ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
VietnamBest way to learn English (for now)
I just found this site, which I think is pretty useful for self study.

http://www.forvo.com/languages/en/

Edited by Mekong Mark, 18 December 2010 - 08:53 AM.

Teacher MarkMaleVietnam (no flag)2010-12-18 08:52:00
VietnamBest way to learn English (for now)

I remember those Oxford Picture Dictionary when I first got here 15 years ago. It is helpful somewhat.


That was the 1st edition. The 2nd edition is much better.

Edited by Mekong Mark, 15 December 2010 - 07:07 PM.

Teacher MarkMaleVietnam (no flag)2010-12-15 19:05:00
VietnamBest way to learn English (for now)

Funny that you like that Oxford Picture Dictionary, that is one of the programs I have on file and installed on Sayha's computer while she was up here. It is a great program, we might have to meet up and you can see some of my files sometime. I have like 90 gig or more worth of english learning software


Meet? Whenever would we find the time? Posted Image I have a lot of stuff too. Nothing better than a lot of resources!

For a spouse heading to America the OPD is a must have.

I love the fact that it is based on life in America. I hate teaching British English for some reason.

British English: "I live in that street." :blink:
Teacher MarkMaleVietnam (no flag)2010-12-14 21:40:00
VietnamBest way to learn English (for now)
Here are some of the websites I use.

http://www.manythings.org/daily/

http://www.manythings.org/

http://iteslj.org/questions/

This textbook is one of the best for learning American English, in my opinion. They sell it at Fahasa Bookstore.

http://www.amazon.co...JSW3J72V6TNR4AF
Teacher MarkMaleVietnam (no flag)2010-12-14 00:27:00
VietnamLearning Vietnamese
http://www.everydayviet.com/
Teacher MarkMaleVietnam (no flag)2011-01-19 20:47:00
VietnamThe Year of the Cat

Most of the beneficiaries in here weren't born yet back then!


That's a good one. A lot of the sponsors weren't around either.
Teacher MarkMaleVietnam (no flag)2011-01-22 22:55:00
VietnamThe Year of the Cat

Isn't it a title of an old song in the 70s?


Yes. I have always loved that song, but didn't understand why he named it The Year of the Cat, since there is no cat on the Chinese zodiac. When I moved to Vietnam I got the answer. Vietnam doesn't have the rabbit; the cat takes it's place. What's the song about, other than a year? Al Stewart won't say. Some speculate it's about heroine addiction, while others say it's about a friend dying. I just know it's a great song, regardless of the hidden meaning.

http://www.songfacts...ail.php?id=3526

Edited by Mekong Mark, 22 January 2011 - 10:52 PM.

Teacher MarkMaleVietnam (no flag)2011-01-22 22:51:00
VietnamThe Year of the Cat
Teacher MarkMaleVietnam (no flag)2011-01-18 08:34:00
VietnamWow, how long was it?
Finally!
Teacher MarkMaleVietnam (no flag)2011-01-30 14:10:00
VietnamValentine's Day

those foreigners think they understand Vietnamese women more than Vietnamese people


I may be an idiot, but this tay knows women better than you and Dairy Queen combined.
Teacher MarkMaleVietnam (no flag)2011-01-30 08:34:00
VietnamValentine's Day

those foreigners think they understand Vietnamese women more than Vietnamese people


You two really are a hoot!

Edited by Mekong Mark, 28 January 2011 - 02:49 PM.

Teacher MarkMaleVietnam (no flag)2011-01-28 14:46:00
VietnamTet.

Is just me or the audio is bad :bonk: :bonk: :bonk:


Don't like the link? Post one that''s more suitable.
Teacher MarkMaleVietnam (no flag)2011-02-03 13:22:00
VietnamTet.

Chuc mung nam moi everyone. I wish there was a webcam broadcast in VN where we could see the festivities.


They probably broadcast some of them here:

http://vietnamlive.tv/
Teacher MarkMaleVietnam (no flag)2011-02-03 12:11:00
VietnamTet.
Chuc mung nam moi!

I'm currently enjoying a trip to Hanoi. Not a bad place to live, even with the cold weather!

Edited by Mekong Mark, 03 February 2011 - 08:39 AM.

