As a Vietnamese, here is the sad truth about Vietnam. No matter how hard they try to beautify the city, the inconsiderate mindset that litters indiscriminately, theft and disorderly traffic will make Vietnam a third world country. Because of this mindset, you see trash everywhere, unhygienic food vendors, and chaotic behavior. Đầu óc tư tưởng buôn bán ăn uống bẩn thỉu dơ dáy hơn mấy trăm năm rồi mà không cải thiện sạch sẽ gọn gàn được, chứng minh rằng là một văn hóa sinh sống như lũ chuột. Nhưng rất đáng tiếc văn hóa người Việt vẫn còn hẹp hòi lạc hậu, thô lỗ nên từ già đến trẻ đến cha mẹ đến thầy cô giáo đến chính phủ lãnh đạo đều có đầu óc tư tưởng ích kỉ, tham lam gian lận trộm cắp, thiếu ý thức vứt rác iả đái bừa bãi, thiếu trật tự lộn xộn ồn ào, làm ăn buôn bán ẩu tả gian lận. Vì vậy, xã hội thành phố lúc nào cũng lộn xộn ồn ào, bẩn thỉu dơ dáy, lường gạt trộm cắp khắp nơi. Bọn 3 que mà không hòa nhập với văn hóa nước người ta thì vẫn sinh sống không khác gì lũ chuột đi đến đâu cũng cắn phá trộm cắp hủy hoại.
With time we move on, I feel this video is a good step in healing the past, I was there during the war, only negative memories of the country, that will never go away. It’s a different time now, we all need to heal .
Hi, David..., "PTSD" is terrible to have and it does bring back flashbacks and nightmares, day and night ! ! * I totally "agree" with you..., that it's about time to heal and ( visit ) Vietnam again and enjoy its food, culture, history, and beautiful friendly people. * "Anthony Bourdain" ( RIP ) great chef and TV Host said: "Vietnam has the best food 🍜 🥢 in the world 🌏 the nicest people and one beautiful country." "Semper Fi" Mike in Montana :)
It will be naive to compare the American Civil War with the Vietnamese Civil War because the Vietcong never want to heal the wounds of war. They just want the Vietnamese living outside VN to be submissive and practice 3 things See No Evil Hear No Evil Speak No Evil As long as they have the financial means meaning lot of USD they will maintain their police forces to terrorize any persons and their families who dare to go against them. Am I wrong guys?
A week ago I was in VN for 2 months as a German and I miss it so so much. The people were welcoming and the food was very delicious (it was also possible to make German food but of course it's hard to find propper German food in Hue[Vinh An]). I also missed my vietnamese family because they were, so nice and open. And of course I miss the the "warm winter"/rainy time. When it comes to feeling secure I just want to mention the point of dogs everywhere on the streets, so going outside in the night can be more dangerous than in Germany at least in places away from bigger cities.
Yes, there can be many wild dogs around any corner outside of city centers. Even pet dogs regularly chase you as they usually have zero training. I had 4-5 dogs chase my motorbike while just driving through a major street in vung tau.
Trust me, it's even worse here in Paris. I remember back in November, for the first time I found a Vietnamese restaurant and I took a metro and travel for about an hour or two and finally reached the restaurant and I had one delicious bowl of beef PHO and it cost me 12.5 euro and another 5 euro for vietnamese spring roll.😢 I really miss the pho back there at Pham ngu lao district in Saigon.😢😢😢
I have been to that place only once, it could be near the park. But before I left, when I handover my card. I told them wish I am in Saigon right now. I could eat same pho for next one week with this price.
In the Netherlands way more!! Amsterdam has lots of Vietnamese restaurants, but 1 pho sets you back 16€.. Springrolls, maybe 6€ for a pretty small one.. So expensive here Vietnamese food!
Only problem about Vietnam compared to other Asian countries is the lack of a retirement visa. Since 2010, I have worked here as an ielts examiner on a work visa. Now, I am turning 60, I want to retire but there are no options to do this in Vietnam.
Yeah agree about the Pho. Im from Sacramento and ain't no way I'm gonna pay USD$10.50 for a bowl of noodles and old broth. And comparing specifically California and Saigon-the cost couldn't be more worlds apart
When you go to Vietnam for the first time you may get stomach sick due to the tap water or ice. But for the second week you will be used to it so everything will be ok after that. To be safe try to drink the boiled water or drink without ice for the first week in Vietnam.
lived in hcmc for a year in 2008. horrible. dangerous. got ripped off nearly at every turn. maybe it's changed. i'd live na trang or da nang. stay away from hcmc. traffic is insane. i'd head out for work at 4 am, get on a bus at 6 am and get to work at 8 am. coming home? sometimes it would take 10 hrs. honestly it's bad and the pollution is horrendous.
@@hubertcumberdale2651 at last, tourism helps us open our eyes, and makes us grateful for what we have, and perhaps we can also share with locals that this isnt good.
@@hubertcumberdale2651 Too bad. Some people look at the half-glass empty & refuse to look at the half-glass full. There are a lot of things to enjoy in Vietnam: fruits, food, & friendly people. Don't be ethnocentric or judgmental. Vietnam just is still developing. You go to US or Europe: what they do with the unwanted dogs- they kill them. So what is your point on that.
You won't hear Saigon unless it from pre VN war time, people that call it Saigon thypically are not in favor of North VN or that other guy, has nothing to do with what is easier to say
@@EndlessTravels Saigon is a beautiful name , even the sound of Saigon emits a beauty of Vietnam . Everywhere I go in Saigon, I see the name of Saigon , Saigon this, Saigon that. I only use HCMC in official documents or sending and receiving. I think your assessment is wrong about pre-war name. Locals call it Saigon.
