Job Discussion Forums

[mace42277]

I've recently been given an offer in HCMC that I'm pretty sure isn't good. However, I would like some opinions just to be sure. For twenty hours a week, I would be paid 870 dollars a month including free housing, though I would have to pay a 50 dollar monthly fee for internet use, electricity, ex. How much money would I be saving with the free housing? I'm told that the location is twenty minutes from city center. I have a year of teaching experience in China.

[Andy123]

Sounds like the school's owner has an apartment the own. What condition is the apartment in? Will you have roommates?

To me this situation only gives more power to the school.

Not many schools provide housing or hire teachers outside the country as a rule. My guess less than 5%.

I know one well established school who does this and their promises are rarely kept. It has caused great hardship for teachers who feel cheated.

List the school or pm it to some of the more knowledgeable posters.

Best of luck.

[LettersAthruZ]

WELL stated, Andy....

Back in the deep, dark, misty past (like, on my first ever job here), I took housing arranged by the school and I had seen other teachers be "loaned" furniture, money appliances, etc. from The Director.

As Andy states - ALL these sorts of thigs give more control over to the school....try to avoid it if possible. Again, either tis guy (Director/owner of the school) owns a building OR he's got a close bud who owns an apartment building or a Nha Nghi who the Director's in cahoots with on a deal that will benefit BOTH of them and screw YOU in the process....

...again, whilst I've never actually RESIDED down in HCMC, $870 per month for 20 classroom hours (preparation time is NOT compensated in Viet Nam) sounds - even WITH housing, suspiciously low for a city where inflation is sending prices skyrocketing like Saigon. That is roughly, like, $10.50USD per hour....

....even by backpacker standards - that's almost beyond the "low side" of the scale....