Vietnam has a record of remarkable success against COVID-19, which has ravaged much of the rest of the world.
Author Archives: John Gottberg Anderson
15. Kindergarten Pop
English teaching is big business in Vietnam, where it seems everyone wants to learn the world’s most widely spoken language. But it can be a challenge for a novice instructor.
14. The Sacred and the Profane
A celebration of the Tet holiday, in a Mekong Delta village, is a magical mystery tour of Buddhist spirituality, drinking games, unthinkable foods and cockfights.
13. Journey to the Mekong
Nearly 80 percent of Vietnam’s Mekong Delta is covered with rice. The region is always wet and green. But a visit to a tiny riverside village is a cultural adventure as well as a geographic one.
12. No Thanksgiving? No problem
Where does an expatriate eat Thanksgiving dinner when it’s being served half a world away? … It’s Thanksgiving week back in the United States, my home country. I have indelible memories of family feasting — of roast turkey, its juices locked in by its crispy skin; of moist stuffing and mashed potatoes with savory gravy;Continue reading “12. No Thanksgiving? No problem”
11. Going with the phở
No Vietnamese food is better known than the beef-noodle soup called phở. Served everywhere in Vietnam and in restaurants around the world, phở is the ultimate comfort food. It may be found from street stalls to fine-dining restaurants, and it’s as ubiquitous in households as the tomato soup or chicken broth your mother made whenContinue reading “11. Going with the phở”
10. Hem Sweet Hem
The author finds a place to live in central Ho Chi Minh City. It may not be charming, but it’s definitely quaint. …
9. My brilliant (acting) career
Having once appeared in a school play, I decided to explore a career in acting. The audition went smoothly, and then … The ad was simple enough. A production company was auditioning English-speaking actors (no experience necessary) to appear in a promotional video for an international financial firm. Announced on a website directed at expatriatesContinue reading “9. My brilliant (acting) career”
8. An appetite for Chiang Mai
An all-day lesson at a northern Thai cooking school is followed by a late-night romp with the Midnight Ramblers, a regionally renowned cover band. … A big part of travel for me is always the food. I have loved Thai food for as long as I can remember. In recent years, inspired by chefs likeContinue reading “8. An appetite for Chiang Mai”
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”
Travels in Vietnam 