Brian Harrison Spence
@bhspence
English expat in Vietnam
Forum posts
23
Contacts
1
About me
English
Speaks English
Registration: 04 April 2023
About
Hello — I'm Brian. I came to Hanoi in my early sixties after a lifetime in the UK, and somewhat to my own surprise have now been here almost a decade — alongside Pam, my wife of fifty-one years, who made the leap with me.
Our UK home is in beautiful Wales, facing the beach, with our five grown-up children not far away — but my heart was forged further north, in Sunderland, whose football team I have followed faithfully through thick and (mostly) thin. Improbably, they've just qualified for the Europa League. Haway the lads.
Vietnam has been the great adventure of our later life — noisy, warm, endlessly surprising, and now simply home in its own right. I write the occasional reflective piece about expat life, one or two of which some of you may have come across.
By profession I work in financial planning for expats, with a particular interest in the more complicated cases and in US citizens, who face a tangle all their own. But I'm here mostly as someone who has lived the expat life long enough to have a few thoughts worth sharing — and plenty still to learn from others.
Occupation
I am Businessman. I am Founding Partner for HSP Consulting
Education
CII
Associate Degree, Investment
1995
Theological College of Wales
Vocational Certificate, Theology
1991
University of Cardiff
University Technology Diploma, Social Work
1974
My expat journey
Hanoi, Ha Nội, Vietnam
England
Activity
Home Thoughts from Abroad by bhspence
The sound of silenceHanoi is never quiet. By the time I wake, the motorbikes have already begun their long argument with the morning, the street sellers are calling, and somewhere below a neighbour is doing something loud and cheerful with a hammer. ...
@jayrozzetti23 A different road to mine, and I rather envy the peace in it — though I suspect your gratitude and my longing are the same feeling facing opposite ways. Good of you to write. Read More
Home Thoughts from Abroad by bhspence
The sound of silenceHanoi is never quiet. By the time I wake, the motorbikes have already begun their long argument with the morning, the street sellers are calling, and somewhere below a neighbour is doing something loud and cheerful with a hammer. ...
@Aidan in HCMC Thank you — genuinely. It's a fine thing to write something quiet and have it actually land with someone, so I'm grateful.Those two quotes belong together, don't they? Adeney names the cost of the life we've chosen — the ... Read More
Home Thoughts from Abroad
The sound of silenceHanoi is never quiet. By the time I wake, the motorbikes have already begun their long argument with the morning, the street sellers are calling, and somewhere below a neighbour is doing something loud and cheerful with a hammer. ... Read More
THE HABIT........
Why are you still waiting?I don’t have enough, is one of the most common things I hear:“I’ll start when I have more money.”Especially from people early in their careers.It sounds sensible.But it’s usually the ... Read More
Financial advice for expats - any experience of using Devere? by jamesfromkent
I've been in Vietnam for a couple of years now, I'm running the VN office of a US software company. Since I've been here, I've been approach by a lot of different investment advisors / financial planners etc. I've spoken to one ...
@Cheryl Thanks Cheryl - much appreciatedBrian Read More
Financial advice for expats - any experience of using Devere? by jamesfromkent
I've been in Vietnam for a couple of years now, I'm running the VN office of a US software company. Since I've been here, I've been approach by a lot of different investment advisors / financial planners etc. I've spoken to one ...
@jamesfromkent Hi JamesI have written a number of posts re finance, why not take a look. Happy to have an informal chatBrian Read More
If I knew then what I know now... by bhspence
One of the more common issues I see with expatriates is delayed pension planning.Strong income years often pass without a clear structure in place.The impact is rarely immediate — but becomes significant over time.Those early years matter more ...
Somewhere in a loft or cupboard lies my greatest unrealised investment return. I just have no idea where.In 1966, when England won the World Cup for the one and only time, the government issued first-edition commemorative stamps. I must have been ... Read More
Picking up from earlier…
IFA + COVIDPicking up from earlier…I started with what I knew — financial advisory work for expats.It made sense.For a while, it worked.Then COVID arrived.Almost overnight, the expats disappeared and the business stopped.It wasn’t ... Read More
If I knew then what I know now... by bhspence
One of the more common issues I see with expatriates is delayed pension planning.Strong income years often pass without a clear structure in place.The impact is rarely immediate — but becomes significant over time.Those early years matter more ...
@Dannyroc3 That’s a great reflection — and I think you’ve hit on something important.Most people don’t start with a clear plan. They move through exactly what you described — bank advice, managed funds, trying different ... Read More
If I knew then what I know now... by bhspence
One of the more common issues I see with expatriates is delayed pension planning.Strong income years often pass without a clear structure in place.The impact is rarely immediate — but becomes significant over time.Those early years matter more ...
That’s a great example — thank you for sharing it so openly.A couple of things really stand out.The turning point wasn’t a complex investment strategy — it was getting control of spending and creating a surplus. Everything ... Read More
If I knew then what I know now... by bhspence
One of the more common issues I see with expatriates is delayed pension planning.Strong income years often pass without a clear structure in place.The impact is rarely immediate — but becomes significant over time.Those early years matter more ...
@OceanBeach92107Hi O.B.,Great to hear from you — and thank you, I really appreciate your message.It sounds like you’ve done exactly what most people struggle to do — you’ve brought structure, discipline, and shared purpose ... Read More
If I knew then what I know now... by bhspence
One of the more common issues I see with expatriates is delayed pension planning.Strong income years often pass without a clear structure in place.The impact is rarely immediate — but becomes significant over time.Those early years matter more ...
I’ll be honest — when I first looked at markets, savings, investing… it all just felt like noise.Charts moving up and down. Headlines changing every day. Everyone sounding like they knew what was coming next.I didn’t feel ... Read More
If I knew then what I know now... by bhspence
One of the more common issues I see with expatriates is delayed pension planning.Strong income years often pass without a clear structure in place.The impact is rarely immediate — but becomes significant over time.Those early years matter more ...
I’ll be honest — when I first looked at markets, savings, investing… it all just felt like noise.Charts moving up and down. Headlines changing every day. Everyone sounding like they knew what was coming next.I didn’t feel ... Read More
If I knew then what I know now... by bhspence
One of the more common issues I see with expatriates is delayed pension planning.Strong income years often pass without a clear structure in place.The impact is rarely immediate — but becomes significant over time.Those early years matter more ...
@PhuNinhTim That’s a great story — and a powerful reminder of how one moment, one conversation, can shape the rest of your life.What stands out is not just the decision itself, but the timing. You were at a genuine crossroads, and you ... Read More
If I knew then what I know now...
One of the more common issues I see with expatriates is delayed pension planning.Strong income years often pass without a clear structure in place.The impact is rarely immediate — but becomes significant over time.Those early years matter more ... Read More