Moving to Vietnam as an expat?

Hi,
I'm Vietnamese and I've just noticed your situation. I want to have friends around the world, same as you.
If you have any interest, feel free to contact with me via e-mail: [email protected]. Thanks.

Hi Alex,

Welcome to Saigon. Don't worry to come here. Our city is not modern like Sydney, but it 's easy to live, and people are friendly. So firstly you need to find a good job, a sweet home and a motorbike. We have many services for expats. And when you want to go to beach, we have a beautiful beach around 100 km from the city. You can go there during the weekends.

Feel free to contact me with this email address [email protected] :-)

Anh

I wouldnt compare the beach at Vung Tau to the beaches of Sydney, the beaches in Stdney are not covered in rubbish.

Welcome to Saigon!
I think your friends are absolutely right in the case of earning a lot. For a peaceful (compared to major countries) living Vietnam is a good choice. Yeah, there are some clubs/groups/forums for expats. As you know Saigon is the popular city in Vietnam and you can find many leisure here. If you are interested in hot drink, it's a "paradise"    with a cheap price. Yeah, if you are interested to do business it's okay here but don't forget the first sentence in this post after the greetings.

colinoscapee wrote:

I wouldnt compare the beach at Vung Tau to the beaches of Sydney, the beaches in Stdney are not covered in rubbish.

Bondi Cigar anyone?

If you speak Vietnamese, why not play the long game? Gain as much experience as possible and get a position at an Australian company that is either already present in Vietnam or in the process of establishing itself here. I've met people who came to Vietnam this way, and they all got higher salaries than back home (for the inconvenience of becoming expats), as well as a slew of benefits, including paid accommodation, insurance, transportation, plenty of vacation time to go back home, etc.

Most of them, of course, don't really want to be here and end up leaving after finishing the contract, but you could save a very nice nest egg and make the necessary connections to start your own business in the future.

that may be true but the beaches in Vung tao aren`t littered with used syringes

How much time have you spent in Vung Tau.

colinoscapee wrote:

I wouldnt compare the beach at Vung Tau to the beaches of Sydney, the beaches in Stdney are not covered in rubbish.

I've never been to Sydney, but I have to Vung Tau and it is not a clean beach. Lot's of nasty feminine products not to mention other stuff floating around.  Does anyone know how often they test the bacterial levels in the beach waters? Secondly, the life guards if that is what they call them are worth have no training in first aid. I watched a man die from drowning.

Yeah! I don't like that too. But some private beaches are clean. Or you can go to Ho Tram, there are less people than Vung Tau and cleaner. 

thepulser89 wrote:

Hi everyone

I have dilemma that I might need your advice. Let start with some information about myself. I am 25, Sydney banker, moved to Australia from Vietnam when I was young and have spent most of my life here.  I love traveling and when I was in college I had stayed in Denmark for almost a year backpacking around Europe . That was definitely the best time of my life.

Although Sydney is truly one of the best cities in the world and I have a secure job that gives me a comfortable lifestyle, I still want to live overseas and travel around. I recently come up with an idea going to Vietnam and working there for a year or two then move to London or New York to pursue my MBA. Apparently, candidates from Vietnam have higher chance of admission to top MBA schools as they want diversification.

There are heaps of Aussie moving overseas in their mid 20s to see the world and I am no different. However, here is my problem, if i work in Vietnam, I will learn much less than what I am earning right now (my friends and colleagues think I'm nuts even consider it). I will also have to give up my my current lifestyle in beautiful Sydney (going to the beach during weekends, camping trips, running, going out, etc...). However, I really want to  get out of my comfort zone and Vietnam seems to be a good choice. Also, I know there are a lot of business opportunities there.

I was wondering what bring you to Vietnam? Have you ever regretted moving there? What do you guys do for fun in Vietnam, particularly in Saigon.

Also, I would love to know if there is any expat club that I can join? I am pretty social and will be very disappointed if i cant make friends there.

Cheers!

Alex

Dear Alex,

some questions first:)

1. Have you ever been in Vietnam since leaving it?
2. Do you speak Vietnamese?

Because it's much easier to adapt if you are a Viet Kieu.
I'm from Germany, speak good Vietnamese (although strong accent) and most people I met are very friendly and curious. They ask me about where I"m from and what I do and recommend me good places. I made friends with 2 of my Xe Om drivers

If you don't speak Vietnamese at all people will see you as a Foreigner but since being Asian it's much easier for you. They will not scam you as much as they scam Caucasians (Very sad about the fact that they do it but hey its a battle here!)