Very very interesting, yes. Both are very open to other cultures and both try to be very open and accommodating to the other. I thought this was lovely.
education here is highly competitive. the emphasis on getting grades, and 'perfect' scores is sad. my friend, that teaches ielts, when she doesnt get the scores and recognition, often depressed and forces herself to work and study harder.. its cultural norm.. the pressure to conform, to win and succeed, and otherwise feels looked down on without the recognition and praise within the community. its unlike the west.
this is just Van personal viewpoint. If you look at the Vietnamese, in general, they prefer to be in the US. Just go to the US Embassy and see how long the line is and why the average pple wants to get out of VN.
True but Van has lived long term in the US and knows the downsides like the Americans who move to Vietnam. Vietnamese who've never lived in US longterm only see up sides - developed infrastructure, high salaries, etc. No place is perfect tho.
Hi, "Ninja Teacher and Van Vu"..., Beautiful young lady on a different channel ! ! * Van Vu..., is bright, intelligent, and attractive... * Van Vu also has an excellent ( tour ) of Vietnam and her own TH-cam Channel and Website... * Excellent video and very informative, and "Thank you" for sharing the video ! ! Mike in Montana :)
Both of my cousins brothers family in vn used to be very poor. They work hard all their lives but just only enough for food clothes, and pay for their kids school fee and their drinking habit every night. But the last past 5 years they just went up. They left a village life and went to binh duong to work in a factory. He gets paid 12 million a month his wife is around 8 and their older kids get 6 million because she’s under age. Altogether they can live very comfortable life. They have a washing machine fridge air conditioner which 7 years ago they can never dream off.
Thank you for this very interesting video. I completely agree with you that Vietnam is a country that has many assets in addition to being a magnificent country. However, the big black spot remains the visa problem. Indeed, in comparison with Thailand for example, there is currently no visa for retirees of which I will soon be one. I hope that the Vietnamese government is aware of this and that it will one day offer foreign retirees the opportunity to settle in Vietnam. During my last stay I was interviewed by chance by Vietnamese television who asked me the positive and negative points of Vietnam. I mentioned all the positive points because I love this country, however I said that Thailand was making more effort with visas because they had recently increased the duration of tourist visas. Well, as surprising as it may be, I noticed that shortly after, Vietnam had increased the duration of tourist visa exemptions. Unfortunately still nothing for retirees!
They don't want to have to deal with old retirees and their medical problems, being drain on developing medical system, repatriations. Plus, what are retirees adding to the society? Nothing more than tourists, and they likely spend way *less* than tourists. Retirees are mostly economic migrants anyway (takers) and Vietnam has higher standards for what they want in their society than Thailand. Respect to Vietnam for that.
@@robertnew4568 Thailand didn't go through the wars and embargos like Vietnam. During the time when Vietnam was bombed to kingdom come, lands poisoned, historical architecture leveled, embargoes enforced on them, etc., Thailand got to keep chugging along, if anything, chug along even faster due to no competition from Vietnam. If the shoes were switched, the story would be different.
@@fs5775 That is not true. The retirees have to pay medical care out of their pockets. VN government is not going to allow that to happen. I don't think the government has the foreign retiree issue figured out yet.
I am not sure that you mentioned that foreigners are not welcome by the government. Retired people are not welcome. Have a job or own a business otherwise only short stays are welcome.
I have to agree with some of the other commenters here. During my first year in HCMC I was in love with the place. After a while it wears off and you begin to notice the major downsides. Sure, everything is cheap and the people are friendly. But if you plan to stay here long term you will face the consequences. The pollution is some of the worst in the world. You are being poisoned by simply breathing. You can’t drink the water. This country has a long way to go to be a habitable place to live long term.
After u live here for a while u realise Vietnamese are only friendly and are welcoming on a very surface level. An example u might order at a local shop they will be super friendly, maybe u might not go for a week, they will Stop saying hi.
Agreed. If you value your lungs don't stay long in HCMC. Its why I left after a year. Also I saw ALOT of people get ill from street food, including myself. Never did in Thailand. I liked Da Nang and Dalat. But will never live in HCMC again.
Vietnam is great, but the food in rural small towns is a punishment on the local people. Now I understand why they are so thin. Be ready to eat once a day. You'll see...
The problem VN is facing now is corruption and bribery in all levels (government and private) due to the minimal salaries they receive. Therefore to compensate that gap they tend to use all tricks to get more money and they don’t stop even after they got a lot of it. You guys can say that I’m exaggerating but I like to know your thoughts about a solution for VN in the next 20 years because a country with a rampant and continuous corruption will never be realistically developed.
@@mrbHanoi NOne natives are becoming a higher demand, pay isn't as high as Hanoi said but def more demand due to workign longer for cheaper. However, 2025, English will be removed from requirements for finishing High school in VN, so the demand will drop a lot faster in the next few years
WTF ? Being vastly different from one another, America compared to Vietnam has a lot of discrepancies, good and bad, between the two. No country is perfect and one must take into account its unique history, government, and culture.
I’m American but have lived in Vietnam for 8 years. People think it’s cool to shit on the US, as evidenced by the plethora of hate we receive on online forums, but the actual reality is usually distorted. Obviously I love living in Vietnam with being here for so long, but talking about the US as if it’s some dystopia is wholly inaccurate. For example, I’ve found that Vietnamese food in the US is better than in Vietnam, simply because the quality of ingredients, especially meat, is much higher, but being cooked by Vietnamese immigrants who have the same recipes as back home. I hate hearing people talk about food. The US has the most wide variety of cuisines available in the world because of our immigrant culture. Yeah you’re not gonna get good international restaurants in small towns but you’re more likely to there than any mid-size or small city in Vietnam! Comparisons for the sake of clicks are disingenuous.
