Korean Job Discussion Forums

bosintang · Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2005 3:27 am Post subject: Tales from Vietnam

After a couple of days here in Vietnam, I'll never complain about Korean behaviour ever again. Thus far, almost everyone I've had to deal with so far in Vietnam have been completely difficult and even dishonest. It's the most difficult country I've ever traveled in.

I crossed a recently opened border between Laos and Vietnam, and the towns on neither side have had much experience with the rest of the world before. On the Laos side, people watched me with idle curiousity and perhaps a bit of fear, but it was never threatening or overly-intrusive.

The Vietnamese side was a completely different story. After a bizarre wait at a beauracratic border, I had to take a motorcycle ride 25km over a horrendous, but very scenic mountain pass to the nearest town. Passing through villages and then into the town, it was like I was an alien from a different planet who was dropped off from space into the town, full of endless amusement for the locals. Everyone stopped whatever they were doing to say something to me (mostly just "hellos") and show off. The locals didn't know what american dollars were worth, there was nowhere to change money, absolutely noone spoke any English at all, and coffee was an exotic drink that none of the restaurants had available.

At first the attention was amusing, but the novelty of being the alien in town wore off quite quickly. Children followed me making "round-eye" motions at me, and adults stared at me the whole time and laughed and taunted me. The worst was a group of Vietnamese men in the restaurant I was stuck in for the afternoon who were showing off and trying to force rice wine down my throat, that tasted, suspiciously, exactly like soju.

Nobody tired of the staring games for a few hours until finally a Vietnamese soccer game came on tv to take some of the attention away from me. As the day passed, and the locals were getting more drunk and aggressive, and it appeared that Vietnam was losing the game, I wanted to get the hell out of this dustbowl shithole of a town; however I had to wait until the soccer game finished until the mini-bus was leaving for Vinh.

A few hours in an awful town in Vietnam full of awful people, and I immediately missed the friendliness and honesty of the people of Laos. Lets just say that between the two countries, the Vietnamese demonstrate the more masculine qualities towards foreigners. Basically, I saw a glimpse of what traveling around rural China would be like, and I've came to the conclusion that it would be pure insanity to try it without good Chinese skills and infinite patience. Those of you who've done it and succeeded, I salute you, I really do.

bosintang · Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2005 3:43 am Post subject:

By the way, Hanoi is an awsome city. The Old Quarter in the city is very charming and trendy, and the city has a fraction of the tourists that Bangkok has. It's the most exotic and interesting city I've visited in Asia so far. Too bad it's full of Vietnamese, haha.

desultude

bosintang

ed4444 · Joined: 12 Oct 2004

I have travelled into the depths of Vietnam and China. Actually it is hard to get into the depths of Vietnam because it is too narrow but anyway.

Yes. The Chinese countryside is difficult to navigate through. On the other hand it is also very rewarding. I managed 6 days in a row without seeing one non-east asian face at one stage.

I don't speak Chinese. I just stored pictures of everything I might need on a digital camera and pointed to them when necessary.

Tiger Beer · Joined: 07 Feb 2003

I've always thought of Vietnamese as very similar to Koreans actually.

Except of course the Vietnamese are a 1000 times more cunning.. but work-ethics, education being so important, confucianism, Chinese influence, split country from Cold War politics, imperial aggressive neighbors with a strong distrust of, etc. is all similar.

Korean films and music are all the rage down there as well..

jajdude · Joined: 18 Jan 2003

Where was that bosintang?

Anyway, out of my limited travels, the VNese were definitely the most dishonest! They rip off foreigners proudly. The country has a bad rep for that. Watch your cash there.

Also negotiation works, as I am sure you know. Several times I said "nope" to a charge, let's say of 20 bucks for convenience sake, and walked away, to be called back with, "Ok, 15,.... maybe 10."

(one specific example: A hotel wanted 40 bucks... yeah right, I paid under 20... still expensive for Vn though and they probably laughed about the few bucks profit they made anyway)

VN.... what a weird place.

(no denying the female aspect though.... and good cheap food... also miss cheap nights out drinking and easy socializing with people from wherever, unlike Korea.... VN has its good points.)

deessell · Joined: 08 Jun 2005

OP were you wearing Thai Fisherman Pants? Maybe that's why they were laughing at you!