You sound like a very adventurous person (like me) so yeah I would give it a try.  Giving up a stable job just to travel is not everyone's cup. You should take a year off and try living in Vietnam. If you don't like it you can go back to Sydney or London (but it's tough now, my last salary offer was 17.000 pounds p.a O_O and I was lucky though, job situation is cray now)

You earn less money but the living costs are sooo low here compared to big cities like Sydney or London (I use to live there and its crazy, you pay 1000 USD for a room in a flatshare)

You can have a good life with a 600 to 1000 USD salary, depending on your lifestyle. If you live like the locals you spend less than 500 USD for a 4 head family because the average salary is just 200 to 300 USD!

I would recommend you to become a local, like having local friends because they can show you the good places, where to get delicious food, where to drink beer, where to have fun.

Beaches:
Well Nha Trang, Mui Ne and def. Phu Quoc. The latter is brilliant:)

What we do to have fun:
- Eating & Drinking. The food is unique, the beer is cheap
- Drinking Coffee and Watching People on Motobikes
- Sleeping
- riding a scooter and enjoying to discover new places
- traveling

Of course there are places like night clubs and bars but honestly I wouldn't go there because:
- the music is shit (i hate loud techno music)
- working girls
- old men hitting in on you (ok wont happen to you)

I prefer nice garden coffees with great music to hang out or street restaurants.

Sitting on those little plastic chairs, eating snails and drinking beer is so much fun:)

Anyway drop me a message if you wanna hang out with a German and Two Canadian Expats:)

Good luck

MissMae

I gave up a stable and very lucrative career because I knew it would be neither much longer and came here with enough money that if properly invested and husbanded would last me the rest of my life.  I work anyway for numerous remote clients at a rate that would be impoverishing in the USA but which covers all my expenses here and lets me buy some books and music now and then.

But if I were not able to keep myself occupied it'd be rough here.  I don't like alcohol and while I don't care if my friends have a glass with dinner the idea of socializing-to-drink is ugly to me.  My city just got its first movie theater and food court.  If I want to hear good music I bring an iPod because while the traditional music can be beautiful, it's very formulaic and once you've heard it a while you've heard it all.  The pop, well, if only the techno was the worst, he pop here is freakin' awful.

But I didn't come here to live a blazing exciting life, to live like a teenager, I came here to relax and find some peace in my remaining years.  Exotic meals with friends are more enjoyable than red-faced hai-ba-dzô could ever be. 

Best of all would be to find some other people who play bluegrass or rock with.

Yep better start drinking beer, smoking and riding a motorbike.

Well yo don't have to drink here but 90% drink and smoke... it's similar to peer pressure during high school:(

As Missmae says, it comes down to what you like doing, if your into getting smashed every weekend stay in Saigon. Myself, I hardly drink and not that keen on bars with "hello sexy man,you buy me a drink" every time you go to them. I prefer getting out into the countryside and doing some charity work to help the less fortunate here. Viet Nam is easy enough to live in, the government does have some very weird ideas, but its their country not mine.Most locals are very friendly even very shy at first, but I prefer to socialise with them then the D1 crowd in places like Phattys or Voodoo bar, just not my scene hanging around bars.All in all, its all about not expecting too much and just enjoy living in a developing country. One great thing here is,no bloody PC, one of the reasons I dont live in Australia is because people there are becoming to PC.

missmae wrote:

Yep better start drinking beer, smoking and riding a motorbike.

Well yo don't have to drink here but 90% drink and smoke... it's similar to peer pressure during high school

I'm not going to drink, I'm not going to smoke.  People who give in to peer pressure are unmoored and weak.  If I didn't do it in high school I'm not going to do it now.  Smoking is the stupidest move anyone can make.  Drinking is pointless and people who need to drink to loosen up are pitiable to me.  At least on pot you can hear things in music you never heard before. 

I don't think getting drunk and sitting around talking nonsense with a bunch of people who don't read books is much of a life, sorry.   When I need something in Saigon I go do it and leave on the next bus. 

Agreed with colinoscapee.  Get out into the countryside.  Away from the noise.  Do some good.  Be something other than another another nightlife nobody.

PermaLurker wrote:

missmae wrote:

Yep better start drinking beer, smoking and riding a motorbike.

