Any Westerners living in Saigon right now?

[Matt_Stevens 5]

It is pretty much official. We are moving. To Saigon. This Fall. My wife's company wants to open an office there so it's just a done deal at this point. I'm excited, but at the same time, scared SH**LESS!

One thing that would make the transition easier is if there were some Western folks in Saigon, native English speakers, that I could meet and maybe pal around with. It's always great to make new friends in new places.

I will need to learn the language. God help me, I do not have a knack for languages. Maybe I should start off with Rosetta Stone before I leave.

My biggest sports love is boxing. It's featured mostly on HBO an Showtime over here and I wonder if Vietnam has any of the American boxing on their system? When Manny Pacquiao fights, is it shown in Vietnam?

How much would a Playstation 3 cost in Vietnam? I cannot bring mine but I will want to have one. Not just for Blu-Ray (no games) but because it's awesome to stream material from my computer to the TV. The PS3 rocks.

I'm wondering what phone I should use over there. Right now I have a Blackberry Storm2 under Verizon and it is one of the only Verizon phones that is worldwide. I used it with a Saigon bought sim last year when I visited. But everyone is iPhone crazy and I do hear it works better over there (the AT&T one, of course) vs my Blackberry. Maybe I sell the Storm2 and buy an iPhone. Not sure. So many decisions to make.

Not the least of which is getting a job. My main goal is to shoot the feature film I am planning for next Spring, but prior to that I have to find something to keep me busy. I don't care if it is full or p/t or if I am only making $800 a month. Just need something to bring in a little cash and not be in the house. Looking like I have a steady job will = no questions from the family. They won't quite get the idea behind pre-production on a feature.

Oh yes! My computer will be taken apart and I will bring it in pices with me via my carryon bag and then reassemble in Vietnam. But... I wonder about POWER. We are 120V over here and it is 220V in Vietnam. This is my current power supply:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371016

Input Voltage is listed as 100 - 240 V

Input Frequency Range as 47 - 63 Hz

Input Current as 10A @ 115V, 5A @ 230V

Output as +3.3V@28A, +5V@26A, +12V1@22A, +12V2@22A, +12V3@25A, -12V@0.5A, +5VSB@2.5A

I know jack about power. The question is, can I use this same power supply? It's a damn fine one. Obviously I don't want to use this and then fry my motherboard or buy one in Saigon that fries my motherboard.

No doubt I will need one very robust BATTERY BACKUP and SURGE PROTECTION unit. Saigon always had brownouts and surges when I've visited and those can be deadly for a computer.

I'm rambling. Thanks, everybody.

Edited May 19, 2011 by Matt_Stevens

[Anh map 2,098]

District 1 is where the expats hang out. Plenty of folks to meet and drink with.

Pacquiao is a worldwide phenomenon. No problem getting his fights anywhere. Get cable tv and you'll be fine.

[Matt_Stevens 5]

Thanks. I cannot live without boxing. Pac-man fights in November so I have gots to see it.

And I was asking about members of this board who live in Saigon.

[Dau Que 6]

What are you scared of? Your bank account is still loaded with $$$$, right? Just spend til it's close to empty, at least some left-over to afford you a return ticket.

If I recall correctly, in other thread of this forum, lots and lots and lots of folks commented "Vnese people are great! they're always friendly, nice and treat foreigner guests like their own relatives." So what are you afraid of?

REALITY?

[Anh map 2,098]

Thanks. I cannot live without boxing. Pac-man fights in November so I have gots to see it.

And I was asking about members of this board who live in Saigon.

So my time spent time in District 1 doesn't count?

[Matt_Stevens 5]

What are you scared of? Your bank account is still loaded with $$$$, right? Just spend til it's close to empty, at least some left-over to afford you a return ticket.

If I recall correctly, in other thread of this forum, lots and lots and lots of folks commented "Vnese people are great! they're always friendly, nice and treat foreigner guests like their own relatives." So what are you afraid of?

REALITY?

I honestly have no idea what you are saying. Wouldn't it be normal for someone to be a little bit scared about moving from the USA to a communist country to live? Visiting and living/working/surviving are not one and the same.

And we do not have lots of money in the bank.

So my time spent time in District 1 doesn't count?

Of course it does. I was just being specific that I am wondering is any westerners who post here live in Saigon.

