[Papi Rico]

Quote:

By and large, Vietnamese women are indeed very sweet and make great partners, but certainly not because they are unconcerned with money or are dissimilar to their Western counterparts, or at least the ones you are likely to meet in HCMC/Hanoi.

Now is as good of a time as ever to base up in Vietnam. Location independent entrepreneurs increasingly bored of/restless with BKK and Chiangmai are arriving in hordes. I recommend checking Saigon and Danang. Avoid Hanoi.

Can you elaborate?

Most certainly.

Quote:

1. It's interesting that you lump Hanoi and HCMC women together, when many guys have noted large differences between the two.

I lump Saigon and Hanoi girls together for the same reasons that I would throw NYC and LA girls into the same boat (better yet, off the boat).

The relevant comparison for us outsiders is city vs. countryside, not North vs. South. You would apply essentially the same approach and tactics to a Hanoi native as you would to a Saigonese. Upscale and even middle-income Vietnamese city girls have much more in common with one another than with their immediate neighbors in the provinces. Differences tend to be exaggerated both by Hanoians and Saigonese, and this is nothing more than a by-product of the country's political & historical development, not IMO, any fundamental divergence in worldview.

I was very well acquainted with and smashed several Hanoi transplants in Saigon. Compared to native Saigonese, they tended to sweet talk, were considerably bigger drama queens, and would get very aggressive when I didn't pick up a call, cancelled a date, etc. On the positive side, they all seemed to be extremely well-connected, and were either running or consulting for multiple businesses. They are general go-getters compared to the more laid-back (dare I say lazy) Saigonese.

Again, these differences, in my subjective experience, were trivial when I ventured out the Mekong delta, Central coast, and Highlands. The girls there are traditional in every sense of the word, and require a completely different approach.

Quote:

2. Saying that Vietnamese women are dissimilar to their Western counterparts....that's a pretty bold statement. When was the last time you had to deal with American women on a regular basis?

Please excuse my convoluted writing style. My claim was not that we should be comparing Vietnamese to Western girls. Vietnam's westernization is not merely a factor, but a possible game-changer with many girls, and we should most definitely be aware of it.

'Nomadicdude' said that Vietnamese girls are generally very sweet, and I fully agree, but for an entirely different set of reasons. In the context of a romantic relationship, a VN woman is very agreeable, caring, and attentive in the presence of her male. This is how she was raised from Day 1, and is not to do with her austerity or any lack of Western influence.

They do have an enormous desire for material wealth and are very much affected by Western trends, but manage to very skillfully contain these drives and project a terribly captivating sweetness.

To answer your other question: I have spent 2 years in utter ecstasy at not having to deal with American whales.

Quote:

3. Why avoid Hanoi to base up as opposed to HCMC and Danang?

I've been reading some of your posts and am aware that you enjoyed Hanoi. I did too; with its lakes, parks, and historical sights, I found it to be a very pleasant change from Saigon. For those seeking to establish a commercial presence in Vietnam, Hanoi is almost imperative. Most behind-the-scenes decisions are orchestrated there. No foreign-invested JSC formation or M&A transaction involving a foreign entity goes through without someone's approval in Hanoi. And all it takes is to meet one insider, and you meet people fast. Contrast this with Saigon, a much more fragmented context with a greater number of spheres of influence.

Having said that, Hanoi high society is essentially an old-boys club, very rigid, and especially difficult for the uninitiated. The same can be said for women: if first arriving to Vietnam, a Westerner in Hanoi will face a significantly lower pool of girls whom to date, not to mention the higher bitch shields, compared with Saigon. Further, there is not, to my knowledge, a single (non-pro) bar/club in Hanoi that specifically caters to Westerners and the (non-pro) girls who want to meet them; in Saigon there are at least a dozen. Internet dating is noticeably easier in Saigon. As are logistics and date options.

And please don't get me started on the weather, midnight bar closing times, taxi scams, MSG, real estate prices, and distance from airport to city center. You and I can deal with these things; my bet is that many first-timers would prefer not too when faced with the option to hit Saigon.

