Hello Mr. Matt,
I am 100% positive that you are excited about your up comming trip. Now is the time to think about what you can bring with you to help your fiance prepare for her interview. If you have emails or instant messages from each other, print them out now and bring with you, this way you can spend quality time together. Also, go over your case with her, think about what questions they will ask that is specific to your case. Practice the questions, act as if you are the CO and you are conducting the interview. Bring copies of the ring reciept, copies of your phone bills, what ever bank and co sposer information you can get your hands on. Just think deeply about what you can bring. If you are going to be staying in HCMC, go with your fiance to the US consulate, it is next to the French consulate you cant miss it. Go there and get a feel for the place, maybe ask a few questions.

If you have any questions as to what else to bring, just ask.

Good luck and have a good time!

Thanks! I was surprised to see this post and it made me feel good.

Right now my desk is covered with paperwork I need to bring with me. My God, how I am going to get it all in order before Wednesday is beyond me.

I spent all day today in my yard and will spend all day tomorrow doing the same thing. I'll be gone 2.5 weeks and that means the lawn and landscaping needs tending to. Monday - Wednesday will be for packing, last minute stuff and getting the interview package in order. I'll have everything in it that I can think of. Of course, once I get there I am sure I will have forgot something, but since she does not even have an interview date yet, I think it's OK.

We want updates too......remember, A big cube of ice with with warm beer is actually quite tasty!

Good Luck

I hate beer. Yuck.

Have a safe trip.

Mary

Hi Matt,

I don't know about your fiancee's family, but my fiancee's family, and nearly every Vietnamese male that I work with, LOVE beer!

I can't promise you 100%, but I can pretty well guess that they'll be pouring you glass after glass of iced beer and telling you to down it, 100%!

I can't tell you how many times I've done this when dining out with Vietnamese, cheering at our engagement party, etc. Just part of the culture I guess. I do put a limit to my chugging though. I'm the foreigner and they ALL seem to want to down one with me. For me, that equals drunk a lot faster than for them!

Hope you have a good trip. Where in HCMC will be staying?

STL_HCMC

I have no idea where I am staying! Anh says she found a place about one block from her. $11 a night, ac, with a bathroom and shower. OK, that works for me. I'd rather spend my money on her and us. Screw the room.

Guess I'll have to explain to the family that I cannot drink beer. I'll just tell them I cannot drink hops.

Sounds exciting. I hope you enjoy your time here. The weather here is definitely HOT these days!


Now this idea might work!

STL_HCMC

[quote name='Matt_Stevens' date='May 7 2006, 09:06 PM' post='180865']
I have no idea where I am staying! Anh says she found a place about one block from her. $11 a night, ac, with a bathroom and shower. OK, that works for me. I'd rather spend my money on her and us. Screw the room.


It might be a good idea to find out where you are staying before you get there. The reason I say this is because the customs paper that they pass out on the plane asked where you are staying in VN, and when I was going through customs at the airport in HCMC the customs agent asked me where I was staying during my time in VN.

Have a nice trip and good luck Matt

it is most likley a nice room I am staying at the Minh Huy - my future MIL found it and it was only $17 and very nice big room big bathroom clean
Good Luck

Guess I'll have to explain to the family that I cannot drink beer. I'll just tell them I cannot drink hops.
[/quote]


When you tell the men in the family this, they will likely pull out some Vietnamese rice wine (i.e. moonshine, white lightning). They always like to get the foreigner drunk, so be careful. Make sure you share shots or take equal shots. Don't let anyone at the table (usually all men) pass up a round after you. Otherwise they'll just keep making you drink more than they. If anyone cheats give them some ###### about it, in a funny way.

If you have had enough drinking, it's OK to excuse yourself to go sleep. Sometimes my sweetheart will come to the table and scold me "you don't drink too much!". She'll take some heat from the men, but it gets me out of the heavy drinking that often goes on. Work out a plan with Anh ahead of time to get you out of too much drinking.

Don't drink beer with ice in it. I got gawd-awful sick the day after our engagement ceremony from drinking beer with ice in it. Now I'll drink it warm if I have to, although the men in the family now make sure my beer sits on ice in a cooler just to keep me drinking! Good luck Matt!

Good Lord, Anh never said anything about this sort of thing! I think she and I need to have a talk.

Thanks everyone. Just 3 more days from right now and I am over the Pacific!

Have a good & safe trip Matt !
Enjoy your time with Anh, and live every moment. Time goes by too fast !

Be well !

-Rose

Miss Anh won't be able to tell you everything......that's the exciting part about travelling in VN. Always expect the unexpected. (It's sort of opposite of America)

Keep us posted

Matt have a great time!!!!

DEFINITELY!

bring EYEDROPS.... it's very dirsty over there, i kept getting giant sands in my eyes when I was outside... very irretating. (just one of my pet peeve)

otherwise, obsorb EVERYTHING, greet and treat everyone with respect and enjoy both good and bad from this trip... You will not forget it weeks after you return to the States. Love to hear your updates, some of us here have been through it once, and loving every moment of it!

Good luck Matt!

Chuck and Kim

Matt,

What airline are you flying here? Where do you transit?

STL_HCMC

United and Asiana. Bradley to O Hare to Hong Kong to HCMC.

25 hours and 51 minutes until I am in the air.

Your air time isn't much less than that.

Yeah, no kidding. God help me.

The longest of the flights is 14.5 hours. The other two won't be so bad. What's bad is this paperwork for the visa. Last night I finally collapsed at midnight and got up at 5am to continue putting it all together.

Isn't Asiana Airlines based in Seoul, Korea?

My trip back has a stop-over in Korea.

If you have a long lay-over in Korea on the way back, Asiana will give you a guided tour of the city. It's pretty cool. I would take it over the hotel since you don't have enough time to sleep in the hotel anyway.

It's just a couple of hour, unfortunately.

Everyone please take care. I'll report in when I get back.

"There can be only one"

Matt

Matt,

Have a good trip! The flights aren't as bad as one would think. I've done it a few times now. Although I fly American Airlines to LAX or SFO and then Cathay Pacific to HKG and SGN.

Have a good time while your here in HCMC. If I can be of any help during your visit here, contact me through the board or personal message.

STL_HCMC

I hope you have a good trip, Matt!!

Have a good and safe trip Matt! Hope everything goes well!

good luck & please have a safe trip