Joseph (Andy), American expat in Vietnam

Joseph (Andy)

@saigonmonkey

Serial expat

American expat in Vietnam

Forum posts

728

Contacts

American

Lives in Ho Chi Minh City

Speaks English, Vietnamese (very limited)

Registration: 18 February 2011

About Activity

I'm from North Carolina, and am a furniture manufacturing professional with 30+ years in the business. Presently work for an American company which contracts with factories here in Binh Duong and Dong Nai provinces, and ships the product to our customers in the US. Have been living in HCMC for more than 7 years. I may be of assistance to some who need general information about living and getting around Saigon. Lived in An Phu for first year, but now live in Phu My Hung, so am familiar with the major ex-pat living areas. I'm married to a wonderful Chinese lady from Chengdu, Sichuan province. We are always looking for Western/Chinese couples like us to share experiences here, but are happy to be friendly with anyone. My wife has several Vietnamese girlfriends as well, but they have to communicate in English because we haven't learned much Vietnamese.

Interests: american sports, cycling (road bike),

Since Jan 2008

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Furniture industry professional - work for American company sourcing and producing hardline casegoods in Vietnam and Indonesia, and import from those countries to USA
Warm weather year-round. Large ex-pat community with many ex-pats who speak English to have as friends. Large percentage of Vietnamese who can speak English. Local Vietnamese very friendly.
Terrible infrastructure, but they are slowly making efforts to improve. Everything moves very slowly here. I spend 2-1/2 to 3 hours in a car every day.

Aug 2007 - Jan 2008

Guangdong, China

Furniture industry professional - worked for American company sourcing product in China and importing to USA.
Constantly improving infrastructure made it relatively easy and quick to get to work every day.
Terrible air pollution. Adversely affected my health. No heat in any building in winter. Was lucky I had heat in my apartment. Most people don't.

Jul 2006 - Aug 2007

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Furniture industry professional - worked for American company providing quality control services for American customers sourcing and producing product in Vietnam and importing to USA.
The same things I like about it now.
Same as now. But it was even worse 4 years ago.

Jun 2005 - Jul 2006

Guangdong, China

Furniture industry professional - worked for American company providing quality control services for American customers sourcing and producing product in China and importing to USA.
At that time, there wasn't that much to like, but my job was a tremendous opportunity and I was grateful to have it, so I didn't mind.
Terrible air pollution. Adversely affected my health. No heat in any building in winter. Was lucky I had heat in my apartment. Most people don't.

Jan 1985 - Jun 2005

North Carolina, USA

Began my working career in 1985. Was born many years earlier. :-)
Furniture industry professonal - managed high-volume manufacturing factories most of my career, until my workers' jobs (and eventually mine) were outsourced to Asia.
It's my homeland and still the greatest country in the world.
What's not to like?, except there's not too many jobs left there in my field of expertise anymore.