Which brings me to Da Nang, which I believe may be THE most overlooked and underappreciated beach city in Southeast Asia. Unlike Saigon and/or Hanoi, Da Nang has beaches, luxury for value, invariably friendly locals, an absence of scammers/crime, and clean air/no traffic. Investment (much from Japan) is pouring in, and I think it is a matter of years before Da Nang grows into a regional hub. It is noticeably calmer than HCM/Hanoi, but I had a great time taking my dates to pristine beaches, 'splurging' on $40 bottles of JW Black, and getting work done in beautifully done coffee shops along the Han River.


Back to our side discussion: My intent was not to read anything into your comments beyond what I saw on the screen. In the digital age, the only thing a global player needs is an airbnb account, dating accounts for pipelining, and basic google skills. These tools are available for our use in almost any city imaginable. A guy can move into a city before even landing there. What more is there to optimize?

I simply wanted to present an alternative view of 'thriving', an ideal condition not tied to a locale or assimilation within it, but one which is almost exclusively dependent on the visitor himself.

Hence my focus on personal development: if you are advanced in the game and already a global boss , why even regard what other men characterize as easy or difficult? When you have the mindset and determination to live well anywhere from Zanesville, OH to Islamabad, every locale is paradise. I personally strive to be that man, rather than the one who gets discouraged by cultural difference or language barriers.

[Enigma]

@Papi Rico:

Great insights. +1 from me.

You've definitely peaked my curiosity with Da Nang. What is the cost of living there compared to HCMC and Hanoi? Lower, Even, Higher?

Also, I'm curious about the best way to search for condos/apartments for a long stay (for Vietnam, in general), say 6 months (though preferably month-to-month). I notice you mentioned AirBNB, which is definitely convenient for a shorter stay, but the monthly prices seem quite high on average compared to what people have said about the cost of living, as tends to be the case for most cities.

Someone else mentioned CL, which appears to have better prices, but it's a pain to navigate through everything since the Vietnam CL isn't separated into individual cities. Any particularly good/popular sites that you'd recommend? Or is it better to find a place once you're on the ground already?

[Veloce]

Nice insights Papi, thanks for that

[Vacancier Permanent]

Great insight on Vietnam Papi Rico! +1!
I'd also be interested to hear more about the cost of loving in Da Nang as well as the talent level there. I'm returning to Asia next month and I will definitely spend some time in Vietnam.

One thing that I keep reading and hearing is the safety issue in Saigon where it's not uncommon to have your phone, camera, laptop or backpack snatched from you by guys on bikes.

As a contrast, I never had any issue in BKK in regards to safety or snatchings. I could work freely at a cafe and leave my laptop to go to the bathroom for a couple minutes without any worries. My contacts in Chiang Mai are reporting it's also very safe there. However, I've heard of people having their phones or backpacks or laptops getting snatched in Saigon by guys on bikes.

What have you experienced in that regard in Hanoi? How much of that is urban myth versus a real concern in Saigon, Hanoi and rest of Vietnam?

Thanks man.

[Cyclone]

(10-23-2014 05:04 PM)Vacancier Permanent Wrote:  

One thing that I keep reading and hearing is the safety issue in Saigon where it's not uncommon to have your phone, camera, laptop or backpack snatched from you by guys on bikes.

As a contrast, I never had any issue in BKK in regards to safety or snatchings.

What have you experienced in that regard in Hanoi? How much of that is urban myth versus a real concern in Saigon, Hanoi and rest of Vietnam?

Well, 90% of what determines whether a "snatcher" targets you is simply how you carry yourself. Those that are new to a city have a certain lost look/walk about themselves that make them obvious targets to snatchers. If you are comfortable in a city (like you were in BKK, tho I'm not sure how long you were there), they'll notice that and leave you alone. Secondly, Vietnamese are more adapted to motobike than nearly any other culture - giving them ninja-like efficiency when snatching.

