Viet Kieu adapting to the new environment

Howie
Thanks for the encouragement.
Right, the contract is only a piece of paper, so who cares. It would have been funny, if the negation had not cost me personally 10KUSD+!!.
Well, what comes around goes around, or as they say, karma is a bitch so we'll see.

Anatta,

Wait!  In knowing that you are working for a Vietnamese company, I thought that you were in the medical, dental, IT or engineering field.  Not business, as in management or executive ranks. 

Wew!  That is tough stuffs, Anatta.  I used to do lots of works WITH Vietnamese company; and I had my hands full.  You know the story...  But, to actually work for one?  The stress and pressure from the job must be ten folds. 

But, why out-of-pocket money, when you are working for one?

Howie.

Too complicated/sensitive to tell in a public board like this what I am actually doing, but as everything in Vietnam, you just need to bend backward to please the "power-to-be" to get along/comply with ridiculous demands, even it is your own money even though you are just a lousy employee (a 'rich' VK one to boot).

Thus my original comment/question: How to adapt? What point is it enough and just pack and go? thus my also comment about my potential short tenure.

Anyway, not to complain. Just trying to cope and asking for advice for doing so.

Anatta,

Sensitivity was why I stopped short on some of my answers or comments to you.  As Americans, we have an additional set of laws and standards of conduct to comply to.  At the same time, few Vietnamese understand the difficulties that we face.   

But, regardless, you must not pack up and leave!  No time is a better time to be here than now.  Perhaps, you are just a bit under-prepared, that is all.  Nothing a little hard work and diligence won't solve.  Think about it.  Roll up your sleeves and let the hair down a little...  If you don't succeed here now, you are not going to any time soon.  The competition is just going to get worst and worst; the rules of the game are just going to get harder and harder. 

Too bad that I am a little far from where you are at.  Otherwise, I would be more than happy to introduce you to my network, to help you ease some of that tension and confusion.

I used to have a real good, very capable, network in Saigon; all of my works were conducted there and through them.  But, it had been over three years since I last walked among them.  I was thinking about getting back to the old scene, as I had put in my other thread, but I just haven't been able to find the time yet.

I still do, every now and then, go to Saigon to have a few beers with some of those guys, just to maintain the ties.  If you want, I can bring you along and introduce you to them, the next time I go there.  Who knows, your genies might be among them.

Anatta, this was how I put my magic lamp together; and it was how I made problems disappeared.

Let me know.  Feel free to PM, if you feel uncomfortable.

Howie
Thank for your kind encouragement and moral support. Don't think that particular problem can be solved with any network, but I certainly will keep your offer in mind in the future.

I am still hanging on, so we'll see how far it lasts. Not ready to throw it the towel yet, though it has been a bloody warm-up!

BTW, I understand perfectly your concern commenting my postings. The elephant in the room is sometime too big for anyone to say anything.

Anatta,

You already have most of what it takes.  If necessary, step aside a little, my friend.  Hold your SILLY American values within yourself, let the chip fall where it may...  You will be amazed!!!

Hold your SILLY American values within yourself

You're right. Your quote reminds me the article I quoted earlier in this thread. I quote it again for your convenience:

Transparency International and the Center for Community Support Development Studies, under the Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations: "A large part of the young respondents said honesty usually results in disadvantage and that an honest person is often seen as an idiot."

What a Faustian bargain.

For the record, it is not values what we are talking about here. In my case, it is about the other side just blatantly negating an agreed-upon, written contract resulting in my personal monetary loss. It is clear for everyone that I would bear the loss, but they just don't care. Not sure what else I could have done apart from being mentally prepared that it could happen!!

As I said earlier: karma is a bitch, so someday I hope I'll get my turn.

Anatta,

In the past, through trials and tripulations, I adopted the strategy of breaking up my contracts and distributed them (the sub-contracts) among competing Vietnamese companies.  It created more leg works on my part, but I retained control.  Not only that, but I was also able to meet and learn from more people.  It worked out pretty good.

Our ways are western ways; Vietnamese ways are eastern.  They don't mix too well.  The more you preach about it, the more frustrated or angry people become.  So, try to see things through their lenses.  Things might look murky to you at first, but once you get the hang of it, they are quite interesting.  Vietnamese are just as motivated, organized and systematic, as we are; they just approach things a little differently.

Karma is, indeed, a bitch.  Therefore, don't hold on to it, man.  Learn and grow from your experiences, not let them get the best of you or weigh you down a bit.

Anatta,

Thank you for your advice,that's much helpful information .
Yeah,im  trying to practise more on writting ,english speaking is much better for me and im also not writting much english during at work,suck! well,have a good time living in Vietnam ,best wishes!

Howie.
Wise words indeed.

Emilyng
Good luck. Be aware that there is a (huge) difference between people understanding you and you speaking correct English. Don't fall into that illusion when people seem to get whatever you are trying to communicate.

Also, don't try (not that I am saying that you are doing) to get into the habit of using slangs and teen-speak (like 'r u', gonna, wanna) to pretend that one is fluent while one's English is still full of basic grammatical errors.

Hope you'll get your chance to your MBA. It will serve your career well.

Another thing Anatta,

In reading some of your posts, I find that you are a rather compassionate individual.  I really admire that in a person.  As a matter of fact, I am still looking for a woman with that trait.

However, I will not have it myself.  Not as long as I am still in business here.  It is shark-eat-shark, my friend, and I do NOT want to come across as soft.  They can make life miserable for me here.

True enough. Sadly, it seems to me that people are only reacted to/understand crude and raw power. Once one gets it, one should not hesitate to use it for all what it's worth: showing off, squeezing off your partner,...   thus the display of power here is as subtle and discreet as a billboard in Times Square downtown Manhattan.

Integrity, self-respect, compassion, good taste,... I feel like Diogenes the Cynic lighting a lamp in broad daylight looking for an honest man....

Yeh, to survive, I must be like Prince Chi of the old Chou Hsin reign, feigning madness and ignorance to avoid being eaten alive.

It really to take long time to learn a new culture and personality of the people in a new country. I used to live in OZ for a long time. Now I work and live in Indonesia. I would live to go back to Vietnam to live as I'm interested in working in Ho Chi Minh City. I don't know how long it will take me to get a job in VN as I do hope I can get a job there soon. I

Hi Phi Long, I am the one who recruiting Part time English Narrator, How to contact you? I don't have any of your email or mobile, please PM me. Thanks

Hi Phi Long,

My email address is huangocchau@gmail.com. My Skype is chudaon73 If you would like to contact me.

Many thanks for your email. Please stay in touch.

Chau

Hi Long,

Please email me any time as I will resume your email ASAP when I get it.

Thanks,

Chau

good idea for social life for Viet Kieu!