Home

 

Getting Experience

- # of # Filtered -

Hustle and Bustle in Vietnam

Q&A with Scott: Traveled in Asia
Share this
Print this
Scott
Traveled in Asia
His thoughts on Taking It All In
Observing the traffic proved to be a way in to understanding Vietnamese culture.
His thoughts on First Impressions
The city is constantly in motion. People moving, weaving in and out of traffic, but with few fender-benders and no road rage ever seen.
His thoughts on Motivation
I knew that by touring and tasting the food, I'd also be learning about the local culture!

I'm a retired Mayo Clinic surgeon. Now in my second life, I write and travel and spend most days gardening and taking photos of my grandchildren. Back when I was doing my medical school rotations, I was exposed to many returning Vietnam war veterans. I had never visited the country and the soldiers wouldn’t talk to me about their experiences, so Vietnam just seemed like a far-off country I would never experience. Luckily, this turned out to be false.

My wife and I had always been ‘foodies’. I was always happy to try any exotic dish. After retiring from work as a surgeon at the Mayo Clinic, I was determined to become a better chef and a more adventurous eater. I wanted to travel somewhere that would challenge me gastronomically. I loved hamburgers, pasta and European cuisine, but would I be I brave enough to try balut (hard-boiled duck embryo in the shell)? I knew that by touring and trying food, I could also learn about a foreign culture.

My wife signed us up for a two-week food tour of both North and South Vietnam, and I was eager to see if there would be a huge difference between the communistic North and the democratic South. The tour had nine people, and was led by a Vietnamese guide who had come to the United States at the age of thirteen. The rest of the group included a range of people, from chefs to foodies, and nuns to Vietnam war vets.

My wife and I arrived at the Hanoi airport, and after making it through customs, we hurried towards a tour guide who held a sign with our name, misspelled. We joined the a gabbing group of globetrotters and boarded the tour bus to Hanoi. Our introductory lunch threw us in at the deep end, with most group members turning down the roast dog main course. After this, our guide suggested a scooter tour of town, with local drivers.

I donned my helmet and crawled on the back of my ride. The driver spoke very little English, and I spoke even less Vietnamese. I cavalierly didn’t hold on to the scooter as my vehicle pulled out to lead the pack. But as we began to weave through hordes of traffic, I quickly clutched the shoulders of the driver. Hundreds of scooters weaved through busy lanes of tour buses, cars, and city buses. Our two-wheeled vehicle darted into spaces a fly would have had trouble fitting into! I often felt my knees brush against the vehicles we sped past. By the time the scooter tour ended, my legs felt shaky, and from the safety of the curb, I marvelled that most Vietnamese travel by scooter every day. We saw four-person families traveling on a single scooter, as well as giggling schoolgirls, women riding side-saddle, and hundreds of people transporting anything you could imagine: screen doors, ladders, bamboo poles, durian fruit, and even refrigerators. Still, every scooter driver and passenger laughed, smiled and waved at our group of American tourists as they passed.

Traffic proved to be a window into the bustling Vietnamese culture. Traffic signs throughout the city meant nothing to anyone. Scooters took short-cuts, going the wrong way down one-way streets, zooming down narrow alleys and even finding their way onto sidewalks. Once, our tour guide brought the group to a busy intersection, where he pointed out brave pedestrians walking into the street without even looking for oncoming traffic. Vehicles simply swerved around them, never making contact. All the locals understood that they should never stop or slow down on the boulevard, but simply plough forward. Like the particles in a vigorously shaken snow globes, on the streets of Vietnam everything interacts wildly, but never touches. The city is constantly in motion. People moving, weaving in and out of traffic, but with few fender-benders and no road rage ever seen. The streets of Vietnam are full of energy and color, as is the cuisine and the culture.

I came to Vietnam for the food. I left with the flavor of happy crowds, in both North and South Vietnam. Everyone and everything was in constant motion. I'm delighted to have finally made the journey.

