Thank you! I'll keep that in mind. I'm starting my job in a few weeks. I'll be in Saigon. I tell you what you COULD do? What kind of camera do you use for your videos? I want to make some more high-definition videos for my own UA-cam channel. I want to inspire other people with Asperger's and let them know they can do anything if they put their minds to it.
Great video Alex and Keith. I'm teaching in South Korea at the moment. I THINK we were at the same orientation. I remember having a Facebook conversation with you and Charlie about rucksacks. I won't be offended if you don't remember. Haha. Anyway, I'm leaving Korea in a month and then heading to Ho Chi Minh at the end of March to do my CELTA after 2 years of teaching here in Yeongwol. I spent a month in Vietnam while travelling around SEA before Korea and loved it so I've been watching your videos to get a feel for the country again as I know it's going to be totally different to Korea. If you're still in Ho Chi Minh after April, (probably not during April as I'll be buried in CELTA work) it'll be cool to meet up. My plan is to try and get some work and make a go of it there. Either way, keep up the good work on these videos. Really nice stuff man. And I couldn't agree more with Keith regarding the weather in the UK. I'll be back there for three weeks in March before I head to Vietnam so I'll see the grey clouds once again.
Awesome man! Haha yeah I remember that conversation with Charlie about rucksacks - classic! That's super cool. You'll love it out here. And with a CELTA you'll have your pick of jobs. Hit me up if you want any help with finding something though. :)
Hi there.. My wife and I are thinking about relocating to Vietnam or Thailand from the UK, I will be retired but my wife wants to continue to work. She is a very highly qualified teacher, she has PHD In applied linguistics and a teaching degree she also holds CELTA And DELTA Qualifications. What kind of jobs and where would be available to her? She is currently teaching post graduates in one of the top university's in the UK. Many thanks !
Hey Alex, I'm in Thailand but might be going to Vietnam in the next month or so. I'm interested in Saigon. If I teach English (i have a bachelor's and tesl by the way), how many students would i have in my class in public or private school? Which do you recomend, public or private? I want to save at least $500/month after food, expenses, and fun, and vietnam seems like a great option.
Hey. Sounds good, saving $500 / month is realistic with your qualifications. Most people work at private language centers. Class sizes depend on the school - anything from 10 - 30 usually.
OK, and how much is the visa to get over to Vietnam (I've heard conflicting information on this)? I may go back to Malaysia first for some r & r, and then go to Vietnam afterwards. I think Ho Chi Minh would be a good place. I was considering South Korea, but I think it's just too cold for my tastes. Do you find Saigon air quality to be very bad? Anyways, where should I begin? I have a resume, but may still need a cover letter and back ground check if required.
Alex, do you prefer Vietnamse food over Korean or Japanese food? Btw, you are the first westerner to really talk about teaching English in Vietnam quite a bit...most of the youtube videos are about teaching English in Korea or Japan.
Oh gosh that's hard! I have a special place for Korean food cause I lived there for a year and I love me some Japanese ramen... But Thai and Viet food are SOO good. So it's hard to say haha.
Saigon, Hanoi, Da nang, Hue, Ha long bay, Phong nha-ke bang, Ninh Binh, Hoi An, Nha Trang, Mekong delta, Da lat, Vung Tau, Phan Thiet ... Vietnamese vote 1 like
I have a good situation here in Japan, but sometimes really do miss it in SE Asia. Great part of the world to live in. Some good advice from both of you - I'll definitely check out Keith's site
So do you definitely recommend getting a job offer before going to either one of those countries? I don't know much about teaching in Vietnam but I've heard that in Thailand they usually only hire foreigners who are already in the country. What are your thoughts?
It'd be nice to get a job beforehand but sometimes it's difficult for these two countries, unlike in Korea and China. We do have a great program in Thailand that helps you start before, as well as a month long TEFL course in Vietnam that helps you get settled in as options if you don't want to just come over here and "wing it".
