In need of advise

Sounds like you are a little depressed maybe because of Thanksgiving or because Christmas is near.

Not wise to ditch your citizenship, besides I read it costs about $400, hardly worth it.

Many people feel your way about the States but being realistic, it's a handy passport that gets you places and o matter what you think the US government is handy as it has so many embassies around.

Besides you need at least one citizenship to have a passport.

VietNam doesn't really offer solutions such as you are looking for and even if you got married to a VN female it does give you any rights to live and remain here.

Things are tough here. Overseas orders are drying up and people are losing their jobs. Food inflation is rampant, in fact inflation i the last 12 months was 22%.

You don't speak the language, and VN sure doesn't want any roustabouts, they have enough of their own already PLUS sailors jumping ship and sleeping rough in the parks. UIn fact in the past year Immigration police have started patrolling parks looking for Foreigners sleeping rough.

Anyone they catch is bundled off to wherever they came from, via jail.

Seems that everyone who needs a bit of money turns to teaching English. I volunteer to teach Vietnamese English, for no money, but the government still requires me to have the teaching credentials. And I have lived here 20 odd years, have VN wife and a daughter.

You are, very seriously, better off remaining in the USA At least you have food-banks, shelters and county hospitals. Here you PAY for everything.

I volunteer at a soup kitchen here in HCMC and I tell you, you likely don't know poverty. Volunteers are trained to handle the clients and even then it is hard.

So I hope you take this as trying to be helpful, and telling you the realities.

Hi Frank,

You sound so down on the good old Red, White and Blue.  Whatever it is that had brought you to this point, I highly suggest that you take sometimes away from it.  Take a short trip here if you want, but don't make any commitment.  Don't rush into any decision.  Not just yet!

Jaitch is absolutely right about the US citizenship.  There are millions here and all over the world who would kill for that.  And you want to give it up?  Sure, things aren't going too well back there.  But, things aren't going well everywhere else, Frank, most definitely not here.

Vietnam is a developing country.  Its individuals and institutions are generations behind the ones you see in the States.  It has lots of problems to overcome and issues to address.  Even the best and brightest American struggles to cope with the conditions here, let a lone a down one.

So, take a break.  Perhaps, a short trip here will enable you to see how much better off you are compared to these folks.  It might even help you to channel your energy and money back into working on the issues that had led you to this down way of thinking.

I hope this helps a little.

Best wishes,
Howie