Job Discussion Forums

[marietta]

Hi there,

I'm a relatively new ESL teacher and I'd appreciate a little advice. I recently completed my CELTA in Vietnam (on the end of a southeast asia backpacking trip) and previous to that had about 6 months experience teaching English in Mexico. I am a blonde 25 year old Australian.

Anyway after completing the course I had to return home for a month for a wedding and I have now just returned to Vietnam. I decided to return because I had made some friends, I knew the reputation of some language schools and knew there were good jobs to be had and I also thought I could save some money, which along with gaining experience is one of my main motivations. And I didn't want to have to wait 2-3 months to confirm a contract and visa to teach in South Korea or Japan as I have only a year to teach before starting a Masters in March next year.

Now I've arrived and am starting to think I've made a terrible decision. I had my bag violently snatched and was thrown on the road in my first few days here. I'm terrified of riding a motorbike in the mad chaos that is the traffic and am aware that without it my options for socialising are limited. I can handle the heat but the lack of friendly locals (with some exceptions of course, but you can't say the Vietnamese are the most hospitable people on the planet) is really starting to get to me. I'm really into an active lifestyle and not a big drinker, it seems this might be difficult in this city as most expats seem to survive by spending a lot of time in local bars. (Although I understand this is the case in many places around the globe!).

I have a number of interviews lined up for the next few days and I'm going to see how they go. But I'd really appreciate some constructive advice about whether I should look at Hanoi or fly elsewhere to teach - recommendations of specific schools/cities would be particularly helpful. Or whether I should give it a few months and keep at it. I'm not new to being an expat and have spent three years living in South America and Spain, but I'm new to living in Asia. Please don't attack me, this is just my impression of my first week back in Vietnam and I'm not trying to offend anyone personally.

[spanglish]

Sorry for you bad experiences; I can relate. It sounds like you're going through typical culture shock combined with a spate of bad luck. I'd advise you to stick it out. Things will probably start looking up once you start working.

Here in Colombia you'll deal with some of the same developing world issues, but with worse employers and lower pay.

[EFLeducator]

[EFLeducator]

[VietCanada]

Try another country.

I can only speak for myself but I had far fewer issues with the locals there than here in Vietnam. Two days ago someone tried to snatch my wife's bag. At an interview I had to do an interrogation to find out that the school had plans to try to finesse me into doing admin work not just the contact time they were offering an hourly rate for. Other teachers I meet here are often standoffish and secretive. But there have been some terrific exceptions.

I'm not particularly impressed with this country after 4 years. Five years of another country was definitely less trouble and a much friendlier environment. I'm looking at returning to another country perhaps this summer. But we'll see. I have a lot of inertia.

[EFLeducator]

I know of one teacher over there who is unstable to say the least. Plus he's not into letting views be known that differ from his. He's a hippy type who will probably stay in nam for the rest of his life.

Too many have told me that nam draws the backpacking types of TEFLer's. Try SK or Japan. Probably much more developed (in many ways) than nam.

[biliana]

I see you're now on your way to Vietnam and I would just like to offer you my best wishes and hope you get fixed up soon.
It looks like all the old Mexico team are here now.
Distrito Federal and EFLtraveler are here with me now and, as you know, the Prof's here already with a start at AHS.

All the best, look me up!