shaun darragh
@lirelou
Vietnamese expat in the USA
Forum posts
393
Contacts
8
About me
Vietnamese
Lives in Tampa
Speaks English, French, Spanish, Vietnamese (basic), some Portuguese
Registration: 16 September 2013
New members of the Vietnam forum, introduce yourselves here - 2019 by Julien
Hi all, Newbie on the Vietnam forum? Don't know how to start? This thread is for you ;) We invite you to introduce yourself on this topic, to share with us your expat story if you are already living in the country, or to tell us more on ...
Su nombre se prenuncia en ingles "Hwancho" o "Hwanho"? Bienvenido a Viet Nam. Ya debes saber que en 1858 la expedición Franco-Española llegó a Danang, donde el ejército imperial los negaron acceso a la ruta ... Read More
NO Daylight Savings Time in Vietnam by OceanBeach92107
:D [url=https://www.timeanddate.com/time/change/vietnam]https://www.timeanddate.com/time/change/vietnam[/url]
The Mexicans tried it one year we were there. I think they have since dropped it. Central and South America certainly didn't have it, nor Puerto Rico. Read More
How is Quy Nhon as a place to live as a retiree by Dennis Thomas
Hi everyone new member here Retired 65 from USA been living in the Philippines last 4 yrs. My pension is 1400 usd a month. I find I must live in the smaller providence cities here, cant afford Cebu or Manila, that have more to offer. ...
As far as Vung Tau goes, it's only a hop, skip, and a jump from Ba Ria (Baria in Aussie) which was home to the 1st Aussie (ANZAC) Task Force during the war years, and vets still pass through to visit. Many stay at Tommy's Place which is an ... Read More
Expat proposing to move to Nha Trang in Vietnam by Kem Allison
Am visiting Nha Trang for 11 days commencing 27/4/2019. Would like to make contact with an expat living there as I am contemplating buying a condominium & living there 6 months in a year. Could anybody reading this please put me in contact with ...
We had a contact with family in Nha Trang when we went house hunting in 2007. made the mistake of mentioning how much we had to invest to our contact in the US. Our contact's Uncle took us to several places of varying quality all of which were ... Read More
I just want to know what vietnamese people think. by bawindayak
First time when I come to vietnam, I think they is nice and friendly when I walk alone. but for some month I living here. I just learn about vietnamese. just one think, I don't understand about vietnamese people attitude. I think they very nasty ...
The how old are you question is common to all of East Asia, and the Vietnamese are culturally East Asian. Which bring up the question: It common among the Khmer Krom people of the Delta? Or is it used in Cambodia as well? Read More
Foreign Banks Fleeing Viet Nam by gobot
Article of interest to expats. "Fleeing" is hyperbole, and only offers speculation about why banks are leaving/divesting. [url=http://www.atimes.com/article/foreign-banks-fleeing-vietnam/]Foreign Banks Fleeing Viet Nam[/url]
Neither my bank nor my credit union in the united states shut down in 2008. I even got a mortgage for a house through my US bank. Read More
Recognition of foreign qualifications in the USA by Priscilla
Hello everyone, Were your professional qualifications recognised in the USA? What country did you complete your qualifications in? What profession are you in? Did you have to go through any formalities to get your qualifications recognised, ...
Members of any profession face hurdles when coming to the United States. Judging professional qualifications such as law, medicine, accounting, or dentistry falls to the individual states or territories in which any expat resides. States may grant ... Read More
Why do some expats leave Panama? by PacificaMaryAnn
As I reach the conclusion of my second exploratory trip to Panama, I felt compelled to discuss this new phase. I want to reaffirm how important it is to spend time in Panama before selling the house, the car, and all the belongings. One month in ...
Having lived overseas much of my life, to include with pets, all I can say is that the regulations for bringing pets out of a country are established by the the country you are leaving. SO what the US says you need to do to bring a dog in does not ... Read More
Naming infant for Vietnamese birth certificate by Diazo
I know I have seen this topic covered many ties on the forum. Tried to search for it but the search function on here seems to leave a lot to be desired. I am an American Married to a Vietnamese and just gave birth to our son. One government office ...
THIGV, Back in 1968 I worked with a Vietnamese special forces sergeant named Dung, pronounced Dzung (he was from the North) who was extremely arrogant and overbearing to the Montagnard troops. We Americans always called him "Dung" around ... Read More
Is This Insane???? by Diazo
Has anyone married to a Vietnamese women with whom they had a child had the women refuse to cooperate in getting the child a Certificate of Birth Abroad ( American Father) because she thought the father would steal the child. Mine has done just ...
Diazo, I don't see that you've met her half way. She's been living with a foreigner, so her marriage chances to any Vietnamese is about 0.01%. Children are Vietnam's traditional social security. Who's going to take care of her ... Read More
South African in Dallas Texas
Hope you brought lots of boervors. But if you didn't and know how to make good boervors, you might have a real future in Texas. Boervors is the one dish that American barbecue is sorely lacking. Might have to substitute venison or west Texas ... Read More
Debate club
I don't think Vietnam is quite ready for a debate club unless the topics are carefully selected. The skills for debating require a fairly good knowledge of the target language, so your circle would be rather small. And any sensitive subjects ... Read More
Will Sapa General Hospital in Vietnam have the rabies vaccine? by r424920
I was bitten by a monkey on Cat Ba Island in Vietnam and came to Hanoi the following day to go to Hanoi Family Medical Practice Hospital. I have to receive a series of 5 rabies injections. The first three occur in one week (which I am getting at ...