Exactly, great post, thank you. I am an American, born and raised myself. I, too, have lived and worked in several foreign countries, spanning 12 years. While the food and experiences were wonderful, it gave me a greater appreciation and love for America. Growing up I enjoyed a particular vietnamese restaurant owned and operated by vietnammese immigrants. Fast forward 20 years to find myself living in So Korea for 3 years. I traveled many times to Vietnam while there and never found a restaurant capable of the same quality of meals back home all those years earlier. The meat used in Vietnam and other Asian countries is poor quality, no doubt. If you want the same quality as the US, it will cost you an arm and leg in these countries. I found the same with Korean food. A local Korean venue, Bulgolgi Bros, was absolutely delicious and high-quality l, yet the price was expensive compared to the typical restaurants. I swear the standard quality Asian food in these countries is processed garbage meat, quivelent to hot dogs in the US. Also, listening to this lady talk, she never answers the question. She simply reverts to subjectively stating how "wonderful" Vietnam is. Bottom line, she could no longer afford to live in the US, so she left. No shame in that, just say so. She also spins everything in Vietnam as a positive (its very hard to be lonely in Vietnam she says 🙄). It's not. Asian cultures do not respect personal space, and the men are generally rude. It's not a negative comment by me. It's just a reality of their culture, so don't sugar coat it. I continue traveling to Asian countries because I enjoy it. Scuba diving, enjoying the somewhat more respectful w0men as opposed to the garbage dumpster of American wh0r3s.
This is absolutely true. I like the family culture in Vietnam and the compact infrastructure makes it naturally more of a community, but almost everything else from infrastructure, food, government and natural beauty is better in the USA by a mile.
@@cial67 no I actually also found Vietnamese food better if cooked right in Australia too, because higher quality ingredients, bigger meat proportions.
@@Thomas-kw9je I disagree 100%. Not only are the flavors better in Vietnam, but the prices don't rob you like in America. I've had Vietnamese food all over America and Vietnam and it's way better in Vietnam
@@vinozarazzi5633 So the pridefulness is like a thing that pass on from generation to generation. This sense of proudness stem from all the achievements Vietnam had achieved against other large nation, not necessarily defeat other nations but able to fence off to keep peace in Vietnam. Eventually, this sense of proudness become part of Vietnamese culture. We would strive to be better so we don't look bad in front of our neighbors. That's is the saving face culture. It's almost the same as patriotism but on an individual scale.
While living in Vietnam please don’t forget the Khmer native who are being treated as second class citizens and deprived of their rights on their ancestral land.
I have no idea where the numbers come from about religion but everyone i meet whilst living in Vietnam is 100% either christian/catholic or budhist. Definatly in central Vietnam every single person has religion. Religion is good. Also social media is downside. Would be better world if social media was more than banned but deleted and also people grew up with religions. In Australia religion sadly almost doesnt exist it seems and the countries in a mess like all other western countries. Yes youtube is social media and to be honest youtube is getting more and more social media. I could cut out social media and i would never miss it. Especially if most people did the same
Bạn Tây Alex nói chuẩn hơn (politically correct) bạn Việt: Hồ Chí Minh. Ít nhất bạn người Việt nên giải thích dùng Sài Gòn thay cho Hồ Chí Minh vì theo đa số.
I am interested in Living and teaching in Vietnam. But YOU only accept NES, so why not NNES? If you accept NNES for the TEFL program, that would be great.
If you're NNES you have to search jobs for yourself. Google it! You will have severe competition against NES in big cities like Hanoi or Saigon. Try smaller cities you have more chance to be hired if you don't speak English with a thick accent. I guess Ninja Teacher has a close contract with public schools or English teacher centers so he has to make sure his NES candidates will have jobs after finishing training.
She's not telling the truth cause if it's What the Pho then her restaurants are in my state, and believe me you don't need to drive far for Pho. Especially when her family's restaurant opened decades later than when I first arrived in the state. Back then, yes you would need to drive far for a bowl of pho, but there are lots of Pho restaurants around now.
Đầu óc tư tưởng buôn bán ăn uống bẩn thỉu dơ dáy hơn mấy trăm năm rồi mà không cải thiện sạch sẽ gọn gàn được, chứng minh rằng là một văn hóa sinh sống như lũ chuột. Nhưng rất đáng tiếc văn hóa người Việt vẫn còn hẹp hòi lạc hậu, thô lỗ nên từ già đến trẻ đến cha mẹ đến thầy cô giáo đến chính phủ lãnh đạo đều có đầu óc tư tưởng ích kỉ, tham lam gian lận trộm cắp, thiếu ý thức vứt rác iả đái bừa bãi, thiếu trật tự lộn xộn ồn ào, làm ăn buôn bán ẩu tả gian lận. Vì vậy, xã hội thành phố lúc nào cũng lộn xộn ồn ào, bẩn thỉu dơ dáy, lường gạt trộm cắp khắp nơi. Bọn 3 que mà không hòa nhập với văn hóa nước người ta thì vẫn sinh sống không khác gì lũ chuột đi đến đâu cũng cắn phá trộm cắp hủy hoại. As a Vietnamese, here is the sad truth about Vietnam. No matter how hard they try to beautify the city, the inconsiderate mindset that litters indiscriminately, theft and disorderly traffic will make Vietnam a third world country. Because of this mindset, you see trash everywhere, unhygienic food vendors, and chaotic traffic.
"phở" is just an easiest example for people to understand. I think what she meant because Vietnamese cuisine has thousands type of "phở" - hot soup, and "canh" -vegestable soup in our in daily meal, I cannot find it anywhere else but Vietnam.
Because Vietnam is an export oriented economy. When its currency is weak it's good for export but it's expensive to import or travel abroad. When Vietnam successfully steps up the ladder exporting more hi tech products they will solve their weak currency.
That was her polite way of referring to her problems with the air pollution up there. Air pollution that is the result of neighboring CHINA. It's way better in HCM. It's also the main reason I won't live in Hanoi. I care about my health.
Pollution is terrible in Hanoi, 7 years there, and had a long term cough several times a year. Not the best place to live for health. Moved to Da Nang now, a lot better. Just my personal experience.