If you never been in Thailand so i would like to suggest you that you should come to Thailand before ☺️☺️.do what you want if you will come to SE Asia so you should know about law , culture and include your life style to match with country where you come to teach and living . All country have all good and bad . It is ok if you want go to vietnam because i never been in Vietnam .Vietnam may be better than Thailand but if you come to here so i can help you .im welcome .I respect your opinion .i'm from Thailand 🇹🇭.
I will be traveling to Hanoi from Kunming, China (in a couple weeks); I want to train, but I've been reading that you have to taxi to the border/taxi to another town? Seems like a pain in the ass. Any advice?
Hello i am teaching in China, would like to teach in Thailand or Vietnam next. I currently teach at a University in China, are there college teaching jobs in Thailand/Vietnam too?
Very interested in teaching English in Vietnam next year but i am a little scared because I've never been out of the country. My biggest fear is getting there pretty much blind to everything and not having any guide or any English speaking people around me to get to places
+Alex Stevenson if one has a bachelor's degree and a CELTA, what job prospects would be best in HCMC? Is it better to work at an international school, public schools, private schools, or "cram schools"/English language academies? Also, what are language centers are they like after school programs or "cram schools"? Is it better to have a CELTA or TEFL? Thank you😊.
Hey Alex, I was interested in teaching I VN the Fall and planning on taking an CELTA course in New York from "Teaching House" however it's quite pricey but seems to be worth it due the thier teaching methodw...have you heard of the Organization? Also does it really matter in terms of teaching certificate?
+Damien Lee btw are you teaching Saigon I'm assuming...would love to get more inside information..if you can give some more insight my email is siwon.coleman1@gmail.com
Hey Siwon. Yeah it's definitely cheaper to do it out here. I've got some contacts here so if you'd like to do it out here send over your info and we can chat: ninjateacher.com/find-me-a-job
Im thinking about that 90 day volunteer visa, just to test the waters.. Im a landscaper by trade here in Canada, do yo think that's realistic for me to go to Thailand with??
sorry may i ask you. in my country vietnam if have 100 dola a day. that really big money. how about in thialand bangkok it is nothing . look like you have 100 dolla in casino value. example 100 dola in state of hawaii is 100 dola in china of los angles of california usa
Yeah it's interesting that Keith said that. I found Saigon and Bangkok were both cheap but I also haven't lived in Bangkok as long. I think accommodation is definitely cheaper in Saigon. Great idea for a video breaking down food costs!
I have spent quite a bit of time in VN. there might be a small market for French, but English is by far the language in demand. great country, but go slowly and be observant----cultural differences can be puzzling. really nice people and friendly. but do remember you are in a different culture no matter how similar to ours it may seem, superficially.
+Michael Reeves I've been to Cambodia to check out the teaching scene there. It's typically a bit less developed there and pay in often in the range of $8 - $12 / hour. I might offer some opportunities for getting started teaching there in the not too distant future. I've got a cool video from there too which I need to edit still.
Funnel those savings into performing assets like cheap rentals and the stock market (preferably in that order). You're unlikely to find an employer offering a retirment policy, but when you're saving $500-1500 pcm you can create your own retirement.
This video could improve if it focus more on academic comparison rather than generalization of an individual's taste. Example: Thai food emphasize more on sweet, sour, and spicy. Most of their food contain tamarine and young mango for sour taste. Their adaptation to Malaysian food mean that they do have some Chinese food-like food. Vietnam use spicy fish sauce for sweet and sour flavor, but the sauce are only for dips, so for foreigners who are tire of the sweet and sour and tangy after taste, they can eat the main dish as it is or with soy sauce. In term of spending money, I thought the Batt was more expensive than the Dong, thus the cost of living in Bangkok was higher than in Saigon. Education wise, how do the school caompared in term of: class size, students' friendliness, eagerness, energy level, school hours, retention rate, testing style and the frequency of the testing, and how well and how often students engage in group projects - their cohesiveness? The fact that this video was taped in a bar with a female model in the background implied that this a tourist video with the promise of food, fun and booty call.
