Myths Americans Believe About Vietnam.
1. Religion is not tolerated in Vietnam.
Quite the contrary! Sometimes I read stories on the web about religious persecution in Vietnam, but what I see here in Ho Chi Minh City is a very religious people, far more religious in general than Americans. People here will nearly all say they are either Catholic or Buddhist; it's hard to find anyone who would call themselves Agnostic or Atheistic- I haven't met one yet.
The Catholic Church is one of the biggest property owners in Ho Chi Minh City. There are huge, newly built churches everywhere. I can see a gimongous church being built in the distance from the window where I'm sitting right now. In the evenings and on Sundays there are crowds of people at all the churches, often spilling out into the street and adding to the traffic mayhem. The most popular tourist attraction in Saigon is a cathedral- the Notre-Dame Cathedral in District 1.
There are also Buddhist temples in every neighborhood; many of them are huge. Thich Nhat Hanh, the rock star of Buddhist monks who was living in exile in France for many years, recently returned to tour Vietnam with an entourage of over 300 monks.
Granted, there are conflicts between the Vietnamese government and some religious leaders who get involved in politics. I don't know the details of these conflicts but I'd venture to say they involve only a tiny minority of religious people. In the past, certainly there has been severe religious persecution in Vietnam, but things have changed a lot. The official government line is that religion is free and accessible to all, and I haven't seen anything different.
2. The Vietnamese hate Americans because of "The American War."
My own experience is only in the south, and it may be different in the north, but what I have experienced would actually be the opposite. Even when I first came to Vietnam as a tourist in 1996, I never heard or felt anything but tremendous love and respect for America and Americans.
To the Vietnamese, just like to people in developing countries everywhere, American is the promised land, the land of opportunity. Nearly every Vietnamese family has at least one member living in the USA, so America is the country that is taking care of their loved ones.
Unlike Americans, especially baby boomers, who will never get past the Vietnam war, the Vietnamese have gotten over it. The bulk of the Vietnamese population, it's own baby boom, is only in their mid-20's. Their parents have stories but most people are too young to remember the war.
Also consider Vietnamese history. Americans don't have much of a history, but the Vietnamese collective memory goes back 5000 years. The Chinese occupied Vietnam for 1000 years. France occupied Vietnam for 100 years. America was here for all of 30 years, merely a small blip in Vietnamese history. Contrary to Americans' sense of self-importance, the American episode isn't all that significant. (I don't know how accurate those figures are; those are the numbers that Vietnamese people will recite if you ask them.)
This is a topic that is big enough for it's own article, but suffice it to say that I've noticed far FAR more tension between the north and south of Vietnam and between local Vietnamese and overseas Vietnamese, than between Vietnamese and Americans. (My personal plea to Americans: get over it!)
3. They're all Communists.
I cringe when I hear Americans refer to the Vietnamese as "those commies," as if everyone was running around in blue suits. Vietnamese people are just like everyone else: most of them couldn't care less about politics. They just want a decent job, food on the table, and an iPhone. Most of them will bitch about their government if given a chance, just like Americans. The number of people who are actually in the Communist Party is a very tiny number, even smaller than the number of people in Vietnam's Cao Dai religion.
4. Vietnam doesn't have modern technology.
Out in the countryside, this is true. My wife's family just got electricity at their house a few months ago. They still don't have running water. But in the cities it's different. I'm typing on a computer that I bought here in Ho Chi Minh City, using a broadband connection that is just the same (as far as I can tell) as in America. My university classroom is wired with wifi and a projector; I have to tell my students to close their laptops and pay attention. I've heard there are some schools that have those touchscreen interactive projectors, but I haven't used one yet. I'd brag about my modern cell phone but I can't afford one. My students can, though, and I'm often envious of their gadgets. There are electronic gadgets or sale in my neighborhood computer store that I can't even identify.
I have a friend who works for the Vietnam office of a British architectural firm and he said their counterparts in England were worried that the Vietnamese staff might not be able to open the AutoCAD documents they sent, because surely the Vietnamese must be using some ancient version. In fact, because of the lax enforcement of copyright laws, the opposite was true. The Vietnam office had the latest version, whereas the British office only had an older version! Since all the latest software is practically free here in Vietnam, it's common for people to have $20,000 worth of software on their computers, if not more.
5. Vietnamese people are not "free."
What is freedom, anyway? The ability to do what you want, right? If you want to rock the boat politically in Vietnam, of course you're going to have a tough time, but citizens do rally against their government. And for big-business people, you're going to run into restrictions. But for the average person, like me for example, Vietnam feels much more "free" than America.
Here in Vietnam, it's all up to your local police guy. If he's happy then everything's okay. You want to open up a company in your house, maybe even a school? No problem, just pay your local official a (very) small sum and off you go. Try to do the same in the USA and you are screwed. Try to open a school or a restaurant in America and you'll be shut down if your stairway is an inch too narrow. In my experience, the average person is much more free in Vietnam to do what they want than in America.
