1: Vinh Fast branch. These guys manufacturer correct cars and the locals patronize them well

2: Hyundai branch.

Other pictures following would just be what the roads and streets look like in another part of Vietnam

1: Banh Mi stand. It's a popular bread sandwich in Vietnam

2: If you zoom in, you'll see an entrance written Ham Danh... That's an underground tunnel that leads you to the other side of the road. These are more popular than foot bridges and they are super clean and tiled. I was surprised the first time I used it. Soo clean

3: An alomo/Igbo joint

4: The blue bus

Day 3 of Tet, packed my Kaya to go spend time with a Vietnamese family.

Sorry if some of the pictures seem far. I was in transit

Pics 1: Empty road. This is only possible during Tet. Lol

Pic 2: Intra city bus. Takes you anywhere for just 7000 VND which is just 31 cents or 128 naira. There's also the blue colour. Just know your route and bus number and time. Buses come every 15 minutes. There's also an app or you can check the bus schedule online

mystery22:
wooooow @whyna is back...Glad to have you back

Chrismanuels:
@whyna is back we've missed you ait thanks for the heads up

Thanks. Good to be back

Continued.....
3) Socializing
And I mean this in all ramifications. If you're an indoor person, you may not have to worry about this but there are things to consider. In the cities, you'll be exposed to and able to mingle with other foreigners both at work and in your neighbourhood. Of course constant interractions with them has a way of rubbing off on you and showing in your accent. You may not realize it but you'll just pick it. Also, being in the city means you can actually have decent conversations in English even with the locals, kids and adult alike and it makes teaching enjoyable. I go weeks without having to use a google translator because I'm surrounded with people who speak English at least in an understandable way.

My bathroom bum gun just went haywire and I rushed down quickly to go file a complaint. Scared that since it's a holiday, I might not find anyone. I spoke to 3 people. The first person, I asked if she has seen a security guard around cos my building receptionist wasn't on seat. We spoke English. Second person, a security guard who was pressed cos she was dancing said no one can help me cos it's a holiday. We used google translate and I left her to go use the bathroom. Third person, a maintenance guyfollowed me and we spoke in very good English from what the problem is to fixing it. Hope you get the picture.

Also, access to some fun places like pubs, cinemas, parks and even supermarkets are not readily available in the villages. Infact, you may be the only foreigner in your area and maybe 5-10 AFRICANS in the province . In some smaller provinces, you can get a handful of foreigners though

5) Cost of living
Cost of living is generally cheap in Vietnam, it is however, cheaper in the villages especially when it comes to food

6) Teaching without experience
If you're scared of teaching or don't know how you would cope, or have never taught before and have no idea what to do or how to go about it, the village is a better starting point for you and trust me when i say you'll get a hang of it under 3 months. Then you can decide if you want to stay or move to a bigger province.

If you're really smart and sharp though, and can learn on the go, you might want to start from the city but start small. Don't come and go and be aiming for big big international schools. If one student or teacher or parent complains about you, ya fired oo. You can ask friends for tips and ways to go about improving yourself. Ask for help when you need it cos when you just come in, you'll need all the help you can get to adjust to their way of teaching which is easy

7) Peace and quiet
Of course it's calmer in the villages. The cities can drive you crazy sometimes especially if you live in certain neighbourhoods. From the traffic jams during rush hours to the noise from honking, to constant construction noise (Vietnam is rapidly growing so it's like everywhere you look, there's construction going on), to loud karaoke and i'm not talking about in clubs o. At home. Your neighbour can just wake up and decide he wants to sing karaoke and mount his speaker and mic and you have to deal with it. Lol

I'll stop here for now. Hope you were able to pick one or two things and this helps you in searching for which province to settle down in

One decision you have to make when moving to Vietnam is which Province to settle in. Vietnam has about 57 provinces with Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh, Hai Phong and Da Nang being the top 4 cities. Other popular 'semi-cities' include Hoi An, Bac Ninh, Quang Ninh, Lao cai, etc.

So what are some things you should look out for? It's up to you really. Do you prefer the hustle and bustle of the city or the quiet and calm of the rural areas? Here are a couple of comparisions to the best of my knowledge:

1) Jobs
Of course job is number one cos that's the main thing (at least for those coming on a work visa). You're 99.9 percent guaranteed to find a job asap if you land and decide to pitch your tent in the smaller or lesser known provinces. the smaller and more rural the province, the higher your chances. As long as your documents are all complete and you're here legally, you should have no problem.