Do you know of any short Thailand university courses around Thailand or on line university courses for first time students. If you can help would be great
I really wish people would learn the difference between ESL vs EFL - and start using the correct term properly. I cringe when I hear so-called professionals intermingle the two.
Alex Stevenson They only get teaching jobs because they can't get any other jobs....It's like hey lets go here, cool we could be English teachers because we have no real education but this little cert, speak no other languages. It's a joke.
I got so many bad experience to stay in vietnam and there is bad country not good for everyone. I dont believe u about many clips its make a lot of problem bcoz my bf wanna teach at vietnam but we got many trouble in this country and everybody in Thailand know about vietnam isnt good country for traveling a lot of theft and overcharging everything in that country and ladies in vietnam so bad attitude, stole money even in banking people till a market place , everywhere is theft and poor vietnamese want to learn English language free to foreigners its bothering and never respect. If handsome man vietnamese woman try to be girlfriend of foreigners them try to steal a man from e. But you alex its good luck for u in this country becoz u r not handsome :)
Vietnamese food is good they make not too spicy every one can eat. It so good.
Sooo.. nobody's going to mention the fact that Alex interviewed Ron Jeremy?
i was thinking the same thing dude.
Alex sounds like he's from South Africa by his accent. I used to teach English in Thailand, and I'm about to go to Vietnam.
Yup! Cool if you need help finding a job make sure to send over an application on my site and I'll see what I can do: ninjateacher.com/apply
Thank you! I'll keep that in mind. I'm starting my job in a few weeks. I'll be in Saigon. I tell you what you COULD do? What kind of camera do you use for your videos? I want to make some more high-definition videos for my own UA-cam channel. I want to inspire other people with Asperger's and let them know they can do anything if they put their minds to it.
Do you need a degree to teach in Thailand and Vietnam?
Another great video, as a self taught artist looking to broaden my horizons, teach and travel.. this is very informative, cheers Alex
I'm on my way in October. So excited. Headed to Chiang Mai from Oregon, USA!
Great video Alex and Keith. I'm teaching in South Korea at the moment. I THINK we were at the same orientation. I remember having a Facebook conversation with you and Charlie about rucksacks. I won't be offended if you don't remember. Haha.
Anyway, I'm leaving Korea in a month and then heading to Ho Chi Minh at the end of March to do my CELTA after 2 years of teaching here in Yeongwol. I spent a month in Vietnam while travelling around SEA before Korea and loved it so I've been watching your videos to get a feel for the country again as I know it's going to be totally different to Korea.
If you're still in Ho Chi Minh after April, (probably not during April as I'll be buried in CELTA work) it'll be cool to meet up. My plan is to try and get some work and make a go of it there. Either way, keep up the good work on these videos. Really nice stuff man.
And I couldn't agree more with Keith regarding the weather in the UK. I'll be back there for three weeks in March before I head to Vietnam so I'll see the grey clouds once again.
Awesome man! Haha yeah I remember that conversation with Charlie about rucksacks - classic!
That's super cool. You'll love it out here. And with a CELTA you'll have your pick of jobs. Hit me up if you want any help with finding something though. :)
It's a good place to live if you're comfortable with intense humid heat year round.
Hi there..
My wife and I are thinking about relocating to Vietnam or Thailand from the UK, I will be retired but my wife wants to continue to work. She is a very highly qualified teacher, she has PHD In applied linguistics and a teaching degree she also holds CELTA And DELTA Qualifications.
What kind of jobs and where would be available to her? She is currently teaching post graduates in one of the top university's in the UK.
Many thanks !
She should have plenty of job opportunities in Vietnam - she could just apply for job openings and see how it goes!
Great information and good to see someone a bit older in the video.
Hey Alex,
I'm in Thailand but might be going to Vietnam in the next month or so. I'm interested in Saigon. If I teach English (i have a bachelor's and tesl by the way), how many students would i have in my class in public or private school? Which do you recomend, public or private? I want to save at least $500/month after food, expenses, and fun, and vietnam seems like a great option.