I've heard amazing things about Danang, and have been looking into to moving there for the past couple years. I found a couple rooms that were $100/month, that had A/C and practically in the city (via online message boards)

Quote:

I lump Saigon and Hanoi girls together for the same reasons that I would throw NYC and LA girls into the same boat (better yet, off the boat).

The relevant comparison for us outsiders is city vs. countryside, not North vs. South. Differences tend to be exaggerated both by Hanoians and Saigonese, and this is nothing more than a by-product of the country's political & historical development, not IMO, any fundamental divergence in worldview.

I was very well acquainted with and smashed several Hanoi transplants in Saigon. Compared to native Saigonese, they tended to sweet talk, were considerably bigger drama queens, and would get very aggressive when I didn't pick up a call, cancelled a date, etc. On the positive side, they all seemed to be extremely well-connected, and were either running or consulting for multiple businesses. They are general go-getters compared to the more laid-back (dare I say lazy) Saigonese.

Spot-on. Mostly because more people need to recognize that the difference between city-girl and country-girl are far greater than province of a country (or even between countries). Northern Vietnam girls are indeed huge drama queens and their nasty aggression (I'm talking real, real dark shit) actually became a bit of a turn-on for me.

.

[Papi Rico]

Enigma: I wish I could direct you to a English-language housing portal with reasonable prices, but there's nothing of the sort. Join the Facebook expat groups and keep your eye out for updates. Join Internations and message people. I agree that CL is time-consuming, but that is where I found both of my places in Saigon. Look for posts written in perfect English; avoid real estate agents and brokers. If you cannot find anything, do not get discouraged and stay in a hotel (from 10 USD/night) whilst looking for something on the ground.

VP: Depending on your spending habits, you could reduce your costs by around USD300-1000 by living in Da Nang as opposed to HCMC/Hanoi. I did a quick estimate last Spring, and determined that if I was to move from Saigon to Da Nang, I would spend $500 less on housing, $150 less on food, $200 less on going out, and $100 on gym memberships, transport, misc stuff - a total monthly cost savings of nearly 1,000 USD. I would think that 1500/month in Danang would be straight luxurious living. 700-1000 is definitely doable.

Da Nang girls are very much girlfriend material and you can also find some real hotties. English levels aren't as high as in Saigon / Hanoi, but definitely above Chinese cities.

(10-24-2014 12:08 AM)Cyclone Wrote:  

(10-23-2014 05:04 PM)Vacancier Permanent Wrote:  

What have you experienced in that regard in Hanoi? How much of that is urban myth versus a real concern in Saigon, Hanoi and rest of Vietnam?

Well, 90% of what determines whether a "snatcher" targets you is simply how you carry yourself. Those that are new to a city have a certain lost look/walk about themselves that make them obvious targets to snatchers.

I couldn't have put it better myself. Avoid using your iphone on the street, avoid unmarked cabs, avoid touts, and you'll be fine in all Vietnamese cities.

Quote:

Northern Vietnam girls are indeed huge drama queens and their nasty aggression (I'm talking real, real dark shit) actually became a bit of a turn-on for me.

I didn't want to scare guys initially but I experienced this too. When a Northern girl gets attached, because you've led her to believe there's a future for the two of you, it's game over.

They are capable of some real dirty shit, if in their eyes, the situation calls for it. She will lie to you about being pregnant with your child; she will show up at your apt at 2am to see if you're with another girl; every time she visits: she will go through your phone, ipad, computer, and trash, and will also look real carefully for another girl's hairs on your sheets or floor -- she will also deliberately do as much as possible to mark 'her' territory, by leaving her clothes, hairs, cosmetics and in your apt; she will add all your facebook friends and then post photos of the two of you together with hearts and little bunny rabbits. The pregnancy lie can come after 2-3 months of dating. All other conduct can begin after the first bang.

I'm not saying this because this happened with just one girl. This shit will happen on the reg. Take all necessary precautions and convey your desire to be single from the very first date. I highlighted the virtues of Hanoi girls in another post: they tend to be extremely well-connected, entrepreneurial, and will go out of their way to help you. But do not lead one to believe that you plan on leaving her or that you are sleeping around.

