This Expat Life (Month 49): Living in Ho Chi Minh City
After moving abroad in July 2014, I started compiling monthly roundup posts about life as an expat in Southeast Asia and all the nitty gritty that goes on behind the scenes here at Travel Lush. Check out my most recent monthly roundup posts May, June, and July.
If you read my last monthly roundup post, you’ll know that the month of July ended up being a pretty rough one for me. Logically I knew a new month wasn’t going to magically fix everything that was broken, but I was kinda secretly hoping that it would. But between Aaron ending up in the hospital (he’s fine!) and dealing with all manner of expat woes in Ho Chi Minh City, the month of August just left me even more emotionally bruised and battered.
Don’t worry. I’m not getting ready to pack my bags and move back to California. There were, at least, a few highlights last month. So let’s get to it!
A visit from one of our Beijing friends
One of the greatest things about living in Vietnam is that everyone wants to visit us here. Since we moved to HCMC in late-December we’ve had at least one visitor a month, including Aaron’s parents, two friends from college and multiple friends from Beijing. It’s honestly been amazing to see so many familiar faces.
Last month, one of Aaron’s former colleagues from Beijing and one of our best friends from there stopped off in HCMC for a quick visit. We had a blast catching up, showing him around the city, and eating Chinese food (for old time’s sake). Until…
Aaron’s multiple visits to the hospital
Let’s just say walking in Ho Chi Minh City can be hazardous. From motorbikes to potholes you have to be really careful when wandering around this city because it’s honestly all too easy to get injured. After one really wet and rainy evening, Aaron and I were walking home from dinner with our friend and bam, Aaron slipped off of a curb, fully lost his balance, and gashed his head on the pavement.
There was so much blood and with one look, my friend and I immediately knew that he was definitely going to need stitches. I’m not really one who does well in moments of panic so I’m incredibly glad our friend was there for moral support. Somehow we managed to do some quick research and locate an international hospital. In the meantime, Aaron sat dazed on the sidewalk as some well-meaning passersby offered to help him by giving him an oil-soaked rag from their motorbike to help stop the bleeding and suggesting that he should definitely put saltpeter on the wound to avoid getting stitches. And yes, they had saltpeter on hand (???). Thanks guys, but no thanks!
After accidentally hijacking some girl’s Grab taxi (did I mention I’m not good in moments of panic?) we whisked Aaron away to the hospital where he was immediately stitched up. The next time I saw him he had a huge bandage above his eyebrow. It was hard to tell just how bad the damage would be. All the doctor said is that “there will be a scar,” that the cut was “not good” and that they were worried about infection because Aaron had fallen on a street that doubles as a wet market, and had then applied the world’s dirtiest rag to his wound.
The doctors here did a really amazing job and instructed Aaron to come in daily to clean the wound. Thankfully it did not get infected. Three weeks later and the cut is healing up nicely. Yes, there is a scar but in time it will fade. Until then he just has to somehow stay out of the Saigon sun…no easy feat! The whole thing was a bit stressful, but I’m just glad he’s OK. It could have been much worse.
Anyway, I feel like I visited every clinic and hospital in Saigon that week so if anyone needs advice, I’m your girl.
Soccer (I mean football) madness
Toward the end of the month, we had yet another impromptu visitor from Beijing: my former co-worker Noelle. Her trip just happened to coincide with the Asia Games. At that point, Vietnam had defied all expectations and made it to the quarter-finals. Vietnam loves its football team. It’s a huge source of national pride and win or lose this game was a very big deal.
So Noelle, Aaron, and I headed downtown to watch the game. We sat on miniature plastic stools, sipped on Saigon Special beers, and squealed with absolute glee when Vietnam won the game. No one expected the team to pull it off. It seemed like the entire city took to the streets, waving flags, blowing on vuvuzelas, and cheering like crazy. Traffic was literally at a standstill as people celebrated in the streets and even climbed on top of large trucks to wave flags. It was mayhem. It was loud. And it was beautiful.
Construction woes
I really have the worst luck when it comes to apartments. I swear construction follows me wherever I go. Our apartment is really quiet most of the time, but the weird thing about the 20-story building we live in is that if anyone starts drilling or hammering or jackhammering on any floor of the building it echoes throughout the entire place. Someone can be doing construction 10 floors above my apartment and I’m not kidding when I say it sounds like it’s coming from the floor directly above me.
We’ve lived here for about five months now and it seems like every month someone new decides to refurbish their apartment, which means the entire building has to suffer through the noise. Thankfully they don’t go 24 hours but they do start as early as 6am and they often work on Saturdays. To make matters worse the building next door has decided to start retiling their massive driveway, which means we’ve been woken up by jackhammering and buzzsaws for the past couple weeks.
If that weren’t bad enough, the elevator that our bedroom shares a wall with started making a noise (almost as if a jet plane were flying above our complex) every time it was being used (which is always). It took three days for the building to fix it which means we could barely sleep because we were woken up every time someone got into the thing. I’m so tired…
Needing a break from the city
I love living in Ho Chi Minh City. I do. But the last two months haven’t been the easiest for me. Right now, I could really use a break from all of it. My trip back home to California at the end of September could not be coming at a better time. I’m just so excited to take a hot bath in a bathtub, take a shower with actual water pressure, sleep on my ultra-comfortable mattress, hug my family members, cuddle with my cat, and eat all of my favorite foods. I’m just so, so excited. I think I just need to recharge my batteries in San Diego for a bit.
My most popular Instagrams of the month were of the amazing view from my apartment and dragon fruit, which is apparently a very divisive fruit…
How did your August shape up? I hope it was better than mine!
Totally enjoyed reading your post! Especially the part about Aaron’s ‘slip-fall- stitches’. So glad he made it through without infection! Love love love all your pictures! But I thought passion fruit was your fav! Today, my tenant Kate gave me salted chocolate covered passion fruit candy ! Oh yum!! Not long until you are home in your cozy bed with your kitty!
Love, Cindy
Haha, I’m so glad he’s ok. And the scar looks better and better every day. Passion fruit is my favorite but honestly I love all the fruits! That candy sounds AMAZING! I want some 🙂
I bet you can find it there! I’m excited for you to get to come home for a visit! Bet your mom is too. 🤗
I’m so excited to be home! My schedule is already so full with all the family I have to see! I’m sad I won’t see you guys this time around. But Aaron and I will visit together next year. That seems very far away…
Ouch! So glad that Aaron’s wound is healing up. It’s pretty awful when you’re abroad and something physically painful happens. In most cases, you just want your mum!
What a cool time to be in Vietnam during the Asia Games? It must have been terrific!
p.s. I’ve only been to Vietnam once. 11 years ago now (ahem!) but I miss it!
Haha, me too! We’ve been lucky and not had too serious of injuries in all our time abroad. A couple minor motorbike accidents, some sprained ankles and this. Oh, Aaron did get dengue fever in Cuba back in 2005. That was scary!
Being here for any football game Vietnam is in is so much fun. Literally some of my greatest moments here. People go absolutely nuts! You should come back to Vietnam. It’s changed immensely. The last time I truly traveled around the country was in 2006! So A LOT has changed.