First experience of Vietnam

Hi there
I am Peter. I am a retired senior executive of local government in Australia. I am currently undertaking a 3 month overseas aid project, helping set up community based tourism in Hoa Binh province for a local NGO with strong support from Australia and Europe.

I love the people I am working with in the field. The agency is good but wonder whether they are fully aware of the size of the project, and how realistic it is to get something like this up and running and financially self-sustaining in the medium to long-term, without investing lots of time, energy and money. The overall aim to reduce poverty by providing a self managed income is great, however.

On a personal level, this is my first overseas aid stint. I have travelled widely across the world for holidays but to move here and spend a period of time totally on my own, forces strength of character, resilience, and initiative in trying to learn Vietnamese from scratch, choose where to eat within a restricted budget, and enjoy a social life.

I have got to know a small group of local Vietnamese with whom I mix regularly and enjoy their company, their humour and their warmth.  I dont mix so much with ex-pats so that I force myself to become more a part of the Vietnamese as I can, despite language difficulties. This is good and bad....I crave a decent in-depth conversation in a language I can understand.  My Viet friends spend lots of time quizzing me about Australia, our culture, food, and how much I earn, am worth and whether I am interested in staying on long-term.