Advice from MyWorldAbroad
Jean-Marc Hachey, Publisher, MyWorldAbroad

Scott’s story proves that you can expand your cultural palate well beyond retirement! There’s no upper age limit for getting curious and exploring the world, and whether you travel alone, or in a tour group, the world is waiting to be explored. Scott’s story also demonstrates how foreign cultures can surprise us. He traveled to learn about food, but some of his strongest impressions are of the atmosphere and bustle of Vietnamese life. We hope Scott gets to do much more traveling. If he is searching for food and culture we suggest branching out to India or Latin America to try some new flavors. It’s never too late to explore the world!

For any 50+ travel hopefuls (or anyone with parents and grandparents who could use some inspiration), check out these great articles: 

Scott's Next Steps
Advice from MyWorldAbroad
by the founder of MyWorldAbroad
Jean-Marc Hachey
Want to Have the Same Experience?
15383
- # of # Filtered -
  • 102
102
10923
Insight And Education In Korea
1
16392
Building International Career Skills Online
2
16320
Independent, International, Virtual! A UN Internship Online
3
16382
Making the Most of Lockdown with a Virtual Internship
4
16312
Virtual Internship for a Cross-cultural Future
5
16157
Zoom Zoom! A Virtual Internship with Central America
6
9775
A Year Of Feeling French
7
10153
China, South Africa And Beyond!
8
9776
Soaking Up Japanese Culture
9
9764
Do It Yourself! A Proactive Intern in Rome
10
15631
An International Career in the Making: Asia, Africa and Beyond
11
15405
From Daydream to Reality: Teaching Abroad
12
15401
From Korea to Oman: Teaching English Around the World!
13
9761
Communicating Creatively In Spain
14
9773
Independent In India
15
9791
Making Contacts Count In The UK
16
9740
Sports, Study And Fun In France
17
9743
Hooked On Volunteering!
18
16316
Exploring the Sights, Sounds & Tastes of Mexico City
19
16387
An Epic Internship in Malaysia
20
9756
Springtime In Spain
21
9763
A Professional Visit To Vietnam
22
9780
A Year In Marvelous Mexico!
23
9751
A Canadian Globe-Trotter Visits The US
24
9768
Going Solo In Spain!
25
10188
Now Or Never In Colombia
26
9792
Rolling With The Punches In Seoul
27
9745
An Unforgettable Adventure In Nanjing
28
9774
Gaga For Ghana!
29
9783
Off The Beaten Path In Africa
30
9755
People, Places And Passionate Volunteering In Peru
31
9778
Study And Adventure In New Zealand
32
9777
Into The Wild In Alaska
33
9754
Building Memories In India
34
9750
Host Hospitality In Morocco
35
9747
Fun And Friends In The Netherlands
36
9748
Adventure In The Alps
37
9786
Kids And Culture In Korea
38
9772
Learning To Go With The Flow In France
39
9762
American Freshman In London
40
9771
Learning To Love London
41
9742
Take-Charge Travel: Germany And Beyond!
42
9746
A Cross-Cultural Co-Op In West Africa
43
9760
Getting In Sync In Nairobi
44
9759
From Cold Feet To Confidence In Germany
45
9779
One Summer, Two Internships!
46
9785
Motivated In Madagascar
47
9741
Adapting to Work In Peru
48
9784
Skill-building in Bonn
49
9753
A Season in Sweden
50
9765
Simpatico in Florence
51
9782
Making The Most Of Milano
52
9737
Passionate About Panama
53
9766
Short-Term Trips For Long-Term Gain
54
9781
A Hospital Helper In Costa Rica
55
9789
Loving Life In Lyon
56
9790
Design And Dining In Korea
57
9770
Contributing To Change In Ghana
58
9757
Teaching And Learning In Tanzania
59
9738
Living For The Moment In Valencia
60
9767
Beyond The Call Of Duty In Africa
61
16174
An Empowering Virtual Internship in Nicaragua
62
9744
Food, Fun And Festivals In Germany