Teacher MarkMaleVietnam (no flag)2011-02-03 08:38:00
VietnamViet Nam Devalues Dong 9% against Dollar

Mark, lets see when we get paid if our bank gives us that rate. Since I have been at VStar they have always paid 19500, right now the website shows 20,890 we will have to watch that at work a few days prior to and the day of our pay. I have learned not to put anything past them these days. Sad but true. good post :thumbs:


I looked at the headline and thought "I just got a 9% raise!" :thumbs:
Teacher MarkMaleVietnam (no flag)2011-02-12 01:31:00
VietnamViet Nam Devalues Dong 9% against Dollar

Updated February, 11 2011 11:18:11 Viet Nam devalues dong 9% against dollar

HA NOI – The State Bank of Viet Nam (SBV) this morning depreciated the Vietnamese dong by 9.3 per cent against the US dollar in a move to improve the liquidity of the foreign exchange market and control the trade deficit.

The nation's central bank today set its official exchange against the US dollar at VND20,693, compared to VND18,932 before.

The SBV also narrowed the daily trading band of the dong against the US dollar from plus/minus 3 per cent to plus/minus 1 per cent.

The exchange rate quoted by commercial banks from now on will crawl between VND20,486 and VND20,900 per dollar, compared to VND18,364 and VND19.499 before.

On the black market, one US dollar this morning buys VND21,500-21,700, up from VND21,350-21,450 yesterday.

The move followed market expectations after tense pre-Tet trading in both banks and the black market. One dollar on the black market fetched VND1,500-2,000 more than in banks.

Today's devaluation is the third and most significant move by the central bank since February last year. On February 10, Viet Nam depreciated the dong by 3.3 per cent and made another devaluation of 2.09 per cent on August 18 last year.

The plus/minus 3 per cent daily trading band had been in place since November 2009. The widest trading band the central bank ever applied was plus/minus 5 per cent from March 24 to November 25, 2009.-VNS


http://vietnamnews.v...nst-dollar.html
Teacher MarkMaleVietnam (no flag)2011-02-11 18:12:00
Vietnamsending medicine to Vietnam

Try your local Vietlink rep (or visit Vietlinkglobal.com), ask the agent, he has a tax list of everything.


Great link. Thanks. :thumbs:

Edited by Mekong Mark, 07 December 2010 - 10:00 AM.

Teacher MarkMaleVietnam (no flag)2010-12-07 10:00:00
VietnamMeeting Up in a Third Country
The ASEAN member nations have an agreement that allows residents of one country to travel to the other countries "visa free". Only a passport is required.

http://en.wikipedia....namese_citizens
Teacher MarkMaleVietnam (no flag)2011-02-19 06:57:00
VietnamVietnam boat sinking kills tourists

According to RFA (Radio Free Asia) radio, each victim will be compensated about $20 million DONG from the boat owner's insurance policy and the same amount from the local gov't for a total of $40 million DONG, which roughly equals to $1,925 USD.


Yip, that's how much your life is worth in Vietnam.





Who still insists in living in VN?


That figure is accurate and I still insist upon living in Vietnam.

2 years and counting DQ. Keep the motivational comments coming. :thumbs:
Teacher MarkMaleVietnam (no flag)2011-02-23 07:13:00
VietnamPaying US Taxes if you work in Vietnam

I wonder how they would look at my income if i were there 330+...


I'd love to be in your position.

I've averaged 10% and I think you'd probably pay the same.
Teacher MarkMaleVietnam (no flag)2011-03-01 07:06:00
VietnamPaying US Taxes if you work in Vietnam
It doesn't matter who you work for, BTW. Be it an American or foreign company, you can earn up to $92,900 (2011 adjustment) without a US tax burden. You are supposed to file, regardless of earnings, and the 330 day rule applies.

http://www.usa-inter...e_exclusion.asp

http://www.irs.gov/b...d=97130,00.html
Teacher MarkMaleVietnam (no flag)2011-02-28 18:28:00
VietnamPaying US Taxes if you work in Vietnam
The amount you can earn is now $91,500. Remember that Vietnam will tax you up to 35%.

You have to reside in Vietnam at least 330 consecutive days to be considered an expatriate for tax purposes. Go back to the US before that mark and you will be liable for taxes on your foreign earnings for that tax year, regardless of the amount earned. Paid taxes in Vietnam? Tough sh!t. We don't have a double tax treaty with VN. Just ask DaoTx about that. He got the double whammy from Uncle Sam and Uncle Ho.

http://www.usa-inter...ax_position.asp

Edited by Mekong Mark, 27 February 2011 - 12:48 AM.

Teacher MarkMaleVietnam (no flag)2011-02-27 00:47:00
VietnamVietnam Airlines or Jetstar in Vietnam?

I have flown both several times and have a former student who pilots for VAL. When it comes to quality and reliability and flexibility.. VAL wins hands down.. Jetstar however has some awesome sales from time to time. We flew to Singapore 3 people RT less than 100 USD. Jetstart will delay flights for any reason and unless you buy the top of the 3 tiers of flights options it isnt easy to change flights if at all... VAL always has been straight up when it comes to changes and has never charged us extra for that.....
Mark just told me last night about Mekong Air and I have yet to fly with them but he said he was very impressed.