Safety wise. NO. Countyside who have their daughters go to Saigon to study scared of people putting drugs in drinks. Just the other day, I heard a viet kieu came to visit a girl then was kidnapped, bribed money from US fam, then was killed. Yes, US also has crime but you're more likely to be in that position if they know you're Vietnamese American in VN.
I think majority of people in Vietnam are Buddhist at heart, but not in practice. They worship their ancestors more often than their Buddhist religion. I think she is more right.
I wont agree , most young Vn ese are communist ( communist is a religion , you should know that , they had their leaders as Gods .. and destroyed other religions but you outsiders never knew .. ) . If they say they are Buddhist , mostly cuz they did went to a pagoda 1 or 2 times a year ..most of them didnt know anything about Buddhist , beleive me .
U can't possibly get TEFL for free but yeah u can definitely do it cheaper online. But trust me I did my TESOL in Saigon through Ninja teacher but I was enrolled in AVSE and it was about a month long course. Did my teaching job for sometime in Caobang and then in homestay in govap.
What a silly comparison. There is no comparison between the 2 countries. Glad you are doing better back in Viet nam but no need to rip the us because it didn’t work out long term for you.
She's northerner and people in the North of Vietnam have bigger ego and they are very peculiar of using big word in daily conversation. They do the same when they speak Vietnamese. Northern Vietnamese people are like British people saying like I am terribly sorry or precisely in conversation. Southern Vietnamese people think it's not necessary using big words in conversation they are like Americans speaking using simple vocabularies.
W.T.F Wtp, Saigon was over in 1975. Don’t want to remind the war time when Vietnamese was suffering. Ho Chi Minh city today is much more developed and happiness compared to Saigon in 1975. The highest building in SG was 14 floors in 1975😂. Thank teacher Ninja, you always use the right name Ho Chi Minh. ❤
Want to learn more about teaching English in Vietnam? Download our salary, living expenses and start-up costs guide here: ninjateacher.com/free-guide
Thank you for having me Alex! Great video!
❤ I loved this video.🎉 Thank you
the amount of trust you have in that dress. my GOD lololol looks very good
Hmm both have eventually seen in each other channel. Like to follow you both.😊
As a Vietnamese, here is the sad truth about Vietnam.
No matter how hard they try to beautify the city, the inconsiderate mindset that litters indiscriminately, theft and disorderly traffic will make Vietnam a third world country.
Because of this mindset, you see trash everywhere, unhygienic food vendors, and chaotic behavior.
Đầu óc tư tưởng buôn bán ăn uống bẩn thỉu dơ dáy hơn mấy trăm năm rồi mà không cải thiện sạch sẽ gọn gàn được, chứng minh rằng là một văn hóa sinh sống như lũ chuột.
Nhưng rất đáng tiếc văn hóa người Việt vẫn còn hẹp hòi lạc hậu, thô lỗ nên từ già đến trẻ đến cha mẹ đến thầy cô giáo đến chính phủ lãnh đạo đều có đầu óc tư tưởng ích kỉ, tham lam gian lận trộm cắp, thiếu ý thức vứt rác iả đái bừa bãi, thiếu trật tự lộn xộn ồn ào, làm ăn buôn bán ẩu tả gian lận. Vì vậy, xã hội thành phố lúc nào cũng lộn xộn ồn ào, bẩn thỉu dơ dáy, lường gạt trộm cắp khắp nơi.
Bọn 3 que mà không hòa nhập với văn hóa nước người ta thì vẫn sinh sống không khác gì lũ chuột đi đến đâu cũng cắn phá trộm cắp hủy hoại.
love both of your channels, great interview!
With time we move on, I feel this video is a good step in healing the past, I was there during the war, only negative memories of the country, that will never go away. It’s a different time now, we all need to heal .
Thank you for your service, and for your willingness to leave that time behind (as much as you can). God bless you!
Hi, David..., "PTSD" is terrible to have and it does bring back flashbacks and nightmares, day and night ! ! * I totally "agree" with you..., that it's about time to heal and ( visit ) Vietnam again and enjoy its food, culture, history, and beautiful friendly people. * "Anthony Bourdain" ( RIP ) great chef and TV Host said: "Vietnam has the best food 🍜 🥢 in the world 🌏 the nicest people and one beautiful country." "Semper Fi" Mike in Montana :)
you should have never been there, Vietnam deserved to figure out its own future
It will be naive to compare the American Civil War with the Vietnamese Civil War because the Vietcong never want to heal the wounds of war. They just want the Vietnamese living outside VN to be submissive and practice 3 things
See No Evil
Hear No Evil
Speak No Evil
As long as they have the financial means meaning lot of USD they will maintain their police forces to terrorize any persons and their families who dare to go against them. Am I wrong guys?
Great interview, as an expat living in Vietnam, I agree with everything that's been said by both people! Keep up the great content, thanks
A week ago I was in VN for 2 months as a German and I miss it so so much. The people were welcoming and the food was very delicious (it was also possible to make German food but of course it's hard to find propper German food in Hue[Vinh An]).
I also missed my vietnamese family because they were, so nice and open.
And of course I miss the the "warm winter"/rainy time.
When it comes to feeling secure I just want to mention the point of dogs everywhere on the streets, so going outside in the night can be more dangerous than in Germany at least in places away from bigger cities.
Yes, there can be many wild dogs around any corner outside of city centers. Even pet dogs regularly chase you as they usually have zero training. I had 4-5 dogs chase my motorbike while just driving through a major street in vung tau.
