Long way to be global city?

Sploke77 wrote:

Exactly my point. As I start to mix around a bit, came across many affluent local families who even have 2 cars! The Crescent Mall has parking spaces for close to 100 cars with 2 basements. But even Vincom Centre downtown has zero spaces for cars! It's a pain in the a___e to try to park in there, a nightmare! Those that are in business, does it mean a lot of greasing took place before they spied the loopholes to enable them to become RICH? I wonder. If you work for a salary, then a car is definitely a dream..a Kia is close to 500 mio. If a couple  work hard and save, in 10 years, a car is within reach, surely...

I think many affluent Vietnamese would rather pay for a taxi than go through the trouble of driving around town anyway.

Its all about status.

milkybunnyHCM wrote:

bluecheer wrote:

What's a Global City?
Do mean living in/like every other Western City!!
Isn't that why we leave it all behind to get away....................other wise just stay where you are.

Has little to do with living West vs East. It's a city that is a jack of all trades and excels in all aspects of the economy from airports, banking, universities, housing, politics, etc. New York, London, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Singapore being examples.

HCMC has these things--just not on a global scale. I'd hardly consider HCMC a place to "get away" from it all... this place is pretty fast paced and noisy imo. I hope HCMC can achieve global status if that is what they're aiming for (which it is).

What I said 'isn't that why we leave it all behind to get away.................other wise just stay where you are'. This means to leave behind all the stuff you don't want in your life and get away to some where it isn't..................or stay where you are. But when you leave a place to go and live somewhere new why do people have to have everything that's at home in the new place!!!!!!!!!!! to make it feel like home.
As someone said 'just leave it the way it is'.
Thats why people go to Viet Nam because of the lifestyle and people.
Not to make it like home.
Oh yes thats why I'm coming to Viet Nam to get away from all that 'stuff' that bloody people have to have.

Once you get here, you will change how you feel. There will be things you miss, most people do, thats a normal feeling for most people.You will soon tire of the traffic,trust me on that one.

It seems that a vast majority of responses here have been people moving AWAY from the past. Is anyone moving TOWARD something?

Maybe I am misunderstanding some of the meanings and if I have then my apologies, but it has been my experience that if a problem is left behind life will bring the problem back to the person until it is resolved. Just a thought.

For me, I am moving toward what has been described here as the wild wild west of America's past. The American Old West was a land of opportunity and those brave enough to trek across vast distances and face the unknown had an opportunity to follow a dream and goal. My own dreams and goals are my personal story and not a part of this discussion, however, I believe moving toward a goal or dream has purpose and a motivation all unto itself that propels us forward with faith and hope.

Life in the countryside and life in the major cities are completely different

mikeymyke wrote:

Sploke77 wrote:

Like I said, to progress, they must have cars first. Otherwise, why do so many car companies sell their wares here? Haven't they done their projections 10 years down the road? More middle class should own more cars and then push the Govt to solve that problem first. Meanwhile, plans to build MTRs and the like could commence and difficulties and solutions along the way, like resettlements could bulldoze their way through. We would then have a situation like what is happening in the rural areas of the Middle Kingdom!

That won't happen for decades, because of Vietnam's infrastructure.   It's a country with high population density, not a lot of land, widening the roads to make room for cars will require them to demolish current buildings and rebuild everything, and I'm sure the vietnamese government would rather keep things the way they are.  Also, a basic car like a Honda Civic, which costs $16,000US, costs literally double that in Vietnam.  Given that the average Vietnamese salary is roughly $2500-$3000 a year, its completely unrealistic to expect middle class Vietnamese to buy a vehicle, when a scooter is more economical.

Cars in Vietnam are completely unaffordable, even to more affluent citizens like US, Canada, nobody here would pay $36,000 for a Civic, and to ask a citizen from a developing country to pay such a price for a car, is completely unrealistic.  And seeing as how it's a pain in the butt to drive around in a car at 5 mph in busy traffic, when you can get around much more easily on a scooter, you can see how cars will likely not be so commonplace.

You just hit the nail on the head as to how the Vietnamese government is limiting the demand for cars on the already under-capacity roads.  I should think they need to make the cars EVEN MORE expensive.

colinoscapee wrote:

It seems that a lot of police can afford a car on their meager wage of 300usd a month, I wonder how they do it.

From fine Citizens who appreciate the hard work law enforcement has to do.  Didn't you ever buy a cop a donut?  And apple for your teacher?  Same concept here.

bluecheer wrote:

milkybunnyHCM wrote:

bluecheer wrote:

What's a Global City?
Do mean living in/like every other Western City!!
Isn't that why we leave it all behind to get away....................other wise just stay where you are.

Has little to do with living West vs East. It's a city that is a jack of all trades and excels in all aspects of the economy from airports, banking, universities, housing, politics, etc. New York, London, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Singapore being examples.

HCMC has these things--just not on a global scale. I'd hardly consider HCMC a place to "get away" from it all... this place is pretty fast paced and noisy imo. I hope HCMC can achieve global status if that is what they're aiming for (which it is).