Budman, as usual, you are the man to cut through the chaff and help out posters who need a real answer. A salute to you and yours, and may you have a Merry Christmas and prosperous New Year. Read More
Hard to find a job as Vietnamese American by ZePhilosopher
It's a real struggle for Vietnamese American to find an English teaching job in HCMC! I never expect the discrimination to be this bad when they only saw my name, not even my CV yet, and refused to offer me an interview. When it hits me I was ...
In the case of young Viet Kieu, it was their parents who made the decision to leave, not themselves. And since they grew up Vietnamese in a different country, it is only natural that they would want to see it someday. In many ways, they pick up ... Read More
What do you like the most in Vietnam? by Christine
Hi, Living abroad, expats discover and enjoy a new environment. What do you like the most in Vietnam? What seduced you when settling and living here? Share with us your favorite part of living in Vietnam and the reason why you enjoy ...
The best posts I've seen are by BlueNZ, Jimbream, and Ngatt. I love Vietnam, but I am intimately familiar with its downside. I knew the real Vietnam in 1968, and based on that I would never have married a Vietnamese woman merely because she was ... Read More
13 best coffee shops (translating from online news) by ngoc anh nguyen thi
like i said, this is gonna be my first thread of translating from Vietnam local newspaper, which review best places to visit, or the most popular among locals sadly that it is only available for 1 pic :( just click to check the view of those coffee ...
Ngoc Anh, You stated that Vietnam is the world's number one exporter of coffee. An internet search tells me that Brazil still is. Vietnam remains #2 with about half the exports Brazil has. The Trung Nguyen site linked by Bia Hoi also names ... Read More
10 Types of expats living in Vietnam by paultruthy
I was going through this information about the 10 types of expats in Vietnam, i feel most of what is written here is half truth, i might not totally agree with the writer, what's your view? 10 Types Of Expats In ...
AlexterBalexter. Did I read the last two lines of your 20:10 post correctly? US Army 1970-76, Vietnam? Am I to presume you were in Vietnam in 1976 while a member of the US Army? Read More
crowded SEA FOOD RESTAURANTS (from local news) by ngoc anh nguyen thi
Saigon loves SEA FOOD, Saigon loves snail, all kind of snail. it is always a perfect combination of snail and rain, lol the post for a rainy day. SORTED BY: http://www.foody.vn/bo-suu-tap/hoangminhdang/10-quan-oc-dong-khach those places are ...
I love Oc, and the wife's family loves that I love them. (Cheaper to feed than most nguoi my). Thanks for the post. We'll hit one or two of those places our next visit. Read More
How do you get "local" price by username222
Yeah it's no secret that Vietnam over charge foreigners, especially with housing agents lurking this forum charing you x2.5 or x3 what they would charge for rent to a local person living in Saigon. So my question is, how do I get a room / ...
The idea of paying more as a foreigner does not offend me, as long as the difference is reasonable. Why should Vietnam have to subsidize foreigners by charging them the exact same as the locals in all things? The frank truth is the the foreigners ... Read More
How do you get "local" price by username222
Yeah it's no secret that Vietnam over charge foreigners, especially with housing agents lurking this forum charing you x2.5 or x3 what they would charge for rent to a local person living in Saigon. So my question is, how do I get a room / ...
Cloud, reference: " BTW, I heard Cuba is a pretty nice place to visit and it's a whole lot closers to the U.S." Good luck on finding anything close to what you have in Vietnam for the same price in US dollars. Read More
Your experience of culture shock in Vietnam by Christine
Hi, Living in a foreign country implies to discover its culture, to learn and master the cultural codes. How did you deal with that? Share with us your culture shock stories where you experienced a funny or awkward moment in Vietnam. What ...
Jimbream, since you've living in Saigon, most of those old folks you refer to are more likely to be from side we were allied with. And poor allies we were. Which brings up my first cultural shock. In Vietnam there is no such thing as: "Tell ... Read More
Vietnamese speaking club by Jiao
* Do you think we should have Vietnamese speaking club (VNSC) for foreigners who love Vietnamese language and wanna to practice to improve Vietnamese much more? * Hi foreigners, Do you want to join this group? We only create this group for you if ...
Jakejas, in re your: "Please keep in mind that we did not leave our jobs and our families and fly to the other side of the world so we can speak English." Actually, I wish that were true. But the great majority of expats I have lived ... Read More
Do I qualify for a dual citizenship with Vietnam? by tqt76
I was born in Haiphong/Vietnam in 1976 to my mom a Vietnam Citizen, at that time. My family was sponsored to the United States by a church as permanent residence in 1981. I obtained United States Citizenship in 2011 through naturalization; I never ...
BlueNZ, this link might help explain it: http://www.minorityrights.org/3499/vietnam/chinese-hoa.html From 1883 to 1885, various Chinese military forces did the bulk of fighting against the French in North Vietnam (Tonkin). Chinese armes included ... Read More
Feedback Requested: Racism and Ageism in Teaching in Hanoi by intelligenthustler
Sorry for the long post. I wanted feedback specific to my situation. TL;DR Can I live in Hanoi/HCMC on my savings and a full time teacher’s salary, if I'm am older and non-white? Thank you in advance for any insight and assistance you can ...
