Suppobill
American looking for information about Vietnam
Forum posts
85
About me
American
Speaks English
Registration: 04 December 2019
Roofing company in HCMC
Can anyone recommend a good roofer in HCMC? Looking to reframe and install a new metal roof on a home in Dist 9. Read More
Sending presents from the US
Is there a consensus on the best method for mailing gifts from the US to Vietnam? I want to send a necklace and earrings valued at about $300 USD. Concerned about it disappearing along the way. Read More
Hang Gliding in Vietnam?
I haven't been able to find any information about hang gliding in Vietnam, although paragliding seems to exist in some of the tourist areas. Is it illegal or am I simply the only one stupid enough to try? I'm pretty sure I could get a kite ... Read More
Please take this seven question English quiz for me by SteinNebraska
My wife's daughter was doing an online quiz for her Vietnamese school English class. She had some questions that she was unsure of and I helped her with some answers. After the quiz she got 70% right. After the quiz it shows the questions ...
Although your bio does not explicitly say so, I suspect that as you were born in 1976 and you speak Vietnamese that you are a second generation American who learned Vietnamese at home and English in grade school. I used to have a full lesson ... Read More
Documentarily Approved by SteinNebraska
My wife and daughter have been Documentarily Approved (yes, that's apparently a word) for their immigration visas to the US as of today! It's been a long year of paperwork and applications. We still need to wait for the consulate to open ...
Fantastic news! I hope they'll be ready for winter in Nebraska! Read More
Need Job To Acquire Work Visa? by Muvvv
Hi guys! I'm moving to Vietnam in 2 weeks to work as a teacher. It looks like I'll need a work visa, but I can't get one unless I already have an employer. Is it possible to arrive, begin working, and have your employer write a letter ...
This link would have been very useful given the description but it is deadYou realize that post is two years old, right? Read More
This is just a really fun article to read
Sometimes you just need a quiet room and a nice glass of wine. Read More
When will international flights resume? by salieri60
Hi, my wife and kid are stuck in VN, waiting for international flights to resume. Does the government give any info on when they envisage to resume international flights? As far as I understand, you can only fly to Korea and Japan at present. Any ...
We were busy every day of the trip. For me, I had a lot of time for retrospection, for studying two new languages (Catalan and Burmese), for catching up with my digital stack of ebooks, and for learning a new cuisine (Burmese, practiced daily under ... Read More
When will international flights resume? by salieri60
Hi, my wife and kid are stuck in VN, waiting for international flights to resume. Does the government give any info on when they envisage to resume international flights? As far as I understand, you can only fly to Korea and Japan at present. Any ...
Many container ships accept one or two paying passengers to defray expenses. In 2005, my husband and I travelled on a freighter from Bilbao (the ship's port of origin was Hamburg) to Valparaiso and back. We were the only two passengers on that ... Read More
Anyone use VPN?
Does anyone use a VPN? I would like to still be able to access online streaming for movies, TV, and music. Read More
DAILY LIFE IN VIETNAM DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC 2020-2021 by goodolboy
Day 4 self imposed isolation in apartment :- Today the lock down seems to be taking effect Q 12 Tan Thoi Nhat . All big coffee shops, BBQ etc now closed, Some small coffee shops & street eating places still open. Most Supermarkets & street ...
My apologies, I thought your rant about not following the stay at home rules was being flaunted by the people in your photos.No no mate, the rantings are over now, moat of them rants were aimed at people just blatently breaking the what I thought ... Read More
Buses and Taxis all shut down in HCMC by hyagly256
Unbelievable. First, a week ago, they cut half the bus lines and the ones that remained were ordered to run with much longer intervals, like one hour between buses. Operating hours were also shortened. Passengers had to "social distance" ...
15 miles to the store and back??? Read More
Is the vietnamcupid dating site legit by HenryJo
I joined yesterday. Today, found my inbox swamped with messages 'from girls'. Have a slight suspicion that not all the messages may be legit. Perhaps, to temp me in to signing-up for the paid subscriptions? Can anyone using the paid ...
You still go out and meet them, it just reduces the amount of shoe leather wasted in the search. Read More
Is the vietnamcupid dating site legit by HenryJo
I joined yesterday. Today, found my inbox swamped with messages 'from girls'. Have a slight suspicion that not all the messages may be legit. Perhaps, to temp me in to signing-up for the paid subscriptions? Can anyone using the paid ...
