I'll be coming in with about $10,000. So I won't have to scrimp and save and in theory I could ride out the whole year purely on online.

I would however still like to do some teaching in brick and mortar as I enjoy it.

From what people say I'm tempted to get all my certs, get a 3 month visa and head over and see what's what. I'm no backpacker and I will continue to work online from Vietnam. Guess for internets sake I would stick to Hanoi or HCMC. If I could make $1000 or so from a 'proper' school out there just to live off and sack away my online earnings I would be happy.

Seems most of Vietnam is turn up and see what's what. And because I'm not broke and don't need, although want, another revenue stream, I could pick up 4-6 hours here, another 4-6 there and be happy with my 15 hours a week.

[Spelunker]

fair enough pal, your choice, you are more educated than me, I still think you are doing yourself a disservice by choosing Viet over Taiwan though, up to you....

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/expat-health/11190870/Taiwan-tops-the-expat-health-care-charts.html

Also, Taiwan is not china, despite what the chinese themselves say. But I have posted enough for now.

[twowheel]

[TRH]

[LarssonCrew]

Danang seems a good shout, just spent 5 minutes looking online.

Even on English websites houses/apartments are from $500 to $250.

Wouldn't mind renting an actual house for $500, but the only downside is I couldn't find alot of info on ESL jobs there. Maybe it's again one of those 'turn up and see' places.

[Spelunker]

Sorry for any confusion,

I was replying to larsoncrew, not you. Anyway, my point about healthcare still stands, and is a pertinent one.

[ExpatLuke]

[twowheel]

[Mattingly]

[Spelunker]

S'pose it all comes down to what minimum standards, recruiters and or the education department of each respective country set?

One middle eastern country recruiter said a minimum of BA in English lit, and a TEFL, which was enough for me to secure a job. Another mid east country specified those as an absolute minimum but I never got hired. So some recruiters will take the minimum amount, while other countries and or recruiters are really looking for the MA + CELTA teachers. Swings and roundabouts n'est pas?

[LarssonCrew]

Ah. I've been offered even more online work for between 25-30 USD an hour.

I may end up doing 25 ish hours a week online and then just doing 10-15 in Vietnam schools. Yes it's 40 hours but it's not like traveling for an hour to teach for 45 minutes, break for 15, teach 45 and then an hour home. It's a block of time I can sit in my home and do work.

I was offered 18 hours in a 'block' three days a week in Hanoi for 26 an hour. that would equate to about 2000 dollars a month, maybe a tad less.

It seems in Vietnam 'blocks' are key, it seems to me doing a 3 1/2 hour morning and then finding something else for the afternoon beats 3 hours in the morning then waiting 3 hours for the afternoon then just one hour.

So yes, I'll be pulling in 40 hours a week but I should be on about 4000 or more dollars. Means I can afford a nice place to stay, which will be key because I'll be spending quite a lot of time at home.

I'll still live a cheap life though, doubt I'll spend over 1000 a month. Which means 3000 for savings and investments and spending on learning and traveling throughout the year :)