In Limbo

I am sitting in limbo now.

Before Tet I applied for a job, had an interview, which I passed, was asked to do a 15 minute lesson plan which the was happy with and was told I had got the job teaching the employees at a factory in District 2. I was promised an email about the hours while in Malaysia. But it never arrived and no replies to emails. So when I got back from holiday I tried emailing the school head office in Hanoi. I eventually got a reply telling me the guy who interviewed me had left the company and had not mentioned me to them.

They asked me for another interview... This was getting repetitive... I met the director of the company and was told I still had the job (at a reduced rate of pay!) and it was starting 25th Feb. So I rented a motorbike, which I would need to get to work. Then a couple of days ago they rang to say the company wanted to put off the course for one week. GGGRRRRRRrrrrrrrrrr

Bear in mind I have been to Cambodia for three weeks for Christmas and New Year and then Malaysia for Tet, so have little money left. They won't pay me til a month after the start of work and I have to pay $10 a night for the hotel plus my food, etc. So I am trying to live as cheaply as possible now and hope my money lasts out.

So it really pisses me off when I get overcharged. I am still angry about dinner last night. I ate the night before in a small local place, had pork, rice and salad which was 15,000 VND. Then last night I returned, had 2 chicken legs, rice, salad and vegetables. 40,000 VND! Which is ridiculous. This happens quite often here. They see a non-local and try to get as much as they can out of you, probably thinking you are a tourist.

On a plus point I met a nice French couple: Kevin and his girlfriend who are working in a restaurant in HMC. We are all looking for a house to share around District 1, so wish us luck