United States
US
David Parry
Teach Enrich Empower
Driving Through The Traffic In Hanoi
I can remember the feeling very well. Fresh out of university and ready to take on the world…but you need money first, right?
So, what do you do? You find a part-time job, but over time it slowly becomes your full-time career.
You might even be happy with your current career choices but bored of the humdrum of everyday life. Perhaps you are indeed a young professional, who has recently graduated from university, wondering what to do next.
Time to make a change.
After graduating university, I found jobs in various bars and restaurants across Liverpool, working anywhere between 40–50 hours per week for a minimum wage. But I was never exactly thriving financially, and my ceiling for progression was certainly very limited.
I decided to make a change, and I am now currently living very comfortably as an ESL teacher based in Hanoi, Vietnam.
Becoming an internationally recognised and qualified ESL teacher offers you a chance to work in the ever-growing and highly profitable industry of teaching English as a foreign language.
A chance to personally evolve, diversify your career portfolio, travel the world, and to change your lifestyle for the better – and earn and save a lot of money!
I personally perform 30 classes per week (Monday-Friday / September – May) with around 40-50 students per class, and 45 minutes per lesson.
I work anywhere between 20-25 hours per week and earn a similar amount (if not more) to what I would earn after working 50-60 hours per week in the UK.
Considering the cheap cost of living in Vietnam, ESL teachers working here earning anywhere around $1200+ per month live a very adventurous and luxurious lifestyle.
My students are 15-17 years old, with a good sense of humour and a positive work ethic. Above all else, they are extremely intelligent and always willing to improve their skills and knowledge.
Additionally, my weekly working routine is far healthier and more balanced, allowing for plenty of free time for me to pursue ventures into my own personal hobbies and passions.
Living as a non-native speaker in any country is certainly going to be a challenge, but for all the difficulties you may face on your journey, I can guarantee you that the rewards will vastly outweigh them.
I have spent the last 4 years of my life travelling across this magnificent country, and I still feel like my own personal journey has only just begun.
What’s next for me? Well, as a qualified, experienced, and internationally recognised ESL teacher, my opportunities for development in this field are limitless.
Driving through the traffic in Hanoi is a lot like life. You don’t always have to take the route laid out ahead of you, there are a variety of different paths you can follow to reach your destination.
For me, the best decision I ever made was to take the path towards working abroad by becoming a certified ESL teacher with The TEFL Academy.
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