Jim Bream, I believe your quotes should have been around the word "race". Yes, Vietnam has many people of many 'races'. And indeed most vietnamese have a Chinese, Cham, or Khmer ancestor somewhere in their family tree. But it's ... Read More
Taoism by Raze ready
Hello to all: My screen name is Raze ready, meaning that Ray is ready to become an expat and relocate to somewhere on a permanent basis. Mostly for financial reasons the cost of living here in the US is forcing people out. However I would also ...
Daoism was more prevalent in the North in late dynastic times than Buddhism. But the South was always Buddhist, to include Theravada among the Khmer Krom, if you ignore the minority Hindus and Muslims. The majority of Chinese in Vietnam are ... Read More
experience for traveling in Singapore by Jiao
Hi everyone I'm planning to SIN next Mar or Apr. I've never been to there before. Can you help me share experience where I should go for staying ( hotel, motel), sightseeing, shopping, drinking, enjoying food,.. . Maybe I'll have been ...
If they're still pushing the "Singapore Zoo at Night" experience, don't bother. Since animals are fed in zoos, and don't have to hunt it down themselves, you basically stare at them, and they at you, from a distance. Better by ... Read More
Cau Di Bo
daCabbie, thanks for that link to the Cau Anh Sao bridge. If I hadn't pulled it up, I'd never have know the Vietnamese have a "Luther King" street, as well as a Bertrand Russell street. I assume the "Martin" is missing ... Read More
The Flying Love Triangle Gets Broken Up by Jaitch
Ever seen a movie where, usually, a man has trouble keeping his girlfriends and dates straight? Well, it happened in [b]VietNam[/b], and [b]VietNam Airlines[/b] fined two female passengers VND 7.5-million ($350) each for causing a scene over a male ...
Ah yes, the old "Vo Be" versus "Vo Lon" story, one of the oldest in the world and VIetnam. But Thuy Kieu would have had more class than to assault Phu NhânTu with a stiletto heeled shoe. And Scholar Ma was obviously more ... Read More
The Anada community by xpolivier
I have has such a bad experience living in the Anada community in Dalat with household and construction waste dumped everywhere, sometimes within a few meters of my property.
xpolivier and Jaitch. Thanks for the photos and links. I think I passed through that community on my last trip to Dalat. Regarding the Da Lat link Jaitch supplied. Interesting to see that the map prepared when Nam Trung Ky was a protectorate was ... Read More
Organic food/vegatables by Anatta
Dear all Reading about different dirty tricks (injecting dangerous chemicals mostly) the food producers/growers use to make (rotten) food look beautiful/taste good really scares the sh.. out of me, not to talk about the 'fake' food (egg, dried ...
Jaitch, in re: "Besides a lot of their sauces have animal products in them - even Nuoc Mam Cham." Would that be Nuoc Mam Chay? Read More
Air travel from Vietnam by 1stewart
My girlfriend wants to visit me here in Florida. She has her passport and the travel company in Vietnam wants her to fly to Japan first, but the travel company wants her to stay 5 days and she only wants to stay 2 days. The travel agency wants 1,650 ...
1Stewart, reference your: "Anyway thank you people for the information on Air Flights from Vietnam and forcing me to pull my head out of my rectum" Just look at the bright side. Anyone who hasn't stuck their head up their rectums ... Read More
Wanna make friend with cat lover! by VanKhanh Ho
Should I put this topic on Pets forum? Nah, I want to make friend, do not try to ask anything for my cat, she is fine :D Did you read this poem? [b]The cat that walked by himself[/b] [i]Pussy can sit by the fire and sing, Pussy can climb a ...
If she's not pregnant by now, she may be "fixed" (i.e., neutered) so that she can't have kittens. All of our present cats have been neutered. At first my wife couldn't stand the idea, so we waited until after Xicola had had ... Read More
Wanna make friend with cat lover! by VanKhanh Ho
Should I put this topic on Pets forum? Nah, I want to make friend, do not try to ask anything for my cat, she is fine :D Did you read this poem? [b]The cat that walked by himself[/b] [i]Pussy can sit by the fire and sing, Pussy can climb a ...
VanKhanh, if you get tour cats just as soon as they are weaned off their mother, they will bond with you provided you hold them often and play with them. Much of how cats relate to humans relies on what they have picked up from their mother. If the ... Read More
Wanna make friend with cat lover! by VanKhanh Ho
Should I put this topic on Pets forum? Nah, I want to make friend, do not try to ask anything for my cat, she is fine :D Did you read this poem? [b]The cat that walked by himself[/b] [i]Pussy can sit by the fire and sing, Pussy can climb a ...
VanKhanh Ho, according to Madame Lirelou, Muon Tra means "Moon Tea". Bear in mind that she calls cholocate "Xicola instead of Xocola. Muon Tra might be a Tinh Hau Giang expression. ;-) The first Mooncie died in Korea from cancer. We ... Read More
Seeking quiet life in. viet Nam by MarkinNam
I m on recon mission to find a quiet place to live xpat life and do some good in the local community, loved Hanoi Hue not bad Hoi an has gone all western in the last year with lots of noise at night Quang ngai is next on list, can Anyone advise ? ...
Dalat is nice, but for anyone who's looking for an expat community, Dalat can be boring. (I don't play golf) It is a pretty town, and the people are friendly. And if you like walking, there are some interesting places to see. Jaitch ... Read More
Cuchi tunnel trip by Fiona Nguyen
Hey guys! Im going to have a trip to Cuchi tunnel on this Sunday. Is there anyone to join with us? :) Regards, Fiona
I've never understood why anyone would want to go out to the Cu Chi tunnels. Now, the world's largest cave, that would be something else. Read More
Wanna make friend with cat lover! by VanKhanh Ho
Should I put this topic on Pets forum? Nah, I want to make friend, do not try to ask anything for my cat, she is fine :D Did you read this poem? [b]The cat that walked by himself[/b] [i]Pussy can sit by the fire and sing, Pussy can climb a ...