[Vacancier Permanent]

Agreed with you completely on how you carry yourself is crucial. I was in BKK for almost 6 months and despite going home many a night in the wee hours even at times, drunk and had no problems there whatsoever.

What I was referring about snatching in my previous post was mostly from what I heard from my contacts in Saigon and Hanoi that sometimes, even while sitting at a cafe with your laptop working, you have to be careful as some snatcher could just come and take it and run. That kind of thing.

(10-24-2014 12:08 AM)Cyclone Wrote:  

Well, 90% of what determines whether a "snatcher" targets you is simply how you carry yourself. Those that are new to a city have a certain lost look/walk about themselves that make them obvious targets to snatchers. If you are comfortable in a city (like you were in BKK, tho I'm not sure how long you were there), they'll notice that and leave you alone. Secondly, Vietnamese are more adapted to motobike than nearly any other culture - giving them ninja-like efficiency when snatching.

I've heard amazing things about Danang, and have been looking into to moving there for the past couple years. I found a couple rooms that were $100/month, that had A/C and practically in the city (via online message boards)

[Vacancier Permanent]

(10-24-2014 01:31 AM)Papi Rico Wrote:  

VP: Depending on your spending habits, you could reduce your costs by around USD300-1000 by living in Da Nang as opposed to HCMC/Hanoi. I did a quick estimate last Spring, and determined that if I was to move from Saigon to Da Nang, I would spend $500 less on housing, $150 less on food, $200 less on going out, and $100 on gym memberships, transport, misc stuff - a total monthly cost savings of nearly 1,000 USD. I would think that 1500/month in Danang would be straight luxurious living. 700-1000 is definitely doable.

Nice to hear that 1500/month is luxurious living as that's how much I'd like to spend per month this winter in Asia. While I can live comfortably on that amount in CM, it's even better if I can do it by a nice beach!

Quote:

Da Nang girls are very much girlfriend material and you can also find some real hotties. English levels aren't as high as in Saigon / Hanoi, but definitely above Chinese cities.[/b]

That's awesome as I'm more of a mini relationship type of guy than the ONS kinda guy.

Here's a question that I have: how wide spread is the usage of French there, specially among the higher end girls? Have you met many high so Viet girls who spoke and or understood French? Is French still being taught in schools in Vietnam or that's over now? I'd love to find a hot, sweet Viet girl who speaks French. That would be a keeper!

(10-24-2014 12:08 AM)Cyclone Wrote:  

(10-23-2014 05:04 PM)Vacancier Permanent Wrote:  

What have you experienced in that regard in Hanoi? How much of that is urban myth versus a real concern in Saigon, Hanoi and rest of Vietnam?

Well, 90% of what determines whether a "snatcher" targets you is simply how you carry yourself. Those that are new to a city have a certain lost look/walk about themselves that make them obvious targets to snatchers.

I couldn't have put it better myself. Avoid using your iphone on the street, avoid unmarked cabs, avoid touts, and you'll be fine in all Vietnamese cities.

These are great tips to always remember. Thanks.

[Patriarch]

VP, I haven't met anyone here who uses French. The older generation learned it in school, but English is what all the cool kids speak now. Students would also rather learn Mandarin or Japanese than European languages unless they are a groupie. Japan and China are investing heavily in Vietnam -- Saigon's subway system is a joint project working with Japanese engineers, for example.

You shouldn't have any problems with theft. The easiest targets are frail women who carry massive purses that weigh more than they do. All it takes is a couple of guys darting by on a bike and there's nothing you can do about it. Whenever I pay for anything on the street, I step far onto the sidewalk and shield my wallet from the road with my body. Someone tried to snatch a bag from me on my first day in Saigon, but I recognized their body language when they approached and juked them. Last week I was eating on the street and a couple guys snatched a girl's purse not ten feet from me.