So when it comes to flying in VN it boils down to how tight the schedule is and if $ is an issue..


Mekong Air was very professional and on time. The only problems were:

1.) When we landed in Hanoi the shuttle driver started to pull away to fast and half the people almost fell.

and

2.) They didn't have ice or orange juice on the return flight.

Minor infractions considering the locale.The ticket was $226 R/T during Tet.

Edited by Teacher Mark, 05 March 2011 - 09:48 AM.

Teacher MarkMaleVietnam (no flag)2011-03-05 09:45:00
VietnamHCMC Time Lapse Video

So beautiful...
is the end clip is Ben Thanh?

I miss VN.. I miss Saigon...


Yeah, that's Phan Chu Trinh St.
Teacher MarkMaleVietnam (no flag)2011-03-13 10:32:00
VietnamHCMC Time Lapse Video
Teacher MarkMaleVietnam (no flag)2011-03-12 22:40:00
VietnamHo Chi Minh Consulate: CLOSED FOR GOOD ON 3-31-2011

Make sure my wife gets on that helicopter before all hell breaks loose! LOL

All kidding aside, thanks for informing me of this. Where exactly is the Diamond Plaza?

Regards,
Michael


34 Le Duan, D1, HCMC

http://www.diamondplaza.com.vn/


Here's a few links to pics of the building on Ly T? Tr?ng St. (formerly 22 Gia Long) where the famous "last chopper out" picture was taken in 1975. In the modern one you'll notice Diamond Plaza lurking in the background. Most people think the pic was taken at the former embassy, but it was not.

http://www.mishalov....inalescape.html

Posted Image

Posted Image

Edited by Teacher Mark, 17 March 2011 - 11:04 AM.

Teacher MarkMaleVietnam (no flag)2011-03-17 11:01:00
VietnamHo Chi Minh Consulate: CLOSED FOR GOOD ON 3-31-2011

Wow!! This is the first time I heard about this. My wife is supposed to have her interview in April. Does this mean that she'll have to go to a different location? I'm confused.

I just checked the US Consulate site and they don't seem to give any specific details.

I'll have to call USCIS and found out exactly what's going on with our case.


I don't want to worry anybody, but I drove by there today and saw a helicopter parked on the roof!

Just kidding. You have nothing to worry about. They are closing the USCIS office in Diamond Plaza. The consulate will not be closing!
Teacher MarkMaleVietnam (no flag)2011-03-17 10:39:00
VietnamHo Chi Minh Consulate: CLOSED FOR GOOD ON 3-31-2011

Please read the announcement again. I've already had to deal with three of Phuong's relatives yesterday who were freaking out over this.

They are closing the USCIS Field Office in HCMC. They are NOT closing the consulate! USCIS and the consulate are different agencies in different departments of the US government. USCIS handles petitions. The consulate handles visas. This will not likely have any effect on the vast majority of people applying for visas in HCMC.


:rofl:

Classic. I wonder if that means Direct Consular Filings will be handled in Thailand, for expatriates who reside in Vietnam?

Edited by Teacher Mark, 12 March 2011 - 12:17 PM.

Teacher MarkMaleVietnam (no flag)2011-03-12 12:14:00
VietnamExtend visa to stay in Vietnam

Hi all,

Does the US consulate in HCM extend visa to stay in Vietnam? Or is that done in a Vietnamese department?

Anyone done this before? How much does it cost and do I have to leave my original passport with the department?

Thanks in advance for any insights.

--jc


Going through Vietnamese Immigration can be a hassle and sometimes they won't extend, so a lot of people go through an agent. I highly recommend a guy us expats call Phat Man (Phat Dang). His number is 090 831 1294. He does take your passport and returns it within a few days. He's completely reliable and it's all above board.
Teacher MarkMaleVietnam (no flag)2011-03-17 01:35:00
VietnamOptions for a Student to Sponser his Fiancee from Viet Nam?

Last year it was still required to be done in Vietnam. BTW today is our 1 year !


3 years and they haven't bothered to update their website. I wish I could say I'm surprised, but I'm not.

Congrats. You should take her out of town for the weekend.

Dementis Queritor will be along shortly to add his 2 cents, I'm sure.

Edited by Teacher Mark, 18 March 2011 - 09:09 PM.

Teacher MarkMaleVietnam (no flag)2011-03-18 21:09:00
VietnamOptions for a Student to Sponser his Fiancee from Viet Nam?