This is not to say you won't get a job asap in the cities. I started straight from the city too. It would just take a while as they would usually require you to be experienced especially because the students here are more advanced and the pay is higher. This leads to my next point....

2) Salary
You should have guessed by now, salary in the city is definitely higher than in the villages. But just as I mentioned in point one, you should have known your onions or at least be smart enough to learn on the go and keep improving yourself to compete out there. In the cities, you have folks from not just first world countries but from all over the world, competing for those jobs. Some with Msc sef but guess what, qualifications ddoen't always make a good teacher. Same reason why many schools are beginning to appreciate African teachers. Plus....Centers full everywhere. On amount, the least has gone up to $1200 which is like $12 per hour. I see it going up this year. When I came in in Feb 2020, it was $800

3) Accomodation
Again, this is a no brainer. accomodation in the villages are cheaper....no wayyyyy cheaper than the cities. So the bulk of your earnings would be spent on accomodation which is still cheap whether in the city or village. A rough estimate is you can pay up to 250 usd for a studio or one bedroom apartment in the city but your counterparts in the village can pay just 100 usd for same or even get free accomodation ( this free accomadation may or may not meet your standards). Plus i usually advice you ask for the money and get your own thing.

To be continued...

Picture: Throwback to lunch with friends at a Japanese mushroom hotpot restaurant

Sirwifi:

Welcome back my love ���
Thank you

Thanks boss

Hahnemann:
Hurrraaaaayyyyyy!!!

@whyna is back!!!

Glad to see other Nairalanders made it too successfully to Vietnam and are already making it.

@whyna, pls the suspense took a big toll on us and I will like to add that no matter what we do wrong again in this thread, just find another way to punish us because the long silence almost made me lose my mind and this is to show you how much your update means to a lot of us.

I'm glad all of you are very OK and enjoying Vietnam and I'm glad that you guys are among the new generation of Nigerians painting good image and representing us well over there and send the message to the Viets that not all Nigerians are scammers but a lot of us are ready to work hard and legitimately earn our money.

Congratulations to all that have made it to Vietnam and congratulations to the ones that their visas just came out.

I pray that all of you get good paying jobs ASAP and for the land of Vietnam to favour all of you (us).

I pray that soon all restrictions be lifted including cancellation of the compulsory hotel quarantining because this I believe will reduce the cost and difficulties involved in getting visas.

I wish you all the best and promising to see you guys soon.

Thanks and amen

smartmouth:
Happy lunar new year WhyNa!!!
I dey hail you from my small paradise in Nong cong district, Thanh Hoa province.

It's going on 7 months, I enter Vietnam and its been a breeze. I'm sorry I couldn't post this shoutout sooner, once you start working the days flies by but, with the TET holidays I can find good time to reflect and remember how this all started.

I want to thank you for your sterling honesty and patience, I didn't worry for once the moment I started on this path. Your advices were always on point and its refreshing to find that in an agent! I owe you a vacation to an island of your choice, after I buy my yatch...lol

I'll be updating you soon on a new batch of my people wen dem dey ready.

Congratulations on the new guys coming in, you really perform miracles!

I wish you more strength and patience to answer plenty questions with wisdom because e no easy but you make it work.

Let me stop here, TET sweet die! I wish it will continue till march but I want salary sha! I'm having so much fun with families I didn't know I had and the food wey I don chop ehn...

Anyway Boss stay safe and keep making young millionaires! Love you!!!!

Na me be the E** aka smartmouth.��

Thanks babe for finally finding time to share.

I'l hold you up on that island holiday someday cos you go surely buy that yatch.

Glad you're having fun.

Love you ❤️

anayolity:


Very necessary make head you comot smoke.

Can we chat more on whatsap I know no who go make you vex again

Let's be good friends

We can chat in via DM

anayolity:


Every better for you jare
You're doing well, see as everybody dey cry say dem no see you for some days... I wan be like you when I grow up oh

Lol. The sabbatical was necessary for my sanity jare

Nogymmarts:



THIS FOOTBALL VISA IS IT THE FOOTBALL CLUB THAT WILL PROCESS IT OR THE PERSON HIMSELF

No idea on this but I know it's a thing

Joohan:


You being back already made my week, I was so excited when I saw the mention. Glad to have you back and happy TET!!! I look forward to seeing more of your updates. You're wonderfully well.

Please don't give attention to negative comments again, the sabbatical break was enough punishment

Yes boss. Noted

Nogymmarts:


AM CURIOUS HEREO TEFL and CELTA IS A DIFFERENT CERTIFICATE ABI ?

cos the cost of CELTA is higher than TEFL

Same thing

anayolity:
Whyna how are doing

Really good to have you back, I follow your thread and see all the good works and guidance you give, keep it up.

