Financial autonomy from the first days of summer
This summer, Duong Tien Dung, a first-year student majoring in International Economics (diplomatic Academy), only returned to his hometown for a few days in June and then returned to Hanoi to teach IELTS. Every day, Dung teaches 1-2 lessons, each longer for 2 hours. With an income of about 5 - 6 million VND/month, Dung is enough to cover basic living expenses such as rent, electricity, water and gasoline.
This job not only brings in income, but also helps him practice foreign language skills, patience and communication skills. Although he admits that there are times when he is tired, even exhausted, Dung still considers this a worthwhile experience.
I think students can return home for a short break, but they should take advantage of the summer to earn more income, reduce the burden on their families and learn many new things, Dung shared.
Like Dung, this summer, Nguyen Duc Hien Vy - a first-year student majoring in International Communications (diplomatic Academy) is also currently interning at a TV station in Hanoi and working as a marketing staff for an art program production unit.
Vy said that practicing and working at the same time helps her approach the real environment and better understand the requirements of her career. Although her income is just enough to cover basic expenses, she does not focus on financial factors but considers career experiences as the most important asset.
During her internship and extra work, Vy said that going on an internship early to understand the working environment is a very good thing to prepare for her future career orientation.
A special summer for international students away from home
For international students, summer is also an opportunity to experience and be independent. Nguyen Nhat Cuong - a student at Gachon School (Gyeonggi Province, Korea) has almost no chance to return to his hometown due to expensive airfares and a tight schedule. This summer, he did not return to Vietnam, so Cuong took the opportunity to work part-time at a barbecue shop near the school with an income of about 1 million won/month (equivalent to 18 - 19 million VND).
This amount was enough to help Cuong pay for rent, insurance and other mandatory expenses. Although not frugal, Cuong is still satisfied because he can take care of himself without having to ask for more money from his family to help his parents.
In Korea, the work pressure is huge. They require it to be done quickly and absolutely accurately. But thanks to that, I have been disciplined, improved my foreign language and better understood the labor culture here," Cuong shared.
Although he has to be away from his family, staying in Korea to work is a very valuable opportunity for Cuong to train his mettle to live in a foreign land. Being completely independent abroad helps him learn to adapt, mature and be more steadfast in the new environment.