4.) Medical Certificate issued by an authorized psychiatrist confirming that the applicant has no mental illnesses, or has a mental problem but not to the extent of losing consciousness of his/her own actions. Please ask your family doctor for a referral to a psychiatrist.

.


Does anybody know if they're still requiring the mental check to be done in Vietnam? In 2008 I wasted a day and $75.00 getting it done in America just to be told I had to have it done in Vietnam.

Edited by Teacher Mark, 18 March 2011 - 12:45 AM.

Teacher MarkMaleVietnam (no flag)2011-03-18 00:44:00
VietnamDo you believe in Karma?

Keep your marriage in good faith is a good way to honor our work.

Tell her the same thing. Although I imagine that can be difficult. Lots of folks wouldn't bother to ask their S/O to stop by and say "Thanks", much less hang around to chit chat. They (the beneficiaries) know what's the point of doing that once they're already here.

Long time ago, I said "An qua, nho ke trong cay" (remember the people who planted the trees when you eat the fruit), and some former folks in here laughed. If your theory about "Karma" is right, those people will soon know who's "actually" laughing once their S/O got their hands on the perm 10-year GC.


When does your wife get her 10 year g/c?

Edited by Teacher Mark, 17 March 2011 - 02:35 AM.

Teacher MarkMaleVietnam (no flag)2011-03-17 02:34:00
VietnamHotel recommendation

Hey thanks for the recommendation. That first one is quite pricey. 150$ for a hotel in Vietnam would mean that it has to be super nice hotel. :)


Yeah, they must have a nice place. It would have to be real nice for me to pay that much.

That one that Ahn Map recommended has a much better price. I've stayed in D7 and D5 the 2 times I booked a hotel here,
Teacher MarkMaleVietnam (no flag)2011-03-24 06:13:00
VietnamHotel recommendation

I know someone has posted this before, but I cannot find it. Anyone knows any decent hotels near the Saigon Consulate? I need a nice and clean one for my fiance to stay in, and avoid the crazy traffic of Saigon on the day of the interview. If you know the price also please post it. Thanks!


Sofitel Plaza ($150.00 for one person, one night)

http://www.sofitel.c...aza/index.shtml

Here's a list I found online, with hotel names and GPS distance.

Sofitel Plaza Hotel 0.3km, Spring Hotel 0.6km, Orchid Hotel 0.6km, Asian Hotel 0.7km, Park Hyatt Saigon 0.7km, Continental Hotel 0.7km, Thang Long Hotel 0.8km, Bong Sen Hotel Annex 0.8km, are places to stay (hotel, service apartment, inn) located near American Consulate

http://vn.pagenation...7002_10.783.map
Teacher MarkMaleVietnam (no flag)2011-03-18 01:34:00
VietnamMarc Ellis needs help?

:pop:
Is there a button to archive this before it gets locked?


I can't believe it hasn't been locked already.

Still waiting on "The Man" to knock on my door. :clock:That would be at the house where I've been living for over a year. The same one that they would have knocked on long ago, if my status was in doubt.

Edited by Teacher Mark, 31 March 2011 - 06:49 AM.

Teacher MarkMaleVietnam (no flag)2011-03-31 06:49:00
VietnamReasons to Hate Vietnam
:wow: This guy really tees off. The bottom line is he can always go back to where he came from. That's what I tell myself about 50 times a day.




Oh Vietnam, how I hate you? Let me count the ways?


I Hate Vietnam's Lies
I'm tired of being lied to. It's as if the population has a compulsive lying habit.

I was lied to when I instructed a shuttle bus driver from the airport to transport us to a specific hotel (where a man jumps out of a building claiming this is the address I asked for, insisting that he's full, but will take us to another one around the corner). I was lied to when picking up a spare backpack left at a Hanoi hotel, with the staff trying to extort US$30 from me for a few days of keeping it chained to a desk in the corner of their lobby?we walked off without paying.

Posted Image Pop-out Christmas card

I'm constantly being lied to for stupid, simple, insignificant stuff as well. Like when I was purchasing some rather interesting cutout/popup greeting cards from a tiny store outside the tourist bubble. Tatiana asked how they were made, and the woman motioned that she made them herself with a scalpel. This was a total fabrication?I could see the bloody burn marks left from a laser that created the obviously mass-produced cards. I suppose she put that barcode sticker on the back of the card as well, huh?

Liars. So many damn liars.


I Hate Vietnam's Dual Pricing
Posted Image Although common in many countries, alternate pricing for foreigners is visible and in your face in Vietnam. The same boat ride that a tourist pays 100,000 dong for, finds your Vietnamese citizen neighbor paying 80,000d. I might haggle for a piece of fruit, but my ending price is still twice that of the local buying it next to me, because the vendor inflated the initial price 400%.