When I married my wife, anything that came in the house on four legs was going in the pot. But when we were moving from Panama to Puerto Rico, one of my workmates asked if we wanted any cats. His Siamese had gotten friendly with the neighborhood ... Read More
Nurse who contracted Ebola in Texas is Vietnamese-American
The health worker in Texas who contracted the Ebola virus from an airline passenger who skipped out of Liberia (a Mr. Duncan) was Nurse Nina Pham, a Vietnamese-American. The link has a photo and background. I'm sure everyone here is pulling for ... Read More
Ao Dai tailor in Hanoi by fickle_flower
Hi there, I'm in Hanoi at the moment and would like to have an Ao Dai tailor made. Would be grateful if someone can direct me to a reputable local tailor who won't rip me off (non touristy prices). I just want a simple piece and a ...
Ngatt, love the Kachina Doll motif on the fabric of the first ao dai in Post #8. If the Hopi tribe has a casino, that would make a nice uniform for their dealers and croupiers. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hopi_Kachina_figures Read More
Few research questions for a novel by kilimanj
Hello, I am writing a book and had a few questions I cannot seem to find online. I was hoping someone could help. 1. There is a game that children play. It is like a top with a string wrapped around it in which you spin and throw other tops at it ...
Blue, you might find them in a backpacker area or expat library. The title of the Le Ly Hayslip book is "When Heaven and Earth Changed Places". I remember the film as being titled "Between Heaven and Earth" but a quick check on ... Read More
How can I speak English as a native people? by ronron
Hi friends, I has studied English for a long time ago but I just speak English a title in the simplest way. I have to use English in my business in nearly future so how can I become influent in speaking? I have tried to talk with some foreigners but ...
Ngatt made a good point on watching television shows, "Friends" in her case. It is virtually impossible to speak a language like a native without years of living in a total immersion environment. But television shows offer opportunities to ... Read More
Few research questions for a novel by kilimanj
Hello, I am writing a book and had a few questions I cannot seem to find online. I was hoping someone could help. 1. There is a game that children play. It is like a top with a string wrapped around it in which you spin and throw other tops at it ...
Kilimanj, Don't worry about any title for the book. Once it's written you can figure one out. Big House publishers often change the title to what suits them. If you are trying to capture the war from a Vietnamese perspective, Oliver Stone ... Read More
Ao Dai tailor in Hanoi by fickle_flower
Hi there, I'm in Hanoi at the moment and would like to have an Ao Dai tailor made. Would be grateful if someone can direct me to a reputable local tailor who won't rip me off (non touristy prices). I just want a simple piece and a ...
Ngatt, yes, that's it. Thanks for the photos.Except the version I saw had trousers. Fickle Flower, Yes, an Ao Dai. I'm sure they know how to make those in Hanoi as well as in Saigon. Some of us are purists. The three sisters brand I ... Read More
Teaching English in Vietnam with an irish accent, possible/acceptable? by Redmundial
Hey everyone, newbie here just thought i'd get my forum ball rolling with a question about accents in teaching. I'm from Ireland and as such have an Irish accent, taught for a little while in China and with some dilution/changing of my ...
Look at the plus side. You're not a "Claire-clapper". My grandparents were from Toomebridge, County Antrim, and my Grandmother swore she could never understand a single word spoken by anybody from Country Claire. I've never heard ... Read More
Few research questions for a novel by kilimanj
Hello, I am writing a book and had a few questions I cannot seem to find online. I was hoping someone could help. 1. There is a game that children play. It is like a top with a string wrapped around it in which you spin and throw other tops at it ...
From wiki: "Allied Chiefs of Staff at the Potsdam Conference decided to temporarily partition Vietnam at the 17th parallel (just south of Da Nang) for the purposes of operational convenience." "It was agreed that British forces ... Read More
Ao Dai tailor in Hanoi by fickle_flower
Hi there, I'm in Hanoi at the moment and would like to have an Ao Dai tailor made. Would be grateful if someone can direct me to a reputable local tailor who won't rip me off (non touristy prices). I just want a simple piece and a ...
Just wondering. Are you looking for a Hanoi or Hue/Saigon style of Ao Dai? There used to be marked regional differences. Believe the Hanoi style was referred to as the Ao Thu Thanh. I see it on tourist dolls, artwork of the "Three ... Read More
Bear farms in Vietnam by Jeff Brewster
I have just seen a program about bear bile farms in Vietnam. It probebly one of the sadest ever programs that i have seen. They call them farms, but the conditions these poor bears are kept in is inhumain. All there life they are kept in a cage, ...
I've actually had this. They don't drink it straight, but mixed in with liquor. Really horrible tasting stuff. And the great irony was the host serving this bear bile was a university professor, and he meant to honor me as a guest. The ... Read More
Had a Bag Snatched? Here's one for the Victims by Jaitch
A bag snatcher, Huynh Van Thanh, 25, according to the ID card found on his body, drowned after jumping off of a bridge as he attempted to evade police in Ho Chi Minh City on Tuesday morning. Police successfully took his accomplice into custody but ...