Take a look at the traffic police. Here in Vietnam your traffic cop has no radio, no computer, many don't have guns. They can often be pacified with a hundred-thousand Dong ($6). In America an ordinary policeman has a fast car with a computer and is armed to the teeth. Disobey one small traffic law and instantly your entire criminal record is on their screen.
One of the tragedies of America that people don't talk about much is it's prison population: the USA has the highest incarceration rate in the world. It has less than 5% of the world's population but over 23% of the world's incarcerated people- four times the world average. America's prisons are full of men and women whose lives have been virtually ruined because of some small, victimless crime they committed. Is that freedom?
Obviously, the contrary to what I'm saying here could easily be argued. The government and police in Vietnam are basically the equivalent of the Mafia, and they do what they want, arbitrarily. But I'm talking about what your average person can and can't do, and especially just the way it feels to live here vs. the USA. One of the reasons I love living in Vietnam is that I feel much more "free" here than I do in America. You can argue the opposite all you want, but this is the way it feels to me- Vietnam: free. America: not free.
Read more at http://ezinearticles.com/?5-Myths-Americans-Believe-About-Vietnam&id=2257242
http://www.languagecorpsasia.com
Showing posts with label living. Show all posts
Showing posts with label living. Show all posts
Friday, May 4, 2012
Monday, April 30, 2012
Culture Shock For A Westerner Living in China
Culture Shock For A Westerner Living in China.
I first came to China in 2005. I flew in via Hong Kong to Shenzhen and was completely blown away by this city. I didn't know quite what to expect but it certainly exceeded any expectations I might have had. Thirty years ago Shenzhen was just a small fishing village across the river from Hong Kong but with an idea of creating a model city to rival Hong Kong, the then leader Deng Xiaoping set out his vision for this super-city. In my opinion Shenzhen is an amazing modern city with futurist tall buildings, well designed family friendly apartment blocks, wide tree lined avenues, lush vegetation, relaxing parks and a vibrant economy to compete with any western city. Wow! I thought - this is communist China!
It wasn't however until 2007 when I came to live in Zunyi, a 'small' city in Guizhou province did I come to discover the real China. The fact is you never really know a country until you live there and for me, it was a real culture shock! Make no mistake about it, life in the west is so very different from life in China.
Population: As we all know, China has a huge population - 1.3 billion people, a figure which is difficult to comprehend. Zunyi is considered to be a small city in China but has a population bigger than England's second biggest city - Birmingham. And because everyone lives in apartment blocks, the inhabitants are more crammed in than English cities. Only the mountain right in the middle of the Zunyi creates a refuge from the noise and busyness of the city but most cities here don't have mountains in the middle of them. The bigger cities like Shanghai, Beijing and Chongqing seem to places of endless habitation but fortunately the city planners have thought about this and there are always either beautiful parks or historic sites to escape too. Because of the size of the population it is difficult to get away from people in China; even the countryside where agriculture is labour intensive, it can be difficult to be totally alone. Having said that, I have been fortunate enough to be taken to some stunning countryside away from the city where all you can hear is the birdsong and only occasionally meet another person.
Cultural differences: It is quite difficult to define Chinese culture so simply because like western culture, it is changing. There is the old traditional culture which underpins society and there is the new modern culture imported from the West, Japan and Korea. Although China has one of the oldest civilisations, it is actually one of the newest countries. Sixty years ago was the Cultural Revolution lead by Mao Zedong which swept away thousands of years of dynastic rule by emperors and freed the great majority of people from impoverished living. China reinvented itself in 1949 and became a truly communist country but that was sixty years ago and there can be no comparison between now and then. Only long held traditions and values remain and some of these are under threat from modern day life. Today young people in the cities have high aspirations and want all the modern day fashion and technology they can get their hands on.
So, on the surface in the modern cities all can appear the same as in the West. The men and women wear the same stylish clothes, the girls wear skimpy clothes to reveal their figure and the boys wear fashion to imitate their pop idols; business people drive expensive saloons and 4 x 4s (often black) and high-heeled ladies shop in expensive boutiques. Look up at the skyline and you'll see amazing high rise blocks of futuristic design which equal or even better western skylines. Under the modern exterior however, most people are very traditional and it is best to be aware of these traditional values if you want to live, work and do business here.
Family: In China, the family unit is a very strong one and there is generally great respect afforded by children to parents and to grandparents. That doesn't mean that everything is perfect in family life but family is the refuge and the security here. When people need help they turn to family, if they need financial backing for a business venture they turn to family and if they need advice, they do the same. It is not only in life that respect is given but in death also. Every year in April there is ceremony called Tomb Sweeping Day and on this day families will visit the graves of their relatives to clean the graves, say prayers and burn paper money for the dead. This creates a strong connection between the living and their ancestors, and gives an underlying message to the living that they won't be forgotten, even in death.