@@matrices3987No. No. 👎👎🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Try Romania 🇷🇴 they run in packs! Been here for a year and never seen so many stray dogs and cats. They even have mini wars. 😂
Vietnam needs more missionaries spreading the gospel 😢🙏
@@theoneaboveall7708 Dogs in a mini war? Hilarious!!!😂😂
Trust me, it's even worse here in Paris. I remember back in November, for the first time I found a Vietnamese restaurant and I took a metro and travel for about an hour or two and finally reached the restaurant and I had one delicious bowl of beef PHO and it cost me 12.5 euro and another 5 euro for vietnamese spring roll.😢 I really miss the pho back there at Pham ngu lao district in Saigon.😢😢😢
I think I have been to that one.. on the corner right? opposite the park? REALLY good Pho!!!
I have been to that place only once, it could be near the park. But before I left, when I handover my card. I told them wish I am in Saigon right now. I could eat same pho for next one week with this price.
@@jasonfung9516 best just to use cash out there bro!! safer!! if it the same one its on the corner of Pham Ngu Lau and Nguyen Thi Nga, Quan 1
In the Netherlands way more!! Amsterdam has lots of Vietnamese restaurants, but 1 pho sets you back 16€.. Springrolls, maybe 6€ for a pretty small one.. So expensive here Vietnamese food!
@@dutchdaleyy about same in London too! none where I live in Kent.. so am moving back to VN! lol
He is handsome and she is pretty! Just do whatever is best for you… pro and con everywhere but VN seems to get better every day 👍🏼
I love how VN is working on their waste treatment. That is HUGE sign of a growing country.
I know the park where you did your interview. I had my pre-wedding photos done there. I'm getting married to a Vietnamese girl.
Congratulation, how did you meet her
Only problem about Vietnam compared to other Asian countries is the lack of a retirement visa. Since 2010, I have worked here as an ielts examiner on a work visa. Now, I am turning 60, I want to retire but there are no options to do this in Vietnam.
I've seen some of her vids, Van seems like such a lovely person.
Thanks for the interesting topics covered! I enjoyed it. Have a great one!
Yeah agree about the Pho. Im from Sacramento and ain't no way I'm gonna pay USD$10.50 for a bowl of noodles and old broth. And comparing specifically California and Saigon-the cost couldn't be more worlds apart
When you go to Vietnam for the first time you may get stomach sick due to the tap water or ice. But for the second week you will be used to it so everything will be ok after that. To be safe try to drink the boiled water or drink without ice for the first week in Vietnam.
@ngosteve8597 Good tip. I was wondering about that. I guess bringing some charcoal capsules would be a good idea.
@@pbmc_what are charcoal capsules ?
@@nine3seven Can remove toxins from your system quickly.
I like Vietnam it's my favorite country I can't wait to visit
Great video😊
Thank you for the thoughtful discussion.
Alex, exceptional video. Thank you & WhatthePho...❤️
People that have respect for the history of the city like Van called the city Sai Gon, not HCMC.
moving back there later this yr and cannot wait!!!! just love that country!!!
Just what we need. Another video about living in Việt Nam. There are not enough videos on this topic already.
@@Mark-ji3hs it's a hot place now. People can't get enough of VN.
She's beautiful and smart and the ninja is also brilliant :)
Nice to see such a good grip on that microphone lol
Nice collab . Come to Vung Tau let's start a branch of Ninja Teacher here
Love this video. You should do more of interviewing type content
I love that you are honest.
Alex, great interview!
lived in hcmc for a year in 2008. horrible. dangerous. got ripped off nearly at every turn. maybe it's changed. i'd live na trang or da nang. stay away from hcmc. traffic is insane. i'd head out for work at 4 am, get on a bus at 6 am and get to work at 8 am. coming home? sometimes it would take 10 hrs. honestly it's bad and the pollution is horrendous.
Seriously, not in 2008. Where did you work? Are you sure you were there?
I don’t got hungry in Saigon always foods for you every time. I’m love Saigon 👍🏻
Weather is hot and hotter,, pollution is bad, traffic is bad.
...but don't have bad "no where" /// people like you
Animals are kept in absurdly small cages etc. there's a LOT to not enjoy about Vietnam
@@aikaduong9085 ?
@@hubertcumberdale2651 at last, tourism helps us open our eyes, and makes us grateful for what we have, and perhaps we can also share with locals that this isnt good.
@@hubertcumberdale2651 Too bad. Some people look at the half-glass empty & refuse to look at the half-glass full. There are a lot of things to enjoy in Vietnam: fruits, food, & friendly people. Don't be ethnocentric or judgmental. Vietnam just is still developing. You go to US or Europe: what they do with the unwanted dogs- they kill them. So what is your point on that.
she is super pretty.
I miss Vietnam!
very interesting how he kept saying "Ho Chi Minh City" and she says "Saigon".
I call it Saigon too
Ho Chi Minh City is too long - easier to just use 'Saigon
You won't hear Saigon unless it from pre VN war time, people that call it Saigon thypically are not in favor of North VN or that other guy, has nothing to do with what is easier to say
@@EndlessTravels
Saigon is a beautiful name , even the sound of Saigon emits a beauty of Vietnam . Everywhere I go in Saigon, I see the name of Saigon , Saigon this, Saigon that. I only use HCMC in official documents or sending and receiving. I think your assessment is wrong about pre-war name. Locals call it Saigon.
Very very interesting, yes. Both are very open to other cultures and both try to be very open and accommodating to the other. I thought this was lovely.
education here is highly competitive. the emphasis on getting grades, and 'perfect' scores is sad. my friend, that teaches ielts, when she doesnt get the scores and recognition, often depressed and forces herself to work and study harder.. its cultural norm.. the pressure to conform, to win and succeed, and otherwise feels looked down on without the recognition and praise within the community. its unlike the west.
Nice video,
Van is super and her videos very helpful.
this is just Van personal viewpoint. If you look at the Vietnamese, in general, they prefer to be in the US. Just go to the US Embassy and see how long the line is and why the average pple wants to get out of VN.
no , "in general"... this is just your stupid word ! you are /// mind
True but Van has lived long term in the US and knows the downsides like the Americans who move to Vietnam. Vietnamese who've never lived in US longterm only see up sides - developed infrastructure, high salaries, etc. No place is perfect tho.
