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Cho phép tôi được viết bằng tiếng Anh.
I would like to extend my sincere thanks for all those who sent in advice and support. Especially:
Tuan, anh Xe3banh, and his wife: ever a gracious and most generous couple. They allowed me to stay in their house for a few days. Anh Xe3banh took me around town, showing me places where I could consider for further investigation, adding his analyses of the neighborhood, the environment, the seemingly romantic canals which could turn into a nightmare due to anticipated heavy pollution. He and I had a great private audience for “ca nhac tai tu”. No “ôm” though. What a treat!
Tung, MDF, was a real character. An energetic, fun, most generous, and most popular young man. His party, started out with four, ending with more than a dozen, who, just by his name, would come at the ring of the phone from him. He treated me with some sort of fish stomach, all a while, apologizing due to a short notice that he could not offer me fresh fish stomach. If you ever need anything in Can Tho, Tung is your man. My hat to you, Tung.
Son, Bravia, did an impromptu coffee chat in SG during lunch time. Unfortunately, with such a short notice, no one else could come. Son is a successful self-made man. My advice to Son, and to all on this topic, is, from time to time, take a step back, to evaluate is what made you successful still there? It’s hard to do, as success tends to blind people to have objective views. Try, anyway; as things do not stay constant.
Hanh and Ngoc were nice girls, a party trooper. Always helpful and fun to be around.
Tu, hollowman, although still young, has a mature manner. I met him in Nha Trang and he treated me with a Nha Trang specialty: bánh canh: a small bowl of soup full of flavor and some chả cá on the side.
On my own, I traveled throughout Viet Nam: Can Tho, Ha Noi and the surrounding old villages, Hue, Da Nang, Hoi An, Nha Trang, Sai Gon, Bac Lieu (stayed in a hotel formerly the residence of “Cong Tu Bac Lieu”), Ca Mau, and the most southern tip of Viet Nam (Mui Ca Mau). I was able to talk to, having dinners with all walks of life: from those at the bottom of the social structure, who made less than $1 a day to those at the pinnacle. I stayed in inexpensive hotels costing around $10 a day to rather luxurious hotels. I’ve seen and talked to the poor and the rich; the under-educated and the well-educated; the weak and the powerful; the bureaucrat and the entrepreneur; the conservative and the risk taker… I walked the streets full of garbage, surrounded by the intense heat of the tropical region, and heavy foul smell; to the lobby of hotels with marble floors, decorated with nice flowers, cool air, surrounded by staff who always wanted to know what I needed so they could please me, with ushers openning the doors for my entry and exit.
I had meals at a variety of eateries: from a side-walk hole-in-a-wall (about $1 a meal) to luxurious restaurants with a private dining room where a lunch for 2 costs more than twice a full salary for a month of a teacher. (I know, “dai gia” in VN spent much more than that for lunch. But then, I am not “dai gia”).
What a drastically contrast in lifestyle in Viet Nam!!! A five-year old girl selling some chewing gums past midnight walked alongside a Roll Royce crusing the streets. Imagine if that five-year old girl is your daughter!!! People on motorbikes turned left and right, took advantage of any empty spot however small to save a few minutes, only to sit in a coffee shop for hours. That is another thing. In Viet Nam, people have a lot of time. They can be late for appointment, wasting the time of the other person who showed up on time; but they consider it normal. They have time to waste and assume the other person also has time to waste. If we can find a way to sell time as commodity to other countries who value time; maybe we can improve Viet Nam’s economy!!
One month in Viet Nam does not make me an expert, but I was able to get some sense of the country, of the people, the way of life, the patience, the desire, the ambition, the wish, the concern, the worry, the energy, and of course, the hope.
All in all, my conclusion is that I will need to come back more often to acquaint myself with the environment, the social behavior, to understand better and to make a proper assessment of the country and the people that I love so much.
Whenever you have a chance to go to Los Angeles, please PM/email me.
