This program was unique in that I was thrown into vietnam with zero orientation or guidance. TFV gave me some info before I left, but once I got there all they could do was write an email to Can Tho univeristy if I needed help. The university staff picked me up in HCMC the first day, dropped me at my housing in Can Tho, and said, "see ya later!" I started teaching the next day, and had to pull teeth to get any sort of help or orientation. Everyone at CTU is nice, they are just supremely disorganized and incompetent. Vietnamese bureaucracy is comically complex and infuriating. I was given a text book for each course, often about a week after the class had actually started, and told very little about what I was supposed to be teaching. All my negativity aside, I loved living in Can THo, and my students were very nice. The teaching was challenging, and it would have been nice to have some guidance or oversight. TFV was very clear on the fact that they could do nothing once i was there to help me, besides writing a letter. It was also unique in that our house was broken into twice in two weeks.
I should note that the post in Can Tho has been discontinued. TFV is still posting volunteers in many other universities around Vietnam, but decided CTU was not deserving of the volunteers because of the way we were treated.
I realized without a doubt that i do not like teaching English in Vietnam, but i learned a whole lot about myself. I love teaching math, and intend to pursue math teaching/tutoring this coming year. I had an amazing, and sometimes difficult time learning about a new culture, and pushing my comfort level. I can now confidently say that I am comfortable living in different places and in different cultures. I had a great time making new friends with other volunteers and the few Vietnamese who could speak english well enough to form friendships. It was great walking down the street and being invited to eat and drink with complete strangers. It got awkward quickly as we could not really communicate, but it was touching nonetheless.