I definitely would not leave your laptop out at cafes in the city center. I do leave mine out when I use the bathroom at the cafe near my house, but it's only after a week of coming here and getting to know the staff better. I'm comfortable trusting them to watch it, but I know it's still a possibility. Last month two guys tried to steal this girl's phone on the bridge between D1 and D5, but she fought back. The guys ran off with her phone, but left their fucking $5k bike. Just don't do anything careless and you should be fine. Out in the provinces, I'd be comfortable sleeping in a hammock at a cafe with all of my shit lying around. It's probably naive, but that's the impression I got.

I'm really impressed with what people are saying about Da Nang -- if I cut a thousand bucks from my monthly spending habits by moving there, the city would have to pay me $300 per month.

[Enigma]

(10-24-2014 12:08 AM)Cyclone Wrote:  

Spot-on. Mostly because more people need to recognize that the difference between city-girl and country-girl are far greater than province of a country (or even between countries). Northern Vietnam girls are indeed huge drama queens and their nasty aggression (I'm talking real, real dark shit) actually became a bit of a turn-on for me. .

You're just going to leave us hanging like that? We want stories/examples

(10-24-2014 01:31 AM)Papi Rico Wrote:  

Enigma: I wish I could direct you to a English-language housing portal with reasonable prices, but there's nothing of the sort. Join the Facebook expat groups and keep your eye out for updates. Join Internations and message people. I agree that CL is time-consuming, but that is where I found both of my places in Saigon. Look for posts written in perfect English; avoid real estate agents and brokers. If you cannot find anything, do not get discouraged and stay in a hotel (from 10 USD/night) whilst looking for something on the ground.

Thanks for the tips. I'm just jaded by the Phils, where all the major real estate sites are written completely in English.

Quote:

I didn't want to scare guys initially but I experienced this too. When a Northern girl gets attached, because you've led her to believe there's a future for the two of you, it's game over.

They are capable of some real dirty shit, if in their eyes, the situation calls for it. She will lie to you about being pregnant with your child; she will show up at your apt at 2am to see if you're with another girl; every time she visits: she will go through your phone, ipad, computer, and trash, and will also look real carefully for another girl's hairs on your sheets or floor -- she will also deliberately do as much as possible to mark 'her' territory, by leaving her clothes, hairs, cosmetics and in your apt; she will add all your facebook friends and then post photos of the two of you together with hearts and little bunny rabbits. The pregnancy lie can come after 2-3 months of dating. All other conduct can begin after the first bang.

I'm not saying this because this happened with just one girl. This shit will happen on the reg. Take all necessary precautions and convey your desire to be single from the very first date. I highlighted the virtues of Hanoi girls in another post: they tend to be extremely well-connected, entrepreneurial, and will go out of their way to help you. But do not lead one to believe that you plan on leaving her or that you are sleeping around.

Ah, Filipinas do all that same shit. My ex used to count my condoms daily and read any receipts I left lying around, then ask why I bought two drinks at the cafe if it was just me there

I thought it was par for the course with many Asian broads, honestly.

[Veloce]

Papi- Do you have any thoughts on Hoi An? There's a resort there looking for a Western chef...

[Papi Rico]

(10-24-2014 11:36 AM)Veloce Wrote:  

Papi- Do you have any thoughts on Hoi An? There's a resort there looking for a Western chef...

Very picturesque with UNESCO status. Relatively calm at night, with bars catering to SEA backpackers. It's seen as a top romantic destination for Vietnamese couples. In short, a place to take your GF for the weekend. Backpackers represent a constant presence, but certainly not enough to sustain the local tourism and hospitality industries. The big push comes during national holidays, where you have Vietnamese from all corners fill this little town. Hoi an is rather seasonal I would say.

My Da Nang based buddy would chew my ear off about some restaurant called Soul Kitchen, and would make a 30 min motorbike trip 3-5 a week just to have lunch there.

From my perspective, the resort's proximity to Da Nang would be outcome-determinative. Otherwise, it could be a nice change of pace if you're accustomed to big-city living, and you'd be a major fish in a small pond (in all aspects).