All the best
I would like to extend my sincere thanks for all those who sent in advice and support. Especially:
Tuan, anh Xe3banh, and his wife: ever a gracious and most generous couple. They allowed me to stay in their house for a few days. Anh Xe3banh took me around town, showing me places where I could consider for further investigation, adding his analyses of the neighborhood, the environment, the seemingly romantic canals which could turn into a nightmare due to anticipated heavy pollution. He and I had a great private audience for “ca nhac tai tu”. No “ôm” though. What a treat!
Tung, MDF, was a real character. An energetic, fun, most generous, and most popular young man. His party, started out with four, ending with more than a dozen, who, just by his name, would come at the ring of the phone from him. He treated me with some sort of fish stomach, all a while, apologizing due to a short notice that he could not offer me fresh fish stomach. If you ever need anything in Can Tho, Tung is your man. My hat to you, Tung.
Son, Bravia, did an impromptu coffee chat in SG during lunch time. Unfortunately, with such a short notice, no one else could come. Son is a successful self-made man. My advice to Son, and to all on this topic, is, from time to time, take a step back, to evaluate is what made you successful still there? It’s hard to do, as success tends to blind people to have objective views. Try, anyway; as things do not stay constant.
Hanh and Ngoc were nice girls, a party trooper. Always helpful and fun to be around.
Tu, hollowman, although still young, has a mature manner. I met him in Nha Trang and he treated me with a Nha Trang specialty: bánh canh: a small bowl of soup full of flavor and some chả cá on the side.
On my own, I traveled throughout Viet Nam: Can Tho, Ha Noi and the surrounding old villages, Hue, Da Nang, Hoi An, Nha Trang, Sai Gon, Bac Lieu (stayed in a hotel formerly the residence of “Cong Tu Bac Lieu”), Ca Mau, and the most southern tip of Viet Nam (Mui Ca Mau). I was able to talk to, having dinners with all walks of life: from those at the bottom of the social structure, who made less than $1 a day to those at the pinnacle. I stayed in inexpensive hotels costing around $10 a day to rather luxurious hotels. I’ve seen and talked to the poor and the rich; the under-educated and the well-educated; the weak and the powerful; the bureaucrat and the entrepreneur; the conservative and the risk taker… I walked the streets full of garbage, surrounded by the intense heat of the tropical region, and heavy foul smell; to the lobby of hotels with marble floors, decorated with nice flowers, cool air, surrounded by staff who always wanted to know what I needed so they could please me, with ushers openning the doors for my entry and exit.
I had meals at a variety of eateries: from a side-walk hole-in-a-wall (about $1 a meal) to luxurious restaurants with a private dining room where a lunch for 2 costs more than twice a full salary for a month of a teacher. (I know, “dai gia” in VN spent much more than that for lunch. But then, I am not “dai gia”).
What a drastically contrast in lifestyle in Viet Nam!!! A five-year old girl selling some chewing gums past midnight walked alongside a Roll Royce crusing the streets. Imagine if that five-year old girl is your daughter!!! People on motorbikes turned left and right, took advantage of any empty spot however small to save a few minutes, only to sit in a coffee shop for hours. That is another thing. In Viet Nam, people have a lot of time. They can be late for appointment, wasting the time of the other person who showed up on time; but they consider it normal. They have time to waste and assume the other person also has time to waste. If we can find a way to sell time as commodity to other countries who value time; maybe we can improve Viet Nam’s economy!!
One month in Viet Nam does not make me an expert, but I was able to get some sense of the country, of the people, the way of life, the patience, the desire, the ambition, the wish, the concern, the worry, the energy, and of course, the hope.
All in all, my conclusion is that I will need to come back more often to acquaint myself with the environment, the social behavior, to understand better and to make a proper assessment of the country and the people that I love so much.
Whenever you have a chance to go to Los Angeles, please PM/email me.
All the best
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