Job Discussion Forums

[jello1]

Just read a message and numerous posters saying they did not altogether like Vietnam(traffic, food, people). Is this the consensus? If it is, what are you all doing in Vietnam? I would appreciate some honest feedback from some "lovers" and some "haters." Particularly from the pro-camp, what is it you love about Vietnam?

From the haters, can you think of another Asian country that compares much more favorably to Vietnam?

I am planning a trip to Hanoi for a Celta course and after that who knows.

Thanks!


Matt
[/b]

[PotKettleBlack]

Pros:

Tropical climate (in the South).
Relatively low cost of living.
Plenty of international cuisine e.g. Indian, Thai, Italian, most of which is at least passable.
Many nice places to visit around the country. Mui Ne is great if you live in Saigon. Just don't take one of the cheaper trains anywhere if it's going to take more than ten hours. Paying extra for 'comfortable seats' means a cover on the seat rather than bare wood.
Vietnamese can be very generous if you get to know them properly. Outside of the cities and tourist towns the people are extremely kind.
Lack of decent music and movies - Hanoi seemed to have a better variety of western music in the CD shops. DVDs are an option of course, though half of them either won't load or will stuff up half way through.

Cons:

Very corrupt. Most foreigners manage to avoid police and the involuntary donations they make you pay but I was not one of the lucky ones. Propaganda towers in the North are terrible.
Traffic IS terrible. I saw scooter drivers being taken out almost every time I went for a drive. I've had a few close calls but no scrapes yet.
Some of the schools are a joke. Expect photocopied texts to share with other teachers if you work in one of the lesser known outfits.
Vietnamese people can be very impatient and pushy. I got sick of going to the water parks because people would constantly push in front of me. Go to the train stations and marvel at the people ignoring the wonderful concept of lining up and mobbing the booth like Garfield to lasagna.

The food is debatable - all about choice really. I have tried many dishes, and though there are some quite nice ones, the majority is absolutely terrible. Fresh fruit is cheap and delicious. Home cooking is hideous. Most families cook too much and keep recooking the meat for a few more meals until it becomes dried up like charcoal. It only gets thrown out when it is about to turn into a diamond.

My Conclusion: Great place to visit but you need a bit of character to stay here permanently. Come with a friend or partner and you should be fine - come alone and you'd better be good at dealing with isolation.

[Snaff]

[miketeflsgn]

I do agree with SNAFF that anyone to everyone is different and from begining (arrival) to end (departure) when you're in Vietnam you must keep an open-mind to all aspects because "hello...McFly...!!" it's a different country, a third world and no freakin' line or queuing require.

*** WHEN-IN-LINE or QUEUING in VIETNAM: For yours and my sake...don't be in line, charge like a maniac and grab what you want. When in ROME... ***

[PotKettleBlack]

[sigmoid]

Remember when most people speak of "Viet Nam" they're talking about Ho Chi Minh City [Sai Gon].

My take on HCMC is that it's not a bad place, but there's not much particularly appealing about it either. I found the people to range from the creepy to the cuddly, like most places. But yeah, the motorbike stampedes and the lack of truly good food are probably the worst aspects of the place. Also, it's pretty boring.

On the plus side, there's the lack of commercialization and the somewhat higher salaries. Also, since not many people want tot be there, there are a lot of opportunities for people who stick around.

[Cyan]

[Duong]

personally from a 15 year old an dbeing vietnamese myself...if i went there and they were pushy, id give them a taste of their medicine and give them a canadian smackdown! i really dont wanna go unless im with a friend because it gets boring

[ccfan]

I'm coming to Vietnam next month to teach (hopefully) and I'm returning based on the experiences during my previous visits. When I was in VN was I invited into the homes of several Vietnamese people who have been emailing me since I left a year ago. I was treated like family and they offered to help me at every turn. Maybe this was a rare experience, I don't know. I'll find out soon enough. I'm not saying that I didn't have my explosive moments when my inability to understand the culture got to me. But once I learned to say in Vietnamese "I don't want to buy it" I was on the road to well-being. What I love: their blunt honesty and how they don't immediately resort to anger to resolve their issues (I see a lot of that in New York). I like the way people I didn't know showed me affection. I love the way they adore their children. It's not a perfect place but show me one that is and I'll move there.

[PotKettleBlack]

Vietnamese families are extremely hospitable but the longer you spend with them the less appealing it gets. For starters, they are obliged to be good hosts by their culture. It's not because they like you that much (not saying they don't). They will act this way to most any guest, especially a foreigner who can bless the household with good fortune just from being there. I find the Vietnamese habit of force-feeding their guests cute at first but increasingly annoying. It doesn't matter if you tell them you are full or you don't like the food; expect plates filled with the rotten stuff for you to work your way through.

The Vietnamese do adore their children but often as possessions not people. This is harsh, but the amount of control the parents force on their children is something I can't get used to. Vietnamese kids who stand out are put in line. Young, unmarried people must stay quiet during party-dinners while their superiors (adult males) yell, laugh and drink beer. Girls in rich families will have husbands chosen for them, lest they shame the family name by marrying somebody of a lesser family. Non-conformists are not welcome here, in the community or family. I got sick of Vietnam because, not being of particularly strong character, I was worried the culture here would get the best of me and force me to slowly change. The few unique, daring, independent and creative Vietnamese I have met impress me all the more for managing to overcome this society which resents their individuality.

It's not the fault of the people either. Just the way they grow up. The later generations are becoming a lot more open minded, but most still give up fighting the pressure to conform because it's just so much easier to get by if you follow the rules.

As for resorting to anger - I see plenty of it. Though I have never seen a dispute get physical, I have seen a good many yelling matches. It's commendable that it rarely becomes a brawl, but the prevalent impatience and yelling is rather annoying if you come from a more laid-back country.

One thing to note - I find the honda om (motorbike taxis) to be very friendly. Perhaps I have been lucky, but they have all been polite, talkative and fair. Make sure you learn the Vietnamese numbers - they are extremely easy and telling them right off how much they will be paid will save trouble when you get to your destination.

Once again, aside from my obvious problems with Saigon, the country is mostly quite pleasant and there is a lot to like. Not the country for me but it may suit you perfectly. Having said that (and I hope I don't come across as arrogant) there are certainly countries with a much better quality of life and more accommodating towards your personal choices. I'm afraid pluses such as fresh coconut milk and cheap fake brand name clothing don't really stack up against countries where you don't have to fear 'taxation' by police and can be who you want to be.

[Mr Wind-up Bird]

[PotKettleBlack]

I'm all for not wasting food but they take it too far. Note that the word 'heo' sounds a lot like 'hell', as if warning you of the agonizing afterlife that awaits you if you sample these antique hog-meats. Somehow, in spite of these horribly unhygienic food practices, couple with smoking like chimneys, many live to the ripe age of 100.

[Mr Wind-up Bird]

Very true. My father-in-law smokes 20 a day, drinks beer with his breakfast, eats pork dishes which were originally cooked during the French occupation and is 75 years old, and looks about 55. His father died last year at the age of 95. Incredible.

[Snaff]

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