So true & so easy to meet people for sure especially available ladies & sometimes not theoretically free & available, but some people dont have the confidence to do that remember.Not so easy when youte working full time and your time in ... Read More
Is the vietnamcupid dating site legit by HenryJo
I joined yesterday. Today, found my inbox swamped with messages 'from girls'. Have a slight suspicion that not all the messages may be legit. Perhaps, to temp me in to signing-up for the paid subscriptions? Can anyone using the paid ...
Criticizing a dating app is absurd. It's there to make the introduction, nothing more. YOUR job at that point is to separate the wheat from the chaff. If you're upset that things didn't go right, the problem is likely staring back at you ... Read More
Living with mental illness in Saigon, Vietnam by spunkyfunk42
Hello- I was wondering what you guys' experience was with getting accommodations and medication for severe mental illness in Vietnam. I have Bipolar disorder and am looking to move to Vietnam as an English teacher this upcoming school year. I am ...
First, find a different doctor. Mine has no problem writing 12 month prescriptions for "maintenance" medications that he knows I need. Your insurance company may balk at paying for them, though. Second, NEVER divulge any information about ... Read More
sign of the times, by goodolboy
https://e.vnexpress.net/news/news/us-aircraft-carrier-visits-vietnam-second-in-two-years-4064565.html
The motives are to counter Chinese influence in Asia. The US has already lost a fair amount in Korea, Japan, and the Philippines. The battle right now is over access to Asian ports for supply ships, and shipyard availability. For example, a US ship ... Read More
Skydiving in Vietnam by Suppobill
I spent some time searching for skydiving in Vietnam, but it doesn't seem to exist. Does anyone know why?
I was thinking more as an adventure business. Could probably do pretty well with the Russian tourists in Nha Trang. Read More
sign of the times, by goodolboy
https://e.vnexpress.net/news/news/us-aircraft-carrier-visits-vietnam-second-in-two-years-4064565.html
If you were off Tunisia in '86, that would have been the America, Saratoga, or Coral Sea. All three were in that exercise. The last battleship engagement was a few years later, in '92. USS Missouri provided fire support for the the Gulf ... Read More
sign of the times, by goodolboy
https://e.vnexpress.net/news/news/us-aircraft-carrier-visits-vietnam-second-in-two-years-4064565.html
Seems an odd time to visit, makes you wonder about whether the virus is actually worth worrying about.You'd be amazed at the amount of time and effort goes into a port visit like this. This is a serious foreign policy exercise for the US. ... Read More
sign of the times, by goodolboy
https://e.vnexpress.net/news/news/us-aircraft-carrier-visits-vietnam-second-in-two-years-4064565.html
I'm a Plankowner on the USS Bunker Hill 馃檪 She's getting OLD! Read More
Skydiving in Vietnam
I spent some time searching for skydiving in Vietnam, but it doesn't seem to exist. Does anyone know why? Read More
The Mysterious Case of the Missing Ducks by GuestPoster288
After some gentle persuasion and two years of risking permanent brain damage as a result of banging my head on a brick wall, I finally got my father-in-law to change his approach to growing rice by moving away from chemical sprays to using a flock ...
Sherlock goes to Vietnam! Absolutely loved this story! My interest is piqued now! What is the advantage of ducks over chemicals? Is it in place of insecticide or maybe an alternative to fertilizer? If he's getting good money from selling ducks, ... Read More
Concertina by bangkokjoe
I am looking to buy a concertina here in VN or a near by country. Can anybody help? Additionally, anybody here who can teach me? Thanks. Joe
The Concertina??? Are you going to war with the local Karoke bar? Read More
Vietnam is Heaven? by vndreamer
How many times have you heard it from the locals "VN is heaven". So one has to ...
Can't tell you how many times I tried to explain that you can't really live in the US on a $2600 SS check. Read More
Is the vietnamcupid dating site legit by HenryJo
I joined yesterday. Today, found my inbox swamped with messages 'from girls'. Have a slight suspicion that not all the messages may be legit. Perhaps, to temp me in to signing-up for the paid subscriptions? Can anyone using the paid ...
