As someone who has taught in Vietnam before, the only job requirement is whiteness (English is secondary). Most of my white co-workers were stage x alchies, forced expats (from crime) or just so fucked up in the head that it was a challenge talking to them. I bet you had a different experience, if you weren't in the boonies like I was. The exception, however, was one co-worker of mine, whose parents actually moved from Vietnam after the war. If I needed new clothes or food from the market, I would always go with her, because even though her Vietnamese was weak (people still tried constantly to speak to her), she never got the de-facto foreigner tax. Being the racial minority in such situations is a bit challenging but fun.

On another note, all the Filipinos (by nationality) I met in VN were teachers, but I met very few.

People tend to show more than they want to when they resort to assumptions and attributions and while it can be hurtful at times, it can sometimes show you where to stick the knife and how deep. That goes for gambling too.

So true! I'll have to think about that a little more.