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Vietnam - FAQTell me more about VietnamWhat is the climate like in Vietnam? What kind of volunteer work is available? What are we required to teach? Tell me more about flying into Da Nang When do I need to start the program? Tell me more about the accommodation? Do you make provision for vegetarians? When are the holidays? What age do I need to be to volunteer? What immunizations/vaccines will I need? Do I need to speak English to become a volunteer? Can I learn Vietnamese during my teaching period? Could I also bring my spouse and kids to Vietnam? Are we able to do any sightseeing while volunteering? Are there more expenses once I arrive? How safe is it to volunteer in Vietnam? How many volunteers are there on site at the same time? What resources are available for teaching when I'm volunteering? Do I need to bring my own? Who organizes my visa for my volunteer placement? How do I pay my program fee? ------ Tell me more about Vietnam? With its beautiful natural setting, rich culture and tragic recent history, Vietnam is a fascinating destination. Da Nang is Vietnam�s fourth largest city, located on Vietnam�s east coast. For more information, we suggest that you purchase the Lonely Planet�s guide to Vietnam. What is the climate like in Vietnam? Da Nang is located in the north of Vietnam's tropical zone, with a temperate and pleasant climate. There are two seasons: the wet season runs from August to December and the dry season runs from January to July. The average temperature is about 26C, reaching 28-30C from June to August and 18-23C from December to February. The average humidity is 84%. Rainfall is highest in October and November and lowest in the first four months of the year. What kind of volunteer work is available? Volunteers may help in an orphanage, street children program, health clinics, or teach English in Universities and language centres in Da Nang, Vietnam. The program may also expand to offer opportunities to work with former prostitutes, Agent Orange victims, the disabled, deaf children, and the environment in the future. What are we required to teach? At the orphanage, you are expected to teach as many subjects as you can. Though English (at elementary level) is the main subject, other subjects or crafts that can help the children to gain more skills to prepare for their future life would be appreciated. The students at the language centers and Duy Tan University are particularly interested in correct pronunciation, and in learning English for practical purposes such as computers or business, so the teaching revolves around these areas. Duy Tan University may also expect you to teach English to their staff to help them to use English comfortably. Tell me more about flying into Da Nang While Da Nang has some international flights, volunteers will probably need to fly via Saigon or Hanoi. Our partner organisation will pick you from the airport and take you to your accommodation. When do I need to start the program? Volunteers need to arrive in the Da Nang on the last day of the month before they are volunteering, so that they are ready to start the orientation and training program. The program includes some Vietnamese language and culture instruction. Tell me more about the accommodation? Depending on their program, volunteers will either be placed in a homestay or will be accommodated onsite. If you'd like to come to Vietnam with another volunteer or in a group, we may be able to arrange a rented house for you. Do you make provision for vegetarians? The diet in Da Nang is very seafood oriented, so it is not difficult to avoid red meat. Vegetarians can be placed in a vegetarian host family, while there are also vegetarian restaurants available in the city. When are the holidays? In general, the program is not affected by school holidays. The classes at the orphanage and language centres run throughout the year. Duy Tan University has two holiday per year: the first one is during February (Tet holiday), and the second one is from July to September. However, you can sometimes teach during the second holiday at this university. What age do I need to be to volunteer? Volunteers need to be at lease 18 years of age. For the placements at Duy Tan University, you need to have at least an undergraduate degree. What immunizations/vaccines will I need? We advise that you consult your doctor about this, but because you are in a major city, some vaccinations needed in developing areas may not be required. Do I need to speak English to become a volunteer? Yes; volunteers for the teaching programs must come from Canada, the USA, Ireland, the UK, New Zealand, or Australia. Can I learn Vietnamese during my teaching period? Our partner may be able to arrange this for you if you are interested. Could I also bring my spouse and kids to Vietnam? We may be able to arrange this, although the costs will be different as you will probably need to hire a house for yourselves. Please discuss this with us further if you are interested. Are we able to do any sightseeing while volunteering? Yes, our partner will arrange opportunities for you to visit sites such as the famous Cham sculpture museum, China Beach and the Marble Mountains, which are all close to central Da Nang. Some host schools can provide you with tourist tours to beautiful places surrounding Da Nang during break times. Are there more expenses once I arrive? You will need to budget for around US$30 a week to pay for additional transportation and bottled water. On your arrival, the host schools or organisations will help you to arrange the visa for your specific program. The university or language centers will pay for this, but in the orphanage program you will have to pay for the extra USD $30 yourself. How safe is it to volunteer in Vietnam? Da Nang is a very safe and friendly city, although you should still take precautions such as carrying cash in a money belt. You will need to be more careful if you spend time in Saigon or Hanoi. How many volunteers are there on site at the same time? You should be placed with at least one other volunteer in the orphanage or language centre. What resources are available for teaching when I'm volunteering? Do I need to bring my own? You will plan your lessons by yourself. For the orphanage placements, you should bring your own teaching materials. For the language centers and universities you will be given teaching materials, but you can also bring some of your own. Who organizes my visa for my volunteer placement? You do. Our information pack has links to Vietnamese Embassies throughout the world. Your visa does needs to specify the exact dates that you will be in Vietnam, so you will need to bear this in mind when applying. For a placement less than three months, you will come to Vietnam with a tourist visa, then the hosts will help you to change the purpose of visa to help you obtain a proper visa for your voluntary work. Please note that you will work exclusive for one particular host organisation during your placement. This means that your visa will not allow you to work for another organisation during your placement. How do I pay my program fee? Your program fee is paid directly to the program director in Vietnam on arrival. This needs to be paid in US dollars. ------ Question not covered here? Please check the generic FAQ, and if still unaswered, please submit your question here. (We aim to answer all email within 48 hours). Click here to apply for the Vietnam program. |
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