Dejavu, closing the door behind you and discovering that you left your keys inside is a mistake. Turning left when you meant to turn right is a mistake. Setting up a phony accident for the purpose of drawing in a victim weaker than you to rob is a ... Read More
ChoLon, the place for something different - Net Coffee by Jaitch
The [b]British[/b] have a very strong brew of tea that they call 'lorry driver tea' usually bought where these champions of the highways have a rest, called [i]cafés[/i]. The [b]Chinese[/b] version of this brew is called [b]Hong Kong ...
Jaitch, I hope you expand that article a bit, throw a few photos in, and submit it to a travel mag for publication. You might try some of the airline in-flight magazines that serve Tan Son Nhat. You may forever regret it, but Mr. Lu'u might be ... Read More
advisable safety tips living in the cities specifically HCMC. by Beyondthesee
I hate this to be my first post.. ,but I've always felt safety was ALWAYS a priority. Anyhoo, maybe it's taboo to speak of such things. I want to discuss the potential dangers and advisable saftey tips living in the cities specifically ...
Well, maybe the "elephant in the room" was drunk. ;-) By he way, up in the Highlands in areas of heavy laterite soil, elephants can take on a pinkish hue from the dust. Read More
Had a Bag Snatched? Here's one for the Victims by Jaitch
A bag snatcher, Huynh Van Thanh, 25, according to the ID card found on his body, drowned after jumping off of a bridge as he attempted to evade police in Ho Chi Minh City on Tuesday morning. Police successfully took his accomplice into custody but ...
Does anyone have enough information to corroborate that Mr. Thanh did indeed grow up in poverty and had a family he needed to put food on the table for? Or is that merely presumption? I've known Asian criminals who came from what would be ... Read More
how is Canada? by nguyengiang
Hi all, Im Vietnamese and planning to go to Canada for short time. Just travelling and may be business if i can do something. haha is anyone can give me some advices? such as: which months in year is the best choice to go there? and what should i ...
"Canadians are proud to have PHAN Thị Kim Phúc - Humanitarian, UNESCO ambassador, VietNam War Survivor as a fellow citizen." As well they should be. But does it not also say something about the country she chose not to return ... Read More
how is Canada? by nguyengiang
Hi all, Im Vietnamese and planning to go to Canada for short time. Just travelling and may be business if i can do something. haha is anyone can give me some advices? such as: which months in year is the best choice to go there? and what should i ...
Visiting Canada is a bit like visiting Russia; A tremendously large and varied country. My wife prefers Vancouver and Victoria for the Asian markets and shops. If you are looking for a beauty you will not see in Vietnam, you might want to take the ... Read More
I just want to know what vietnamese people think. by bawindayak
First time when I come to vietnam, I think they is nice and friendly when I walk alone. but for some month I living here. I just learn about vietnamese. just one think, I don't understand about vietnamese people attitude. I think they very nasty ...
BaWinDayak, If you haven't been to Phan Rang or Phan Thiet, I suggest you take the opportunity to visit. It would be interesting to see if any languages you speak match the Cham spoken there. Usually you can identify the Cham women by their ... Read More
What is the best thing about living here in Vietnam? by nguyet.le
Some of my foreigners friends told me that they choose to live in Vietnam since Vietnam is a peaceful place, and a developing country with a lot of business opportunities, the low cost of living, lovely girls, some just love Vietnam and don't ...
Jaitch: Loved your "Vietnamese are very forgiving in as much as they don't, generally, hold grudges against past colonial powers such as China and France or the USA which caused so much disruption." Well, let's see: Much of ... Read More
Racism? - Hugely Disappointed by Bonesy
I've been in Ho Chi Minh for over a week now and I am getting used to the glares you naturally get when walking in areas that are not exactly populated by expats or tourists. Today however, I came across what I can only point at as Racism (please ...
The first question is whether or not stereotyping is 'racism'. If you view it as such, then no place in Asia is the place for you. But if your definition is more nuanced to define it as purposefully rude conduct towards darker skinned ... Read More
The long awaited Lao Cai>>Noi Bai Highway Opens - VietNam's longest by Jaitch
Since way back in French occupation times there has been a demand for a highway which would allow [b]KunMing[/b], the capital and largest city in YunNan Province, China, to access the ports of [b]Hai Phong[/b] and [b]Ha Noi[/b]. And now VietNam has ...
EODMatt, in reference to your: "almost certainly either a design fault or a failure of QM". Yes, that is always possible. I'm not an engineer, but was was involved in several engineering projects in Latin America. Two of those were ... Read More
A foreigner died riding high powered motorbike this afternoon. No ID by DirtyPierre
5:30pm Sunday 21st Sept, A foreign men over the age of 30 shorts, bare-chested, large displacement motorcycles run on Dien Bien Phu Street, Green Goods directions from the center of Ho Chi Minh City. As to the intersection of Dinh Tien Hoang, he was ...
Dan, one of these days I'll have to learn how to use facebook. Good sleuthing! I only had a 90cc when I was in college, but in my forties I had a Yamaha 750cc. I always started out meaning to drive with the utmost care, but hey, I was jumping ... Read More
A foreigner died riding high powered motorbike this afternoon. No ID by DirtyPierre
5:30pm Sunday 21st Sept, A foreign men over the age of 30 shorts, bare-chested, large displacement motorcycles run on Dien Bien Phu Street, Green Goods directions from the center of Ho Chi Minh City. As to the intersection of Dinh Tien Hoang, he was ...
