saigonmonkey
Introduction
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.
I joined expat.com on 18 February 2011.
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saigonmonkeyposted on the thread Is the internet gateway broke again?
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saigonmonkeyposted on the thread Thanksgiving dinner
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saigonmonkeyposted on the thread Misc. everyday life questions
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saigonmonkeyposted on the thread Vietnamese wife?
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saigonmonkeyposted on the thread Vietnamese wife?
Expat experience
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.
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.
The same things I like about it now.
Same as now. But it was even worse 4 years ago.
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.
Began my working career in 1985. Was born many years earlier. :-)
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.
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