Advice for ESL Teachers.

Hi Mark!

My name is Abigail and I so totally cross-my-heart-hope-to-die to come to for sure and do a mini lesson for Ellis English Club...I am flying into HCMC Aug. 23 (in 2 weeks) from the states...I don't have any contacts there, but this will be my 5th country to teach in (hopefully!)

I have my TEFL certification and my bachelor's degree and about 4 years teaching exp.  I've primarily (and would def prefer) to teach business English or English to adults (I'm def not a backpacker, but I was an Int'l flight attendant for 8 years before teaching :-)...I have usually worked at language schools in the past and any advice would be greatly appreciated regarding schools, processes, (or just in general) and I promise to reciprocate w/a lesson!!

Also, I have my criminal report from the states and my original degree and TEFL documents...do you know if my University degree needs to be apostatized? I'm having it done by the secretary of state in AZ just in case but wasn't sure if I also needed it authenticated by a Vietnamese embassy as well before arriving...do you by chance know?  I have the visa sorted but wasn't sure if I needed any additional documents?? I plan to 'hit the pavement' immediately, just walking into reputable schools w/my cv after I arrive, but any advice would be amazingly appreciated!!! 

Thanks so much in advance and I hope to hear from you soon!

Best,
Abigail

flyingav wrote:

do you know if my University degree needs to be apostatized?

Abigail

It is notarized you really meant, this thread may be of help.

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=175738

Riddle me this Mr. Anatta.  Has Vietnam joined the Hague Convention?  I see that they have in regard to adoptions, but does this make having documents certified via an apostille the way to get documents certified now?  The only reason we couldn't do it before was becasue Vietnam wasn't a memeber of the Hague.

This guy did a fantastic job of documenting his work permit experience:  The Work Permit Process for an American.

I'm off to work now, so I'll add more later Abigail.  In short, you have no worries and should land a job in short order.

Teacher Mark

I have written about the Hague convention earlier in this thread.
https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=144278

Essentially, since Vietnam is not part of the convention, the two governments do not recognize each other's notary function.

Now, back to the notarization of your diploma. The blogger mentioned seems to do it the complex way.

I don't know why. I can only tell you how I did it. I took the original of my degree paper to the Vietnamese Embassy. They took the copies, certified on the copies. I paid the $+80 fee. I took the notarized copies to Vietnam to the Department of Justice in Ho Chi Minh City
Sở Tư Pháp Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh
141-143 Pasteur, D 3, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh

I went to the translation booth. They took one of the copies. I paid the fee for translation. 2 weeks later, I came back and got the official translation.

Now, I cam imagine that you don't have to meet up at the embassy to have it notarized. You can FedEx them, I would think. Call them to be sure.

Also, as mentioned, I think you can use the notary function here in Saigon instead of the Vietnamese Embassy. It would be much cheaper and convenient, but I have not used it.

The Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption...

I understand the entire process, since I've been through it for a marriage and a work permit.  I saw the article on Vietnam joining the adoptive arm of the Hague, didn't have enough time to investigate, so I asked you if you'd heard anything.

Well, not really.
As you know, there are nearly 40 different issues in the Hague conference on private international law covering all widely different aspects ranging from title transfer in international sales to recovery of child support. Adoption is just one of them.
At last check, Vietnam has only ratified (not yet in force) the adoption cooperation, and is blank of the other 35+ issues.

flyingav wrote:

Hi Mark!

My name is Abigail and I so totally cross-my-heart-hope-to-die to come to for sure and do a mini lesson for Ellis English Club...I am flying into HCMC Aug. 23 (in 2 weeks) from the states...I don't have any contacts there, but this will be my 5th country to teach in (hopefully!)

I have my TEFL certification and my bachelor's degree and about 4 years teaching exp.  I've primarily (and would def prefer) to teach business English or English to adults (I'm def not a backpacker, but I was an Int'l flight attendant for 8 years before teaching :-)...I have usually worked at language schools in the past and any advice would be greatly appreciated regarding schools, processes, (or just in general) and I promise to reciprocate w/a lesson!!

Also, I have my criminal report from the states and my original degree and TEFL documents...do you know if my University degree needs to be apostatized? I'm having it done by the secretary of state in AZ just in case but wasn't sure if I also needed it authenticated by a Vietnamese embassy as well before arriving...do you by chance know?  I have the visa sorted but wasn't sure if I needed any additional documents?? I plan to 'hit the pavement' immediately, just walking into reputable schools w/my cv after I arrive, but any advice would be amazingly appreciated!!! 

Thanks so much in advance and I hope to hear from you soon!

Best,
Abigail

The uni degree and the TEFL documents both need to be notarized, unless you earned a degree that involved education.  PM me your email and I'll send you a sample of a degree that's been notarized. 

Asiana Airlines recently begabn requiring potential employees to show a TOEIC score/take the TOEIC.  You're in an enviable position, considering your experience. 

Regardless, you'll get a job..maybe where I work.  I'm going to speak with my boss tomorrow and see if he knows anyone at Asiana, which he very well might.

Schools have a 3 month grace period, before a work permit is required.  You may not be able to get everything in time, but at least you can show proof that you've started the process.

You've obviously got the right stuff.  Enjoy your final weeks in America, then come live in the most amazing city in the world!

I'll leave this message by quoting myself

"Saigon is NOT the Paris of the East, PARIS is the Saigon of the West

"I had to come to Vietnam to find my American dream."     

and finally...

When asked by a student if I had visited Burger King, my reply was "Buddy, I didn't come to Vietnam so I could go to America!"  Then I had to explain what I meant, of course.

When I started working in HCMC, they told me that I had to go back to the states to get my diploma notified. It's annoying to do, especially in NY.

Mark I can make it this Sunday. Do i just show up and ask for you?

ktnguyen wrote:

When I started working in HCMC, they told me that I had to go back to the states to get my diploma notified. It's annoying to do, especially in NY.

Mark I can make it this Sunday. Do i just show up and ask for you?

There are plenty of agents that offer the service, or a person can do it themselves.  It cost me over $1000.

It's a paradox, because the school should do it, since only the sponsoring school is valid for the original permit.  You can get subsequent permits for different schools, but they want to see an original work permit, which the sponsoring school may hold and refuse to give you.

Please come tomorrow.  We'd love to see as many people as possible.

The receptionist will know why you're there and tell you which floor to go to.

Thanks.