I reported the ones asking for money and was contacted almost immediately by VC asking me to send screenshots of the Viber chats. They were all banned from VC. There do seem to be some bots at work though. They're pretty easy to spot. If you ... Read More
Is the vietnamcupid dating site legit by HenryJo
I joined yesterday. Today, found my inbox swamped with messages 'from girls'. Have a slight suspicion that not all the messages may be legit. Perhaps, to temp me in to signing-up for the paid subscriptions? Can anyone using the paid ...
I found my gf on VNC. We chatted on the site three or four times before switching to Viber and video chat. That's how you find out if the profile pics are BS, how much English they ACTUALLY speak, and generally get to know each other. When I ... Read More
A waste of expertise ? by GuestPoster288
I appreciate that some members on here consider that anyone over 50 should be embalmed, tied to a stake and burned or buried at sea but it occurs to me that also within the group of ex-pats there is a wealth of experience and expertise that far ...
Lots of x USA military stuff kicking about, trucks (in various states of modification), jeeps etc & some old French stuff I have seen. Nothing sort of exotic though I suppose.I spotted a Lambo in Hanoi yesterday with some young punk behind the ... Read More
A Hunt For Lost Treasure by GuestPoster288
Some years ago a geologist and his team were hired by an Anglo/USA investment group to look for possible Oil deposits in an area South of the Valley of the Kings alongside the Nile. After several weeks of surveying their equipment detected an ...
On a somewhat related note, was sad to hear Clive Cussler died on the 24th. Read More
Vietnamese and Selfies by Jlgarbutt
I'm not going to complain, as I see many beautiful Vietnamese women pose for photos, and by beautiful... They are stunning. But what is the fascination of going out dressed up - some have friends in hand to do make up today at Landmark... Just ...
It's not just the Vietnamese, my friend. I've seen Japanese, Korean, Chinese, and Filipinas do the same thing. I've seen them bring LUGGAGE to a hotel pool so they can take pictures in different outfits and makeup. It's crazy, but ... Read More
Cost of Living in Vietnam in 2020 by Lo茂c
Hi everyone, Every year, we invite expats who are living in Vietnam to share their experience and tell us more about the average price of products and services in their town, city or area, so that we can help future expats planning to settle in ...
Where are you living in the Highlands? I really liked Mang Den, but there are FAR too many westerners in Hoi An for me. Read More
Coronavirus - forced fever check by condo admin by Jurassic
Hello, all, Sorry to make my first post an unpleasant one. I received this email today from the apartment property management company (HCMC D2) and I am shocked and more than a little worried about potential for Kafkaesque insanity. Has anyone ...
When I'm looking for the truth, I damn sure don't go to the New York Post to find it!. https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/new-york-post/ Read More
Coronavirus - forced fever check by condo admin by Jurassic
Hello, all, Sorry to make my first post an unpleasant one. I received this email today from the apartment property management company (HCMC D2) and I am shocked and more than a little worried about potential for Kafkaesque insanity. Has anyone ...
First, who is "they"? Second, every reputable expert on biological weapons says this is BS. Read More
Unable or unwilling to make simple decisions? by Suppobill
I'm into a two week trip now with my VN gf, and am increasingly frustrated by her inability to make a decision when it comes to finding a restaurant or cafe. She says "you choose", but when we tried that, I took us once to a home that ...
It's *possible* that in her mind, the question you are considering makes no sense. *In my experience*, a couple of things many Vietnamese women *seem* to have in common is a general need (cultural 'obligation'?) to take care of the ... Read More
Unable or unwilling to make simple decisions? by Suppobill
I'm into a two week trip now with my VN gf, and am increasingly frustrated by her inability to make a decision when it comes to finding a restaurant or cafe. She says "you choose", but when we tried that, I took us once to a home that ...
It's not about deferring the decision or just about restaurants. It's ALL minor things. Another example is when I stopped the motorbike to get a bug out of my helmet, a little boy was waving at us from across the street. I asked her to ask ... Read More
Unable or unwilling to make simple decisions?
I'm into a two week trip now with my VN gf, and am increasingly frustrated by her inability to make a decision when it comes to finding a restaurant or cafe. She says "you choose", but when we tried that, I took us once to a home that ... Read More
Relationship with Vietnamese girl by vic50
I need some advice here. I have been in this relationship now for 4 months and there are some worrying signs. As a foriegner ( we are perceived to be rich here ) . I thought by moving here eventually I would save money. So far it's has cost me ...