What I said 'isn't that why we leave it all behind to get away.................other wise just stay where you are'. This means to leave behind all the stuff you don't want in your life and get away to some where it isn't..................or stay where you are. But when you leave a place to go and live somewhere new why do people have to have everything that's at home in the new place!!!!!!!!!!! to make it feel like home.
As someone said 'just leave it the way it is'.
Thats why people go to Viet Nam because of the lifestyle and people.
Not to make it like home.
Oh yes thats why I'm coming to Viet Nam to get away from all that 'stuff' that bloody people have to have.

I get what you're saying.  That's why I don't live in HCMC.  It's too much like alot of USA cities.  HCMC is trying too much to be like a "modern" city.  To me, they can't even solve their flooding problem so forget about all this new airport, golf courses, an EL-Train business.  You'd probably like life in the mountains or the Delta.  There are many places that you can leave it all behind.

Thank you 'Tran Hung Dao'.
Nice to know that there are people who do like what they have found in another country ( without changing it ).
'Good_Man' I am looking forward and I'm not leaving personal problems behind just stuff
I know I don't need anymore.
That's why I am coming to Viet Nam to live a simpler life without the 'stuff' that I know I don't need anymore. This my goal and I intend to live it.
Also cheers to 'colinoscapee' for your comments.
Looking forward to coming and living.

bluecheer wrote:

milkybunnyHCM wrote:

bluecheer wrote:

What's a Global City?
Do mean living in/like every other Western City!!
Isn't that why we leave it all behind to get away....................other wise just stay where you are.

Has little to do with living West vs East. It's a city that is a jack of all trades and excels in all aspects of the economy from airports, banking, universities, housing, politics, etc. New York, London, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Singapore being examples.

HCMC has these things--just not on a global scale. I'd hardly consider HCMC a place to "get away" from it all... this place is pretty fast paced and noisy imo. I hope HCMC can achieve global status if that is what they're aiming for (which it is).

What I said 'isn't that why we leave it all behind to get away.................other wise just stay where you are'. This means to leave behind all the stuff you don't want in your life and get away to some where it isn't..................or stay where you are. But when you leave a place to go and live somewhere new why do people have to have everything that's at home in the new place!!!!!!!!!!! to make it feel like home.
As someone said 'just leave it the way it is'.
Thats why people go to Viet Nam because of the lifestyle and people.
Not to make it like home.
Oh yes thats why I'm coming to Viet Nam to get away from all that 'stuff' that bloody people have to have.

I do get what you're saying. Just make sure and avoid HCMC if the goal is relaxation. My life in Southern Cali was much more relaxed than here.

Yes I have heard that HCM is hectic.
Can you get used to it?  I have a friend you is Vietnamese and lives in HCM.
I'm going to Central Viet Nam probably Hoi An, or Da Nang.
thanks.

Well well, if you are heading for Danang or Hoi An, then very well you can live a very relaxed lifestyle. The pace is very well slower, the cost even much lower and you can live like Lords there! People are friendlier and there is no discrimination nor victimization of you cause you are a foreigner. I have been there and I know for sure they do not 'rip' you unlike HCMC. People make do with what they have and are not out to make tons of money. Everywhere is scenic and truly peaceful, especially near the river.  However, taxi drivers are the hideous ones, just watch out for them!! I envy you lot..p

Sploke77 that makes me feel very good thank you.
I'm really looking for peace and a good life by the ocean.
Lets hope that's what will happen.

bluecheer wrote:

Thank you 'Tran Hung Dao'.
Nice to know that there are people who do like what they have found in another country ( without changing it ).
'Good_Man' I am looking forward and I'm not leaving personal problems behind just stuff
I know I don't need anymore.
That's why I am coming to Viet Nam to live a simpler life without the 'stuff' that I know I don't need anymore. This my goal and I intend to live it.
Also cheers to 'colinoscapee' for your comments.
Looking forward to coming and living.

Yep that's my main reason for coming to Vietnam. I'm a simple person and I like the simple life. I don't watch t.v. I've been away from my friends and family last 3 years so I'm quite independent. I don't go out partying or drinking.

My goals and budget in Vietnam is to live in a 1 bedroom house with just the bare neccessities. I can build my own rain barrel with filters for showering and cleaning purposes. I can build my own solar grid but that's probably later down the road. I'll just have a mini fridge and try to limit the a/c. I cut back the necessities cost so I can enjoy life better.

Our budget is $250/mth for a couple. She owns the house which is perfectly situated near Quoc Lo 1 and Quoc Lo 51. The highways are convenient to go into Ho Chi Minh city, Vung Tau or up north towards Dalat or east towards Phan Thiet. It's an ideal location because it's just on the outskirt of city and countryside.

Yes absolutely Khanh44 you are living a beautiful life.
I hope that the same happens for me too.
I see you play the guitar. My son and I play together sometimes he plays guitar and I make plenty of noise on the drums.
We like it and that is the main thing. And I will miss playing with him and that is something that will be hard to replace.