If this is a brand new development, I would also perform some cursory due diligence on the business itself. To the extent possible, make sure they have the cash to pay you -- who is backing the project, to what extent, and on what terms? I say this because resorts are popping up along that coastline at an astronomical pace and many are bound to fail (Vung Tau on the southern coast is a prime example). If this is an established, international brand, you're probably OK in this regard.

[Patriarch]

Housing in Vietnam -- I found my place on 123nhadat.vn.
It's not in English, but you can get the gist of most of the listings using Google Translate. Better yet, get a Vietnamese girl to help you look. This is a site for Vietnamese locals, but you'll probably be asked for more money if you call or show up alone. I always had my girl make phone calls and ask for the prices first before I looked at the rooms. Another helpful hint is to just walk around and look for signs that say "Cho thuê phòng" which means room for rent.

[RawGod]

A number of my contacts have moved to Vietnam. Looks like the word is out now.

[Cyclone]

(10-24-2014 06:19 AM)Enigma Wrote:  

(10-24-2014 12:08 AM)Cyclone Wrote:  

Spot-on. Mostly because more people need to recognize that the difference between city-girl and country-girl are far greater than province of a country (or even between countries). Northern Vietnam girls are indeed huge drama queens and their nasty aggression (I'm talking real, real dark shit) actually became a bit of a turn-on for me. .

You're just going to leave us hanging like that? We want stories/examples

Ugh, it takes up so much energy to pull out these memories.. eh i think Papi Rico did a decent job of examples of how they behave. It's kind of like you have to experience it to feel it. What the filipinas do is familiar, but they do it in a cute way.

Ok; one short story was after a "break up" with a neighboring girl (and by "break up", i mean she got me to catch her cheating on me with a Hanoi dude after she saw another girl on my motorbike) i got a text in the evening by some mystery girl. She said she "heard about me" and wants to get a drink together with "handsome boy". We do meet up, and chat, among other things, about how her friends call her a vampire for how much she likes to suck dick. After a couple of meaningless hours I get back home at dark, stumble into my bathroom and take a piss, although i don't hear the familiar splash in the toilet, i don't think much of it.

when i go back to the bathroom next morning, the entire floor is covered in shards of glass - covering the toilet hole as well. She smashed in the entire bathroom window while i was gone.

This girl had literally called her friend to distract me for 2 hours just so she could destroy my window during the "date". Keep in mind this was on a university campus, so she also didn't give a fuck about the university housing $$. So thats what we mean when we say dark shit. i coulda stabbed my feet that night and there's no hospitals around here. We had dated for 2 months.

(10-24-2014 12:47 PM)Papi Rico Wrote:  

(10-24-2014 11:36 AM)Veloce Wrote:  

Papi- Do you have any thoughts on Hoi An? There's a resort there looking for a Western chef...

Very picturesque with UNESCO status. Relatively calm at night, with bars catering to SEA backpackers. It's seen as a top romantic destination for Vietnamese couples. In short, a place to take your GF for the weekend. Backpackers represent a constant presence, but certainly not enough to sustain the local tourism and hospitality industries. The big push comes during national holidays, where you have Vietnamese from all corners fill this little town. Hoi an is rather seasonal I would say.

From my perspective, the resort's proximity to Da Nang would be outcome-determinative. Otherwise, it could be a nice change of pace if you're accustomed to big-city living, and you'd be a major fish in a small pond (in all aspects).

I think this is the right place to post a thought i've had in my head for a while: how practical would it be do own a simple apartment in downtown Danang ($150/month) and then another villa in Hoi An for the weekends ($400/month)? Like own 2 spots in central Vietnam. I'm not even sure if that's legal for foreigners but if any of us end up making $1200+/month out there that would be a solid lifestyle
.

[Enigma]

(10-25-2014 07:53 AM)Cyclone Wrote:  

(10-24-2014 06:19 AM)Enigma Wrote:  

(10-24-2014 12:08 AM)Cyclone Wrote:  

Spot-on. Mostly because more people need to recognize that the difference between city-girl and country-girl are far greater than province of a country (or even between countries). Northern Vietnam girls are indeed huge drama queens and their nasty aggression (I'm talking real, real dark shit) actually became a bit of a turn-on for me. .