Today in China there is still the one child policy, although this does not apply in the countryside where there is a need for labour. This means that the family is small and often the children are cosseted. Most often both parents will go out to work and therefore the grandparents are frequently called upon to assist with the child's care. Sometimes the child will live with the grandparents if the father and mother have to work away. Many people have to work in other cities and commuting is impossible and so can only visit their family once or twice a year. This makes festivals like Spring Festival so important to the family. At Spring Festival most workers get a week's holiday and this is a big time for family reunions. This can be the only real holiday a lot of people get in the year.
Marriage: In China, marriage is still considered the only way for a couple to live together and there is strong pressure for young people to get married before they are 30, especially for the girls. The idea of a woman seeking a career above marriage is almost unheard of and equally of not wanting children. If a woman doesn't want children, she will be considered to be not normal. A lot of young people have an idealised view of marriage despite the divorce rate being high here; they always believe they can make the successful marriage. What's more there is still a notion for a lot of young women that they should be virgins when they get married, although this idea doesn't really hold in the big cities. Also, a lot of men want to marry virgins, especially in the countryside where old attitudes prevail and it is sometimes expected for a girl to produce a certificate from a doctor to say she is a virgin.
Youth culture: Young people now wear the latest fashion from Japan, Korea and the West but this can give the wrong impression as to their attitudes about love and sex which are still old fashioned. They may look like any young person from a permissive western society but they don't sleep around, they don't expect to have sex by the time they are eighteen and they wouldn't dare to bring a baby into the world without being married; what's more they're not into drugs either. High school students are discouraged by their parents from forming relationships until after they have graduated at the age of eighteen. Young girls may look stunning in the tight clothes and ultra short skirts but unlike many of their western counterparts, they are not party animals and don't go out on the town to get drunk; in fact a lot of them don't even drink alcohol at all and they certainly don't expect to be chatted up by strangers. Yes, attitudes are more westernised in the big cities but there is still a strong recognition of what it is to be Chinese and young people are very proud of this. The Chinese people are conservative by nature and this should be understood by western visitors, so as not to offend.
Work: There is a very strong work ethic in China and people are not afraid of work here. The fact is that if people don't work, they get no support from the state, not that they would expect it. Most people will do any work to earn a little money and don't feel a sense of shame if they have menial jobs. It is quite quite humbling to see the types of work that people will do to earn a small amount of money. People here take a great sense of pride in having a secure job and will do nothing to threaten that security. This can mean that some employees are exploited by their bosses who know their staff will not cause trouble if there are difficulties at work. Another fact is that there are too many workers for the jobs available and so people are always grateful to have work. Chinese people will work long hours doing the most tedious jobs without complaint but of course many do aspire to better themselves but competition for jobs is great and the greatest fear for a student at school or college is not to have a job after graduation. This is why students are prepared to begin their school day at 7 a.m. and finish their last class at 9.30 p.m. and will go to school on Saturday and then attend private classes on Sunday with little complaint. They get tired and worried about the never ending round of exams but they do it because they want to work and not just want work but want to have a good job. Many students today aspire to being rich and why shouldn't they, when their country is heading towards becoming the strongest economy in the world.
National pride: Chinese people are immensely proud of their country and their country's achievements and this was strongly reinforced during the 2008 Olympic Games and the 2008 earthquake in Sichuan when the entire country rallied to help the stricken area and its people. China is made up of many ethnic groups, each with their own traditions and dialect but is united under one flag and one leadership. There has been descent in some parts but on the whole, the country is as one. The Chinese people also have very strong feelings about Tibet and also Taiwan and I suggest that until you research the history about these areas, you don't get into a debate with Chinese people about them. There has been a lot of misinformation spread around about these, especially about Tibet by people who don't fully understand the history of China. It is a good idea to read some good books about China's history before coming to live in China; it will help you understand its people.
Manners: This may be one of the most difficult things to come to terms with in China because the Chinese people don't adopt the same manners as we are used to in the UK or US. It has sometimes been my opinion that Chinese people don't have manners at all but this is an over generalisation. Chinese people don't like to queue or wait to be served; if you are in shop being served, expect someone to barge in front of you but of course you don't have to put up with it. You have to learn to be quick and in some cases assert your ground. Also if you are in conversation with another, don't expect people to wait until you have finished your conversation before another will charge right on in to say their point. This will be much more so in the smaller cities where people have not become so educated and not so 'westernised.'
The thing to remember is that this is their way and there is little point in trying to change it because you won't. I believe however that you should maintain your own manners and civility but not try to thrust your beliefs onto others. When I first came to China, I found that no one ever smiled at me and no shop keeper ever thanked me for my custom. I thought the Chinese to be a very cold race but once I got to know people, I found them to be very warm, friendly and generous, even if they have little to give. My suggestion is that you smile first and let people know that you are friendly toward them, and that way they will soon begin to respond to you. The Chinese people in general are shy people and this explains a lot of their reticence to smile.
