John Gottberg Anderson

7. Chiang Mai, city of temples

Ancient tradition collides with modern tourism on a “visa run” to northern Thailand. If I lived here, I would no doubt be a Buddhist. … From the time I first ventured into Thailand at the age of 26, I had been hearing rapturous recommendations about travel to Chiang Mai, in the country’s far north. MetropolitanContinue reading “7. Chiang Mai, city of temples”

6. Stacking the dominoes

John finds a job, negotiates money and visa crises, and makes new and old friends to help ease the transition to his new life. … It didn’t take long for me to get a job teaching English in Ho Chi Minh City. As AVSE had promised, the school made an email introduction for me withContinue reading “6. Stacking the dominoes”

5. Uncle Ho

Hero or villain? In Vietnam, there’s no question where his legacy stands. Some thoughts about Hô Chí Minh and the country’s contemporary history. The guidebooks may disagree, but I consider the heart of modern Ho Chi Minh City to be a larger-than-life statue of its namesake. The guidebooks may point you to the Nôtre-Dame Cathedral,Continue reading “5. Uncle Ho”

4. Learning the city

John explores some of the sights of Ho Chi MInh City, including the Bitexco Tower, the Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Central Post Office and the Jade Emperor Pagoda. On the day in late November that Americans celebrate Thanksgiving, AVSE handed me a diploma and threw me out in the street. It was not a surprise; IContinue reading “4. Learning the city”

3. The invisible man

Ho Chi Minh City, especially the working-class Go Vap district, made John’s first month in Vietnam a cultural challenge. And, as if that weren’t enough, he was going back to school. I stepped into Ho Chi Minh City just in time for Halloween. But for the next 30 days or so, I felt as thoughContinue reading “3. The invisible man”

2. Making the move

It wasn’t easy to make a major life change at the age of 69. Perseverence, inspiration and the knowledge of veteran Asian expatriates helped to make possible the jump to Vietnam. … I began exploring my options, casting long glances at Asia. My girlfriend of many years, Barb, wasn’t interested. Not only had she hadContinue reading “2. Making the move”

1. A new beginning

What in the world might have inspired this stunning, late-in-life adventure? John’s first installment explains what brought him to Vietnam. My birthday is almost here again. That means I’ve been nearly a year in Vietnam, a tropical Southeast Asian country that, half a century ago, I did everything I could to avoid. Of course, lookingContinue reading “1. A new beginning”