Sentiment Towards Expats in Vietnam

By 7 commentsVietnam

I posted this on Facebook and Google+ but decided that I should add it to my blog as well.

Below is a common sentiment going around Vietnam now in regards to the current group of Expats, many newcomers (1-2 years here) who live in Vietnam.  Many longtime Expats and Vietnamese would agree with this sentiment as well.

I understand that Vietnam can be a challenging country to live in. I understand that the culture can take awhile to get used to. What I do not understand is the constant whimpering, whining, ridiculing of the Vietnamese, and blaming others, particularly the Vietnamese, for your own personal problems.

I have friends who have left Vietnam but still like it here. They all plan to return when the economic environment improves. I can understand that. What I do not understand is why the whiners are still here in Vietnam.

Please do all of us a favor and choose another country to fail in. Vietnam’s needs winners, not losers like you so “Get out!”

Comments are welcome.

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7 comments on “Sentiment Towards Expats in Vietnam”

  1. davjon

    Hi Kevin,

    As you know, my wife and I were living in HCMC, Vietnam for over 1 1/2 years. (2009/mid-2010) We really enjoyed living there. We thought it was very easy to learn and understand the culture. We were always welcomed with open arms where every we went. We often ate and drank at Vietnamese restaurants and at the street restaurants. No English menus and no pictures on the menu was the norm. We never had a problem and always had great food. If my company sent us back I would jump on it in a minute! We only had a few “western” bars and restaurants we would frequently visit so we never heard many negative comments about the country or it’s people. I honestly can not think of anything negative to say about the culture or the people.

    Dave

  2. fozebear

    I wish I worked for a company that would pay for my wife, family, and me to live and work in Saigon! It must be nice, Dave!

  3. RiinaKoch

    so true! there has been a rise in whining expats, especially a young crowd, that have been ranting about Vietnam and Vietnamese – but don’t leave. or didn’t I hear it in the beginning? I have recently left Saigon (now living in Vienna, Austria) after more than 3 years but it was a rational, not heartfelt decision. I only had a local hire contract lacking a maternity package and maternity leave. being pregnant didn’t allow me to neglect this insecurity concerning my situation since my partner was neither having a contract with all benefits and allowances. it’s not even 2 months that we’ve left now but we dearly miss the sounds, tastes, smells and faces of Saigon. and it’s sad to know that some of those whiners are sitting on big expat allowance packages 😉

    P.S.: sad to hear you are closing down your blog! I have been following since my arrival in Vietnam. you say the new format is going to be a more professional – I actually liked the “personal” touch of saigonnezumi! it was a nice mixture of life in Saigon, personal and professional stuff… but anyway, I will keep snooping around in your blog as I can’t let go of Saigon 🙂

    • kevmille

      @RiinaKoch Thanks for your comments. I still meet new expats that love it here and understand that Vietnam is another culture. It is not all bad. 🙂 I hear you about leaving Vietnam due to benefits. Luckily health care, if it is not major, is affordable here.

      I was considering leaving myself but you know, when I am gone just a week, I miss it. 🙂 Hence I will probably stay.

      By the way, I will archive SaigonNezumi.com but the site is actually just changing from a blog format to a news and information format. It will be my site pre-2009 when I was more unbiased about what I wrote. Personal blogging is not popular anymore and I plan to open another company so I need to be more professional. The new format will be more exciting and allow other contributors as well. I think it will be easier to update as well.

      I just have to figure out how to add another software without losing my old content. 🙂

      Thanks for being a loyal reader. If you were in Saigon, you would get a complimentary cafe sua da from SaigonNezumi.com. 🙂 I hope your pregnancy goes well. The Year of the Dragon is a great year to have a baby according to Vietnamese.

      Kevin

      • RiinaKoch

        @kevmille thanks, kevin, for your words! yes, the year of the dragon… guess what: my partner and myself are both (fire) dragons, and now we are expecting a (water) dragon baby. we must be a very blessed family 🙂

        re healthcare: it is cheap in Vietnam… and I was working for an “international hospital” but still, if things would have gone wrong, the baby and I wouldn’t have been covered. my pregnancy is going fine (from my point of view) – but due to age it seems I am actually a risk pregnancy. feels better to be 100% covered with a good public health care system.

        and one day I will be back in Saigon claiming my ca phe sua da (in case you’ll be still around) 🙂 take care!

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