Do you work five days a week or something? How
does that work? They were the Enemy way back then and the propaganda stayed with me all that time.
What makes his place so interesting for an expat? For several weeks we've been exploring Vietnam.
Talking to a lot of interesting people. And in this episode, I'd like to show you three different
interviews with three different foreigners who are living in Vietnam. Or like to live in Vietnam
and talk about their experiences in Vietnam to educate you. But most of all to entertain. I
arrived first time in September and I've been in and out every month since because of the
30-day Visa. We were interviewing actually in this episode only foreign people that are living
in Vietnam. You're always on a tourist visa but, you gave me the picture of that you were kind of
trying to be in Vietnam. And try to be Vietnamese in a way, as well? Yes, that's right. I don't want
to be a tourist although, that I'm not technically living here. I'm probably a halfway house
between a tourist and a resident, if you like. But I've been really blessed here because
um are being taken in by a family in town. At Nat Than Homestay. And they treat me like
family. I just eat what they eat. Do what they do. And it's been a really wonderful experience
because, most tourists have got somewhere else to be tomorrow. I don't. I don't have a plan to
end. I do have a plan to keep traveling but, if I don't do it today I can do it tomorrow. So
you're retired in Vietnam basically? Pretty much yeah. I grew up in in the Western Australia and
New Zealand and my whole attitude was about what western values were. When I came here, it
was a real culture shock. And now that I've been living here my whole world in terms of
values and views has been turned upside down. Because the Vietnamese are just lovely people.
Friendly, generous, honest. So what you say there, I've been two years in Australia as well. Also
in New Zealand a year. I see this as well in New Zealand and Australia or do I see that wrong? To
a degree I suppose. As a person who lives there, I see it perhaps different to what you would
as a tourist. Even though you're there a while. I think possibly part of it is because my
expectation of Vietnam was based on all the propaganda that goes right back to the days of
the war. You know? Because they were the enemy way back then. And the propaganda stayed with
me all that time. When I came here I found that that is just not the case. They are not like that
at all. I've never met friendlier people and more generous people. There you go. You were saying
a culture shock. What kind of culture shock are you talking about? Well I never saw anything that
remotely resembled poverty in Australia. Although there probably is some there. But here, people
are working. They're doing jobs that people in the West wouldn't do but they do them because of their
jobs to be done. And there's also things like;... Sometimes people talk about Asia being dirty.
And people throwing rubbish on the street. But when you look at it. They throw rubbish
on the street. But if you go back at night there's another world of people with another job,
going around cleaning that up. And in the morning it's pristine again. And that's just part of the
way this fabric works. Different worlds. Yeah, it's a different way of seeing things. It's what
people... They do it here, they do it every day, it's part of their life. But certainly there are
jobs that people do here that you would not find anyone doing in the west. Always on the 30-day
Visa, you were saying? Is it easy to do border runs? Or do you have problems at immigration?
Only if you don't do it right. I've had two little problems with immigration. Both my fault.
Other than that, it's a ride up into the into the mountains to the border, across the border. Have
a chat to the guys up there come back again. Same day? Same day. Usually same day. Some days I
go across to Laos and just stay there for a day or two. I leave here. It's a three-hour ride
up to the border on the bike. It's about maybe three-quarters of an hour at the border and then
three hours back. It's a pretty easy day. Nice. And the ride in the mountains is just absolutely
awesome. Do you like to live anywhere else in Vietnam now? My idea was always to travel. I've
got it so good here that it's hard to even think of moving on to see some of the south of Vietnam.
Because these people are just so good to me. But eventually that's what I want to do. So this is my
base, I want to see all around the North. And then perhaps move on and try and replicate this further
south. I don't like the tourist trail. There are too many tourists there. So you're seeing it from
a tourist world. I like the Road Less Traveled and Mai Châu is the Road Less Traveled. Just up the
road it's The Road Less travel compared to Sapa and things like that. And it's well worth seeing.
Never take what your world is for granted because, there's another world out there that is begging to
be looked at. And look at it with an open mind and it really opens your eyes. It certainly has mine.
I've been here in Vietnam almost at 12 years. Here in Danang almost one year before I was
in Hanoi. And I'm here in in Da Nang because the friendly people. The weather, the beach, the
mountain, is very nice. There are a lot of beach places here in Vietnam? Why do you choose this
city in particular? Because of my work. They give me the option to move here to Da Nang I'm a pilot,
I fly domestic flights and international flights. Do you work five days a week or something? How
does that work? Five or six days per week. And then two days off. And what do you do on the
day off when you're here in Da Nang? Here I am. At the Beach. Come to the beach and have fun and
enjoy the weather. I came here to Vietnam and my plan was only maybe two/ three years stay here in
Vietnam. Then to go back to my country. And it's already 12 years, you can imagine how I feel here.
The people are very kind The weather, the food, I feel I stay here like the I'm on vacation.
Other than Da Nang? Which place would you live? Maybe the same characteristic Na Trang. Some that
never came to Vietnam which tip would you like to give us? Here I think the most important thing is
the culture. You need to be carefully with your driving. The traffic. That's it. I think you
need to come here with a mentality "as soon as possible" No, join the culture of Vietnam.