Big city, small city: If you live in one of the major cities like Shanghai or Beijing you will pretty much be invisible as you go about your daily business but if you choose to live in a smaller city or even a town, you will be source of much interest. In Zunyi I am one of a dozen or so foreigners and so I am often starred at and always in demand by students to talk English with me. I get lots of invites out to have a meal or go on trips; it certainly compensates for the isolation I have often felt. And while on the subject of being invited out for a meal. It is customary for the person doing the inviting to do the paying, so don't be concerned about others paying for you but out of politeness, you should return the invite and pay for them.
There times when you can feel completely frustrated by living in China, with the constant noise and smells, the apparent rudeness and disregard for others; it can really get to you but you have to accept it and try not to get angry. Chinese are far more tolerant in this respect; they have to be more tolerant of each other because there are so many people living in such close proximity to each other here. They are not fazed by air-horns, motorcycles on the footpath and people pushing in or cars cutting them up. It is important to remember that you are the foreigner here and this is not your country.
If you want to come and work here, I suggest you embrace the differences and don't try to resist them. I have gained so many friends here in China and it will be a very sad day when I finally return to the U.K. At times China has driven me mad with frustration but on the other hand, China has given me so much.
Read more at http://ezinearticles.com/?Culture-Shock---A-Westerner-Living-in-China&id=4240261
http://www.languagecorpsasia.com
I first came to China in 2005. I flew in via Hong Kong to Shenzhen and was completely blown away by this city. I didn't know quite what to expect but it certainly exceeded any expectations I might have had. Thirty years ago Shenzhen was just a small fishing village across the river from Hong Kong but with an idea of creating a model city to rival Hong Kong, the then leader Deng Xiaoping set out his vision for this super-city. In my opinion Shenzhen is an amazing modern city with futurist tall buildings, well designed family friendly apartment blocks, wide tree lined avenues, lush vegetation, relaxing parks and a vibrant economy to compete with any western city. Wow! I thought - this is communist China!
It wasn't however until 2007 when I came to live in Zunyi, a 'small' city in Guizhou province did I come to discover the real China. The fact is you never really know a country until you live there and for me, it was a real culture shock! Make no mistake about it, life in the west is so very different from life in China.
Population: As we all know, China has a huge population - 1.3 billion people, a figure which is difficult to comprehend. Zunyi is considered to be a small city in China but has a population bigger than England's second biggest city - Birmingham. And because everyone lives in apartment blocks, the inhabitants are more crammed in than English cities. Only the mountain right in the middle of the Zunyi creates a refuge from the noise and busyness of the city but most cities here don't have mountains in the middle of them. The bigger cities like Shanghai, Beijing and Chongqing seem to places of endless habitation but fortunately the city planners have thought about this and there are always either beautiful parks or historic sites to escape too. Because of the size of the population it is difficult to get away from people in China; even the countryside where agriculture is labour intensive, it can be difficult to be totally alone. Having said that, I have been fortunate enough to be taken to some stunning countryside away from the city where all you can hear is the birdsong and only occasionally meet another person.
Cultural differences: It is quite difficult to define Chinese culture so simply because like western culture, it is changing. There is the old traditional culture which underpins society and there is the new modern culture imported from the West, Japan and Korea. Although China has one of the oldest civilisations, it is actually one of the newest countries. Sixty years ago was the Cultural Revolution lead by Mao Zedong which swept away thousands of years of dynastic rule by emperors and freed the great majority of people from impoverished living. China reinvented itself in 1949 and became a truly communist country but that was sixty years ago and there can be no comparison between now and then. Only long held traditions and values remain and some of these are under threat from modern day life. Today young people in the cities have high aspirations and want all the modern day fashion and technology they can get their hands on.
So, on the surface in the modern cities all can appear the same as in the West. The men and women wear the same stylish clothes, the girls wear skimpy clothes to reveal their figure and the boys wear fashion to imitate their pop idols; business people drive expensive saloons and 4 x 4s (often black) and high-heeled ladies shop in expensive boutiques. Look up at the skyline and you'll see amazing high rise blocks of futuristic design which equal or even better western skylines. Under the modern exterior however, most people are very traditional and it is best to be aware of these traditional values if you want to live, work and do business here.
Family: In China, the family unit is a very strong one and there is generally great respect afforded by children to parents and to grandparents. That doesn't mean that everything is perfect in family life but family is the refuge and the security here. When people need help they turn to family, if they need financial backing for a business venture they turn to family and if they need advice, they do the same. It is not only in life that respect is given but in death also. Every year in April there is ceremony called Tomb Sweeping Day and on this day families will visit the graves of their relatives to clean the graves, say prayers and burn paper money for the dead. This creates a strong connection between the living and their ancestors, and gives an underlying message to the living that they won't be forgotten, even in death.
Today in China there is still the one child policy, although this does not apply in the countryside where there is a need for labour. This means that the family is small and often the children are cosseted. Most often both parents will go out to work and therefore the grandparents are frequently called upon to assist with the child's care. Sometimes the child will live with the grandparents if the father and mother have to work away. Many people have to work in other cities and commuting is impossible and so can only visit their family once or twice a year. This makes festivals like Spring Festival so important to the family. At Spring Festival most workers get a week's holiday and this is a big time for family reunions. This can be the only real holiday a lot of people get in the year.
