Job Discussion Forums

ExpatLuke · Joined: 11 Feb 2012 Posts: 744

I've had the opposite experience here. It seems that any Westerner you run in to is going to be happy to strike up a conversation with you if you initiate. It could be the smaller city mentality, but it really seems like the expat community here is tighter knit than the stories I hear elsewhere. Of course you have a few of the folks who think they're super important because they run their own business or whatnot, and they seem to think that fraternizing with English teachers or hospitality workers is beneath them. But overall, I've never felt unwelcome in the company of random Westerners I've met.

JSutt · Joined: 22 Jan 2013 Posts: 24

mark_in_saigon · Joined: 20 Sep 2009 Posts: 837

Interesting story, yeah, that pretty much nailed the way they seem to feel.

I do find that IF you are so close and so fast that you start a conversation without giving them time to pretend not to see you, they will sometimes then become civil. I think these folks just generally do not like to see other westerners here, but once they see it is inevitable, sometimes they remember they did not hate everyone they knew back home, and so they may make an exception in your case if you are really nice and make the first move. Not sure it is worth the effort though, most of us are unusual in one way or another, and so we leave our own people for various reasons.

drpangloss · Joined: 21 Mar 2012 Posts: 25

Related to the topic of being civil to other westerners: hi, I'm Sam. I live in Saigon. Anyone want to get a drink sometime this week?

skarper · Joined: 12 Oct 2006 Posts: 477

I'm asocial by nature - more easily bored in the company of others than alone.

It'd be nice to have a few Western friends (I have zero) but I tend to avoid it because they lead me into bad habits. Drinking too much - complaining about Vietnam etc.

Also, I have had bad experiences with ex-pats sponging off me twice before, so I am especially wary.

But I am I realize an odd fish.

VietCanada · Joined: 30 Nov 2010 Posts: 590

Expats complaining about Vietnam has been an issue for me.

Drinking buddies in Q.1 HCMC or visitors to my house who whinge and beech about their dealings with the bureaucracy or ranting about how stupid the Vietnamese are are really not my idea of quality social events.

One or two people who live near me speak English pretty well. Some of my students live nearby. Having visitors who loudly proclaim that the VN are stupid along with their examples is just not cool. It is embarrassing. Especially when they do so in the alleyway outside my door while franticly and angrily eyeing up all my neighbours.

Doesn't anybody have a sense of humour?

I understand living here can be tough especially if you are married to a VN and live in a VN alleyway like me but the most difficult thing of all IMHO is finding expat companionship that respects my marriage, my marriage partner, the people and culture of VN, their VN students, and co-workers.

Why is that?

Why so serious?

Like Skarper I am an odd fish but it's still nice to get out once in a while and have some sheets and giggles with fellow expats.

The_Big_White_Elephant · Joined: 12 Mar 2014 Posts: 56

mark_in_saigon · Joined: 20 Sep 2009 Posts: 837

Lots of positive attitudes. What you have to realize though is the nature of the forum is for people to ask about issues (synonymous with problems), so of course much of what you read is going to be negative. Additionally, many folks who are not at all qualified or cut out for this work will ask about how it would all work out for him/her, and so of course much of that discussion has to focus on negative points as well. If you read through the site enough, you will see that most of the folks who stay long term do so for positive reasons. I have never been happier in my life, but that does not mean that I think most things here are wonderful. They are not. I just can work around the negatives and mostly enjoy the positives.

TRH · Joined: 27 Oct 2011 Posts: 340 Location: Hawaii

I thought about starting a new tread for this but since this one seems pretty far off topic anyway, here is an interesting take on time management from an ESL professional. Vietnamese are not mentioned per se but I think most will see where they fit into the scheme of things.

http://www.businessinsider.com/how-different-cultures-understand-time-2014-5

skarper · Joined: 12 Oct 2006 Posts: 477

I actually did a couple of days 'teaching' at the author's mansion/school for executives [golf course on the grounds no less].

I was not impressed - all fluff and no substance. But this article is amusing and fun to read. All assertion and no argument or concrete examples though.

Richard Lewis has certainly led an interesting life and does speak a string of languages. And he has made money from peddling this line of 'wisdom'. So bully for him.