Find Part 1 here.
In fact it’s hard to put into words the reception I received – and I do have a theory as to why I was perceived this way and other native English speakers were not. It may have been connected to the fact that I don’t dress like people presume Americans dress, or that I didn’t speak their language the way they thought an American would, and that when I didn’t understand so I said so in their language and didn’t resort to English. After a number of these experiences, I became much more inclined to resort to English quicky and less inclined to try the local language.
Could my impressions be wrong, or could I be too sensitive? I admit this is a possibility, but for a number of reasons, including the (somewhat limited) input of different people separately, I tend to think I’m right about at least some of it. I’ve travelled and worked in several countries, and I don’t have this feeling all the time. I should also point out that I don’t feel that these experiences characterized my experience in the country in question – most people did not treat me that way. But some did. And it wasn’t only that I didn’t like being treated in this way, it bothered me that some people felt that this was an appropriate way to treat someone – a foreigner, an immigrant, whatever. I also don’t mean to imply that immigrants elsewhere are necessarily treated better…just that this was probably my first first-hand experience of this.
I’ve travelled in a number of countries, and admit at times I am cautious because I’m American and I know many if not most people disagree with a lot of US politics. Still, it has been rare for me to be put on the spot because of this, and while I think this is eye-opening too…it’s not the same as above, or at least it’s something that many Americans experience or can imagine. Similarly, I’ve had people form pre-conceived notions of how I will think or act based on something superficial; I don’t like this either, but it’s somehow still qualitatively different. I may have been treated differently because of my nationality, but this has been the first time I’ve felt looked down on or treated as suspect because of my presumed nationality, and it essentially makes me agree with the author that native English speakers do receive a degree of special treatment or respect that we are generally not aware of.
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I agreed 100% with “Stereotypes Abroad”. I was very enthusiastic upon graduating from a university in California, worked for awhile and many years later went to Vietnam to be certified as an English Teacher (TEFL certified) to help with the country where I was born. Ready to go off and start teaching in schools located in Ho Chi Minh City but that never occur because I got so discouraged.
I arrived in mid-March of ‘05, got certified at mid-April and excited about sending my cover letters and resume(s)/CV out to other schools that are desperate for English teachers. Initially, I put my birth given name (my native name, the name your parents gave you when you’re born) on my resume and uploaded onto vietnamworks.com but months pass by without anyone calling, then I changed it to my legal English name and received calls and email contacts. So I dressed to impress and showed up for my very first job offer with the school administrator or dean and they were very disappointed. They were expecting a non-Asian and they thought I sounded like a cocasian over the phone interview. They offered me the salary or the contract with them but at the local level. Meaning I have to accept the same pay as the teachers that never had formal educations or trainings (some have fake diplomas and/or fake university degrees), the average pay for locals are $2.50/min-$4/max USD an/hour. I told them I’ll think about it and get back to them. I did thought it over and come to realized if I volunteer to teach English sounds much better than accepting what’s offered. I received many calls and I went for interviews and the same reactions (some with cold shoulders). Eventually, I decided to volunteer but that was not fun either. I volunteered with some teachers at a certain school and right away I felt the uncomfortableness. I was the non-cocasian and the cocasians (non-asians) was treated with excitement everytime they entered the premises of the school. I have nothing against other race, ethnicities, nationalities, etc but the way I was received or treated if I am standing next to a cocasian friend was just not right, in a country I was born in. As if I don’t exist. I’ve spoken to some Asians (degrees, teaching experiences and several certificates), that went to Asian countries to contribute and teach English, I met during my stay in Vietnam that came from Australia, America, London…or some that was born and lived most of their lives in those developed countries will testafied and back me up.
I met an American at the begining of August’05 and we became good friends. Lets name him Douglas. Everywhere I go with him I am a nobody, either to a restaurant, a club, or simply visiting a place. He eventually got accepted to teach in a school with high paying contract at $2500 USD/month, that’s $17.36/hour. And guess what? Douglas never graduated from high school, he’s in his mid 40s, divorced 3 times, speaks and thinks with a “surfs-up-dude” California beach bump mentality, and does not have a teaching certificate. Douglas even asked me for advise to “how are the approaches” to teaching a class. I decided to “get out of DODGE”
Douglas and I are still good friends but I have returned to the states after a few years there. What I am saying is if you are an Asian (Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Singaporean, Vietnamese etc), basically Asian complexions, with highest degrees, teaching experiences and/or teaching certificate(s) and you want to contribute to your native mother land by teaching English you better approach it differently (with lots of money or highest level of connections) because if you are an average person you will be treated differently than if you are a cocasian (a white person).
Mike – Thank you for sharing your experience. It’s hard to imagine how frustrating it would be to be in that situation.
I wish I had something wiser-sounding to say than this – but thank you for posting this. I hope it can provide insight to people and I also hope things can change, though it’s hard to know how.
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