Marriage: In China, marriage is still considered the only way for a couple to live together and there is strong pressure for young people to get married before they are 30, especially for the girls. The idea of a woman seeking a career above marriage is almost unheard of and equally of not wanting children. If a woman doesn't want children, she will be considered to be not normal. A lot of young people have an idealised view of marriage despite the divorce rate being high here; they always believe they can make the successful marriage. What's more there is still a notion for a lot of young women that they should be virgins when they get married, although this idea doesn't really hold in the big cities. Also, a lot of men want to marry virgins, especially in the countryside where old attitudes prevail and it is sometimes expected for a girl to produce a certificate from a doctor to say she is a virgin.
Youth culture: Young people now wear the latest fashion from Japan, Korea and the West but this can give the wrong impression as to their attitudes about love and sex which are still old fashioned. They may look like any young person from a permissive western society but they don't sleep around, they don't expect to have sex by the time they are eighteen and they wouldn't dare to bring a baby into the world without being married; what's more they're not into drugs either. High school students are discouraged by their parents from forming relationships until after they have graduated at the age of eighteen. Young girls may look stunning in the tight clothes and ultra short skirts but unlike many of their western counterparts, they are not party animals and don't go out on the town to get drunk; in fact a lot of them don't even drink alcohol at all and they certainly don't expect to be chatted up by strangers. Yes, attitudes are more westernised in the big cities but there is still a strong recognition of what it is to be Chinese and young people are very proud of this. The Chinese people are conservative by nature and this should be understood by western visitors, so as not to offend.
Work: There is a very strong work ethic in China and people are not afraid of work here. The fact is that if people don't work, they get no support from the state, not that they would expect it. Most people will do any work to earn a little money and don't feel a sense of shame if they have menial jobs. It is quite quite humbling to see the types of work that people will do to earn a small amount of money. People here take a great sense of pride in having a secure job and will do nothing to threaten that security. This can mean that some employees are exploited by their bosses who know their staff will not cause trouble if there are difficulties at work. Another fact is that there are too many workers for the jobs available and so people are always grateful to have work. Chinese people will work long hours doing the most tedious jobs without complaint but of course many do aspire to better themselves but competition for jobs is great and the greatest fear for a student at school or college is not to have a job after graduation. This is why students are prepared to begin their school day at 7 a.m. and finish their last class at 9.30 p.m. and will go to school on Saturday and then attend private classes on Sunday with little complaint. They get tired and worried about the never ending round of exams but they do it because they want to work and not just want work but want to have a good job. Many students today aspire to being rich and why shouldn't they, when their country is heading towards becoming the strongest economy in the world.
National pride: Chinese people are immensely proud of their country and their country's achievements and this was strongly reinforced during the 2008 Olympic Games and the 2008 earthquake in Sichuan when the entire country rallied to help the stricken area and its people. China is made up of many ethnic groups, each with their own traditions and dialect but is united under one flag and one leadership. There has been descent in some parts but on the whole, the country is as one. The Chinese people also have very strong feelings about Tibet and also Taiwan and I suggest that until you research the history about these areas, you don't get into a debate with Chinese people about them. There has been a lot of misinformation spread around about these, especially about Tibet by people who don't fully understand the history of China. It is a good idea to read some good books about China's history before coming to live in China; it will help you understand its people.
Manners: This may be one of the most difficult things to come to terms with in China because the Chinese people don't adopt the same manners as we are used to in the UK or US. It has sometimes been my opinion that Chinese people don't have manners at all but this is an over generalisation. Chinese people don't like to queue or wait to be served; if you are in shop being served, expect someone to barge in front of you but of course you don't have to put up with it. You have to learn to be quick and in some cases assert your ground. Also if you are in conversation with another, don't expect people to wait until you have finished your conversation before another will charge right on in to say their point. This will be much more so in the smaller cities where people have not become so educated and not so 'westernised.'
The thing to remember is that this is their way and there is little point in trying to change it because you won't. I believe however that you should maintain your own manners and civility but not try to thrust your beliefs onto others. When I first came to China, I found that no one ever smiled at me and no shop keeper ever thanked me for my custom. I thought the Chinese to be a very cold race but once I got to know people, I found them to be very warm, friendly and generous, even if they have little to give. My suggestion is that you smile first and let people know that you are friendly toward them, and that way they will soon begin to respond to you. The Chinese people in general are shy people and this explains a lot of their reticence to smile.
Big city, small city: If you live in one of the major cities like Shanghai or Beijing you will pretty much be invisible as you go about your daily business but if you choose to live in a smaller city or even a town, you will be source of much interest. In Zunyi I am one of a dozen or so foreigners and so I am often starred at and always in demand by students to talk English with me. I get lots of invites out to have a meal or go on trips; it certainly compensates for the isolation I have often felt. And while on the subject of being invited out for a meal. It is customary for the person doing the inviting to do the paying, so don't be concerned about others paying for you but out of politeness, you should return the invite and pay for them.
