Moving to Vietnam

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January 2, 2016 - 4:25am
#1
Counselor and E...
Moving to Vietnam

I am a 41 year old professional counselor considering moving my family abroad to Vietnam. I would consider teaching ESL or working for some kind of start up. What are the chances of coming to Vietnam without a job and landing something that could support a family of 5? I'm open to suggestions and/or career changes. Thanks.

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January 8, 2016 - 10:56am
#2
Anonymous (not verified)

It is entirely possible but it is always good to have a plan B. some scenario you should prepare for:
1. arrive and love it but no job for a month.
2. got a job for now and considering other opportunities in neighbour ASEAN countries.
3. having a reasonable life with family but can't always afford premium lifestyle (wine, cheese, Western lifestyle, taxis)
4. not enjoying life in Vietnam at all. (food, weather, low living quality etc)
5. you love life but your spouse or kids find it hard to adjust/miss home.
6. need to fly home for unforseeable reasons.eg. family emergencies

I am a british expat and currently living in Vietnam for last 3.5 years. Happy to provide further objective insights. ESL is easy to land jobs but CELTA/DELTA ticket/ work experience will land you higher salaries 20k-25k USD+. single income usually will only support family of 5 if you are prepare to live in local neighborhoods, living relatively local lifestyle and live on a budget and make local friends. kids go to local schools.

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January 25, 2016 - 10:56pm
(Reply to #3) #3
Anonymous (not verified)

Hi there,

Your response might not have helped the original poster but it helped me slightly. I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions. I recently completed a TEFL course and I'm planning on moving to Vietnam with my partner in March. I've tried to apply for some teaching jobs while still in the UK but do you think it would be easy enough to find a teaching job with a TEFL certification after I've arrived? I have plenty of savings so it wouldn't have to be right away but I need to be positive that I'll be able to find a source of income at some point.

Thanks!

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January 7, 2016 - 4:36pm
#4
katyciara (not verified)

Nice Post

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Asian-American expat living in Vietnam over 3 years. I am involved in tech startups and do Drupal consulting. I choose to live in Saigon and Vietnam and I want to see the city and its people reach their true potential.

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