thecyclist
German expat in Vietnam
Forum posts
51
Contacts
6
About me
German
Lives in Da Nang, ?脿 Nang
Speaks English, German, Thai and a little Vietnamese, gradually improving
Registration: 30 April 2016
Getting an ESL teaching job in Vietnam at 59 years of age by Amadeus1
I am a 59 year old ESL teacher from the UK and now that I have reached 59, I can't get any offers from China anymore as the cut off is 60 there. So I was wondering whether it is possible to get an ESL job in Vietnam now. If so, would it be better to ...
You shouldn't have any problems getting a job at 59 in Vietnam. I have met many teachers in their sixties here. If you can handle the stress of teaching a class full of rowdy kids you will be alright. Read More
Moving to Rach Gia by StephanieDunne
Hello fellow expats!I'll be moving to Rach Gia from the US for a 2 year expat assignment with my company. I love the Vietnamese culture and I'm very excited about the new opportunity, but based on my research it sounds like there aren't many other ...
No, I did not take it as an affront to my knowledge. Rather, I take your repeated citing and harping on laws and regulations the Freudian way, that you might characterologically be anal retentive. These laws are not new, they have been around in ... Read More
Moving to Rach Gia by StephanieDunne
Hello fellow expats!I'll be moving to Rach Gia from the US for a 2 year expat assignment with my company. I love the Vietnamese culture and I'm very excited about the new opportunity, but based on my research it sounds like there aren't many other ...
@Aidan in HCMCIn HCMC that might be true. In Rach Gia, I doubt it.My money is on that there are more illegally working teachers than legal ones in RG.You wanna bet? Read More
Moving to Rach Gia by StephanieDunne
Hello fellow expats!I'll be moving to Rach Gia from the US for a 2 year expat assignment with my company. I love the Vietnamese culture and I'm very excited about the new opportunity, but based on my research it sounds like there aren't many other ...
The main "credentials " for teaching English in Vietnam is being "CAUCASIAN ". It's sad ,but true. There are a couple of bicycles shops in Rach Gia. If you don't want anything fancy, they might do. I ordered my current bicycles ,while living in Rach ... Read More
Moving to Rach Gia by StephanieDunne
Hello fellow expats!I'll be moving to Rach Gia from the US for a 2 year expat assignment with my company. I love the Vietnamese culture and I'm very excited about the new opportunity, but based on my research it sounds like there aren't many other ...
You are right, there aren't many expats in Rach Gia. Most of the foreigners you see in town, are tourists on their way to Phu Quoc.But like most cities of this size in Vietnam, there are language schools, some of which employ foreign teachers. The ... Read More
Cataract surgery in Vietnam. by thecyclist
I just learned that I will require cataract surgery on one eye. I am in C岷 Th啤, and I was told the cost can vary from 7 mil Dong to 30 mil., depending both on the extent of the clouding, and the hospital chosen, whether it's government ...
You are absolutely right, the extent of the clouding does not affect price. I was trying to make sense of what the doctor explained to me in "Vietnamese" English. I have since been reading up on the subject, and it might have been what she meant, ... Read More
Cataract surgery in Vietnam.
I just learned that I will require cataract surgery on one eye. I am in C岷 Th啤, and I was told the cost can vary from 7 mil Dong to 30 mil., depending both on the extent of the clouding, and the hospital chosen, whether it's government ... Read More
overstay fee by Nz0
according to documents found overstay fine depend about the numbers of days : vietnam-visa.com/overstaying-vietnam-visa/ [quote=][i]Overstaying for less than 16 days: [b]VND VND 500,000 鈥� VND 2,000,000 (~US $22 鈥� US $88)[/b] ...
It is intentionally kept vague. *** Read More
Would my African American girlfriend be able to get a teaching job? by BenMEvans
Hey me and my girlfriend are considering moving to Vietnam to teach English. She鈥檚 African American and I was wondering if she could get a teaching job or if it would be harder? I have tried to look it up but have found very little info on the ...