63
16161
A Bright & Friendly Cross-cultural Workspace
64
16017
A Globally-minded Visit to Qatar
65
10204
Across Europe In A Caravan!
66
9758
Learning The Local Ways Of Addis Ababa
67
11645
A Love Affair with Shanghai
68
11996
Daring to Go Solo in Ireland
69
12058
Architectural Adventures in Australia
70
11845
Hospitality and Hosting in the DCR
71
15333
A Literary Education in the UK
72
14088
An Eye-opening Experience Teaching in South Korea
73
14483
Finding Home, By Teaching Abroad
74
14594
Growing Abroad: Hong Kong & South Korea
75
15347
12 Months, 12 Countries!
76
15383
Hustle and Bustle in Vietnam
77
15327
An Open Mind & Open Arms in Spain
78
15387
Bliss on a Budget in Brazil
79
15644
Discovering the World on Campus: International Skills at Home
80
11467
Stepping Outside the Box in Sweden!
81
9752
Giving In Guatemala
82
9769
Getting Sporty In Switzerland!
83
9788
Business And Pleasure In Australia
84
9787
A Spring Semester in London
85
9807
Fast Friendship in Korea
86
11557
Un stage au Cambodge (Français)
87
10230
Getting Caffeinated In Bolivia
88
11468
Learning While Teaching in Beijing
89
10145
Real Stories And Real People In Mexico
90
9803
Ten Years Teaching In Seoul
91
10851
Tips From Tasmania
92
9799
Getting Settled In Seoul
93
10258
Encountering Cultures Across Europe
94
10218
Adaptation And Appreciation In Japan
95
9812
Caring And Career Skills In Belize
96
10157
Changing Course In China
97
11850
The Warmest Welcome in Guatemala
98
11904
Enthusiasm, Education and Experience in Greece
99
10163
English Teaching In Eastern Europe
100
10192
Out And About In Paris
101
10143
A Warm Welcome In Mexico
102
15383
All Job Boards
452
All NGOs
1427
Au Pair Resources
39
Awards & Grants Resources
64
Business Directories
21
Canadian Federal, Provincial & Territorial Government Profiles
60
Canadian Government Resources
31
Children And Families Abroad
5
Consulting, Economics & Finance Job Boards
61
Cross-cultural Skills
123
Engineering Job Boards
62
Engineering Resources
81
Expatriate Networking Sites
29
Foreign Students Working in the US
9
Freelancing Abroad
33
General Job Search Books
16
Global Education & Social Action
65
Health & Medicine Job Boards
51
Health Career Resources
72
International Associations with Clubs on Campus
43
International Development Career Resources
87
International Internship Organizations
312
International Internships & Student Programs with Canadian Governments
35
International Internships with the US Government
38
International Job-hunting Resources
16
International Law Careers Resources
115
International Law Job Boards
28
International Studies in the US & Canada
13
International Trade Resources
25
International Volunteer Organizations
488
Internship Directories & Advice
53
Internships with the UN & Other IGOs
160
Language Careers
32
Learn a Language
115
Licensed Teacher Abroad Job Boards
35
Licensed Teacher Abroad Resources
39
Loans for Studying Abroad
18
Low-cost Travel
72
NGO Directories
33
NGO Job Boards
49
Regional Job Boards
107
Relocating Abroad
7
Resources for International Students Studying in Canada
31
Resources for International Students Studying in the US
48
Stories From Abroad
102
Study Abroad Resources
203
Teach English Abroad Job Boards
100
Teach English Abroad Resources
76
Tools for Travelers
91
Top International Blogs & Podcasts
85
Travel Guides
101
Travel Health & Safety
55
UN & Other IGOs
271
UN & Other IGOs Job Boards
27
UN & Other IGOs Resources
74
US Government Profiles
76
US Government Resources
47
Virtual International Internship Organizations
93
Volunteer Job Boards & Advice
65
Working Holiday Resources
78