Thinking Ahead to teaching

Hello,
I'm currently making plans to come out to Vietnam in 2yrs time and take my TEFL course and live there if it's viable. I shall be 57 years young by then and I'm concerned that my age and the fact I have no degree will stop me realising my dream to help others? For my part I would embrace the culture and hopefully learn the language to add to my fluent German. Any thoughts would be much appreciated, especially positive ones haha.
Regards
Mark

Hi, this is Chris from Australia.
I'm currently doing a TEFL course.
I will be teaching English in ASIA hopefully 2018.
I'm 63yo and recently retired.
I have no previous teaching experience.
So join the club.
This is the 1st website that I'm involved with.
Do you know of any others.
Regards
Chris
Ps lets keep in touch

As a newbie, potential teacher in Vietnam, I find the answers to most inquiries to be several years old and, given inflation and the fact that Vietnam is changing rapidly, most replies are little help.
      Could anyone please recommend a more upto date website/forum with information on accomodation, cost of living, tax, work permits etc.
                Thanking you in advance. . . Pat

Pat,
I can't you any answers yet, however I'm currently completing my TEFL course, and intend to work in HCMC 2018. So keep in touch.
Regards Chris

Teacher Pat wrote:

As a newbie, potential teacher in Vietnam, I find the answers to most inquiries to be several years old and, given inflation and the fact that Vietnam is changing rapidly, most replies are little help.
      Could anyone please recommend a more upto date website/forum with information on accomodation, cost of living, tax, work permits etc.
                Thanking you in advance. . . Pat


Cost of living varies from place to place. If someone gives you info on work permits, it can become obsolete within a few months of writing. Maybe give some more info as to where you want to reside.

colinoscapee wrote:

If someone gives you info on work permits, it can become obsolete within a few months of writing.


One thing that seems to remain unchanged is the requirement for a Bachelor's degree as well as a TEFL Certificate to teach EFL.  I am sorry if he only wants positive comments but the OP lacks one of the basic requirements.

Thank you very much for your reply. I appreciate any help/advice you can give me. .
      I am very open to where I might end  up working, but I would prefer the south. I don't like cool/cold winters.  HCMC seems very crowded and busy, so Ideally, I would like to live in a small to large sized town until I get my bearings. I have worked in Thailand and lived well on the equivalent of 1,000 USD for a number of years.
     So, the cost of a furnished apartment with Internet (WiFi) would be my main concern. Then transport costs (2nd hand motorbike buy/rental), costs of visas, permits etc.  From what I have read, food and drink are relatively cheap there as I don't mind eating local food. . .  Thanks again!

Rentals are cheaper here than in Thailand.

Rentals cheaper????? Im your dreams......

We are talking house rentals, do some research before shooting your mouth off.

https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/c … 2=Thailand

I lived 3 years in Thailand and now 5 years in Vietnam. In Thailand the Rentals CHEAPER. Big Maul

Show us something to back up your opinion, I just posted a link to back mine up. Having just been to Thailand, and checked out the rentals it was dearer.

And yet again

The biggest expense for any expatriate is likely to be housing. The Thai national average for a one-bedroom apartment in the central districts of a city is just under $350 per month, while a nearby three-bedroom apartment is more than $1,000. Outside the city center, prices are typically much lower. A nice one-bedroom unit costs less than $190 per month in Thailand, while a three-bedroom is about $500. Rent in Vietnam is slightly lower within the city center, with one- and three-bedroom apartments going for about $330 and $835 per month, respectively.

Thanks for the info. . . It is certainly affordable on the 1,000 to 1,500 USD wage bracket I hope to earn. .
       Are there any (expensive) surprises awaiting me that I should be aware of?

Hi Chris,

I am in the same boat as you and I am in HCMC at the moment actively seeking work.

John.

Regarding up to date costs and earnings.

I am 52 English.

As a teacher ... WHEN you get a job your wages, no matter how low to our Western ideas, will be triple that of most locals.

Costs are low here and rents are so varied not worth talking about except to say ... bargains are there.

I have a roof terrace and a studio 40m2. $250 month.

Guy downstairs pays $350 ... no idea why. I did arrive with a local though. Always do that.

OK so I did just talk about rents after all.

Food? I lived on $5 a day when I needed to.

Costs are not your problem here in VN.

There are many ideas to get work without degree. It just takes a bit of an outside the box thinking.

A lot of people on here will tell you good advice ... sone very useful. Decide then if you want to ignore them.

There is a singer calked Kyo he is a young American guy and sings in perfect Vietnamese and has a great old life here.

Would anybody have thought that gig up in US or UK? Would anyone here have said ... yes that is a sound plan young man?

No.

Find your niche.

Thanks mate.