Who knows what the English language industry is going to look like post Covid. Pre Covid, I would say it was roughly a 50/50 split between legally and illegally employed. In the big cities more are legal than illegal. In smaller towns more are ... Read More
TEFL or TESOL in Vietnam by thecyclist
There are a multitude of online TEFL courses on offer. After 30 years of teaching, I doubt that they can teach me much. But since they are so cheap, I might as well get one. Which of the cheaper ones would you recommend, not in terms of the ...
Not so sure about that. At least in western countries submitting fake documents is a felony and could land you in jail. Here in Vietnam everything can be solved with money, so, yeah highly unlikely you would be locked up. Read More
TEFL or TESOL in Vietnam by thecyclist
There are a multitude of online TEFL courses on offer. After 30 years of teaching, I doubt that they can teach me much. But since they are so cheap, I might as well get one. Which of the cheaper ones would you recommend, not in terms of the ...
Of course, on Khao San you can get yourself a doctorate in theoretical physics. You can then apply with those documents for a teaching job at a university, and end up teaching fellow prisoners in a penitentiary. Read More
Transporting bicycle from HCM to VT by departed00
I'm a keen cyclist living in HCM and would like to be able to bring my bike over to VT a couple of times a month to enjoy the let's say more 'sedate' traffic and scenery. Due to time restraints and the 200+ km round trip from HCM i ...
Are these 2 ferries, mentioned in previous replies (VT to My Tho, VT to Long An) still running. I was in VT last month, and was told that there are no more ferries from VT to the Delta area. Read More
New ESL job is torture, thinking about splitting in the night by Guest6787
I was so excited to come to Vietnam to start a new teaching job and take a modest pay rise. After months of jumping through hoops to get here, I realized after just 3 days on the job that I definitely won't be able to finish the contract at ...
There are lots of schools with plenty of unmanageable classes, often because, to save money, schools don't assign a TA, sometimes because the TA just sits there playing with their smartphones. How can a non Vietnamese speaking teacher manage ... Read More
TEFL or TESOL in Vietnam
There are a multitude of online TEFL courses on offer. After 30 years of teaching, I doubt that they can teach me much. But since they are so cheap, I might as well get one. Which of the cheaper ones would you recommend, not in terms of the ... Read More
Zolpidem in HCM? by VnTeacher3
Seems easier to find god knows what than that here, has it been banned. Zolpidem is the name of Ambien or Stillnox. I know it has it's problems, but it works best for me. Any sources (in pharmacies) in District 7 preferably or nearby there?
Amazing that Zolpidem (at the same dosage) kept working for you for years.For me,after couple of months, it stops putting me to sleep unless I up the dose. Read More
Can Tho Visa Agent by AB_Wayne
Good afternoon I am currently relocating to Can Tho. Can anyone advise of a visa agent to process and extend my 3 month tourist visa? Thanks in advance. Wayne
I just handed in my passport for my second 3-month extension here in C岷 Th啤. The first time I did it with Mekong Sunshine Tour, that was 3 months ago and they were by far the cheapest :220 $ when most agencies were charging around 350$. ... Read More
Zolpidem in HCM? by VnTeacher3
Seems easier to find god knows what than that here, has it been banned. Zolpidem is the name of Ambien or Stillnox. I know it has it's problems, but it works best for me. Any sources (in pharmacies) in District 7 preferably or nearby there?
Since the crackdown on the OCT sale of sedatives a couple of years ago, pharmacies don't stock it anymore. There might be a few in Saigon or Hanoi that sell it illegally, but with a considerable mark-up. Hospitals have it, but you will probably ... Read More
TEFL or TESOL in Vietnam by thecyclist
With nothing to do during the lockdown I was considering getting my online TEFL certificate, and do some online teaching. A couple of questions about this. Is an online course equivalent to an in-class acquired certificate, in that most schools and ...
