Talking About Money is Tacky

Luckily, so am I. 

I wish more people were. I had trouble finding a straight answer on how much this cross-the-world adventure of mine would be. I have heard from r/vietnam and some expat forums that you can move to Vietnam with a CELTA certification and 1000 USD to your name and be totally fine, but I have yet to see a breakdown for that. I am both a worrier and the kind of dumb American that would get totally scammed so I decided to triple that number and allocate $3,000 as survival money. 

I'm trying to be an optimist. Even though I am solidly lower, lower middle class, let's talk about some financial advantages I DO have: 

1. I have a safety net here in the states, albeit a small one. I have a family and/or a dedicated boyfriend I could probably guilt into helping me if I flunked out of this completely and came back to the US with no place to live. Plus these kind souls are letting me store things at their house. 

2. I only have around $6,500 in student loans still due right now, all below 2.5% interest. My monthly bill is super manageable. 

3. I have no other debt. No car loan, no credit card, no mortgage, no medical debt, nothing. 

4. I am not on any prescription drugs, and have no recurring medical conditions that cost me any money. 

5. I am a girl. People buy me things. 

6. Somehow, though a clerical error or an act of the merciful flying spaghetti monster, my "2 year" AT&T mobile contract ended early so I do not have to pay an insane cancellation fee.  

With that in mind, if you want to do what I'm about to do, here's what I've spent: 

Celta class through Apollo in HCMC: 36, 500, 000 VND (1,473 USD) + $40 wire transfer fee 

+ Flight on EVA Air: $490. Also I am probably going to get charged out the ass for baggage overages. So another $150?  $200?

+ Hotel in HCMC for a month while I take the CELTA: 6,200,000 VND (278 USD). No, that's not a typo. That's less than $9 a night. 

+ Large Luggage: $129  

+ Clothes: $400. (new running shoes, additional conservative work clothes, sturdy shoes, yoga clothes, and bras and underwear. I am a giant, I heard I will not be able to buy much there) 

+ Makeup/toiletries: $200 (stocking up, who knows if they'll have my brands?)  

+ Visa-on-Arrival: $30 + $25 "stamping fee" 

+ Books for my CELTA Course: $43 

+ Outlet Converters: $41 

________________________________________________________________________________

~$3,349.  

This has been a depressing distraction from packing, I should get back to it.  

UP NEXT! How to Fit All Your Shit Into One Large Rolling Bag, One Backpack, and One Carryon! (AKA F*CK IT JUST LEAVE EVERYTHING ON THE CURB)