@fs5775 Like I said this is one person vs thousands of people out there. I have lived a long time on both sides too.
I agreed. May it be a good idea to interview Vietnamese people who want to leave Vietnam 😊! So the picture may be more completely.
US gross.
Very interesting you said Saigon rather than Ho Chi Minh City. Be careful of the government who is watching your VODs. Keep up the good work.
If you’ve ever been to HCMC you’d see that the name Saigon is plastered everywhere. It’s even the name of arguably the most popular and famous beer.
Saigonese call it Saigon.
Hi, "Ninja Teacher and Van Vu"..., Beautiful young lady on a different channel ! ! * Van Vu..., is bright, intelligent, and attractive... * Van Vu also has an excellent ( tour ) of Vietnam and her own TH-cam Channel and Website... * Excellent video and very informative, and "Thank you" for sharing the video ! ! Mike in Montana :)
Both of my cousins brothers family in vn used to be very poor. They work hard all their lives but just only enough for food clothes, and pay for their kids school fee and their drinking habit every night. But the last past 5 years they just went up. They left a village life and went to binh duong to work in a factory. He gets paid 12 million a month his wife is around 8 and their older kids get 6 million because she’s under age. Altogether they can live very comfortable life. They have a washing machine fridge air conditioner which 7 years ago they can never dream off.
I was surprised by all the graffiti everwhere in hcmc.
OC still has a lot vietnamnese man. I'm only friends with a few. A lot more actually not that friendly especially the american born ones.
Vietnam very safe.. omg..wat has happened to usa
Have you heard of any issues with tourist visas being denied until you apply outside of the country
Thank you for this very interesting video. I completely agree with you that Vietnam is a country that has many assets in addition to being a magnificent country. However, the big black spot remains the visa problem. Indeed, in comparison with Thailand for example, there is currently no visa for retirees of which I will soon be one. I hope that the Vietnamese government is aware of this and that it will one day offer foreign retirees the opportunity to settle in Vietnam. During my last stay I was interviewed by chance by Vietnamese television who asked me the positive and negative points of Vietnam. I mentioned all the positive points because I love this country, however I said that Thailand was making more effort with visas because they had recently increased the duration of tourist visas. Well, as surprising as it may be, I noticed that shortly after, Vietnam had increased the duration of tourist visa exemptions. Unfortunately still nothing for retirees!
They don't want to have to deal with old retirees and their medical problems, being drain on developing medical system, repatriations. Plus, what are retirees adding to the society? Nothing more than tourists, and they likely spend way *less* than tourists. Retirees are mostly economic migrants anyway (takers) and Vietnam has higher standards for what they want in their society than Thailand. Respect to Vietnam for that.
@@fs5775 Really ? I don’t think so.
Vietnam higher standards? Huh? Thailand has its problems, but is developed way ahead of Vietnam!
@@robertnew4568 Thailand didn't go through the wars and embargos like Vietnam. During the time when Vietnam was bombed to kingdom come, lands poisoned, historical architecture leveled, embargoes enforced on them, etc., Thailand got to keep chugging along, if anything, chug along even faster due to no competition from Vietnam. If the shoes were switched, the story would be different.
@@fs5775 That is not true. The retirees have to pay medical care out of their pockets. VN government is not going to allow that to happen. I don't think the government has the foreign retiree issue figured out yet.
I am not sure that you mentioned that foreigners are not welcome by the government. Retired people are not welcome. Have a job or own a business otherwise only short stays are welcome.
I have to agree with some of the other commenters here. During my first year in HCMC I was in love with the place. After a while it wears off and you begin to notice the major downsides. Sure, everything is cheap and the people are friendly. But if you plan to stay here long term you will face the consequences. The pollution is some of the worst in the world. You are being poisoned by simply breathing. You can’t drink the water. This country has a long way to go to be a habitable place to live long term.
After u live here for a while u realise Vietnamese are only friendly and are welcoming on a very surface level. An example u might order at a local shop they will be super friendly, maybe u might not go for a week, they will Stop saying hi.
China is WAY WORSE
maybe ... you are the some of the worst people in the world...
@SKylarRulo.ff🤣🤣🤣👎🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣👎
Agreed. If you value your lungs don't stay long in HCMC. Its why I left after a year. Also I saw ALOT of people get ill from street food, including myself. Never did in Thailand. I liked Da Nang and Dalat. But will never live in HCMC again.
perfect video
Vietnam is great, but the food in rural small towns is a punishment on the local people. Now I understand why they are so thin. Be ready to eat once a day. You'll see...
Whatcha talkin 'bout ,Willis?
Vietnam sounds like my country of El Salvador..
VN wait for me.... I have 10 more years left on the tire.
The girl speaks like a native.
The problem VN is facing now is corruption and bribery in all levels (government and private) due to the minimal salaries they receive. Therefore to compensate that gap they tend to use all tricks to get more money and they don’t stop even after they got a lot of it. You guys can say that I’m exaggerating but I like to know your thoughts about a solution for VN in the next 20 years because a country with a rampant and continuous corruption will never be realistically developed.
The sad thing is the biggest scam recently found in Vietnam which will make people rethink
Thanks for telling us what the scam is. That was big of you.
Learn, survive and don’t get scam..…
Nice weather? I’ve been in HCMC and the weather is horrible.
Must be summer :)
Do non-native English teachers have opportunities to teach in Vietnam?
You might make $15 instead of $30 unless you have a PhD and are credentialed in your home country
@@mrbHanoi NOne natives are becoming a higher demand, pay isn't as high as Hanoi said but def more demand due to workign longer for cheaper. However, 2025, English will be removed from requirements for finishing High school in VN, so the demand will drop a lot faster in the next few years
WTF ? Being vastly different from one another, America compared to Vietnam has a lot of discrepancies, good and bad, between the two. No country is perfect and one must take into account its unique history, government, and culture.