Most foreigners are seen as targets of opportunity. According to Nguyen Huu Viet, an official from the Tourism Department of Hanoi, overcharging foreign tourists is not necessarily a kind of fraud, but part of the "culture".

An excerpt from an article entitled 'The price isn't quite right':

"American and Russian tourists are very generous but the most generous customers are from Japan, they hardly bargain at all," says Thu Huong, who works in a small souvenir shop in the Old Quarter. "Even with a price 10-times the going rate, a Japanese customer might consider it cheap. But Italian or German tourists would just take a look and smile."

The more naive of these tourists are called "ga beo" (fatty chicken), a slang term for those that jump at the price of $100 for a fake $10-Rolex watch from China or $40 for a $5-dollar-string of artificial pearls.

"To be honest I don't really care about the souvenir shops or fruit sellers trying to get a bit more cash out of a foreigner, haggling for goods is part of the game," says Daniel Lewenstein, an American lawyer living in Vietnam on and off for 10 years. "But it's really annoying when there's a set price and people try to chance their arm anyway, like the last time I arrived at Noi Bai airport the taxi driver tried to charge me VND280,000 for a trip to town even though it said VND150,000 on the sign!"


I Hate Vietnam's Noise
It seems like this country has developed or enhanced every known way to pollute the environment with noise. The decibel level reaches a point on the street where I need to put ear plugs in because my ears are "eeeeeeeeeeeeing" by the time I get back inside the hotel.

Hundreds of thousands of muffler-less vehicles belch sound as they zoom through the streets. Horns are repeatedly honked by every motorist, on average, every five to seven seconds. They honk when passing someone; they honk when turning; they honk when pissed; they honk when happy; they honk when people aren't moving fast enough; they honk whey they're driving the wrong direction, against traffic on a one-way street; they honk to show off their custom horn; and they honk because everyone else is honking next to them. I watch and listen as some just keep the horn depressed as they drive along the avenues. In Hanoi, not a moment passes in the day when you don't hear the sound of a horn?inside your hotel room, or not.

Socialist megaphones are installed in Hanoi that, several times daily, force tourists and residents alike to plug their ears to keep them from bleeding. The volume that emits from these hour-long news, weather, music, and advertisement announcements is actually so loud that it drowns out the honking. It's that loud.

Having a street-facing hotel room in Vietnam is one of the last things you really want in the country, especially when you have one of these microphone attached to the building, jarring you awake at 7:00 in the morning with the amplified sound of their ugly language.

Between the vehicles, the constant construction, the language, and the karaoke bars, I find myself envying the deaf.


I Hate Vietnam's Language
I can best describe the Vietnamese language as the undulating growl emitted by a cat that's been disturbed while it chews on a mouth full of dry cat food. meruughh-meowruugh-rruughh

I could also describe most men sounding like a recording of mentally handicapped person with a mouth full of Novocain, making an impression of a goose, played in reverse.

A linguistic sample, recorded off the radio.


I Hate Vietnam's Traffic and Pedestrian Woes
There are over 1.5 million motorcycles in Hanoi owned by city dwellers, plus over 400,000 motorcycles from outside the city?increasing at a rate of 14% each year. That's a f**king lot of motorcycles, as evident by the hazardous conditions for pedestrians.

Every sidewalk is packed to the brim with vendors and households doubling their street-level floor as a business. This means that pedestrians are forced to walk in the street. The feeling of wind that rushes past you as you're nearly clipped by a speeding motorbike or auto is at all times constant.

There are few crosswalks in a city that actually really needs them. Even when present, it only mitigates the risk of getting struck on the street by a vehicle slightly, as you'll never get a green walk signal without vehicles turning right onto an adjoining street, or left from a green left-turn light.

The process of crossing a street saturated with traffic and no traffic control is simply to take the "Indiana Jones jump from the Lion's Head Leap of Faith" approach. Think of the traffic like a raging river, and you as a slowly moving stone?the traffic will part, so long as you don't stop or run.

Posted Image This process scares the living daylights of Tatiana, who fears for the safety of the child in her belly every time she ventures outside the hotel. Going anywhere is a major ordeal, as the thought of being struck by an errant motorbike and the subsequent consequences on our unborn son would be devastating. I always hold her hand and stand between her and the direction of the oncoming traffic?the padded human shield technique. I can't blame her, but she still has the habit of wanting to stop when it looks like she's about to get hit, which is the wrong thing to do. That's going to get us all killed. Do not stop. Do not run. Those are the rules. You must let go of your fear like you're about to jump out of an airplane, and trust that all will be well.