So you meet a lot of local people here? No not so many. Not so many. More foreign people.
Is there a party scene here in Da Nang? Yes, you have a lot of places to go and have fun. Party
yes of course. How long have you been living here? Six year in November. I came here for a while, two
or three months working. And later I realized that it's a right was the right place to stay and
build business. And enjoy life. Can I ask what was your first job when you were first time?
I'm DJ. Okay. So I came from Europe to work in a Vietnamese club. And at the end I stayed and
yeah I built my community home. This is my place. I'm here now. I'm married too. Are you married
with the Vietnamese lady? Yeah. Congratulations. Thank you. How long ago? One year and something.
How is it today the Vietnamese lady is that very different? I mean, it depends which Vietnamese
lady you date. My lady is quite... how to say? Open-minded and European way to think. I mean
you need to have time. You need to take time and calm down with your emotion. Because they
are a bit... Yeah? They are more calm and chill. So what? Even if you're excited you
cannot be so...? I mean no. Your excitement needs to be balanced sometimes. Especially
Italian people. Life in Hanoi what is... What makes this place so special for you or what
makes its play so interesting for an expats? I mean the first thing is; It's safe. So you feel
safe and if you talk about work and business. You don't have that pressure that you have in Europe.
Is it easy to have a business here? Yeah quite easy. Quite easy. So I believe that ex-pat living
in Asia especially maybe in Vietnam we should give something more than just come here and live an
easy life that everyone wants to live. I mean it's a good place to develop your dreams. I don't know.
This is my dream. So for me... So what do you do exactly? This is a studio space dedicated to
music. So we have a recording studio on the first floor. A mini club is the tiniest Club in Asia.
Tiniest Club in Asia? Yeah. Okay. And a rooftop. I mean is a meeting point of all the community
here in Hanoi. Related to music of course. I can imagine that you have a lot of local friends,
also. Is it easy as an expat to communicate with the locals and have groups of friends also
from Vietnam? Or is it only normally with foreign people? No I mean, I can say that I have a lot of
Vietnamese friend. Every... everything is related to music in one way. I mean the community
of Vietnamese is growing up really fast. So we are more connected than before. Especially
after COVID the connection between Foreigner and Vietnamese is stronger. And I can say
now there are more Vietnamese than foreigns. Especially in this area, you mean? Yeah especially
in this area. Tay Ho is a foreign area. I mean and more and more foreigners get engaged or married
or with Vietnamese. Every time it's more mixed and mix. It's cool. Nice. And the cost of living?
Is it let's say affordable? Rent and everything? Can I ask what a normal... let's say if you're
a teacher or if you have a small business? How much would I look at per month? I mean if you're
a teacher you earn good money. So they know that. So, I mean it's not that cheap. How much would you
say a normal apartment, a two-bedroom? 500 USD. Minimum? I mean to have a good apartment or
whatever. But yes it's not that cheap. I mean if you are alone you take a studio?
Okay 200/ 250$ okay. You're saying that it's a safe City. Is it a safe safe
country in general? Yeah I can say that. Especially foreigners They really care about
us. they are happy to see us around. I mean, they have rules. We need to respect some rules to
live in peace all together. Like everywhere. But it's quite safe place. What is the main rule
that you have to...? I mean, respect. I mean, this is... Vietnam is still a Vietnamese country,
for Vietnamese people. Τhis is Vietnamese country. We are invited here. We need to... If you look
back to Europe it's messy now. Everyone come from a lot of different countries. and is a bit free,
too free. Here it's free but, everyone stay in the space that need to stay in. Can you give us some
advice for the people who maybe would like to go to Vietnam to start up a business or to live here
for a certain period of time? It's a good place to uh take a break maybe from Europe and see what's
going on here. And Asia is a developing country. Even on holiday it's good to check it out I think?
Yeah, of course. And it's a good is a good country to also take other destinations. Japan, Korea,
or Thailand. It's really close. So it's a good place to also move around. Definitely. I'm still
looking for one thing in particularly that you learned in six years time that you can give us.
Maybe some wisdom that you gained here that we can learn from? I mean, for sure I learned how to
calm down my, how to say, excitement. Regarding work and life. In a good way. I mean it's you know
we always I remember the first time. And even when my mom or family come to visit Vietnam. They're
always running. They cannot wait to do something. Or we go restaurant!? No, calm down. It's really
helping to just; okay live in a different way that we are living in Europe. Believe in yourself
believe in your dream. And wherever you are, whatever you do? Just never give up and go
straight to your point. After a few weeks being in Vietnam I came to the conclusion that it
is certainly a good country to live in. Vietnam, especially Ho Chi Minh city is opening up for a
lot of foreigners to have business. Let me know if you are considering living in Vietnam or if you're
living in Vietnam have different experiences. This channel is based in Thailand showing you
the beauty of Southeast Asia and we are soon enough going back to Thailand again. Thank you so
much for watching till the very end. I hope you enjoyed this episode. Please give us a thumbs
up if you did so. Bye for now and stay champ.
