You don’t have to take any drugs to “space out” in Vietnam.
The Vietnamese culture is so different than anything you are used to in the West that you are guaranteed to go into a trance when you first arrive here. And it will last longer than a few days!
So many of your “out-of-awareness” assumptions [...]
Archive for October 29th, 2006
Oct
2006
29
Being a Foreigner in Vietnam
Published by The Alchemist? 2 years, 2 months ago in Vietnam. ClosedVietnam is a place that will frustrate the hell out of you, but also a place that you will really miss when you leave. It’s special in many ways — some good; some bad — but it will keep you guessing (and many times frustrated), but rarely bored.
Many times being a Foreigner in Vietnam [...]
Yes, Vietnam is a great place to bicycle once you learn the rules of the road — mainly never think you understand what the Vietnamese person in front of you will do next. They will constantly surprise you when you least expect it.
Anyone coming to Vietnam should bring the loudest horn you [...]
Oct
2006
29
Isolation then Sudden Modernization Caused Problems, Part I
Published by The Alchemist? 2 years, 2 months ago in Vietnam. ClosedYes, the Vietnamese can drive motos and cars, but they really don’t understand traffic flow, road courtesy1, maintenance, safety and many other concepts which we take for granted.
Looking around, one begins to realize that the sudden influx of technology has outpaced the Vietnamese ancestor-worship, family-centered, rule-based, total-obedience society where most people learn early to say [...]
Oct
2006
29
Leave your Logic at Home!
Published by The Alchemist? 2 years, 2 months ago in Vietnam. ClosedWhoops, used German-based logic again and fell flat on my face over here.
Somehow my German/Irish background, 30 years of logic-based programming and a propensity toward analytical problem solving doesn’t work well over here. The Vietnamese have a very different reality than the Western reality (see next post).
Mai’s sister, Hoa, has been asking [...]
I never thought I would miss a dog so much, but he was a gentle, fun-loving, extremely friendly and very intelligent dog.
My daily routine started with scratching behind his ears for 5-10 minutes while sitting on the front porch at 6:00am; Megan and I enjoyed taking him for a walk around the block and Twerp [...]