You're just going to leave us hanging like that? We want stories/examples

Ugh, it takes up so much energy to pull out these memories.. eh i think Papi Rico did a decent job of examples of how they behave. It's kind of like you have to experience it to feel it. What the filipinas do is familiar, but they do it in a cute way.

Ok; one short story was after a "break up" with a neighboring girl (and by "break up", i mean she got me to catch her cheating on me with a Hanoi dude after she saw another girl on my motorbike) i got a text in the evening by some mystery girl. She said she "heard about me" and wants to get a drink together with "handsome boy". We do meet up, and chat, among other things, about how her friends call her a vampire for how much she likes to suck dick. After a couple of meaningless hours I get back home at dark, stumble into my bathroom and take a piss, although i don't hear the familiar splash in the toilet, i don't think much of it.

when i go back to the bathroom next morning, the entire floor is covered in shards of glass - covering the toilet hole as well. She smashed in the entire bathroom window while i was gone.

This girl had literally called her friend to distract me for 2 hours just so she could destroy my window during the "date". Keep in mind this was on a university campus, so she also didn't give a fuck about the university housing $$. So thats what we mean when we say dark shit. i coulda stabbed my feet that night and there's no hospitals around here. We had dated for 2 months.

Ok that makes more sense. I was just curious because you said "really, really dark" and I didn't consider what Papi Rico said to be particularly bad. Annoying, jealous, obsessive, yes, but dark is more like something you described.

[TheBulldozer]

Can't own property in vietnam as a foreigner.

[Going strong]

(10-25-2014 07:53 AM)Cyclone Wrote:  

Ugh, it takes up so much energy to pull out these memories.. eh i think Papi Rico did a decent job of examples of how they behave. It's kind of like you have to experience it to feel it. What the filipinas do is familiar, but they do it in a cute way.

Ok; one short story was after a "break up" with a neighboring girl (and by "break up", i mean she got me to catch her cheating on me with a Hanoi dude after she saw another girl on my motorbike) i got a text in the evening by some mystery girl. She said she "heard about me" and wants to get a drink together with "handsome boy". We do meet up, and chat, among other things, about how her friends call her a vampire for how much she likes to suck dick. After a couple of meaningless hours I get back home at dark, stumble into my bathroom and take a piss, although i don't hear the familiar splash in the toilet, i don't think much of it.

when i go back to the bathroom next morning, the entire floor is covered in shards of glass - covering the toilet hole as well. She smashed in the entire bathroom window while i was gone.

This girl had literally called her friend to distract me for 2 hours just so she could destroy my window during the "date". Keep in mind this was on a university campus, so she also didn't give a fuck about the university housing $$. So thats what we mean when we say dark shit. i coulda stabbed my feet that night and there's no hospitals around here. We had dated for 2 months.

Probably, she intended to put shards on the round toilet seat, too... then, not only your feet would've been in danger...

[Cyclone]

(10-25-2014 08:05 AM)Enigma Wrote:  

Ok that makes more sense. I was just curious because you said "really, really dark" and I didn't consider what Papi Rico said to be particularly bad. Annoying, jealous, obsessive, yes, but dark is more like something you described.

Yeah.. and things like that was the constant norm for guys like me (us). The entire experience was a fucking whirlwind and that was just a sample
.

[Felix88]

Drama is just a fact of life when dealing with Vietnamese women, growing up seeing women at eachother's throat for silly reasons you get used to it. At least she didn't mess the other girl's face with acid.

