TEFL in Vietnam

Vietnam is a favourite destination for TEFL teachers.  The country with a population of nearly 100 million runs along a 3,440 km stretch of the Indochina Peninsula.  Mention Vietnam and people usually conjure up images of James Bond-like island scenery, terraced rice paddies climbing misty mountains, and news reel footage of its remarkable history.  Here teflhub asks one of its staff, Delv, to reflect on his experience there in order to find out more about this intriguing country.

1              Why did you choose Vietnam?

Before I went to Vietnam I had heard numerous TEFL teachers singing the praises of the country and so I chose to visit there between the three month spring and autumn contracts I was teaching with Westgate in Japan.  When I arrived in Hanoi I decided that I liked it a lot and wanted to stay so I got myself a teaching position for the summer.

2              How did you manage that?

I’d heard a few instructors say that they had managed to get teaching positions in countries all over the world by simply walking in to a school and asking if they needed any TEFL teachers. So I looked up a few language schools in Hanoi and got lucky at the first school – they needed staff to cover teachers who were away on summer vacation.

3              Do you mind if I ask what the money was like?

No, not at all.  I only wanted to work one or two hours a day and so I got paid the equivalent of US$17 per hour.  If you bear in mind that a basic hotel room with en-suite, sky TV, air conditioning (but no window!) cost US$5 a night then it gives you an idea of how far your money could go [Delv worked in Vietnam in 2007].  If you had a meal at one of the street cafes then that would cost you around US$2.  A glass of fresh beer cost the equivalent of 30 cents.

4              Did you enjoy the teaching experience?

Yes, absolutely.  The Vietnamese are a hard-working people which was reflected in the classroom.  I found the students to be highly motivated and eager to learn English as well as keen to hear about life in other cultures.  It was in Vietnam that the DoS taught me the Typhoon vocabulary review game which I’ve created for teflhub’s free teachers’ resources.  The students took me around the city on the back of their motorbikes introducing me to a side of the country most visitors wouldn’t get to see.  I think one memory sums up my time at the school:  I had to give one of my classes an end of course exam.  The girls who finished early waited outside the class until the very last person had finished the test so that they could thank me for the lessons I had given them  - very touching and I think it sums up my whole teaching experience over there.

5              That’s lovely.  Were there any negatives?

The only thing that really springs to mind is actually getting to and from work.  I used motorbike taxis like most people and they can be quite a scary experience on those roads.  I remember when I first arrived I couldn’t even cross the road because of the mass of motorbikes shooting past – I had to enrol the help of a little old Vietnamese lady who held my hand and walked me through the traffic – a little bit humbling, especially for an ex-marine!

6              Wow, you seem to have had a very memorable time over there.  What were the highlights?

Vietnam is a diverse country.  I loved the food which is a fusion of Asian and French cuisine.  The Vietnamese coffee was a drink to savour while watching the hustle and bustle going on all around you.   The sites that come to mind are the dramatic island scenery of Ha Long Bay, the beautiful mountains around Sa Pa, the tunnels at Vinh Moc which included a hospital with maternity unit and a school – that certainly put life into perspective, as well as numerous other places.  You could spend months exploring Vietnam and still have places left to visit.

7              Any tips for TEFL teachers heading out to Vietnam?

I think we can all fall into ‘holiday mode’ once we’re away, but it’s wise to keep the same state of awareness as you would at home or anywhere else in the world.  Beware of scams and get any necessary medication from respectable pharmacies.  Eat and drink with the locals – you can enjoy top-class cuisine at European prices, but the street food is also delicious and you get to soak up the real Vietnamese ambience – and save lots of money!  If you are going to go on a long trip somewhere in Vietnam, consider flying – I took an arduous eight-hour bus journey from Sa Pa to Dien Bien Phu and later found out that I could have flown for 22 dollars.  Keep a little bit of cash aside for tailor-made suits; Hoi An, the setting for Graham Greene’s The Quiet American, is famous for its very reasonable clothing.  And take loads of pictures – you’ll have a very interesting and diverse photo-record of your time over there.