I filmed a quick video of what the streets look like all day long, and what you've just got to cautiously walk into, here: http://www.youtube.c...h?v=2BDekHnNxZ4


I Hate Vietnam's Visa Price
I hate how much it costs to enter this country, and how much of a pain in the #### it is to do it economically.


I Hate Vietnam's Skinny Buildings
Posted Image Climbing countless flights of stairs because the Vietnamese like to build their hotels at the width of a single room pisses me off. I've had to pass on quality rooms because they're on the eighth floor and a near seven-month pregnant Tatiana can't walk past the third floor without getting winded.


I Hate the way the Vietnamese Obstruct Storefronts
Posted Image The cultural habit of parking motorbikes in such a way that every square centimeter of space in front of a store or restaurant I want to enter drives me nuts. The lack of thinking and courtesy towards others that is embodied on the roads manifests itself in parking protocol: Push and shove your way into any available open space and claim success.

I realize there's no space for anyone or anything in this unholy place of traffic misery, but not everyone is a 43-kilo twig-shaped-ninja that can maneuver through these things?just look to Tatiana's massive belly to understand how it prohibits her movement here.


I Hate Vietnam's Mutant Lobsters
Posted Image I knew better than to believe I'd actually get something resembling lobster for US$3, but we were in the middle of the Gulf of Tokin, and seafood was the most prevalent item on the menu. Just maybe I'll come out Aces, I thought.

What was tossed on my plate was one of the most visually revolting animals I've ever seen. These sweet and sour covered mutants of the sea looked like the evil offspring of a prawn and lobster. I didn't dare look as Tatiana extracted what little meat was actually contained within their hideous exoskeletons.

A quick video of my disappointment can be found at http://www.youtube.c...h?v=Yx55ZgUEKRc


I Hate Vietnam's Chairs, Cockroaches, and Cholera
I know the people are small, but why am I so often forced to eat while sitting on a stool designed for a four-year-old?

Cockroaches on the street. Cockroaches in my transport. Cockroaches found cooked in my food. Just plain foul. It's no wonder this country still has cholera issues:

HANOI (Reuters) - A cholera outbreak in northern Vietnam has affected more than 200 people.

The ruling Communist Party's daily Nhan Dan (People) quoted Health Minister Nguyen Quoc Trieu as saying over 1,600 people have suffered vomiting acute diarrhea, 202 of whom tested positive for cholera bacteria since Oct. 23. The reports did not say whether anyone had died in an epidemic of acute diarrhea in 13 provinces and cities out of 64 in Vietnam, where the last widespread cholera outbreak was in 2004.


I Hate How the Pith Helmet is so Popular
Posted Image Pith helmets are as prevalent in Vietnam as baseball caps in the United States. Men and boys of all ages wear them regularly, and the sight of it creeps the hell out of me. It feels like I'm behind enemy lines, surrounded by NVA (North Vietnamese Army)?and given my attitude these days, I probably wouldn't mind pickin' a few of the aggressive ones off with a rifle, just to watch the communist relic of a bygone war drop to the ground.


I Hate Vietnam's Taxi Drivers
I'm not an idiot with taxis. My doors are always locked, my guard is always up, and I'm constantly monitoring where we're going?making a little map in my head or ensuring that the driver is generally following a path that I've memorized by looking at the layout of the city ahead of time. When people don't pay attention, they get cheated, robbed, or worse. Taxi drivers are, the world round, the scum of the Earth. Way below that of lawyers.

In Vietnam, it's really to the point where we consistently expect the worst out of every taxi ride. This is a country known for rigged meters (that count faster than they should) and shady drivers. Hell, the people try everything they can to screw you over on the streets, so there's no reason to think they won't do it in a cab.

I recall how one taxi driver took us for an excessive 8 minute/two kilometer ride around a popular lake in the Old Quarter instead of driving directly to our destination. I called him out on it halfway around, and watched him try to claim that the flow of traffic didn't allow for it (when I knew there were several opportunities for him to do so). Others would drive around and pretend to not know where they were going (or they were really just that stupid); while two others absolutely refused to stop the cab when we no longer wanted to deal with idiotic behavior.

When we knew the fair should be about 18,000 dong and the meter, and at our destination it said 25,000d, 48,000d, or 55,000d, we'd refuse to pay the full fair. One three or more occasions Tatiana and I threw a 20,000d note at a driver and walked away. One wouldn't accept it and came chasing after us on foot, only to walk away with it after losing face.

