Far above expectations

I have always played live music, but when I decided to do it full time after I finished my commerce degree it started to feel too much like a job. I decided I needed a change of scenery and I wasn’t (and I am still not) ready for the corporate world. I have some basic teaching experience, so I was researching TESOL in SE Asia and found Alex’s videos – he made me feel so at ease about the decision and Vietnam looked like just the place for me. So, in February 2017 my girlfriend and I decided to enroll in the June course offered by Ninja Teacher. We left Cape Town on 19 May and spent two weeks in Thailand before heading to Ho Chi Minh City!

The course was a ton of fun. We met an amazing group of people who we still see regularly since we finished our course, and the ongoing support from the school is incredible. Within two weeks of finishing we found great jobs; the school arranged an interview for us, and we arranged a couple of our own. Otherwise, we received so much inside information on how the market and system works in Vietnam, along with daily networking and teaching practices that filled us with confidence to go into the TESOL workforce.

I am teaching predominantly children and teens, ranging from ages 5-7 to 14-17, with as few as 11 students in one class and never more than 22 students. My wage is a dreamy $19/hr (far better than I’d be being paid at home) and I am working roughly 80hrs-100hrs per month. Living expenses are very low and after we have put some extra furniture in our awesome new apartment I’ll be able to save 50% or more of my salary without even tightening the belt.

Most importantly, I have fallen in love with Vietnam and the people who live here. They are kind and helpful and want you to be happy here. The pollution levels took a bit of getting used to, but an air purifier at home and a pollution mask when I’m riding the scooter helps a lot.

I would suggest to anyone who is looking to spice up their lives to look into teaching English in SE Asia and contacting Ninja Teacher. It allows you to create opportunities, change the lives of people you have never met, all the while giving you the opportunity to experience a new life and save some cash.