I have been teaching without any of these certifications in Thailand and Vietnam for close to 30 years at language schools, tutoring services and privately, so not so sure what an on site or online TEFL could substantively still do for me. Since I ... Read More
TEFL or TESOL in Vietnam by thecyclist
With nothing to do during the lockdown I was considering getting my online TEFL certificate, and do some online teaching. A couple of questions about this. Is an online course equivalent to an in-class acquired certificate, in that most schools and ...
Thanks a lot John for this very helpful reply. Read More
TEFL or TESOL in Vietnam
With nothing to do during the lockdown I was considering getting my online TEFL certificate, and do some online teaching. A couple of questions about this. Is an online course equivalent to an in-class acquired certificate, in that most schools and ... Read More
30 day visa time frame. by Guest2023
What do you think the outcome will be if they introduce this 30-day maximum limit for visas. I can see a big exodus of expats who are living here on tourist visas. I'm sure an internal visa process will be offered at a ridiculous price.
Do you really have to do business to qualify for a 3/6/12 month business visa? Read More
Gym With Reasonable Noise Level by zob24
Unfortunately I joined a gym without checking out their " music " - if it could be called that .criteria. It is just horrendous noise at ridiculous decibel levels . Honestly dont know what is wrong with those people ! Sound like a building ...
It's a problem with gyms all over Vietnam. Do they need eardrum splitting noise levels to get motivated. Some are louder than others, but every single one I have been (probably 2 or 3 dozen) to was way too loud for my taste. And these inane ... Read More
Question about price of an apartment in Rach Gia by WillyBaldy
Hello folks, To those having experience renting apartments in different cities in Vietnam, I would like to know your feedback about this apartment for rent in Rach Gia. I just want to get a global idea compared to other similar apartments ...
Not sure about apartments, but Rach Gia is saturated with guesthouses and hotels, so rates are among the lowest in Vietnam. For 200k a day(works out at 6mil a month :on which in many places you can get a discount if you rent monthly) you can get a ... Read More
OTC drugs in Hanoi by curious33
I will be well prepared in packing my required medication but to be safe would like to know I can obtain what I need incase as some medications are life threatening if a dose is missed. I have a list from my Doctor stating which meds I take ...
Back on track :Zolpidem and Diazepam are not sold over the counter anymore (you might find a pharmacy that will do so but for an exorbitant price). You are better off going to a public hospital (even provincial hospitals of smaller cities will have ... Read More
I got fired for making friends with the local populace by shyzzs
Hi there, I am from South Africa and I have been waiting for my teaching job here in a town near Vinh. I have been waiting almost 2 months to start work with a center. My boss found me having dinner with a local family and he was not impressed. ...
This is beyond ridiculous. Do you even want to work for a school /boss that usurps the authority to tell what to do and who you can talk to in your free time? Get your passport back and move on. Read More
Banking lunacy - trying to open an account. by robsamui
I've searched through the forums, and all the posts seem to be from teachers (etc) asking about their income and how to bank it - or people looking to invest in a business. There's nothing about retirees that I can find. I'm out in the ...
Even in Thailand it is not that easy anymore to open a bank account without a work permit :30 years ago you could just walk into any branch of any bank with your passport and you would have your passbook and ATM card in 10 minutes.A couple of years ... Read More
Teaching English with no degree by BT1989
I wanted to spend some time next year travelling around Asia, and staying in Vietnam for a while as well, I was there earlier this year and loved all of it. How feasible is it these days to land a job teaching English at language centres or private ...
If deportation and blacklisting is all you get for getting caught working illegally, it ain't that bad, unless, of course, you have some 'ties' in Vietnam. In Thailand you are likely to spend some time in the slammer as well. Compared ... Read More
German or English Teaching Jobs - native German, excellent English by LizWl
Hello all, I would hugely appreciate any information about how I could work as an English teacher in Ho Chi Minh City. I am a native German but speak excellent English (migrated to Australia 9 years ago, just finishing a postgraduate degree at an ...