I've heard it can be difficult to get your deposit back after leaving an apartment, have you found this to be the case?
I've stayed in probably close to 10 apartments in Vietnam now and have never had an issue with getting my deposit back.
@@ninja.teacher that's good to know, thanks for replying
In Singapore- yes. Some landlords love to keep your deposit & they believe things last forever. Wear & tear may not exist in Singapore.
I’m American but have lived in Vietnam for 8 years. People think it’s cool to shit on the US, as evidenced by the plethora of hate we receive on online forums, but the actual reality is usually distorted.
Obviously I love living in Vietnam with being here for so long, but talking about the US as if it’s some dystopia is wholly inaccurate. For example, I’ve found that Vietnamese food in the US is better than in Vietnam, simply because the quality of ingredients, especially meat, is much higher, but being cooked by Vietnamese immigrants who have the same recipes as back home. I hate hearing people talk about food. The US has the most wide variety of cuisines available in the world because of our immigrant culture. Yeah you’re not gonna get good international restaurants in small towns but you’re more likely to there than any mid-size or small city in Vietnam!
Comparisons for the sake of clicks are disingenuous.
Exactly, great post, thank you. I am an American, born and raised myself. I, too, have lived and worked in several foreign countries, spanning 12 years. While the food and experiences were wonderful, it gave me a greater appreciation and love for America. Growing up I enjoyed a particular vietnamese restaurant owned and operated by vietnammese immigrants. Fast forward 20 years to find myself living in So Korea for 3 years. I traveled many times to Vietnam while there and never found a restaurant capable of the same quality of meals back home all those years earlier. The meat used in Vietnam and other Asian countries is poor quality, no doubt. If you want the same quality as the US, it will cost you an arm and leg in these countries. I found the same with Korean food. A local Korean venue, Bulgolgi Bros, was absolutely delicious and high-quality l, yet the price was expensive compared to the typical restaurants. I swear the standard quality Asian food in these countries is processed garbage meat, quivelent to hot dogs in the US.
Also, listening to this lady talk, she never answers the question. She simply reverts to subjectively stating how "wonderful" Vietnam is. Bottom line, she could no longer afford to live in the US, so she left. No shame in that, just say so. She also spins everything in Vietnam as a positive (its very hard to be lonely in Vietnam she says 🙄). It's not. Asian cultures do not respect personal space, and the men are generally rude. It's not a negative comment by me. It's just a reality of their culture, so don't sugar coat it.
I continue traveling to Asian countries because I enjoy it. Scuba diving, enjoying the somewhat more respectful w0men as opposed to the garbage dumpster of American wh0r3s.
This is absolutely true. I like the family culture in Vietnam and the compact infrastructure makes it naturally more of a community, but almost everything else from infrastructure, food, government and natural beauty is better in the USA by a mile.
Whaaaaat!? The Vietnamese food is way better in Vietnam! But you also probably think Mexican food is better in America than in Mexico too 😅
@@cial67 no I actually also found Vietnamese food better if cooked right in Australia too, because higher quality ingredients, bigger meat proportions.
@@Thomas-kw9je I disagree 100%. Not only are the flavors better in Vietnam, but the prices don't rob you like in America. I've had Vietnamese food all over America and Vietnam and it's way better in Vietnam
Please explain "Saving Face" culture?
It's a very prideful culture
@@tnguyen7357 Interesting... Sounds very outward referencing instead of inward authentic... Does this stem from Confucianism?
@@vinozarazzi5633 So the pridefulness is like a thing that pass on from generation to generation. This sense of proudness stem from all the achievements Vietnam had achieved against other large nation, not necessarily defeat other nations but able to fence off to keep peace in Vietnam. Eventually, this sense of proudness become part of Vietnamese culture. We would strive to be better so we don't look bad in front of our neighbors. That's is the saving face culture. It's almost the same as patriotism but on an individual scale.
While living in Vietnam please don’t forget the Khmer native who are being treated as second class citizens and deprived of their rights on their ancestral land.
I have no idea where the numbers come from about religion but everyone i meet whilst living in Vietnam is 100% either christian/catholic or budhist.
Definatly in central Vietnam every single person has religion.
Religion is good.
Also social media is downside. Would be better world if social media was more than banned but deleted and also people grew up with religions.
In Australia religion sadly almost doesnt exist it seems and the countries in a mess like all other western countries.
Yes youtube is social media and to be honest youtube is getting more and more social media.
I could cut out social media and i would never miss it. Especially if most people did the same
Bạn Tây Alex nói chuẩn hơn (politically correct) bạn Việt: Hồ Chí Minh. Ít nhất bạn người Việt nên giải thích dùng Sài Gòn thay cho Hồ Chí Minh vì theo đa số.
👋🏼🙂👍🏼
Amerika is as free as north Korea, maybe even less so
I am interested in Living and teaching in Vietnam. But YOU only accept NES, so why not NNES? If you accept NNES for the TEFL program, that would be great.
If you're NNES you have to search jobs for yourself. Google it! You will have severe competition against NES in big cities like Hanoi or Saigon. Try smaller cities you have more chance to be hired if you don't speak English with a thick accent. I guess Ninja Teacher has a close contract with public schools or English teacher centers so he has to make sure his NES candidates will have jobs after finishing training.
Saigon
You are missing Vietnam without racism
*comparing a 1st powerful word VS a sh## hole*??
She's not telling the truth cause if it's What the Pho then her restaurants are in my state, and believe me you don't need to drive far for Pho. Especially when her family's restaurant opened decades later than when I first arrived in the state. Back then, yes you would need to drive far for a bowl of pho, but there are lots of Pho restaurants around now.
to a ‘decent’ pho place, sure maybe 10mins to a crappy one
Đầu óc tư tưởng buôn bán ăn uống bẩn thỉu dơ dáy hơn mấy trăm năm rồi mà không cải thiện sạch sẽ gọn gàn được, chứng minh rằng là một văn hóa sinh sống như lũ chuột.