Hey. Sounds good, saving $500 / month is realistic with your qualifications. Most people work at private language centers. Class sizes depend on the school - anything from 10 - 30 usually.
OK, and how much is the visa to get over to Vietnam (I've heard conflicting information on this)? I may go back to Malaysia first for some r & r, and then go to Vietnam afterwards. I think Ho Chi Minh would be a good place. I was considering South Korea, but I think it's just too cold for my tastes. Do you find Saigon air quality to be very bad? Anyways, where should I begin? I have a resume, but may still need a cover letter and back ground check if required.
just what I was looking for!! Thanks! :)
You're welcome :)
Recently, Thailand have implemented a rule in which the taxis cannot refuse a fair. It still happens, but I've found it's more few and far between
Alex, do you prefer Vietnamse food over Korean or Japanese food? Btw, you are the first westerner to really talk about teaching English in Vietnam quite a bit...most of the youtube videos are about teaching English in Korea or Japan.
Oh gosh that's hard! I have a special place for Korean food cause I lived there for a year and I love me some Japanese ramen... But Thai and Viet food are SOO good. So it's hard to say haha.
Thanks you for the very informative video Alex. :)
Both countries are wonderful. I favour Thailand, but I'm quite gutted that I can't teach there without a degree.
Great video, thanks for the insight fellas.
Saigon, Hanoi, Da nang, Hue, Ha long bay, Phong nha-ke bang, Ninh Binh, Hoi An, Nha Trang, Mekong delta, Da lat, Vung Tau, Phan Thiet ... Vietnamese vote 1 like
Great video! Like what you both had to say! :)
+streetwolfe Thank you mate, I love it out here. It is important to me to stress the positives. It is so easy to pick up on the negatives and many do.
Great interview. Another helpful video.
awesome video guys..very helpful...thank you ;) cu soon in Saigon, i hope
I have a good situation here in Japan, but sometimes really do miss it in SE Asia. Great part of the world to live in. Some good advice from both of you - I'll definitely check out Keith's site
So do you definitely recommend getting a job offer before going to either one of those countries? I don't know much about teaching in Vietnam but I've heard that in Thailand they usually only hire foreigners who are already in the country. What are your thoughts?
It'd be nice to get a job beforehand but sometimes it's difficult for these two countries, unlike in Korea and China.
We do have a great program in Thailand that helps you start before, as well as a month long TEFL course in Vietnam that helps you get settled in as options if you don't want to just come over here and "wing it".
is there an age limit? I'm 51 and could afford to support myself over there whilst attending the TEFL courses
thinking of going to Bankok to teach but after watching this video Vietnam is creeping in my mind. Cheers!
+jonrom100 cool, gives us a shout on ninjateacher.com if you want to chat about options with us.
ok I will. Cheers!
If you never been in Thailand so i would like to suggest you that you should come to Thailand before ☺️☺️.do what you want if you will come to SE Asia so you should know about law , culture and include your life style to match with country where you come to teach and living . All country have all good and bad . It is ok if you want go to vietnam because i never been in Vietnam .Vietnam may be better than Thailand but if you come to here so i can help you
.im welcome .I respect your opinion .i'm from Thailand 🇹🇭.
I will be traveling to Hanoi from Kunming, China (in a couple weeks); I want to train, but I've been reading that you have to taxi to the border/taxi to another town? Seems like a pain in the ass. Any advice?
Hello i am teaching in China, would like to teach in Thailand or Vietnam next. I currently teach at a University in China, are there college teaching jobs in Thailand/Vietnam too?
Thank you guys for the info. I totally agree, Thai food is best, besides Mexican food of course.
Thank you guys
Very good video!
Thaikand most of time high humidity too strong sun ray very hot weather easy to get dark sport malasma , Vietnam more chilly
Did not expect to hear a Yorkshireman in Vietnam! Are there many Brits living out there?
the English are in every country in the world and always have been. Surely there's no other people who travel more than the English.