We tried calling both expensive inexpensive cab companies to pick us up versus flagging them down on the street, but it yielded the same mixed results. There's absolutely no consistently to the companies or their drivers. The best policy is to just not put up with their ###### and pay what you think is fair, regardless of what that little (rigged) box says on the dashboard.


I Hate Vietnam's Food Hype
The best Vietnamese food I ever had wasn't in Vietnam. That goes doubly true with Tatiana, as well.

I find the spectrum of options and flavors within those options to be much narrower most places in SE Asia. To put it bluntly, the food is quite bland and uninspiring.

I know the South is "very different" to the North, where the motto is "if in doubt, boil it to within an inch of its life," but I have a hard time believing it gets much better elsewhere in the country.

It's very easy for me to eat three Thai meals every day for a month, but it's something I would cringe at the thought of doing in Vietnam?there's way too much repetition.


I Hate the Cultural Insensitivity of the Vietnamese People
There is a real culture clash happening with travelers and locals in this country. Tatiana expresses to me how much she loathes it when people touch her?a sentiment that I share. She understands that it's a part of their culture to grab arms or elbows on the street to try to get someone do buy something or do an action, but it's a line that she doesn't like to be crossed.

"I understand why they do it, it's a part of their culture, but why can't they understand that it's offensive in mine to do it?"

I personally won't tolerate it from beggars and pith helmet wearing men on the street, regardless. I aggressively clapped my hands a few centimeters away one man's face to illustrate such a point?instead of slapping him, like Tatiana did one night on a separate incident.

Tatiana also hates how shop staff will follow you around so close "that you can feel their breath on your neck."


I Hate the Vietnamese Inability to Communicate, and Intelligently Anticipate or Extrapolate a Need
I already mentioned this in a previous post, but not since Brazil have I encountered such difficultly communicating with people. I'm chiefly blaming it on their inability to comprehend hand gestures?as the Vietnamese don't often speak with their hands?and a general lack of intelligence. Yeah, that's right, Tatiana and I think most of the people are genuinely below average in the mental faculty department. "Many are nice, but they're dumb as rocks", Tatiana would say.

Two examples to illustrate our frustration:

Posted Image The first is my unsuccessful attempt to find one of the most ancient of devices in a region of the world they should be plentiful in: A mortar and pestle?a tool used to crush, grind, and mix substances. I want to begin grinding Tatiana's prenatal vitamins that she can't stand swallow, instead of watching her cut it up with scissors and letting it dissolve in juice or yogurt. They're so common, even IKEA makes 'em.

Wikipedia says that this device has existed for over three millennia, and in terms of medical use, that "mortars and pestles [have] traditionally used in pharmacies to crush various ingredients prior to preparing a makeshift prescription. The mortar and pestle is the most common icon associated with pharmacies. For pharmaceutical use, the mortar and the head of the pestle are usually made of porcelain, while the handle of the pestle is made of wood."

Honest to God, I lost count with the number of pharmacies and supermarkets explored for this item. I even asked the tourist information center on a visit to the Old Quarter, where I was directed to the location of a nonexistent supermarket she marked on the map handed me.

At all these pharmacies I was making an effective demonstration of what I wanted. I used words like "pill," "tablet," "medicine," and "powder." I made a cup with one hand, fist with the other, and made a grinding motion. I looked up the word "grind" in an English/Vietnamese dictionary and showed it to staff members, who still didn't quite understand.

On the final attempt, one pharmacist listened to my demonstration, thought about it, and then proceeded to point to her armpit with raised eyebrows? (sigh)

The second example is of an attempt to alleviate Tatiana's itchy, pregnant belly. We went from pharmacy to pharmacy, trying to find her a cream/ointment. At one particularly memorable location, she was working hard to communicate her need. She'd written down the name of the topical cream?Caladryl. It's spelled the same everywhere, but just in case, she also used a more generic name, hydrocortisone.

The staff is baffled, so Tatiana makes itching/scratching motions across her large, third-trimester belly. The girl says, "You have baby?", and Tatiana responds affirmatively, thinking she's got it. And in a move of sheer brilliance that can only have come out of Vietnam, the girl hands her a box of? birth control pills.


Final Thoughts on the Country I Love to Hate
I came into Vietnam much like I do with all countries?with an open mind and curious attitude. The opinions I've expressed above are a direct result of the experiences that I've had from the people and living conditions of the country. It's amazing to see such great displeasure aggregated in this fashion, but readers should also know that there were some instances where Vietnam pleased greatly?though few a far between.

I was absolutely dumbstruck when a street vendor I was regularly purchasing food from in Hanoi gave me a fist full of cash after I approached one day. They husband and wife combo said they'd accidentally charged me too much when I was there two days prior, and were returning the excess. Amazed, I promptly used it to purchase more foodstuffs from them.