Nhưng rất đáng tiếc văn hóa người Việt vẫn còn hẹp hòi lạc hậu, thô lỗ nên từ già đến trẻ đến cha mẹ đến thầy cô giáo đến chính phủ lãnh đạo đều có đầu óc tư tưởng ích kỉ, tham lam gian lận trộm cắp, thiếu ý thức vứt rác iả đái bừa bãi, thiếu trật tự lộn xộn ồn ào, làm ăn buôn bán ẩu tả gian lận. Vì vậy, xã hội thành phố lúc nào cũng lộn xộn ồn ào, bẩn thỉu dơ dáy, lường gạt trộm cắp khắp nơi.
Bọn 3 que mà không hòa nhập với văn hóa nước người ta thì vẫn sinh sống không khác gì lũ chuột đi đến đâu cũng cắn phá trộm cắp hủy hoại.
As a Vietnamese, here is the sad truth about Vietnam.
No matter how hard they try to beautify the city, the inconsiderate mindset that litters indiscriminately, theft and disorderly traffic will make Vietnam a third world country.
Because of this mindset, you see trash everywhere, unhygienic food vendors, and chaotic traffic.
There is a What the Pho restaurant in Bellevue, Washington. Not sure that own by her or her family
Pho quality in Saigon is nowhere as good as the restaurant in the states. Homemade pho is always better. The beef in VN just doesn't taste right.
"phở" is just an easiest example for people to understand. I think what she meant because Vietnamese cuisine has thousands type of "phở" - hot soup, and "canh" -vegestable soup in our in daily meal, I cannot find it anywhere else but Vietnam.
If the economy growing so fast, why Vietnamese Dong is one of the lowest currency in the world? Can someone explain?
Because Vietnam is an export oriented economy. When its currency is weak it's good for export but it's expensive to import or travel abroad. When Vietnam successfully steps up the ladder exporting more hi tech products they will solve their weak currency.
Currency manipulation - Look it up
its simple , cuz they print more money whenever they need ,
Poor thing. Babygirl couldn’t live in Hanoi because of “sinusitis”. Give me a break!
That was her polite way of referring to her problems with the air pollution up there. Air pollution that is the result of neighboring CHINA. It's way better in HCM. It's also the main reason I won't live in Hanoi. I care about my health.
Pollution is bad in Ha noi.
Pollution is terrible in Hanoi, 7 years there, and had a long term cough several times a year. Not the best place to live for health. Moved to Da Nang now, a lot better. Just my personal experience.
She's a cutie! My type for sure. "hey pretty woman. How do you feel about old fat ugly men, who are broke?"
Safety wise. NO. Countyside who have their daughters go to Saigon to study scared of people putting drugs in drinks. Just the other day, I heard a viet kieu came to visit a girl then was kidnapped, bribed money from US fam, then was killed. Yes, US also has crime but you're more likely to be in that position if they know you're Vietnamese American in VN.
Good video, but l think she was a bit misinformed with her stats. - Predominately, 95% or so in Vietnam are Buddhist.
I agree
I think majority of people in Vietnam are Buddhist at heart, but not in practice. They worship their ancestors more often than their Buddhist religion. I think she is more right.
They're not really religious. If anything, they are cultural Buddhists.
I wont agree , most young Vn ese are communist ( communist is a religion , you should know that , they had their leaders as Gods .. and destroyed other religions but you outsiders never knew .. ) . If they say they are Buddhist , mostly cuz they did went to a pagoda 1 or 2 times a year ..most of them didnt know anything about Buddhist , beleive me .
If money isn't your goal in life, Vietnam seems like a no-brainer.
give me free course of TEFL please
U can't possibly get TEFL for free but yeah u can definitely do it cheaper online. But trust me I did my TESOL in Saigon through Ninja teacher but I was enrolled in AVSE and it was about a month long course. Did my teaching job for sometime in Caobang and then in homestay in govap.
@@jasonfung9516 thanks..
How about you just provide "free" labor to go with it? You gotta spend some to earn some in life buddy....
Down Communism. !
you guy make husband and wife !
What a silly comparison. There is no comparison between the 2 countries. Glad you are doing better back in Viet nam but no need to rip the us because it didn’t work out long term for you.
she is talking like she's doing the IELTS speaking part
Lol yeah, very surface-level answers.
I was gonna say the same thing! Maybe she's just not used to a casual conversation style of interview yet.
She's northerner and people in the North of Vietnam have bigger ego and they are very peculiar of using big word in daily conversation. They do the same when they speak Vietnamese. Northern Vietnamese people are like British people saying like I am terribly sorry or precisely in conversation. Southern Vietnamese people think it's not necessary using big words in conversation they are like Americans speaking using simple vocabularies.
Her English is perfect. You guys are nitpicking. I'm from the US.
was für ein alberner gebildete Erklärung jeder schaut TH-cam weißt wie wir sind und hört auf deine Axel Haare zu rasieren .Lasst sie wachsen
Such a sugar coated interview
Indeed. In case you didn't know, the guy runs a ESL school in VN, so naturally he doesn't want to talk too much about the downsides.
This lady she doesn't know what talking about
everything you said are irrelevant, lady Pho!...
You look better in time.
W.T.F Wtp, Saigon was over in 1975. Don’t want to remind the war time when Vietnamese was suffering. Ho Chi Minh city today is much more developed and happiness compared to Saigon in 1975. The highest building in SG was 14 floors in 1975😂. Thank teacher Ninja, you always use the right name Ho Chi Minh. ❤
SAIGON
@@klnskljafdsklS….h…it
@@klnskljafdskl Win a war then you can call it whatever you want.
What was the tallest building in Hanoi in 1975? And what is the tallest building in Hanoi today?