British love their colonial & half colonial countries such as Singapore, Thai, Malay, India, SouthAfrica ...
Thailand has not been colonized by western imperialist France or Great Britain.
One of your better videos boet.
Thanks
So your friend isnt a teacher. You go to his website and its more news
Great video. I would like to meet that bartender behind you. Nice.
Very interested in teaching English in Vietnam next year but i am a little scared because I've never been out of the country. My biggest fear is getting there pretty much blind to everything and not having any guide or any English speaking people around me to get to places
Hey Yesenia. Like we've been discussing in the Facebook group, the transition is not as tough as it might seem!
+Alex Stevenson if one has a bachelor's degree and a CELTA, what job prospects would be best in HCMC? Is it better to work at an international school, public schools, private schools, or "cram schools"/English language academies? Also, what are language centers are they like after school programs or "cram schools"? Is it better to have a CELTA or TEFL? Thank you😊.
Yhaz T. did you figure it out in the end? I have the same questions... cheers
How is your experience been so far now that you are in Vietnam and we revisit this question again?
Hey Alex, I was interested in teaching I VN the Fall and planning on taking an CELTA course in New York from "Teaching House" however it's quite pricey but seems to be worth it due the thier teaching methodw...have you heard of the Organization? Also does it really matter in terms of teaching certificate?
excuse my typos haha 😁
+Siwon Coleman Take the CELTA in Saigon-it's about half as much as "Teaching House" would charge you.
+Damien Lee Thanks for the information.
+Damien Lee btw are you teaching Saigon I'm assuming...would love to get more inside information..if you can give some more insight my email is siwon.coleman1@gmail.com
Hey Siwon. Yeah it's definitely cheaper to do it out here. I've got some contacts here so if you'd like to do it out here send over your info and we can chat: ninjateacher.com/find-me-a-job
My goodness, you are gorgeous. Great interview!
Great video
Im thinking about that 90 day volunteer visa, just to test the waters.. Im a landscaper by trade here in Canada, do yo think that's realistic for me to go to Thailand with??
Sure, give it a shot.
sorry may i ask you. in my country vietnam if have 100 dola a day. that really big money. how about in thialand bangkok it is nothing . look like you have 100 dolla in casino value. example 100 dola in state of hawaii is 100 dola in china of los angles of california usa
Can you give just a ballpark of average income in each country and average cost of living....just ballpark amounts. Thx !
Hey Alex, Going towards how Saigon is cheaper than Bangkok. Can you talk about costs if food and stuff :) thanks
+streetwolfe Vietnam is the hidden gem for teaching English....not Korea
Yeah it's interesting that Keith said that. I found Saigon and Bangkok were both cheap but I also haven't lived in Bangkok as long. I think accommodation is definitely cheaper in Saigon.
Great idea for a video breaking down food costs!
streetwolfe r
It's not possible for foreigners to own motorbikes or cars in Vietnam so I guess these two guys rent long term.
Alex do you have a license to ride a scooter?
Alex, is there a market for French language teaching as well in Vietnam? given its colonial history...
I have spent quite a bit of time in VN. there might be a small market for French, but English is by far the language in demand.
great country, but go slowly and be observant----cultural differences can be puzzling. really nice people and friendly. but do remember you are in a different culture no matter how similar to ours it may seem, superficially.
Hi what camera do you use for your vlog?
Vietnam love you too
Is it hard for someone in their 60s to find work ?
Thankyou guys great video :) anyone have any info about teaching in Cambodia maybe do a Vietnam vs cambodia video please if possible
+Michael Reeves I've been to Cambodia to check out the teaching scene there. It's typically a bit less developed there and pay in often in the range of $8 - $12 / hour. I might offer some opportunities for getting started teaching there in the not too distant future. I've got a cool video from there too which I need to edit still.