There times when you can feel completely frustrated by living in China, with the constant noise and smells, the apparent rudeness and disregard for others; it can really get to you but you have to accept it and try not to get angry. Chinese are far more tolerant in this respect; they have to be more tolerant of each other because there are so many people living in such close proximity to each other here. They are not fazed by air-horns, motorcycles on the footpath and people pushing in or cars cutting them up. It is important to remember that you are the foreigner here and this is not your country.
If you want to come and work here, I suggest you embrace the differences and don't try to resist them. I have gained so many friends here in China and it will be a very sad day when I finally return to the U.K. At times China has driven me mad with frustration but on the other hand, China has given me so much.
Read more at http://ezinearticles.com/?Culture-Shock---A-Westerner-Living-in-China&id=4240261
http://www.languagecorpsasia.com
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Living in Thailand
Living in Thailand.
Living in Thailand might be something you are considering at this time. There are many questions and areas to consider before you pack up and leave your home country for Thailand. This article will review some of the major considerations you will need to put thought toward if you are serious about living in Thailand for a long or short time.
Income?
Unless you are going to live in Thailand off your savings, you are going to have to figure out a way to make money to pay your bills. Yes, you have bills in Thailand but, they are quite affordable. Rent for a house might cost you two hundred dollars in a town away from Bangkok. In Bangkok an apartment might be four hundred dollars. Food outside Bangkok will be about three hundred dollars. In Bangkok, the sky is the limit.
Most choosing to live in Thailand are teachers. In Bangkok, with a bachelors degree and a TEFL (Teacher of English as a Foreign Language) certificate one could make $1,500 per month on average. Some teachers make quite a bit more than that. Outside Bangkok the average starting teacher salary is about $1,000 per month.
Finding a teaching job in Thailand is quite easy if you have a bachelors degree from your home country and English is your native language.
If you do not wish to teach English then the other primary option is to work in Bangkok with one of the many companies there which need English speakers. There may be companies from your home country with an office in Bangkok that need employees. Use online research to find these positions.
Choosing a Place to Live in Thailand
Thailand is quite a large and diverse country in terms of climate and terrain. There are mountain areas, virtual desert areas, and lush tropical jungle. Where you live in Thailand will be a major consideration. The right place for you to live is here - the issue is just choosing where to live.
The warm months in Thailand are February through June. The rainy season runs May through December. From November to January it is usually cool.
Northern Thailand is characterized by mountains, heavy rains, and very cool temperatures in the winter months. It never snows in Northern Thailand, and it gets quite hot in the summer.
Central Thailand is mostly flat and includes Bangkok and surrounding provinces. The central region is very hot when it is not raining, and when it is raining - floods often. Bangkok is known as the hottest city in the world due the night time temperatures remaining very warm. You will need air conditioning in Bangkok.
Northeastern Thailand is flat and very dry, even during the rainy season and the summer months are blistering hot. During winter it does get very cool and if you are riding a motorbike you will need a winter jacket to remain warm enough.
Southern Thailand is lush jungle and, though it's quite warm even during winter months, the nights are cool enough that no air conditioning is needed. The land is mostly flat in the southern provinces with rolling hills and stunning limestone mountain topography.
If you need to be near the ocean, the southern provinces are where you will need to be. If you like the mountains, the north is for you.
If you are concerned about the friendliness of people in Thailand, you need not be. Thai people are friendly across the country, but most visitors say the northern and northeastern Thais are the friendliest.
Safety?
There are a number of safety considerations you should be aware of. Thailand is a country far different from wherever you hail.
Thailand has 45 species of poisonous snakes, 9 types of scorpion, and many other stinging animals like jellyfish, spiders, and insects. One of the smallest biting pests is the most troublesome... mosquitoes.
Malaria, Dengue Fever, Chikungunra, and encephalitis are all found in Thailand and transmitted by infected mosquitoes. Mosquito repellant is a must - and anything with DEET 28+ usually works well.
Driving in Thailand is a real horror-show, and you would be wise to ease into it. First, you will be driving on the left side of the road, which might be a change for you. Secondly, the driving habits in Thailand are quite different from anywhere you have probably been. To say driving in Thailand is dangerous is vast understatement.
If you are a person that intends on enjoying the nightlife in Thailand there are numerous considerations to take into account. Use and possession of illicit drugs are penalized very strictly in Thailand and for anything with heroin or methamphetamine you might be looking at more than ten years in a Thai prison.
Fights often erupt in bar situations and you really should know what to do in these instances.
There are many safety issues that confront the visitor or person wishing to live in Thailand long-term. Below I have linked to an entire survival guide dedicated to the topic of safety in Thailand. It just might save your life.
