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Vietnam - FAQTell me more about VietnamTell me more about the partner organization What type of volunteer work is available? What age do I have to be to volunteer in this program? When will I know specific details on the placement? What language do I need to know to participate in the program? When do I need to arrive in Vietnam? What are the living arrangements while volunteering? Where will I be located? How do I get to the project? How many volunteers are there on site at the same time? Are we able to do any sight seeing? What hours am I expected to take part in the program? What resources are available for the program? What is the course content of training/orientation session? How do I pay the program fee? What clothing is appropriate for the program? Are there any more expenses once I arrive? Do I need an entry visa? Is there any time of the year when I can't volunteer? What is the climate like in Da Nang? What immunizations/vaccinations will I need? Can I bring my family/children to this program with me? How safe is it to volunteer in Vietnam? What is the criterion for volunteers to be accepted into the program? Do I have to be from New Zealand to volunteer through Global Volunteer Network? Can vegetarians be catered for in this program? ------ 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 extra information, we suggest that you purchase a travel guide, such as the Lonely Planet's guide to Vietnam. Tell me more about the partner organization GVN's partner in Vietnam is assigned to build cross-cultural education and understanding between Vietnamese people and people around the world, and to attract and coordinate people aids from other countries to Vietnam. They first started placing GVN volunteers in July 2004. They are registered with local governments and with PACCOM to do this. They do not receive any funding from the government, and rely on the program fee to run the program. What type of volunteer work is available? Volunteers have the chance to help care for children in orphanages in the central region of Vietnam such as Da Nang city, Quang Nam province and Thua Thien Hue province. What age do I have to be to volunteer in this program? Volunteers need to be at least 18 years of age. When will I know specific details on the placement? Approximately one month before your placement is due to start our partner in Vietnam will let you know the specific details and location of your placement. If you have any preferences of where you want to work you can let us know in advance and we will do our best to accommodate your choices. What language do I need to know to participate in the program? You need to speak English. You may have English as your first or second language, but volunteers for the teaching programs must be confident English speakers. You will be taken through some brief language training during your orientation since it would be courteous to learn some Vietnamese phrases. If you want to learn more Vietnamese during your training our partner may be able to arrange this for you. When do I need to arrive in Vietnam? Volunteers need to arrive in 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 on the 1st. While Da Nang has some international flights, volunteers will probably need to fly via Saigon or Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). What are the living arrangements while volunteering? Most volunteers stay in rented houses with a group of other volunteers, except for the Dai Loc placement where volunteers stay in a guest house onsite. You should expect to have power and even air-conditioning in some situations. You will have running water although hot water may not always be available. Where will I be located? Our programs are located in the central and coastal regions of Vietnam. Volunteers teach English at foreign language centres in Da Nang and Hoi An, Quang Nam Province. There are also various orphanages in Da Nang and Hoi An, as well as in Tam Ky and Dai Loc (also in the Quang Nam Province), and in Quang Ngai town in the Quang Ngai Province. How do I get to the project? You will be met at Da Nang airport by our partner organisation and you will be taken to the accommodation. Once at your accommodation you need to work out transport to your placement, you are free to walk or use the bikes provided. How many volunteers are there on site at the same time? This varies depending on how many volunteers we have at the time, but you should be placed with at least one other volunteer in the orphanage or language centre, and typically you'll be in a group of at least 4 volunteers in the orphanage placements. Are we able to do any sight seeing? 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. What hours am I expected to take part in the program? You will be expected to work five days per week in most placements. The hours will vary from placement to placement but a typical day would include approximately five hours of work per day. What resources are available for the program? As placements are not well resourced, you may like to bring items with you to help you with the activities you will be taking part in. You can discuss specific needs with us and the partner organisation, so that we can give you an extra up to date idea of what is required. For the language centres and universities you will be given teaching materials, but you can also bring some of your own. What is the course content of training/orientation session? The training will consist of an introduction to GVN Vietnam, along with an introduction to basic Vietnamese, placement site visits and sightseeing around surrounding areas of placements. You will also make final preparations for voluntary work. How do I pay the program fee? You will need to pay your program fee to our partner in Vietnam by transfer, 30 days before you start the program. What clothing is appropriate for the program? Light, cotton clothing that covers most of the body is not only more acceptable in Vietnamese culture but also helps to protect against sun and getting bitten by mosquitoes. A few warm jerseys are a good idea also for the cooler nights. Volunteers can wear old clothing while working as it's likely that clothing will get quite dirty. Women should not wear shorts or tops which leave the shoulders uncovered. � trousers and skirts below the knee are acceptable Are there any 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. This will cost up to US $60, depending on your placement and where you are staying. Do I need an entry visa? Yes you do. Your visa needs to specify the exact dates that you will be in Vietnam, so you will need to bear this in mind when applying. You will travel to Vietnam with a tourist visa. The hosts will then 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 exclusively 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. Is there any time of the year when I can't volunteer? In general, the program is not affected by school holidays and the classes at the orphanage and language centres run throughout the year. There is one exception to this; the Tet holiday, or the Lunar New Year. In 2006 this holiday falls on January 29th and the program stays closed until February 4th. What is the climate like in Da Nang? 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 immunizations/vaccinations will I need? We advise that you consult your doctor about this, as soon as possible before you leave, as some injections need to be done with a certain amount of time prior to leaving home. The more common ones are Diphtheria and Tetanus, Hepatitis A and B and Typhoid. Can I bring my family/children to this program with me? There may be a few possible placements where you can bring your children and this will be looked at on a case by case basis. Couples can be placed together in all placements except in Dai Loc. 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 extra careful if you spend time in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) or Hanoi. What is the criterion for volunteers to be accepted into the program? Each applicant is considered by the information they provide on the application. We look at skills and experience specifically related to the program you have applied to, as well as volunteer experiences, travel experience and also your particular interest in the program to make our decision. Do I have to be from New Zealand to volunteer through Global Volunteer Network? No, you can volunteer through the Global Volunteer Network from any where in the world. Can vegetarians be catered for in this program? The diet in Da Nang is very seafood oriented, so it is not difficult to avoid red meat. Vegetarian food is available in the placements and vegetarians can also be placed in a vegetarian host family. There are also vegetarian restaurants available in the city. ------ Question not covered here? Please check the generic FAQ, and if still unanswered, 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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