[ballybally]

Any "SWIM" experience with weed in Vietnam ? I know that by law you need like 1kg of it or it's not a criminal offense(but I heard they can send you to drug rehab, which is pretty much the same as prison)

If caught do they take bribes? If yes, about how much ?
Any other city then Saigon where it's that well tolerated(I read about people smoking bongs on streets there)

Also, how about steroids ... Might wanna do cycle there and read that you can get test. from pharmacy but not sure about PCT and other stuff

[RichieP]

(10-21-2014 09:34 AM)Sweet Pea Wrote:  

Vietnamese men are anything but timid. I've seen more fights and shouting matches here in 2 months than I did in the past year in America. Last month I was looking for somewhere to eat, and these three dudes flipped over a table right in front of me and started wailing on a fourth guy for God knows what. I order food and they walk back in a few minutes later, and one of the guys says "Hello sorry" and smiles at me.

There's something raw and instantly explosive in the psyche...yet it's mixed with delightful charmingness.

My taxi driver in HCMC was yelling at a guy on a bike trying to turn around in the middle of the street. Taxi driver whips out a METAL PIPE and starts waving it madly at the guy from inside the taxi, yelling in Vietnamese. Bike scoots off and driver says "sorry hahaha. For him!" *gestures to pipe*

It's like, the opposite of Thailand, where everything gets done with a fake smile, cool head and a settlement. In Vietnam it's shouting and metal pipes and fists. Then instantly back to normal, lol.

[Jasper]

(10-28-2014 10:51 AM)ballybally Wrote:  

Any "SWIM" experience with weed in Vietnam ? I know that by law you need like 1kg of it or it's not a criminal offense(but I heard they can send you to drug rehab, which is pretty much the same as prison)

If caught do they take bribes? If yes, about how much ?
Any other city then Saigon where it's that well tolerated(I read about people smoking bongs on streets there)

Also, how about steroids ... Might wanna do cycle there and read that you can get test. from pharmacy but not sure about PCT and other stuff

BallyBally your after weed, bribes and steroids info? Haha!

I'm also very interested if anyone has the lowdown

[ballybally]

(10-29-2014 10:07 AM)Jasper Wrote:  

(10-28-2014 10:51 AM)ballybally Wrote:  

Any "SWIM" experience with weed in Vietnam ? I know that by law you need like 1kg of it or it's not a criminal offense(but I heard they can send you to drug rehab, which is pretty much the same as prison)

If caught do they take bribes? If yes, about how much ?
Any other city then Saigon where it's that well tolerated(I read about people smoking bongs on streets there)

Also, how about steroids ... Might wanna do cycle there and read that you can get test. from pharmacy but not sure about PCT and other stuff

BallyBally your after weed, bribes and steroids info? Haha!

I'm also very interested if anyone has the lowdown

Haha well everything else is already explaind in detail so no need to ask Especially interested about weed situation in Da Nang ... Google doesn't tell much.

If it would be easily accessible and cops won't mind it then I might have just found dream town =)

[PsychedelicTaser]

Hey Guys,

Read through this whole thread and trying to go through a few others to find any game tips/strategy for Vietnamese girls but haven't found much.

I've been to Thailand and Phillipines before and now I'm in HCMC for awhile.

I'm wondering if it's straight up nice guy game like you have to do in Phillipines?

I have a few dates lined up since getting into town but need help with one particular chick. I did a talk on marketing at a conference here and one of the girls who works with the group who ran the event is a model. After the event I got treated like a celebrity with everyone (guys especially) wanting to take photos with me. A lot of us went out for dinner & drinks after and she basically came onto me by making everyone else slide down so she can sit next to me at dinner, grabbing my arm, talking about how tall and strong I looked.

I amped up the flirting from there but didn't make it too physical as I've heard how socially conscientious they are here. We were dancing and taking lots of photos and when I asked if she had a boyfriend she basically screamed No. We agreed that to meet for a drink just the two of us two nights later.

Then I saw her the next day at a follow up meeting and she completely clammed up. When I followed up on Facebook she said her time right now is to focus on business and that she invited people who wanted to learn more about marketing/biz to our drinks date.

Normally my response would be "NEXT" but I don't have a grasp on the culture here yet and she did tell me she is shy. She would be by far the hottest asian chick I've hooked up with so I don't want to throw in the towel just yet but not sure the best approach going forward.