From Cork to Vietnam: Molly’s TEFL Story

My name is Molly , I’m 25 years old and I’m from Cork, Ireland. I finished a masters in Psychology in September 2025, and was working as a support worker before deciding to come to Vietnam. I completed my 120 hour online TEFL qualification 2 years ago, and since then, I  have always wanted to use my qualification abroad. 

During my masters course, learning about diverse cultures inspired me to experience living in a new culture. I had heard lots of great things about Vietnam, it’s people, it’s food and it’s culture. When I discovered this internship, it felt like the perfect blend of immersing myself in a new country while also getting to use my qualification and  gain teaching experience.

From what I’ve seen, people are up quite early in the morning! Lunch time is usually around 11:30-12, which took a bit of getting used to at first! Lots of places close for a few hours after 12:30 for some rest, so I try to get lunch and shopping done before this! I usually go to a cafe in the morning to plan a lesson, and head to a local restaurant for some lunch. 

There are lots of street food restaurants open until late, which is much cheaper and tastier than some of the more Western options. Cafe culture is also a big thing in Vietnam, and many cafes are open late, busy with friends chatting and hanging out, making it easier to be social!

You’re never too far from the friendly beep of a motorbike!

I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect before arriving in Vietnam, but I had heard from friends who had visited that the Vietnamese people were very friendly. After living here for 2 months, I am still surprised by how kind and friendly Vietnamese people are! Despite the language barrier, I have met and chatted to a lot of kind people on the street or in a restaurant. Many want to connect or practice their English, which has been quite a surprising yet touching part of daily life here.

We are living in a hotel a small bit out of the city Centre. Though it might mean I have to grab everywhere, it’s much quieter out here, so you can have a break from the noise of the traffic! We have a few local restaurants where we get dinner and lunch near us too, which is very convenient. 

I was surprised by how affordable things are here! I can get my lunch for €1, a coffee for €1- €2, and my dinner for €2- €5 depending on where you eat. So, it has been much easier to afford things here than back home!

I was surprised by how easy it was to make friends with the other interns! There is a big enough group of us, so there is always someone to chat to or do something with! Being over here together, we have definitely formed a strong bond in a short space of time. There is not a huge expat scene in Haiphong, but I feel like I have a community of teachers here already, which also helped a lot with settling into a completely new culture. We are quite active during the week, playing pickleball, football, and often go on group trips at the weekends or holidays.

During the New Years holidays, a group of teachers went to a few places around Vietnam. My favourite places so far would be Hoi An,  the lanterns and colorful buildings were so beautiful. I also loved Ninh Binh, you’re surrounded by mountains and stunning scenery. One of my favourite things I did there was  renting bikes and cycling through the rice fields! We are also quite close to Cat Ba island, which is a great place for a weekend getaway. I recently went on a boat tour from there around Lan Ha Bay, which was so beautiful, and  felt surreal that I get to do this on my weekends!

I think that there will always be an element of culture shock when moving to a new country. There are some cultural differences between back home and here, which can take a while to get used to. So, I think it’s good to be aware that it might take some adjustment at first! Lean on the people around you and remind yourself that it’s ok to not be fully comfortable in a completely new culture straight away!

My second piece of advice would be to just take the leap! I remember before I applied for the Internship, I was going back and forth on whether I should apply or not, or whether it was the ‘right time’. But I’ve realized that there is no right time, and I’m so glad I decided to come to Vietnam, it’s been such an amazing experience.