Fleury was the name of the town my French ancestors left to emigrate to America, and even I wouldn't stick that on a kid. Jean-Marie; Jean-Luc, Raoul, and perhaps Henri-Jean, but Fleury? Maybe over on the Francophone forum they're having ... Read More
A foreigner died riding high powered motorbike this afternoon. No ID by DirtyPierre
5:30pm Sunday 21st Sept, A foreign men over the age of 30 shorts, bare-chested, large displacement motorcycles run on Dien Bien Phu Street, Green Goods directions from the center of Ho Chi Minh City. As to the intersection of Dinh Tien Hoang, he was ...
Is it just me, or does anyone else suspect that this "American" is really French (Corsican) or Italian. You'd have to grow up really tough in America to carry a moniker like "Fleury". Indeed, you'd have to be the meanest ... Read More
The long awaited Lao Cai>>Noi Bai Highway Opens - VietNam's longest by Jaitch
Since way back in French occupation times there has been a demand for a highway which would allow [b]KunMing[/b], the capital and largest city in YunNan Province, China, to access the ports of [b]Hai Phong[/b] and [b]Ha Noi[/b]. And now VietNam has ...
Quote: "According to VEC, the crack spans over ten meters and emerged in a section built over a rice paddy." EndQuote In other words the engineers were incompetent and failed to either do a proper soil analysis, or verify the results and ... Read More
Need your advices about interesting places by ngattt
Hi guys, My exchange student will stay here in 3 months. She's from Finland. I will take care her, and I hope she will have many wonderful days when she stays here. By the way, I want to learn more about Saigon :D. 1. What places in Saigon do ...
Budman, We've taken the train twice from Hanoi to Saigon over the past 12 years. Both times the red and white wooden plaques on the sides of the passenger cars read "Hanoi - Hue - Saigon ". The frank truth is that not even the Southern ... Read More
VietNam: A popular US retirement destination? by Jaitch
Alternet has an article on five popular destinations. For [b]VietNam[/b] it says: [b]The Good: [/b]VietNam is just emerging as an attractive place for Americans to retire after decades of negative associations. The low cost of living and beautiful ...
Jaitch, thanks for the reply. The first route is the one our bus took. For $10 is wasn't a bad trip in what stateside would be an airport shuttle bus.On the trip from Pleiku down to BMT we passed two elephants on the highway, both being driven ... Read More
VietNam: A popular US retirement destination? by Jaitch
Alternet has an article on five popular destinations. For [b]VietNam[/b] it says: [b]The Good: [/b]VietNam is just emerging as an attractive place for Americans to retire after decades of negative associations. The low cost of living and beautiful ...
Jaitch, in reference to your: "KonTum is a sweetheart of a city. Has good communications to Nha Trang. It is much like an Austrian town without the snow - it has low hills on two sides and plains on the other. 5 hours to Nha Trang, a day to ... Read More
Ferry Service HCMC to Vung Tau by Bruce Casey
Is the old hydrofoil service back up and running from HCMC to Vung Tau ? There was talk of a new service not using the old hydrofoils starting up,any news on this service? Thanks in advance bruce
Jaitch, interesting point on the Plimsoll Line. I knew of the (obvious) concept but never knew about the plimsoll line. Thanks for that. I take it you've moved down from Ban Me Thuot / Buon Ma Thuot? Read More
VietNam: A popular US retirement destination? by Jaitch
Alternet has an article on five popular destinations. For [b]VietNam[/b] it says: [b]The Good: [/b]VietNam is just emerging as an attractive place for Americans to retire after decades of negative associations. The low cost of living and beautiful ...
Jaitch: in ref to: "The Americans dropped more bombs in what was South VietNam; they also fired more shells (of all sizes) in South VietNam." And the great majority of that was directed against enemy troop concentrations, the HCM trail ... Read More
VietNam: A popular US retirement destination? by Jaitch
Alternet has an article on five popular destinations. For [b]VietNam[/b] it says: [b]The Good: [/b]VietNam is just emerging as an attractive place for Americans to retire after decades of negative associations. The low cost of living and beautiful ...
Jaitch, while I agree with much of what you say in reference to the present government, I did take issue with one point. "Given the state that existed in VietNam after the American War, the country has come a long way, in a short time. Has it ... Read More
Challenges in Vietnam by PINEPIENAAR
What are the most challenging things to expect in Vietnam for a 50 year old couple on married status for 3 years contract Cost of living and food quality- Can you get red meat there to make Biltong?Ha HA Looking forward to make some friends
I used to eat a lot of buffalo meat in Vietnam. While it was tasty, it chewed like michelin tires. No amount of aging or MSG ever softened it enough to barbecue and eat. Part of the problem was that no VN peasant in those days would sell a buffalo ... Read More
Vietnamese wife? by bta87
I realize this is a very subjective question, but are what are the experiences of the men on here that are married to VN brides? Question #2) What should I look out for. I've heard some real horor stories. Mind you I'm 63, have money and girls are ...
FOr what it's worth. A Vietnamese view of Bar girls: "When I passed this way in the daytime I knew I would see young women and even girls barely into their teens, heavily made up and seeming near-nude in revealing costumes, running after ... Read More
Tough tax rules see expats ditch US passports by Citsym
Link: [url=https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/to...102239667.html]Go here[/url] Article: Expatriate Americans are renouncing U.S. citizenship in record volumes because of increasingly onerous tax-filing requirements-and the number doing so is likely ...
