Duane
@duanef
American expat in Vietnam
Forum posts
16
About me
American
Lives in HCMC
Speaks English, Spanish, a little Japanese
Registration: 31 March 2013
About
My expat journey
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
I'm 57 and feel age and 'credential' discrimination. Don't have a masters. Don't have a celta. Have a decade of experience and a California English credential from Berkeley, but I might as well have gone to Boonyville. Can't do anything about my age, except get healthier. Which is a good thing.
Teach English but would like to work in sales or recruiting, etc.
No where else I'd rather be. Vietnamese are great even when they're not.
It's hot like arabia, but also humid...but the rainy season is coming !
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
taught at a dysfunctional vocational school to lost young men. Then worked at King Abdullaziz University to lazy young men.
English teacher.
Everyone, including me, is there for the money. 30% of the population is expats, all there for the money.
For most humans, religion is part of their life. For Saudis, the religious gov't, etc....their religion IS their life.
Los Angeles, USA
Grew up, troubled teens, great twenties in the SF bay area.
accountant, office worker, homeless, sales rep, teacher.
California is the best state in the nation for its variety of landscapes and people.
Too many people.
Activity
Blacklist by orange odissey
Hi everyone! Since I arrived in HCMC I've hard many stories about schools that don't pay the teachers or pay way less that they were supposed to. What about creating a blacklist of all those schools so it will not happen to other expats? Who is with ...
Count me in ! APU International school sucks; twice they lied to me; first, by lowering my hourly rate the first day I began work, and secondly, paying me 1/4 of what I was do under the lower rate. They have a huge turnover problem; four english ... Read More
Cheated on Wages by duanef
My first paycheck from APU International School was short by over 8 million dong. What can I do?
"Seeing all the crap that goes on here...with other teachers...." -so, call me naive, and I've only been here for 2 months, but I am not alone, I guess. What can be done besides quitting? I looked at one law firm that does labor disputes...APU ... Read More
Cheated on Wages
My first paycheck from APU International School was short by over 8 million dong. What can I do? Read More
Teaching related, I was wondering if anyone else has experienced this? by GuestPoster669
Problem is solved now. Nevermind :-)
You are getting the run around and you made a good decision to stand firm and state that you won't work until you are paid. As for me, I was offered a part-time teaching job at APU international school. The offering was for $20. an hour and 3-4 ... Read More
Motorbike confusion by AQM22
My hubby and I just got here (Dong Nai to be exact) about two weeks ago. Things are going alright. I'm still trying to adjust to the heat. Anyway, I got a cheap used bike. It's working alright. Of course, neither my hubby nor I have a license to ...
I am thinking about getting a motorbike myself. I have a california driver's license with the 'M' for motorbike allowed driving. 1) Which government office do I take it to to convert it to a VN license. Just the name of the dept. will suffice; ... Read More
Teaching English without any Certification by Laxmee
Hey Everyone :D I want to know what are the odds of finding a decent job as an English teacher WITHOUT any certification. IF a certification is ABSOLUTELY required, I'd like to know which one you'd recommend based on the price and time it'll take ...
Dear person (forgot to note your name). I have decades of esl efl experience and a state of cal english cred. and a tefl BUT what everyone wants here and elsewhee is a CELTA which costs around $1600. and takes a month. I'll be taking mine at ILA ... Read More
Coffee at Starbucks in Saigon sucks and expensive! by NashCat
Coffee and cappucino at Starbucks not the same as in Canada or States. Prices are expensive. What do they put in it, nuoc mam??
The coffee bean and tea leaf chain here is also a ripoff, and without air conditioning. A coffee was 70,000. That's a huge price. I usually pay between 7,000 and 25,000 dong. Read More
ILA Course vs. Language Corp. Course by usalax98
Any feedback on the courses offered by these institutions? I will welcome any thoughts about the course content, instructors, job search assistance. Thanks. Dan
Thanks for the input. I've decided on ILA, plus I can almost walk there from Bui Vien where I live. Duane Read More
Why the blood test for a working visa? by duanef
I smoked a joint about three weeks ago with a French tourist and heard that thc stays in your blood for a month. I just had my blood tested, and not for HIV, like other countries screen for. Why do they take a blood test here? Naive Duane
Oh damn....I also gave a urine test, but the night before I put tablespoons of garlic in my noodles, and garlic is supposed to be a great body cleanser.... -naive duane Read More
Why the blood test for a working visa? by duanef
I smoked a joint about three weeks ago with a French tourist and heard that thc stays in your blood for a month. I just had my blood tested, and not for HIV, like other countries screen for. Why do they take a blood test here? Naive Duane
Thanks for the reassurance. Duane Read More
ILA Course vs. Language Corp. Course by usalax98
Any feedback on the courses offered by these institutions? I will welcome any thoughts about the course content, instructors, job search assistance. Thanks. Dan
for tefl jobs, try tefl.com or seriousteachers.com --those are my two favorites. Dave's esl cafe has a few other than (moderated) china which is what his site seems to mostly promote. China sucks (tried it twice). A few teachers like it but most ... Read More
Why the blood test for a working visa? by duanef
I smoked a joint about three weeks ago with a French tourist and heard that thc stays in your blood for a month. I just had my blood tested, and not for HIV, like other countries screen for. Why do they take a blood test here? Naive Duane
Are they testing for drugs...because I may have some thc in my system. And would that ruin my getting my health clearance and not getting a work permit? Thanks, Duane Read More
Why the blood test for a working visa?
I smoked a joint about three weeks ago with a French tourist and heard that thc stays in your blood for a month. I just had my blood tested, and not for HIV, like other countries screen for. Why do they take a blood test here? Naive Duane Read More
ILA Course vs. Language Corp. Course by usalax98
Any feedback on the courses offered by these institutions? I will welcome any thoughts about the course content, instructors, job search assistance. Thanks. Dan
My name is Duane and I'm living and teaching here in HCMC, Vietnam but like others am considering taking the celta for a better job, pay, etc. (Got my california english credential back in '83). I'm 57 and 'heard' that ILA smugly only hires twenty ... Read More