Many schools hire non-native English teachers, especially in smaller provincial cities. Your starting salary might end up to be a little lower than a native speaker, but if you you prove yourself in the classroom and if you're popular with the ... Read More
Volunteering or Part Time English teaching work - HCMC/Ha Noi by Jsapp
Hello Everyone! I am interested in doing volunteering work or a part time work like English teaching or helping with English communication for students in small Teaching Centers or Homestays. I am not a native speaker but I have lived in the US for ...
Not necessarily, as there are many language schools that simply cannot get any foreign teachers, I assume in most cases because they are not paying enough, so he wouldn't be taking employment away from anyone. I would think that they are all ... Read More
Age 64---more difficult to find job teaching English? by retep1
Hello there, I am a 64 year old male from California and planning on moving to Vietnam and have tentatively 鈥渢argeted鈥� DaNang/Hoi An area. I would like to teach English, as a way to get more integrated into the community, have ...
That's probably because they have a harder time attracting non-philippino foreigners :As one school in Vinh Long told me, we have been trying hard to get a foreign teacher to teach here, but they find the town too boring to stay long term;all ... Read More
Age 64---more difficult to find job teaching English? by retep1
Hello there, I am a 64 year old male from California and planning on moving to Vietnam and have tentatively 鈥渢argeted鈥� DaNang/Hoi An area. I would like to teach English, as a way to get more integrated into the community, have ...
Can Tho is a fast growing metropolis with over a million people and more language schools than you can count. It's a nice city, can't measure up to a place as awesome as 膼脿 N岷祅g though. You are almost guaranteed to get hired ... Read More
Volunteering or Part Time English teaching work - HCMC/Ha Noi by Jsapp
Hello Everyone! I am interested in doing volunteering work or a part time work like English teaching or helping with English communication for students in small Teaching Centers or Homestays. I am not a native speaker but I have lived in the US for ...
Most schools do not like to hire teachers on a short term basis, but if you are volunteering they might be willing to employ you for just a month. Read More
Age 64---more difficult to find job teaching English? by retep1
Hello there, I am a 64 year old male from California and planning on moving to Vietnam and have tentatively 鈥渢argeted鈥� DaNang/Hoi An area. I would like to teach English, as a way to get more integrated into the community, have ...
If you apply over the internet, it probably is a disadvantage when the school sees 64 and pictures an decrepit, white-haired grandpa, who is probably unable to cope with the stress of controlling a bunch of rambunctious, brimming with excess energy ... Read More
Average salary for English teacher with no degree by Froyo3652
Hi all, I've got my first interview at an English center in Ho Chi Minh City later this week and I have no idea what is a fair number to start at when negotiating salary. I have essentially zero experience, and no degree, but I have a TEFL ...
10 to 12 USD sounds a bit low for HCMC even for a 'not fully qualified' teacher. It is probably what language schools in smaller cities around the country pay. Just guessing, but would say that somewhere around 50% of all the foreign ... Read More
Moving In in Vietnam or Thailand? by ReignBarcelona
Hi! I am new here in Vietnam and would like to know if it's better to move in here or in Thailand? Any opinions out there? Thanks, Reign
It was in answer to Andy passenger's post in which he said that the Thai word farang means white men, Caucasian women are also called farang in Thailand.And a third meaning of farang is guava. Read More
Moving In in Vietnam or Thailand? by ReignBarcelona
Hi! I am new here in Vietnam and would like to know if it's better to move in here or in Thailand? Any opinions out there? Thanks, Reign
White women are farangs too Do the Vietnamese really say these things [swear words I can't even mention on this forum or I would get banned] about US? The Vietnamese of 20/30 years ago probably did, but the new generation, I doubt it, although ... Read More
Moving In in Vietnam or Thailand? by ReignBarcelona
Hi! I am new here in Vietnam and would like to know if it's better to move in here or in Thailand? Any opinions out there? Thanks, Reign
Do you speak Thai and know what they say about us 'farangs'. Look behind the Thai smile. That is not to say that there are some genuinely friendly Thais, and plenty of Vietnamese jerks(especially in Hoi An) Read More
Moving In in Vietnam or Thailand? by ReignBarcelona
Hi! I am new here in Vietnam and would like to know if it's better to move in here or in Thailand? Any opinions out there? Thanks, Reign
Sorry, no idea about sales and marketing. The absolutely best website for all things Thai is: thaivisa.com CCheck it out they probably have a forum on sales, or at least people that can help you. Read More
Moving In in Vietnam or Thailand? by ReignBarcelona
Hi! I am new here in Vietnam and would like to know if it's better to move in here or in Thailand? Any opinions out there? Thanks, Reign
Food :Thai food is hard to beat although a little more expensive than Vietnamese food WWork :what work do you do where in Vn? Transport Thailand way ahead Attitude :Vietnam much better, the Thais are extremely racist Read More
Any Updates on the newly passed 12 month tourist visa for US citizens by ChrisRug
My name is Chris. I've lived here with my wife and two children for almost a year now. I read all news VN, and read a few months ago that the VN govt was going to change the way tourist visa's were issued for Japan, AU and US. I then read ...