Let me know when you see this

Seen. Any better for me >

jashar:
I'm happy we're back on track with this thread...

Thanks

Chrismanuels:
@whyna welcome back

Thanks

JohnQueen:
Good to have you back @whyna. See as your neighbourhood be like Bourdillon

I dey small London here . Reason I no gree move another place. I forget I'm even in Vietnam

anayolity:


Ahhh see my Babe
Good to have you back.

Have you made up your mind on the snake you want, I have varieties here

Thanks.

I'll quote you on a far away thread

No wahala. As for the snake meat, you fit turn the offer to goat meat? That nmeh dey expensive and scarce here

ASG01:
WhyNa I see you. Nor vex jare, I nor too active for here. Happy TET and Year of the Tiger. It’s not been a bad experience so far. Jobs have been pretty smooth. Lots of new experiences. The food, the people, the city, fun places to travel to.. Omo, if I start to dey write I no go finish today. My advise to anyone thinking to japa. You better start already so that the next shoutout will be you sharing your experience. Make I stop here, I get plans to visit about 6 other beaches with my remaining TET days... Thanks WhyNa for this opportunity. You’ve been an amazing friend, teacher and super agent all rolled into one... Next Chung Cake and Hanoi beer dey on me. If the Chung Cake don cold by the time I see you no worry Crowave dey, you get??

Awwn. Coman collect hug.

Was gonna reject the next year Chung cake, then I remember say crowave dey . Have fun jare and thanks for sharing

okooloyun1:
Welcome back

nugwa1803:


Welcome back Whyna..... I really missed you o

Thanks

Neighbourhood.

Neighbourhood

My neighborhood this cold Tuesday morning

Pics one: Lucky money. Kids go crazy over this. Giving them this means they will be wealthy in the future if they burn it

Picture two: Sample of the kitchen god and other papers they burn

Picture 3: The burning pot. Lol. That's my name for it but that's where they do all their burning. Some people in the villages just burn at their doorstep

Extra: Vietnamese have this belief that the first people they see or that comes to their house on the first day of Tet signifies either good or bad luck. So they usually prefer a male

It's a chilly 11C morning and it's the first day of Tet.

The city is like a ghost town. Locals and foreigners alike have all "disappeared" Locals go to their hometown to celebrate with family just like we go to the village to celebrate Christmas in Naija. Foreigners use this opportunity to take a break from teaching and go on holiday to exotic places. Popular destinations include Phuc Quoc, Halong Bay and Sapa. Sapa cos it snows there around this time of the year

So here are some things I learnt during Tet.

1) If you're social and have Vietnamese friends, you'll get invited to join them to their hometown to celebrate

2) Stock up on food . If you're not joining a local to their hometown or going on vacation, buy 2 weeks worth of food cos ALL the shops and restaurants will be closed

3) If you do follow the locals to their hometown, beware of what you eat especially if you believe in the supernatural. It's normal for them to sacrifice food, mostly snack to their gods. Like they keep these things on their altar and then bring it out later to eat.

4) There will be a lot of burning. Both lucky money (see pictures below) and other colourful paper made into shoes and hats to rep the kitchen god and all that

Summary, Tet can be cold, dry and lonely if you're in the city and don't have plans of any kind. Socialize, go on vacation with friends. It's actually cheap or follow a local to his or her hometown.

anayolity:
Nairalanders! Most of you are damn pathetic and ungrateful , see how y'all is killing this thread.

@Whyna please come back, understand say people go still make you vex even if you give them your kidney but for the sake of the very loyal people on this thread praying and wishing the best for you please come okay.

We love you... I owe you snake meat of your choice when I get to Vietnam, I go marry you join sef if you still dey single

Hi anayolity,

Yea I think it's high time I came back. After all it's a new year!!

Happy new year to you all, both the normal new year and the chinese new year.

I'm going to try and get back to my normal postings soon. I'm just going to use this space to shout out to a couple of people. Forgive me if I don't remember to mention you....

First, shout out to ASG01 and E** who have become Dons in Vietnam after just 7-8 months of being here. (I shared their arrival picture here a while back)

Shout out to Citygal, Emmiko90, Youngstown and Harbey92 whom their visas just came out. Big Congrats.

Shout out to Teslason, BunmiBie, Joohan, HenryG, Hahnemann, Jendy36, Sirwifi et al. I see you guys

Good to be back

Enjoy dinner with me