Job Discussion Forums

[StayingPower]

Taiwan: Jobs unpredictably pretentious, food flop-on rice, apartments brick wall views; landlords low, employers imperiously insane. Scenery slop-stop food stalls and scooters choking all.

Smiles on the faces cheap, but sweet, well-mannered and civilized but born to criticize. Felt inspiration from the river parks for a while, but felt nothing more after going around the bend, other than a dead dog drowned in a garbage bag in the end.

Describe life in Vietnam.

Is there a rainbow there with a pot of gold?

How much can you save each month when you get old?

What is it you were, and weren't, told?

[shanewarne]

Same same but different.

You can make a couple of thousand bucks here and save 3/4 if you live like a hermit.

[AmanJivan]

Having spent time in Taiwan, I found your description of life there both witty and with merit

[tefl peasant]

[StayingPower]

[tefl peasant]

Other options?

It means leaving Vietnam for other places.

In many cases, this means home-country. Yes, the economy is slow.

But better to change than to ponder on internet forums.

[blateson]

The life in Vietnam isn't so good. Extremely crowded place and generally chaotic.

Common complaints from others are that life gets very repetitive after a week in the country, the cities shut down by 9 or 10 and hibernate after midnight. Ripoffs are rampant and shopworkers don't even hide it, locals often like to stand right up next to you. Traffic is out of control and getting worse, with a leadership that still isn't really doing anything about it. The roads are paved but there is a distinct lack of civility at times. On first impression the Viets are a little more polite than the Chinese, but that illusion only lasts about a half day before reality sets in.

The hourly wage is 'decent' at about $15 an hour avg, about $1300 to 1400 a month on full time schedule after taxes, assuming the school doesn't screw you around by chipping away at your hours - Vietnamese integrity on that matter cannot be relied on. I don't take any seriousness at all posters who claim two grand a month or better. Back before all these work permit and visa entanglements some would work two jobs (1 morn/aft, 1 eve) which is how they would hit two grand, but the insanity of driving back and forth across town everyday in such streets is brutal and will likely tire people out quicker. Rent prices are pushing extortionate and selection is not impressive if not terrible.

It is common knowledge, especially among the single guys and freer folks, that expats jump over to Cambodia or Thailand during any holiday breaks, where a better lifestyle can be had, but job postings and pay are poor and lower. Assuming a guy had money saved in the bank, the latter two countries would be the only recommendation for living and part-time work, giving Vietnam a miss.

[Sudz]

^ 2000 is not a stretch at all. I make more than this at one job - as do quite a few others I know

[Sudz]

after 'taxes' (which the school pays for)

[shanewarne]

Only 2000? Dude, they're ripping you off. I get paid into the millions.

[[email protected]]

BLATESON is generally right about Vietnam. I also think is what you make of it. Like anywhere else in the world, places have their advantages and disadvantages.
As far as saving money, I think you could at least save $1000 a month. Work during the day full time and teaching some evening classes a few times a week. This will keep you busy so you don't spend all your money. It all depends on how you live though.
I happen to find a one bedroom apt in the center of the city with separate washroom and kitchen, washing machine, and internet access. Including utilities I pay about $320 USD a month. The apt is clean with no insects (only ants if food is left out) and no rats coming into the apt.
For me this is fine. I don't need a big place to live, as long it is clean and insect and rat free. It depends on you. There are many options of how you want to live here. The best way to know is to come here and give it a try.

[tefl peasant]

[hot_rock]

Be sure to take all advice on such forum with a pinch of salt; the people who are the most 'helpful' in the sense that they are good enough to write long, well-worded posts, are unfortunately also those with the most negative perspective. I used to argue against people like Blateson and snollygoster but you know what, I can't be bothered anymore.

By burnign question is "if life's so bad, why do these guys stay?". Its so depressing to read this stuff over and over when the writer is clearly in a hole and trying to drag everyone else in under the quise of 'advice', just move back to the West please, oh wait you hate it there as well...ok!

Everyone I know loves it in Vietnam. Life isn't perfect but it isn't anywhere. I bring in about $2500 a month if I do a LOT of hours, and yes about $2k minimum. The people are not 'rude' in my experience, generally. I can't actually believe someone has written that they "stand right up close to you" as a disadvantage of life in Vietnam when they KNOW FINE WELL that this is a cultural thing which actually happens to the point where it annoys you very rarely indeed.

If you want to come to a foreign culture that is still very different from life in the West on a multitude of levels (in 25 years it won't be and everyone will hark back to the days when it was still like Vietnam and not the West), come to Vietnam. If you want to bring in a sizeable amount relative to, say, Thailand (or the West, for a lot of us...) while still having the chance to live in a lovely appartment and eat and drink well, and still save a great amount, come to Vietnam.

The traffic is horrifc; wear a pollution mask and try to allow it all to make you a more patient person rather than a bitter and twisted "expat" (I know we all are but some more than others, right?). Make friends with as many locals as you can, if you don't like your job move and stop moaning about it, don't take any $hit from any HR/admin staff...exercise at the gym/play football/tennis (PM me if you want a game) rather than bemoaning the lack of fitness options rather than slobbing out in your Phu My Hung appartment night after night complaining to yourself how much fatter you're getting every day and how much you hate this place...eat local food (literally 13k dong a meal if you want it), very cheap and healthy. Obviously there are better options and I don't pretent to eat rice every meal. I actually met one (bitter and twisted old guy with nowhere else to go) colleague who "hates rice and everything Vietnamese now, and spends at least 100k dong a meal just trying to escape the misery". Honestly, simply pathetic. THESE GUYS ARE NOT YOUR ROLE MODELS.

come with an open mind. Life is different here in many ways but if you work at it just a little bit, you will evetually find a nice balance.

[Oh My God]

[ajc19810]

I really like your post OMG, its great to see some real life personal experience. You and Hot_rock are right on with make friends with the local people thing as well.