[tcTTct 37]

You don't care if you're only making $800 a month in Vietnam??? You do realize that this is a very high salary amount for Vietnam right? If not then you're slightly out of touch with reality.

[Dau Que 6]

I honestly have no idea what you are saying. Wouldn't it be normal for someone to be a little bit scared about moving from the USA to a communist country to live? Visiting and living/working/surviving are not one and the same.

And we do not have lots of money in the bank.

You won't be moving there by yourself. You've got your wife and her family to cover you. And they're rich and well-connected, according to your words in previous posts.

When I immigrated to the US, I was by myself. I spoke no English, no money in pocket, no relative within 100-mile radius.

And you're nervous and scared? Please!!!

Even when you speak no Vnese, ppl there do speak English. The reverse for my situation many years ago was NOT the same.

Edited May 19, 2011 by Dau Que

[dtc 1]

if you see a red switch on the back of your power supply it will work in vietnam, just slide it over.most power supply for electronics products(cell phone, pc... ects...) are made so they can be use world wide,last time that i went home to visit the wife my laptop and cellphone work just fine on vietnam power grid . there are butt load of white people in vietnam , if you see any of them just walk up to them and talk, you may made some friend , not like they gonna bite you right? just learn the basic vietnammese, and if you need help call your wife and have her translate what ever you wanna say from english to vietnamese, there is a loudspeaker feature on most phone, turn it on and people will beable to heard your wife talk.enjoy your stay in vietnam.

[BinhJerome 14]

Here is the cut and dry about it. There are MANY foreigners here in Vietnam that speak English, I truly recomend not trusting anyone since how they might stab you in the back, but this is everywhere. They have PS3 here for about 9 million, and you need to understand that they are regioned so if you are bringing blue ray movies then I would strongly suggest you get on ebay before you come and order a replacement blue ray drive for one that is multi region, this way you can watch your movies. I just bought a PS3 and the network is still down here in Vietnam, and NONE of my DVD's would play because it was the wrong region, but all of the new movies I have bought here play just fine. $800 a month is easy if you teach, most jobs with only part time hours you can make over $1000 a month but usually evening hours, some jobs you can find morning hours but they are hard since they are coveted. If you want any of the COD games, buy them in the US, I can only find COD modern Warfare 2 I have been looking and looking for Black Ops and will probably have to spring for one on ebay and then wait for it to arrive, but I wont do that until after the network is back up, which it should be by the end of this month. Any other specific questions PM me and I will help if I know the answers. Jerome

[Ban Hammer 12,876]

one post removed for personal insults. non tos violating part of the post returned below:

You don't care if you're only making $800 a month in Vietnam??? You do realize that this is a very high salary amount for Vietnam right? If not then you're slightly out of touch with reality.

Westerners do not make $150 to $300 a month. The $800 figure is just a general number I listed based upon figures I have been given via research, looking at job opportunities, etc. My wife will make far beyond that amount, thankfully.

i suggest some members strongly consider using the ignore feature. if you don't know how to use that, feel free to send me a pm and i'll send you instructions on how to place someone on ignore.

[Matt_Stevens 5]

The ignore feature does not allow you to block certain rude individuals from seeing your post. You don't see them, which allows them to bash you left and right.

And for the record, it is an outrage for anyone to say my wife's parents are rich and connected. They make very little each month, do not own a home or land and have zero connections. My father-in-law's family is in the deep south and they suffered greatly under communist rule. Calling them connected is just pathetic. What they are are good loving people and I respect them greatly and look forward to being closer with them, learning their language and being able to converse with them minus a translator.

[Matt_Stevens 5]

They have PS3 here for about 9 million, and you need to understand that they are regioned so if you are bringing blue ray movies then I would strongly suggest you get on ebay before you come and order a replacement blue ray drive for one that is multi region, this way you can watch your movies.

That's strange about th PS3. Vietnam and all of SE Asia, Japan, Hong Kong is supposed to be Region A, same as the USA.

[BinhJerome 14]

That's strange about th PS3. Vietnam and all of SE Asia, Japan, Hong Kong is supposed to be Region A, same as the USA.

That is what I thought and mine came from Japan but my DVD movies I brought from the US both the original and copies would not play due to a region error, but all of the dvd's from the local stores played no problem

[dtc 1]

what up with ps3 anyway, is there anythings a ps3 can do that a gaming pc can not do? may be i should drive up to my lilbrother's apartment and borrow his ps3 and see for my self .