I'll second what everyone else says. Just pull the plug and walk away. Read More
Mattress sucks by yamcha
All the mattresses I've used here suck and are hard. I bought an all natural latex queen size Kymdan for 40 mil and it sucks too. People said it's the best sleeping experience you can get but I find it as hard as a rock but still better ...
The problem in Asia is not so much the mattress, but rather the missing box spring. Put your western mattress in the floor, and you'll get the same experience. As for bad backs in the West, that's due more to being overweight and having ... Read More
Coronavirus - forced fever check by condo admin by Jurassic
Hello, all, Sorry to make my first post an unpleasant one. I received this email today from the apartment property management company (HCMC D2) and I am shocked and more than a little worried about potential for Kafkaesque insanity. Has anyone ...
I'm currently in Dist 2 and they check my temperature every time I walk in the building. It's just an infrared device they point at my forehead. 5 to 10 seconds, tops. I'm also a survivor of SARS back in 2003. My temperature was checked ... Read More
Board games - D1 / D2 by Jlgarbutt
Afternoon all, I have recently arrived in HCM and read before many posta about groups that meet to play board games and also exchange language skills. Not too fussed about the langyage side, though more than happy to help anyone with english (Im ...
Any chance we can meet up today or tomorrow night? I'm in Masteri An Phu, but leaving for Hanoi on Sat. At least for a beer? Read More
China Halts all International Group Tours. by GuestPoster1236
As of today , Monday 27/1/20 Beijing has halted all International tour groups. Decision is indefinite until this vIrus is contained. Who knows how long that could take Since the bulk of tourists to Vietnam ,Thailand etc ...are in these zero ...
While any deaths are tragic, I think it's important to keep perspective on this. A virus that can spread worldwide this quickly is substantially more devastating than 22 people killed in traffic accidents in a single country. Read More
Navigating HCMC airport
Looking for some advice on clearing customs and immigration at the airport: I applied for a "Visa on Arrival", but have no idea what to expect when I get there. I'm beginning to have visions of standing there alone, with absolutely no ... Read More
Expensive TET by GuestPoster697
This is a good article about the escalating cost of TET lucky money and gifts. We have budgeted 20 million Dong for this year. People simply expect extremely much from their relatives who live abroad or who are married to foreigners. As described in ...
Is there a custom in VN for the amount and numbers of bills given in red envelopes? Like using multiples of the lucky number 8 in China? Read More
Expensive TET by GuestPoster697
This is a good article about the escalating cost of TET lucky money and gifts. We have budgeted 20 million Dong for this year. People simply expect extremely much from their relatives who live abroad or who are married to foreigners. As described in ...
Sounds to me like there is a generation of spoiled children, now having spoiled children of their own. If a child did that to me, I would explain that the behavior was rude, it is why he would never get another envelope from me again, and caution ... Read More
How to check motorbike brake pads and disk wear by sanooku
Does anyone know how to check motorbike pad and disc wear? I have a Yamaha Nouvo. Had a look at the front wheel but I can't seem to see the pads at all. Perhaps it鈥檚 well covered up for good reason (keep water, grime, dust away from pads ...
Here's a YouTube link for you explaining the front and rear brakes on the Nouvo. If this looks too daunting, then just take it to a shop. https://youtu.be/SPB9mujBeyoThanks. It seems we cannot see the wear unless we remove the unit and ... Read More
How to check motorbike brake pads and disk wear by sanooku
Does anyone know how to check motorbike pad and disc wear? I have a Yamaha Nouvo. Had a look at the front wheel but I can't seem to see the pads at all. Perhaps it鈥檚 well covered up for good reason (keep water, grime, dust away from pads ...
Had another closer look. from back: https://www.dropbox.com/s/6o78kgeoynp8mid/Yamaha-nouvo-front-brake-from-back-IMG_20200114_155810.jpg?raw=1 from front: ... Read More
Downside of Expat life?
I'm sure this has been covered before, but I couldn't find any threads. What are the downsides to Expat life in VN? I don't have any family to miss in the US and I wouldn't have to work in VN for my income. As a result, I could ... Read More
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 ...
Hi, My name is Bill and I'm considering moving to VN. I am a US merchant seaman, so I'm not concerned about work opportunities in VN. I'll be coming to HCMC in February and spend the month travelling to Hanoi to try and get the ... Read More