By historical measures, an estimated 3154 US citizens changing their citizenship this year may be "record volumes", but it is still miniscule in a country with an estimated population of 322,583,006 (per a population website). Pity they ... Read More
VietNam: A popular US retirement destination? by Jaitch
Alternet has an article on five popular destinations. For [b]VietNam[/b] it says: [b]The Good: [/b]VietNam is just emerging as an attractive place for Americans to retire after decades of negative associations. The low cost of living and beautiful ...
Mexico, as of 1996, had a million resident North Americans, mostly U.S. citizens. Costa Rica and Panama are also popular American expat locations, though the numbers won't be anything like Mexico's. Since most retirees have families, travel ... Read More
VietNam: A popular US retirement destination? by Jaitch
Alternet has an article on five popular destinations. For [b]VietNam[/b] it says: [b]The Good: [/b]VietNam is just emerging as an attractive place for Americans to retire after decades of negative associations. The low cost of living and beautiful ...
Jaitch, in re: "Many end up retreating into an “expat bubble.” That's my observation of expats worldwide. People tend to look for and congregate with others who share the same language and culture, even in countries where the ... Read More
Life of Viet Women -- Matchmaking --Video by cvco
In getting to know Viet people Id like comments on the video below, made about three women who were looking for husbands. Is the truth? Is this how Viet people figure out problems? Is it representative of Viet life or is it all a huge lie? In the ...
I thought it was an honest and interesting video. Lived in Korea for seven years where we ran into more than one Vietnamese guest worker who had either overstayed their visa illegally or married a Korean. Also traveled to Taiwan where the wife had ... Read More
Age limits on working visas for Vietnam? by JennieR
I am currently doing CELTA with the aim in teaching English in Vietnam next year. I am 61. Does anyone know working if a (business) visa has an upper age limit? Should I (a) organise a business visa before I go, or (b) go there on a tourist visa, ...
Hats off to Dan, Jaitch, and RChipote for taking the time for some good answers. Read More
Canadian to marry my VN gf in vietnam but no canadian coming ? by tixou
Hi, I'm new here, I would like some advice. I have met my girlfriend last year in december and almost everything doing fine since. In fact we talk together over 20 to 30 hours per week since february and I met her this summer for 3 weeks and I ...
EODmatt "Your best bet is to tell your fiancee that you should go to Canada to get married - and take her to somewhere like Petawawa in January, the snow is so romantic!" Better yet, parachute into Petawawa in January, the weather is ... Read More
Looking for advice or opinions about a girlfriend. by robert_jpop
Hello everyone, I met a Vietnamese girl through an online dating website. I live in the US and I am 32 years old. She is 20. We started writing to each other towards the end of January of this year. After three weeks we lost touch with each other, ...
Ngatt posted: :You meant "she is very strong and independent"? Maybe you are right. Some of Viet men dont want to have a wife who is very strong and independent, make money more than them. They dont feel comfortable with intelligent ... Read More
Life in Vietnam by Moonlightmylight
Can anyone tell me about life in Vietnam. Is it true that I have to pay a bribe at the airport to get my passport stamped. Is it true that I have to be careful all the times from people fooling foreigners.
Chouf, Loubnani, if you have been doing business in Beirut, I can't imagine you'll have any problems in Saigon. I think you'll find the business, culinary, and after-hours ambiances to your liking. Read More
Translating This Article by duskwinter
Hi guys, may I know what do this article generally means? Just a simple one would do, thank you :) http://m.vietnamnet.vn/vn/kinh-te/192458/hang-chanh-ha-thanh--duoi-kheo-khach-mac-vay-xau.html#
Quoting Jaitch: "After VietNam was reunited, the Central Highlands were invaded by populations from the north as an attempt by the government of the day to counteract the 'revisionist' attitudes of the inhabitants. Even today, one or ... Read More
US Consulate Visit to Can Tho by Budman1
Hopefully this will be of some interest to the US citizens like myself that are living here down in the Delta. Consular Services Coming to Can Tho August 20th Officials from the U.S. Citizen Services unit in Ho Chi Minh City will offer ...
Budman. thanks again for being the clear-eyed level-headed voice of reason. "Just the facts, Ma'am. Just the facts" (to paraphrase the old 1950s TV police Detective, Joe Friday). Good to know information for all. Read More
PLeiku- GiaLai
Dead town. Not much to do. Lousy museum. Hard to find a hotel that can take foreigners, so book ahead. I liked the tennis club, where you could sit and drink a beer and enjoy a quiet time. I liked seeing Vietnamese men wearing marriage bracelets ... Read More
Central Highlands .. by mukii
share experience about traveling at central highland and surroundings. Food & drinks, stay, people , wildlife experiences.. activities etc. feel free to write about your travel experience... :)
Jaitch, while the Central Highlands (Cao Nguyen) include the Darlac plateau, they are not 'flat' except in the most generally speaking manner. I always thought of them as gently rolling hills, interspersed with mountains. Notice the dip you ... Read More
Sweep off Banh Mi Ha Noi ? by charmavietnam
Soon after my old company moved to 3A An Duong Vuong street, Q.5 in 2010, someone introduced nearby Banh Mi shop namely "Banh Mi Ha Noi" which run by an old lady and her family. 1 year before that I try some from other shops but don't ...