One of my passions while living in Thailand has been developing the "Thai Black Book" for visitors and persons looking to live in Thailand either briefly or long-term. This book covers many safety issues that you need to be aware of, but that are not covered in any other Thailand guidebook.
Read more at http://ezinearticles.com/?Living-in-Thailand&id=3186331
http://www.languagecorpsasia.com
Living in Thailand might be something you are considering at this time. There are many questions and areas to consider before you pack up and leave your home country for Thailand. This article will review some of the major considerations you will need to put thought toward if you are serious about living in Thailand for a long or short time.
Income?
Unless you are going to live in Thailand off your savings, you are going to have to figure out a way to make money to pay your bills. Yes, you have bills in Thailand but, they are quite affordable. Rent for a house might cost you two hundred dollars in a town away from Bangkok. In Bangkok an apartment might be four hundred dollars. Food outside Bangkok will be about three hundred dollars. In Bangkok, the sky is the limit.
Most choosing to live in Thailand are teachers. In Bangkok, with a bachelors degree and a TEFL (Teacher of English as a Foreign Language) certificate one could make $1,500 per month on average. Some teachers make quite a bit more than that. Outside Bangkok the average starting teacher salary is about $1,000 per month.
Finding a teaching job in Thailand is quite easy if you have a bachelors degree from your home country and English is your native language.
If you do not wish to teach English then the other primary option is to work in Bangkok with one of the many companies there which need English speakers. There may be companies from your home country with an office in Bangkok that need employees. Use online research to find these positions.
Choosing a Place to Live in Thailand
Thailand is quite a large and diverse country in terms of climate and terrain. There are mountain areas, virtual desert areas, and lush tropical jungle. Where you live in Thailand will be a major consideration. The right place for you to live is here - the issue is just choosing where to live.
The warm months in Thailand are February through June. The rainy season runs May through December. From November to January it is usually cool.
Northern Thailand is characterized by mountains, heavy rains, and very cool temperatures in the winter months. It never snows in Northern Thailand, and it gets quite hot in the summer.
Central Thailand is mostly flat and includes Bangkok and surrounding provinces. The central region is very hot when it is not raining, and when it is raining - floods often. Bangkok is known as the hottest city in the world due the night time temperatures remaining very warm. You will need air conditioning in Bangkok.
Northeastern Thailand is flat and very dry, even during the rainy season and the summer months are blistering hot. During winter it does get very cool and if you are riding a motorbike you will need a winter jacket to remain warm enough.
Southern Thailand is lush jungle and, though it's quite warm even during winter months, the nights are cool enough that no air conditioning is needed. The land is mostly flat in the southern provinces with rolling hills and stunning limestone mountain topography.
If you need to be near the ocean, the southern provinces are where you will need to be. If you like the mountains, the north is for you.
If you are concerned about the friendliness of people in Thailand, you need not be. Thai people are friendly across the country, but most visitors say the northern and northeastern Thais are the friendliest.
Safety?
There are a number of safety considerations you should be aware of. Thailand is a country far different from wherever you hail.
Thailand has 45 species of poisonous snakes, 9 types of scorpion, and many other stinging animals like jellyfish, spiders, and insects. One of the smallest biting pests is the most troublesome... mosquitoes.
Malaria, Dengue Fever, Chikungunra, and encephalitis are all found in Thailand and transmitted by infected mosquitoes. Mosquito repellant is a must - and anything with DEET 28+ usually works well.
Driving in Thailand is a real horror-show, and you would be wise to ease into it. First, you will be driving on the left side of the road, which might be a change for you. Secondly, the driving habits in Thailand are quite different from anywhere you have probably been. To say driving in Thailand is dangerous is vast understatement.
If you are a person that intends on enjoying the nightlife in Thailand there are numerous considerations to take into account. Use and possession of illicit drugs are penalized very strictly in Thailand and for anything with heroin or methamphetamine you might be looking at more than ten years in a Thai prison.
Fights often erupt in bar situations and you really should know what to do in these instances.
There are many safety issues that confront the visitor or person wishing to live in Thailand long-term. Below I have linked to an entire survival guide dedicated to the topic of safety in Thailand. It just might save your life.
One of my passions while living in Thailand has been developing the "Thai Black Book" for visitors and persons looking to live in Thailand either briefly or long-term. This book covers many safety issues that you need to be aware of, but that are not covered in any other Thailand guidebook.
Read more at http://ezinearticles.com/?Living-in-Thailand&id=3186331
http://www.languagecorpsasia.com
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Teachers Must Be Trained Living Skills
Teachers must be trained living skills.
It is the first year that MOET decided schools have to operate classes to teach living skills preparation program for the academic year 2010-2011.
It is the first year that the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) decided schools have to operate classes to teach living skills preparation program for the academic year 2010-2011; however, it requires teachers to be trained with educational methodologies and certain knowledge.
Most schools lack professional teachers to take charge in such classes, so head teachers are assigned to do the job. There hasn’t in fact been a training course for teachers of these classes, especially young teachers.