Curious to know why this is being offered /considered to/for US citizens only, considering that they do not have the advantage of a 15 day visa exempt entry. The whole visa policy in this country has the rationality of a monkey rolling dice. Read More
Moving In in Vietnam or Thailand? by ReignBarcelona
Hi! I am new here in Vietnam and would like to know if it's better to move in here or in Thailand? Any opinions out there? Thanks, Reign
I lived in Thailand for over 25 years and moved to Vietnam a year ago, so might be able to give some advice, if you could be a little more specific in regard to what you are looking for, interested in etc. Read More
SIM card registration by GuestPoster0147
Tomorrow I'll have to take my wife to a cell phone store to register her SIM card. For those who did not notice this, all owners of a SIM card that was activated before April 24, 2017 must go to the phone providers store no later than April 24, ...
I bought my SIM at a Viettel office in July2017 with passport, but heard that you still had to reregister. So went into a Viettel office today to ask about it.First he said no need.Asked him whether he was sure:He then checked, and reregistered my ... Read More
I need a english teacher by Dannynguyen
I am living in Buon Me Thuat city. I am openning a english centre next month. Now i really need a english teacher from England, Australia or Philipin...if anyone interest you can contact me . Thanks so much....
Yes I have bicycled around and was in your city too.It is true that they are looking for foreign English teachers but in the smaller cities pay is so low that all they usually get are Filipinos.I don't say that to denigrate Filipinos, I like ... Read More
I need a english teacher by Dannynguyen
I am living in Buon Me Thuat city. I am openning a english centre next month. Now i really need a english teacher from England, Australia or Philipin...if anyone interest you can contact me . Thanks so much....
Hello I taught in Thailand for 20 years.would love to teach in Vietnam, but how do you know you gonna get enough students as you haven't even opened the school yet? Regards Michael Email: *** Read More
Visa extension in Danang by thecyclist
I have one-month tourist visa,which expires in a week.Can I go straight to the immigration office in Danang and get an extension?How long does it take and what are the costs?Or is it better to go through an agency?
Well I have never gotten as much conflicting information about a topic as about this one.From it is not possible at all to extend to only possible in Saigon and Hanoi to a single agent in Hue, where I am now, saying he can do it in 2 days for 75$ ... Read More
Live and work in Hoi An by Silvia Nucci
Hello everybody, my name is Silvia and together with my husband (Matteo) I am planning to live and work in Vietnam for 1 or 2 years (or more perhaps). We are both Italians but we live in London for the last 8 years. We speak really good English as ...
Not sure about the work situation, but I would avoid living and working in Hoi An.I have biked all over Southeast Asia.Never have I encountered a place where the locals are as single-minded as in Hoi An.Although the town is a gem, the people seem to ... Read More
Visa extension in Danang
I have one-month tourist visa,which expires in a week.Can I go straight to the immigration office in Danang and get an extension?How long does it take and what are the costs?Or is it better to go through an agency? Read More