Job Discussion Forums

[kaz_AZ]

I'm moving to Hanoi in the middle of next month, to begin teaching at the end of May. I'm working on figuring out what clothing I'm taking, getting rid of, and needing to buy here/there. I think I may need a few pointers...

I'm from Arizona, so I'm used to coping with a very intense but very dry heat. The humidity/bugs will be a big change, and I assume the more conservative lifestyle there won't lend itself to the standard cut-off shorts and tank tops that are popular in Arizona summers (luckily, I'm not a big fan of them either).

I know that Hanoi has all four seasons (yay!) and I'm prepped for winter after a few years in chilly northern Europe, but I'm a little lost on how to best dress for the other three seasons....

Any suggestions for:

1) The rain - I won't lie, we see all of ten days of clouds a year in Arizona, and what little rain I've dealt with in Europe was very, very cold.

2) The humidity - I've resigned myself to being pretty uncomfortable, but want to avoid looking too disheveled.

3) The bugs - as much as I'd love a mosquito-borne illness...

4) Teaching - I have a dress code of long, straight-legged, dark pants and button-up, collared shirts. Suggestions for comfy fabrics in both?


Thanks, and excuse my naivety; I suppose I trust this forum more than I trust travel blogs!

[kurtz]

What sex are you? Either way, cotton clothing, no polyester. If you're a man, pants and a collared shirt and tie and shoes. Women get away with sleeveless tops and pants. I feel the students like to look at someone dressed well so put some kind of effort in.

The weather in Hanoi is humid all year round. Best to leave your best clothes for home or else they'll end up all moldy. Better get used to keeping an eye on clothes you haven't worn for a while, you might find they're covered in mold, especially in the winter.

Summers are brutally hot. Rain comes in tropical downpours, you'll need to buy a poncho for getting to work.

Some people have a mosquito net over their bed to stop them, not sure of any diseases spreading in Hanoi via mosquito bites.

[inhanoi]

Good questions! Hanoi isn't in a malaria zone, but dengue fever occasionally appears. The mosquitoes that carry this usually bite during the day, so the swarms that appear at dusk aren't likely to be carriers. A bit of repellant and you'll be fine.

kurz is spot on. The ponchos are best because they still allow for a draft of air and can cover much more than a raincoat. You might also consider bringing some good waterproof pants to use over your clothes getting to and from work. And plan on wearing old shoes to and from, and changing in to work shoes at work.

Everyone starts to wilt in the afternoon, so don't worry about looking disheveled. And most schools have AC, and it usually works.

The problem with winter here is that there is almost no central heating, so unlike in Europe, it does no good to pop into a pub or a shop to bask in their heat. Same holds at home, unless you have a really good AC unit with reverse heat (which runs up your electric bill like crazy). Still, it's nice to experience the change of seasons and warm beaches are just a short flight away.

Don't be dismayed by the heat when you arrive, you'll acclimate (a little!).

[kaz_AZ]

Well, I think that "wilt" it probably the best descriptor I've heard thus far. I'm suddenly glad that I have very short hair so I won't be worrying about keeping it tidied.

I'm female - so I think that when it comes to my clothing choices I'm a bit luckier to be able to pull off the short sleeves/tanks. I do have two tattoos on my upper forearms, which will of course be covered when working, but curious to know... how does this fare with the Hanoi natives?

I hope that they're used to seeing some short- and red-haired, pierced and tattooed female ex-pats or I'll stick out even more than usual!

[ExpatLuke]

I actually haven't really noticed Hanoi being more "conservative" than what you are probably used to. It seems most locals expect foreigners to dress differently, so it doesn't really bother them much outside the work place. While working, they definitely expect you to be dressed appropriately.

One thing to realize about Hanoi is that people (especially women) tend to put an effort into looking classy if they can. So while wearing cut-off shorts, flip-flops, and a tank top on your days off won't be thought of as strange, people will think you look grungy or cheap. If that doesn't bother you, then don't worry about it.

After you've been here for awhile, you'll really start to notice just how different tourists dress compared to locals. And generally speaking, the tourists look a lot less neat and more shabby.

I'd say for casual wear in hot weather shorts are fine as long as they're not cut-offs, skirts are great, tank tops are acceptable. (bear in mind that Vietnamese men tend to stare at women a lot, and showing more skin will only increase this) For rainy weather, there's not much I can say. Just get a jacket and umbrella.

[kaz_AZ]

Thanks for the great feedback - I think I'll certainly be investing in some dresses/skirts since I assume that's really the only sure-fire way of staying comfortable in the humidity.

Any tips for avoiding mold on less-used clothing? Is it just a matter of airing them out once in a while?