Well yo don't have to drink here but 90% drink and smoke... it's similar to peer pressure during high school

I'm not going to drink, I'm not going to smoke.  People who give in to peer pressure are unmoored and weak.  If I didn't do it in high school I'm not going to do it now.  Smoking is the stupidest move anyone can make.  Drinking is pointless and people who need to drink to loosen up are pitiable to me.  At least on pot you can hear things in music you never heard before. 

I don't think getting drunk and sitting around talking nonsense with a bunch of people who don't read books is much of a life, sorry.   When I need something in Saigon I go do it and leave on the next bus. 

Agreed with colinoscapee.  Get out into the countryside.  Away from the noise.  Do some good.  Be something other than another another nightlife nobody.

I agree with you.

I don't smoke and I don't drink much as well. But most people I know surrender and start drinking heavily. Did you see all those kegs here?

Decent guys I know from home start becoming daily drinkers and smoke like there is no tomorrow.

I don't agree with it but that's how they chose to live.

Dear Alex

Same as you. I born in Malaysia. I've working experience in US, Brunei and now in Vietnam. If you ask me do I regret to come in and working here? I would say - No Regret!

You are different, you spent most of your time in Vietnam since small. You have the basics knowledge about Vietnamese language and it would be easier to live here. Before I decide to come Vietnam, it almost took me 2-3 weeks to struggling about signing the offer letter. Now, I know that I have no regret to my decision on coming and work in Saigon. I have no knowledge about Vietnamese language and I've to start everything from zero. Now, I feel good with my life now. I believe you would be much better than me!

Just go ahead if you think you are right!

I lived in Vung Tau for 5 years. The beaches have improved a lot over that time, the promenades are all being renewed as I write. Whilst there is some litter on the beaches most of it is washed up on the tide but an effort is made to keep it to a minimum, an almost impossible task.
With reference to your post, Vietnam is an up and coming destination. Saigon is a vibrant and colorful city with great night life, restaurants and bars. There's a great social scene there and you'll have no problem making friends with locals and expats. On the whole the Vietnamese are a warm and generous people and you'd be welcomed here. Good luck with your travels wherever they may take you.

The Long Man wrote:

Saigon is a vibrant and colorful city with great night life, restaurants and bars.

I'd change that to "Saigon is a uh city with some great restaurants and a lot of bars."

To someone not at least second-stage alcoholic, the night life of Saigon is like a hamburger with no meat patty.  With the awful disco-techno and the generally shallow atmosphere of go-go girls and noise and smoke it's like going back 30 years.  Try spending a few weeks sober and see how vibrant and colorful it feels when you aren't drunk.  Where's the art?  Where are the jazz and chamber concerts?  Museums, orchestras?  We're not all 22 years old, you know. 

I do like the outdoor eating.  That's my favorite thing about living here.  Buy a bag of mango slices from a street seller and look down to see a paper square with salt and chili at the corner of my table.  That's fantastic.

I agree with the people above.  I don't like it there.  I don't drink either, I don't need prostitutes, and cigarette smoke makes me sick.  I go visit friends there, we go eat some place we can find an upwind table and not too loud to hear each other, and as soon as we're done I'm back to the hotel or, yeah, at the bus station.

Saigon is not everybody's cup. You might love it or hate it.

In general I love my city because it's where my parents grew up, it's where my family and friends are. But it's true. It's loud, dirty, full of motorbikes, full of scammers, more unfriendly people but I don't agree with saying that you can't enjoy it without any alcohol?

What about all those non-drinkers and non-smokers? I don't think they hate Saigon...

The beauty of this country is not only Saigon although it's the biggest city with the best nightlife. If you wanna see the real Vietnam go to the countryside and see how locals live. But actually you don't have to step out of the city to see it. Leave D1 and visit all those orphanages. Stay with locals, eat with them and live with them. You will love their hospitality.

Leave the expats areas D2 and D7, Bui Vien, forget all your 1000 USD salary and all those young girls who only date you because of money. Then you will experience the real Vietnam.

Try Sax N Art on Le Loi, or the Park Hyatt which has Jazz bands every night and put a note in your diary for the Bourbon Street Jazz festival in D4 on the 31st May. Then there's the Opera house for your classical needs (I love it there, beautiful building and some great concerts) and there's the Ho Chi Minh Conservatory of music, which holds events around the city. As for museums, I'll agree the choice is limited maybe if you pop along to the War Remnants museum you'll understand why, you have to take into consideration that the country went through a devastating bloody conflict not so long ago which pitted it's own people against each other but you'd know that wouldn't you?