Part of it may have to do withy 'packaging', and I don't mean the paper the Banh Mi is wrapped in. When in Can Tho I like to get my Banh Mi at the Saigon Bakery, which usually means getting in line, getting to the front, and placing my ... Read More
immigration or study in Vietnam by shami khan
Hi I am a graduate software engineer working here in riyadh saudi ararabia with more than 5 years experience in this field. How about this country and its life , job etc? Coming here on study visa is good? Immigration possible for me? Please ...
immigration to Vietnam is virtually impossible, absent some genetic connection to Vietnam as either a Kinh or recognized Ethnc Minority. Living in Vietnam as an expatriate is possible, and there are threads covering that, as well as living and ... Read More
Native speakers or Viet Kieu are better in teaching English by nnthuy154
Enlish is considered global communicative language to people in the world. Especially, learning Engish becomes popular in Vietnam. Many English language centers have been flourishing well with thousands of students attending to get courses every ...
In Eric Nguyen's defense, he did did qualify his use of the term with "Let me use the term..." I did not understand him to be advocating it become mandatory for others. Eric, it is easier to use Viet Kieu in that the children of the ... Read More
Meet up in Da Lat by charmavietnam
Guys! I will be in Da Lat from 5th (Tuesday) of August as part of business development trip. I would like to meet both expatriates and local Vietnamese for a nice chat in front of a drink with a nice atmosphere. Please feel free message ...
Charma and I-;uv-VN, if you get the chance, go by the Lam Dong provincial museum in Dalat, right across from the PetroSoviet hotel. (Note: It's closed from 12:00 to 2:00). Besides some better displays on local Dega tribes, they have a display ... Read More
Meet up in Da Lat by charmavietnam
Guys! I will be in Da Lat from 5th (Tuesday) of August as part of business development trip. I would like to meet both expatriates and local Vietnamese for a nice chat in front of a drink with a nice atmosphere. Please feel free message ...
I-luv-VN, Question: Is the site where they found the 700 A.D. Hindu temple maintained as an archaeological site? And if so are there any displays that would interest visitors? I spent a night in Bao Loc in early 1969, out at the Special Forces ... Read More
Why don't Vietnamese understand Vietnamese spoken by a foreigner? by I do believe
Having lived in Vietnam for 6 years and studied Vietnamese at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities it never ceases to amaze me that if I speak and pronounce a Vietnamese phrase perfectly to most Vietnamese, they don't understand me. ...
PC, Absolutely! most of us rush in a try to speak a language without mastering the difficulties and idiosyncrasies of pronunciation. Many language courses, realizing this trait among students, brush over pronunciation to get to the vocabulary and ... Read More
to pda or not to pda? what is the reason by MarkinNam
This one is for those who are VN or have a close relationship with a VN person, Given the amount of time the French were in VN and their romantic nature, why are PDA's discouraged in VN? even frowned upon and when did this start?
ParadiseCruiser, Reference your: "The founding king of Nguyen dynasty sent his heir apparent to France in exchange for much helps in conquering the whole nation, though later on he checked their spreading influence. The hostage thing is one of ... Read More
to pda or not to pda? what is the reason by MarkinNam
This one is for those who are VN or have a close relationship with a VN person, Given the amount of time the French were in VN and their romantic nature, why are PDA's discouraged in VN? even frowned upon and when did this start?
Given the relatively short period that the French were in Vietnam, their impact was substantial. Much of this lies in the advanced position that France then held in the developed world, even being far ahead of the Americans in medicine. Cochinchina ... Read More
Is your Apartment Secure? Are you sure? by Jaitch
Many people assume their apartments are secure from intrusion. Delusional. New apartments have these latest fad - card and PIN access. Basic Locks =========== Most VNese outside doors use Euro-style locks. These are simple to spot as the lock ...
Then why come on a Vietnam forum and take issue with people on posts concerning subjects you've had no personal experience with? Surely the Brazil forum must have some threads that excite your interest. Read More
Be careful with doing charity by Dejavu.dot
Hi, As soon as receiving some bad news about doing charity in some places, especially Ha Noi, I'd like to announce all of you to be careful with doing charity. It's a shock for me to know that those places take advantages of orphans to earn ...
Jaich, did you mean M'Nong instead of H'Mong? Or are you also doing such work up on the northwest border as well as in Dak Lak. Good posts, by the way.(yours and Dejavu's) Especially admire the way yours pointed out areas to look for ... Read More
Why don't Vietnamese understand Vietnamese spoken by a foreigner? by I do believe
Having lived in Vietnam for 6 years and studied Vietnamese at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities it never ceases to amaze me that if I speak and pronounce a Vietnamese phrase perfectly to most Vietnamese, they don't understand me. ...
I find the same problem here in the Vietnamese community in the U.S.. Some will understand me, while others will not. That includes my wife, who often has to have me repeat things ad naseum before she gets it. I suspect that those who do understand ... Read More
Is your Apartment Secure? Are you sure? by Jaitch
Many people assume their apartments are secure from intrusion. Delusional. New apartments have these latest fad - card and PIN access. Basic Locks =========== Most VNese outside doors use Euro-style locks. These are simple to spot as the lock ...
Dear Billy James, just the rumour of a Glock pistol in your apartment would bring the authorities sweeping down on you in Vietnam, where you would likely spend some time in confinement until you convinced them otherwise. Vietnam may be developing ... Read More
Dual citizenship in Vietnam for a Viet Kieu? by sofimofi
Hello all, My parents were born and raised here but moved to Canada in the 70s. I was born in Canada. Is there any way I can apply for a dual citizenship in Vietnam? I have been living here for about 1.5 months and intend on living here for the ...
If you're not willing to defend a country, don't take its citizenship. Leave that for those willing to stand up and defend it. Read More