Teacher Recruitment

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. What is it like to live in VietNam?

It is culturally stimulating and the people are very friendly. Vietnamese people can often go out of their way to help and assist foreigners. It’s still relatively untainted by Western culture though the speed of Vietnam’s progress now affords all the modern conveniences. The pace of the people is usually slow but the traffic is surprisingly hectic. Vietnam is full of spice, yet not too hot. There is curiosity, generosity and a rich cultural and community spirit which is emotionally moving and uplifting. Its charms can entice and enthral. For teachers, it provides an opportunity for a relaxed, relatively untrammelled lifestyle which affords a certain simplicity or even luxury. It can be very sociable, if you want it to be. Some teachers stay in guest houses while others find rental accommodation, either in share situations and/or houses and apartments.

2. What is it like to work at Compass Education

Teachers are placed in local community schools working with other foreign and Vietnamese teachers. This can open up new experiences which can be enriching and fulfilling. A sense of support is given and the teachers are required to be responsible, culturally sensitive and independently motivated to fulfil their services.

3. What do teachers wear to work?

Teachers must wear smart, comfortable attire, ties for the men.

4. How can I get around town and get to school?

There are several means of getting around all of which are easy to come by and cheap. Car and motorbike taxis are readily available or you can rent or buy a motorbike or else go by bus.

5. How much money should I bring with me for the first month?

You will need to pay for initial accommodation which can be in the vicinity of US$250-$600 per month depending on your comforts. The deposit on an apartment is usually a couple of months rent in advance. Furnished and unfurnished or serviced for those wanting more. Laundry services are also available. Food and entertainment could be around US$400 per month depending on your extravagancies.

6. Can I send money home?

It is possible to send money home legally through your bank.

7. Do I need any vaccinations? What if I get sick?

There are no required vaccinations, although Hep A and B are recommended. The vaccinations are available within Vietnam. Malaria is not a significant issue in the larger cities. There are Western clinics with English-speaking doctors. Pharmacies offering recognised Western medicines are also available.

8. For any additional questions please do not hesitate to contact us at information@compass.edu.vn

Vietnam is approximately 331,688 km² (128,065 sq mi) in area (not including Hoang Sa and Truong Sa islands), larger than Italy and almost the size of Germany. The combined length of the country's land boundaries is 4,639 km (2,883 mi) and its coastline (excluding islands) is 3,444 km (2,140 mi). The topography consists of hills and densely forested mountains, with level land covering no more than 20%. Mountains account for 40% of the area, with smaller hills accounting for 40% and tropical forests 42%.

The northern part of the country consists mostly of highlands and the Red River Delta. Phan Xi Păng, located in Lào Cai province, is the highest mountain in Vietnam at 3,143 m (10,312 ft). The south is divided into coastal lowlands, Annamite Chain peaks, extensive forests, and poor soil. Comprising five relatively flat plateaus of basalt soil, the highlands account for 16% of the country's arable land and 22% of its total forested land.

The delta of the Red River (also known as the Sông Hồng), a flat, triangular region of 15,000 km² (5,792 sq mi),^[52] is smaller but more intensely developed and more densely populated than the Mekong River Delta. Once an inlet of the Gulf of Tonkin, it has been filled in by the enormous alluvial deposits of the rivers over a period of millennia, and it advances one 100 meters (328.1 ft) into the Gulf annually. The Mekong delta, covering about 40,000 km² (15,444 sq mi), is a low-level plain no more than 3 meters (9.8 ft) above sea level at any point and criss-crossed by a maze of canals and rivers. So much sediment is carried by the Mekong's various branches and tributaries that the delta advances 60 to 80 meters (196.9 to 262.5 ft) into the sea every year.

Because of differences in latitude and the marked variety of topographical relief, the climate tends to vary considerably from place to place. During the winter or dry season, extending roughly from November to April, the monsoon winds usually blow from the northeast along the China coast and across the Gulf of Tonkin, picking up considerable moisture; consequently the winter season in most parts of the country is dry only by comparison with the rainy or summer season.

The average annual temperature is generally higher in the plains than in the mountains and plateaus and in the south than in the north. Temperatures in the southern plains (Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta) varies less, going between 21 and 28 °C (69.8 and 82.4 °F) over the course of a year. The seasons in the mountains and plateaus and in the north are much more dramatic, and temperatures may vary from 5 °C (41 °F) in December and January to 37 °C (98.6 °F) in July and August.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnam

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Compass Education offers a ‘Teacher Placement Program’ whereby local schools in and around Ho Chi Minh City can readily access highly qualified native English teachers. If a school requires native English teachers then we can also provide the curricula, the necessary resources and assessment procedures to deliver the right product. Our partnerships with various schools together with working in conjunction with TEFL International enable us to provide assorted opportunities for teachers. Variation and the tailoring of schedules by way of teaching at different schools can be rewarding. Interacting with students of diverse levels of English language competency is also interesting. We require enthusiastic, dedicated teachers who have authentic English pronunciation and who want a teaching position with a difference.

1. A cover letter.
2. A curriculum vitae.
3. A copy of passport and visa (including the page with photo and the front cover of the passport).
4. Copies of degrees and certificates and the originals to be certified before coming to Vietnam.
5. Reference letters (optional).
6. A recent photo of yourself.