+Alex Stevenson awesome can't wait to see it :)
Cambodia is way less developed than Vietnam !!! We even never compare....!
vietnam food it better, but thai fruit tast better, same seed but from thai tast good.
The best international schools cannot compete with the best schools in England, different leagues.
There's this question that's bothering me. If you work abroad as an English teacher, then what does retirement look like?
Funnel those savings into performing assets like cheap rentals and the stock market (preferably in that order). You're unlikely to find an employer offering a retirment policy, but when you're saving $500-1500 pcm you can create your own retirement.
What's your gym routine? looking juicy.
+RasputinReview 3 days a week full body workout mixed strength and hypertrphophy weight training. :)
This video could improve if it focus more on academic comparison rather than generalization of an individual's taste. Example: Thai food emphasize more on sweet, sour, and spicy. Most of their food contain tamarine and young mango for sour taste. Their adaptation to Malaysian food mean that they do have some Chinese food-like food. Vietnam use spicy fish sauce for sweet and sour flavor, but the sauce are only for dips, so for foreigners who are tire of the sweet and sour and tangy after taste, they can eat the main dish as it is or with soy sauce. In term of spending money, I thought the Batt was more expensive than the Dong, thus the cost of living in Bangkok was higher than in Saigon. Education wise, how do the school caompared in term of: class size, students' friendliness, eagerness, energy level, school hours, retention rate, testing style and the frequency of the testing, and how well and how often students engage in group projects - their cohesiveness? The fact that this video was taped in a bar with a female model in the background implied that this a tourist video with the promise of food, fun and booty call.
1baddoggie haha, after all, what did you get?
what's up with that microphone?
Tjey definitely dont drive slowly in saigon well definitely not the bikers
Do you know of any short Thailand university courses around Thailand or on line university courses for first time students. If you can help would be great
Not sure about that, Paul. I mostly help people find teaching jobs.
how is the weather?
Hot and sunny in both Vietnam and Thailand. :)
+Alex Stevenson thank you :) i am watching your vídeos from México :) you should visit it
+Alex Stevenson alexx(Alejandro):p you should make a vídeo talking about yourself ....pleaseee!!
'I go out 7 nights a week......' Mega lol!!
Basically..the pub!
Autofocus!!! keep it on manual!!
I really wish people would learn the difference between ESL vs EFL - and start using the correct term properly. I cringe when I hear so-called professionals intermingle the two.
Both countries have horrible drug laws
since when?
stay your country and stop drink after 10pm lol
you look like Cristiano Ronaldo :)
People go over to teach because it's the only job they can get...Not because they love teaching...Go over, open up a business and do something real.
Bla bla I hear this comment every day. I meet the most awesome people out here teaching. Couldn't agree less with this.
Alex Stevenson They only get teaching jobs because they can't get any other jobs....It's like hey lets go here, cool we could be English teachers because we have no real education but this little cert, speak no other languages. It's a joke.
You are a half empty glass kind of guy. That's a generalization, probably only a tiny percentage teach abroad because "they can't get other jobs."
This is really fucking rude to people who actually study to become teachers.
im thinking about it, but i know i can teach well naturally.
I got so many bad experience to stay in vietnam and there is bad country not good for everyone. I dont believe u about many clips its make a lot of problem bcoz my bf wanna teach at vietnam but we got many trouble in this country and everybody in Thailand know about vietnam isnt good country for traveling a lot of theft and overcharging everything in that country and ladies in vietnam so bad attitude, stole money even in banking people till a market place , everywhere is theft and poor vietnamese want to learn English language free to foreigners its bothering and never respect. If handsome man vietnamese woman try to be girlfriend of foreigners them try to steal a man from e. But you alex its good luck for u in this country becoz u r not handsome :)
Alex has been living in Vietnam for almost 3 years, which proved that Vietnam is an awesome country with an intriguing history and delectable cuisine.
Learn English first before you decided to talk shit about your own country.
Moonlight Witchy you r vietnamese?