I was pleased to find better room deals in Hanoi than Bangkok. You've really got to work hard to find them, but when you do, you're liable to be getting WiFi, a mini-fridge, bathroom, hot water, large bed(s), satellite television, and air conditioning for US$7-13/night.

Posted Image Forgotten pillbox [video]

I still think it's absolutely fascinating to be able to freely walk around the capital city of a country with whom such a fierce war was waged against not that long ago. I'm an American in Hanoi?amazing.

I really dig the little meat barbecue/frying outfits you can sometimes find setup on sidewalks. During the day a corner of sidewalk might be empty, but at night it's bustling with the sounds of cooking food. Tasty stuff.

Posted Image In good company

And easily one of the best experiences in Vietnam came with meeting up with my friend Aaron's former girlfriend. She's a sweet, intelligent, well-spoken woman (not to mention an established international writer/journalist) that can sometimes be found in her hometown of Hanoi when she's not in the United States or Thailand. Tatiana and I had the pleasure of her company for an evening, where she hosted us for an excessively filling meal. She understands all too well the issues articulated above, and has a way about her that almost makes you forgive and forget?almost.

I can't say as I'd ever recommend a visit to this country to anyone, but for the curious, there's nothing like experiencing it for yourself. I couldn't hope to write down all the stories and countless occasions where we felt like knocking some sense into people. So go ahead; go to Vietnam for two or three weeks, and return home with enough horror stories to choke a small horse.

http://travelogue.tr...o-hate-vietnam/

Edited by Mr. Saigon, 30 June 2010 - 05:11 AM.

Teacher MarkMaleVietnam (no flag)2010-06-30 05:09:00
VietnamJobs in VN``
Everything you need to know is here: http://forums.eslcaf...wforum.php?f=14
Teacher MarkMaleVietnam (no flag)2010-07-10 05:57:00
VietnamVietnam visa for American spouse

Howdy,

Now that we are married, I was wondering if I can get a longer term visa than the 3 month tourist visa I have been getting for my visits. I vaguely remember hearing about a 6 month or 1 year visa being available for spouses. Is this true? I am not Viet-Kieu, so maybe its not available to me?

Thank you


You are eligible, but still have to get a stamp every 3 months. I guess if you were flying in you would just pay the $10 at the aiport. If you're in country here's what you do:

This method only applies to those of you that have a 5 year visa exemption certificate (married to a Viet).
Step 1: Go to this website http://xnc.congan.co...7891982088/view and download the form

Step 2: You have 2 options, either have your employer be the guarentor or your wife. If your employer then they will need to stamp and sign it and you will have to have a copy of your work permit. If your wife then you must go to your wards police station with your resident book and wife and get them to stamp the form. You will also need a copy of your marriage certificate

Step 3: Go to the immigration office at 161 Nguyen Du (at CMT8). Bring passport, the completed form and either copy of work permit or marriage certificate.

Step 4: Come back in about 7 days, pay $10 and get your passport with another 3 months stamped in it.

http://forums.eslcaf...pic.php?t=82382
Teacher MarkMaleVietnam (no flag)2010-07-11 02:39:00
VietnamOptions for those who do not get approved for Vietnam cases

I don't think moving to another country is viable. Sure, in theory you could move to a different country, but I've never seen it done. It's easier for the USC to move to VN, than to go through the logictics of both people moving to a different county. If you just had to be together, moving to VN is the only real option.


Vietnam is not the only option, though it would certainly be the easiest. It depends on the individuals, what they do for a living, how much money they have, etc. A Vietnamese national can enter any of the ASEAN member nations for 14 to 30 days without a visa. Once there you'd just have to get temporary residence or a visa. If you had a job already it shouldn't be a problem.

I don't think I'd live in Thailand. There's just too much political uncertainty.

Edited by Mr. Saigon, 25 July 2010 - 06:53 AM.

Teacher MarkMaleVietnam (no flag)2010-07-25 06:52:00
VietnamMy Vietnamese girlfriend and me need help

Well, that's the first time I've heard it. Of course, this just means that the US part of the mental exam CANNOT and SHOULD NOT be skipped. Hopefully the OP reads this.


Another way to find out would be to have the fiancee call or go to the local authorities and ask them. If she's in HCMC they're located at 141-43 Pastuer. Here's a link to their site.

http://www.sotuphap.....vn/web/tintuc/

Edited by Mr. Saigon, 05 August 2010 - 02:10 PM.

Teacher MarkMaleVietnam (no flag)2010-08-05 14:09:00