Teachers in charge of such classes need to be trained to teach living skills, MOET has therefore launched a training course for over 700 teachers from 23 southern provinces in the beginning of the year. Some teachers said it is easy that schools offer extracurricular classes but MOET should verify the role of teachers and effective teaching methodologies.
Headmistress of Tran Khai Nguyen high-school, Nguyen Thi Yen Trinh, said MOET and the Department of Education and Training have just ordered schools t teach life skills among the students, but they didn’t give detailed plan. According to Ms. Trinh, young instructors themselves lack living skills; they are thus confused to bring living skills to the classroom and deal with complicated situation.
Managing board of Tran Khai Nguyen high-school has just invited several experts to provide teaching methodology training to head teachers.
After the course, literature teacher Dinh Thi My Hanh said through the course, teachers could design a lesson in which provide life skills to pupils. Meanwhile, teacher Bui Thi Ngoc Thoan, head teacher of class 11A2 said the training made teachers confident to offer extracurricular classes even in one hour through some forms like dramas, poetry or songs. During the classes, the students were taught to combine presentation and teamwork in different topics.
MOET has issued five documents to teach living skills through teaching subjects literature, biology, geography, lessons for citizenship education or outside lessons. However, students felt bored to receive life skills through main subjects but they showed their enthusiasm to learn living skills under other forms. Tran Khai Nguyen high-school’s 10 grader Dong Thuc said he learned how to resolve contradiction through discussion with friends after watching a drama in class.
Another problem has risen when implementing living skill teaching plan, which is financial problem. According to Tran Khac Huy from the Department of Education and Training, private owned institutes are eager to hold training courses to teachers and students meanwhile public schools are not due to financial difficulties.
Moreover, state-run facilities neglected to provide living skill class but focus on raising graduate number for maintaining its achievements.
Psychologist Vo Van Nam said teachers play an important role in training ethic and behavior of students, especially living skills.
Violence escalated among students and even among teachers who had insulting words to learners. Teachers also lack of living skills.
Mr. Nam said living skills can gradually develop through learning, apprehending and experiencing life. Accordingly schools and the education sector should work out long-term plans to each instructors.
Read more at http://www.vnnnews.net/teachers-must-be-trained-living-skills
http://www.languagecorpsasia.com
3RH2YNS4D2C4
It is the first year that MOET decided schools have to operate classes to teach living skills preparation program for the academic year 2010-2011.
It is the first year that the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) decided schools have to operate classes to teach living skills preparation program for the academic year 2010-2011; however, it requires teachers to be trained with educational methodologies and certain knowledge.
Most schools lack professional teachers to take charge in such classes, so head teachers are assigned to do the job. There hasn’t in fact been a training course for teachers of these classes, especially young teachers.
Teachers in charge of such classes need to be trained to teach living skills, MOET has therefore launched a training course for over 700 teachers from 23 southern provinces in the beginning of the year. Some teachers said it is easy that schools offer extracurricular classes but MOET should verify the role of teachers and effective teaching methodologies.
Headmistress of Tran Khai Nguyen high-school, Nguyen Thi Yen Trinh, said MOET and the Department of Education and Training have just ordered schools t teach life skills among the students, but they didn’t give detailed plan. According to Ms. Trinh, young instructors themselves lack living skills; they are thus confused to bring living skills to the classroom and deal with complicated situation.
Managing board of Tran Khai Nguyen high-school has just invited several experts to provide teaching methodology training to head teachers.
After the course, literature teacher Dinh Thi My Hanh said through the course, teachers could design a lesson in which provide life skills to pupils. Meanwhile, teacher Bui Thi Ngoc Thoan, head teacher of class 11A2 said the training made teachers confident to offer extracurricular classes even in one hour through some forms like dramas, poetry or songs. During the classes, the students were taught to combine presentation and teamwork in different topics.
MOET has issued five documents to teach living skills through teaching subjects literature, biology, geography, lessons for citizenship education or outside lessons. However, students felt bored to receive life skills through main subjects but they showed their enthusiasm to learn living skills under other forms. Tran Khai Nguyen high-school’s 10 grader Dong Thuc said he learned how to resolve contradiction through discussion with friends after watching a drama in class.
Another problem has risen when implementing living skill teaching plan, which is financial problem. According to Tran Khac Huy from the Department of Education and Training, private owned institutes are eager to hold training courses to teachers and students meanwhile public schools are not due to financial difficulties.
Moreover, state-run facilities neglected to provide living skill class but focus on raising graduate number for maintaining its achievements.
Psychologist Vo Van Nam said teachers play an important role in training ethic and behavior of students, especially living skills.
Violence escalated among students and even among teachers who had insulting words to learners. Teachers also lack of living skills.
Mr. Nam said living skills can gradually develop through learning, apprehending and experiencing life. Accordingly schools and the education sector should work out long-term plans to each instructors.
Read more at http://www.vnnnews.net/teachers-must-be-trained-living-skills
http://www.languagecorpsasia.com
3RH2YNS4D2C4
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