[EDLING:2199] EducationGuardian.co.uk: Teaching with a smile in Vietnam

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Teaching with a smile in Vietnam
Cheap living and charming students make working in bustling Ho Chi Minh City an unexpected pleasure, reports Rebecca Norris
Rebecca Norris
Monday December 18 2006
The Guardian


Vietnam is the twelfth happiest country in the world, according to a recent survey by the New Economics Foundation (the UK ranks 108th). This may seem surprising considering the country's not too distant past and the low incomes of a large percentage of the population. But, since starting work in Ho Chi Minh City (aka Saigon) six months ago, I've found that Vietnam is full of surprises.

When I started looking into teaching jobs in Asia I had not considered Vietnam, thinking it was probably too underdeveloped to have many opportunities for language teachers, and that it would be a fairly difficult place to live and work. A matter of weeks ago, however, Vietnam was given the go-ahead to become a member of the World Trade Organisation (WTO). With the expected influx of foreign companies and investment, it seems that everyone wants to learn English. The market for EFL here is rapidly expanding and teachers are in high demand. What's more, there are plenty of schools in the city (check out TEFL.com) that operate to a high standard, offering plenty of opportunities for career development.

I teach adults and older teenagers in general English and exam preparation classes. Class sizes are fairly large compared to a lot of European schools - about 15 to 18 students - which was a bit daunting at first. In Vietnam, however, teachers are highly respected figures in society. The social order is reflected in the traditional Vietnamese saying: "My king, my teacher, my father." Class control is rarely a problem and students generally are a delight to teach. They are well-behaved, polite, eager to get to know you and will drag you out to a coffee shop or karaoke club at any available opportunity. On Teachers' Day I arrived at my exam prep class to find all of the students hiding in the classroom in the dark, waiting to surprise me with flowers and a cake. What's more, the majority of them see English as vital to their future career prospects (and to their ability to understand Westlife lyrics), so their motivation level is high.

Living in Ho Chi Minh City is much easier than you might think and it's certainly never boring. Everywhere you look you can see evidence of the extreme social and economic changes that the country is experiencing. Wealth and poverty exist side by side: luxury apartment blocks are shooting up beside corrugated iron-roofed shacks, Toyota Land Cruisers attempt to clear a path through the hundreds of bicycles, and Spanish Tapas bars open up beside Vietnamese food stalls. Things are changing at a rapid rate. English teachers in Saigon earn about ten times or more what the average Vietnamese person makes. Therefore, many teachers get involved in local charities to give something back to the local community. There are plenty of opportunities to do volunteer teaching, help out in local hospitals or become sponsors.

Accommodation is easy to find, either from ads in bars in the backpacker area, or through local estate agents or other teachers. I pay about a fifth of my salary for a lovely serviced apartment in a quiet, fairly central neighbourhood, which I share with one other person. There are much cheaper options available if you are willing to share a larger house with more people. If you can't be bothered cooking, you don't have to: ordering food to be delivered is not much more expensive than buying it and cooking it yourself. There are hundreds of restaurants from which to choose, and it's also possible to get a Sunday roast, a fry-up or a cheese and Marmite toastie if you start getting homesick.

Ho Chi Minh City has a pretty good social scene. In the backpacker area and downtown there are plenty of western-style bars and clubs to choose from. Brad and Angelina were spotted here a few weeks ago. If you need a break from city life (or you just fancy being able to cross the road without having to dodge between a zillion motorbikes) it's possible to go to the nearby beach resorts of Mui Ne or Vung Tau for the weekend. Other teachers have been known to head to Singapore for a weekend's retail therapy (they've got Marks & Spencer and Boots), take the sleeper to Nha Trang for a day's scuba diving, or hire a driver to take them to Phnom Penh (the Cambodian border is only a few hours away).

I have been teaching here only for a short time, but I can already say with confidence that I'm going to be here for the next few years at least. I would like to balance the positive with the negative aspects of living here but, to be honest, I can't think of anything negative to say that wouldn't be nitpicking. Clearly, some Vietnamese optimism has rubbed off on me already.

· Cambridge Celta courses are available in Vietnam and can be booked through Cactus Tefl

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