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Where do expat meet up?

Last activity 04 July 2014 by Priscilla

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Richard Loo

Many of us are newbie like your truly and we are fairly new in HCM. Is there any place where expats can meet up or gather together to exchange ideas and experience? The Metro -Lotteria or the new Parkson with Big C would be a good place? any suggestion? I would like to meet up friends here too.

Dannytan

Hi richard,

There is no official weekly meet up place to assist newbies. You can get a lot of information from the blog if you search for specific needs. I was told other Expat.coms have more gathering with certain specific groups like business networking, wine tasting, etc. You are in the Phu My Hung area? I am in D1 and if you around area can meet lunch or coffee.  I already been here one month and not so qualified as some others. Anything you can contact me.

ciao'
danny

iOS Freelancer

From what I've seen in other such threads you need to dangle a lure to get a lot if strikes.  That lure is alcohol.

Xaviar84

iOS Freelancer wrote:

From what I've seen in other such threads you need to dangle a lure to get a lot if strikes.  That lure is alcohol.


This seems to be true...

Richard Loo

I dunno about you guys but I prefer to meet up and chat to be real friends. So how about it...? I need more supporters and we can just all meet up as friends and not into any agenda or specific groups. Sometimes its nice to have a place where we can just meet up to have coffee and a break during weekends.I m in Q9....which is near Q2 area. Hope to meet more friends.....well....more responds anyone?

Dannytan

I have no problem meeting up. However, D1 is more center to have a meeting place. I would suggest meeting at Urban Station Coffee. It is new so is very clean, serve varieties of drinks from coffee, tea, juices so cater to different individuals. The establishment is a local chain with super friendly staff.

cinakuih

Already done tje first meet up at urban coffee. Only 2 person.. hope next time will have more to come.

iOS Freelancer

Richard Loo wrote:

I dunno about you guys but I prefer to meet up and chat to be real friends. So how about it...? I need more supporters and we can just all meet up as friends and not into any agenda or specific groups. Sometimes its nice to have a place where we can just meet up to have coffee and a break during weekends.I m in Q9....which is near Q2 area. Hope to meet more friends.....well....more responds anyone?


I'm with you on this, though I don't live in Saigon.  I'd say 80% of the "looking to meet new friends" posts on here bring booze into it.  And a lot of people aren't interested in meeting if there isn't going to be alcohol. 

I was warned about this before I left.  I never (knowingly) met an alcoholic in the USA except at a place that was in the business of counseling them.  When I signed up for an expat club up there and got notices of events, they were always bar hopping nights.  And when you don't drink, watching others get plastered is about as much fun as having cholera. 

I want to meet new friends.  Here, Saigon, wherever.  I prefer to meet with a motivator of coffee or bún bò Huế, and what I bring to the table, for better or worse, is me.  If the person I meet wants a glass of red or Heiniken with dinner, fine.  But if it's going to be an evening of titration and slurred speech, just forget it.  In all my experience, people who can't have fun without alcohol are bad news.

missmae

there is a page called meetup.com and a saigon expats groups. I signed up once and it was a nice way to meet new people when new in town but I didn't like some of the expats (old one, big belly, wanna hit up on very young local girls and boost about how rich they are here). Try your luck and sign up:)

Some Expats also meet up at Zoom Cafe.

Richard Loo

I am glad there are some positive responds. Urban Station coffee sounds good and decent. Please provide the address or any nearby landmarks so everyone can find it. We just want to be ourselves with good company of friends.
So when will the next meet up be?

Dannytan

The location of their new outlet is at 27 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai. Is between Hai ba trung and Pasteur. Cinakuih is back in Malaysia now, and will be back next week. I think weekend anytime is good with me but weekdays some will be working so lunch or evening time will be good.

Richard Loo

Great . I will be pleased to learn a new place to hangout. I have tried to pm some people but seems unable to use them and was block after a few messages. Guess I need to use this forum. We will make the gathering on Sunday so it will be more convenient for everyone. Suggest 9 th or 16 th March. Suggestion anyone?

iOS Freelancer

I myself keep away from most expats, I find most of them to be back stabbing, two faced  know- alls,that have never been out of District 1 but know everything.

Helloshen

Hello Danny, Richard and Cinakuih,

I'll be interested in meeting up with fellow Malaysians over the weekend. I'm back in KL on the 9th, but will be able to attend gathering on the 16th.

Dannytan

Hi Shen,

We will post it on this forum the date and time plus confirm venue. Probably turning out to be a malaysian Club in Ho Chi Minh city.

Helloshen

Great! Let's gather as many as possible!

iOS Freelancer

If anyone can recommend a good Malay restaurant please post it or, if the mods get bundled undies, send it to me privately.

We had a great one in Seattle. Had the owner over for dinner a few times.

Malaysian cuisine is fantastic.

whiterose88

Hi all,

I'm vietnaese. i ive in Thu Duc Dist. So I would like to attend with everybody. Please let me know if have a meeting.
I would like to make friend with all.
thanks

NinaVamp

missmae wrote:

there is a page called meetup.com and a saigon expats groups. I signed up once and it was a nice way to meet new people when new in town but I didn't like some of the expats (old one, big belly, wanna hit up on very young local girls and boost about how rich they are here). Try your luck and sign up:)

Some Expats also meet up at Zoom Cafe.


This is essentially my issue. I'd love to meet some expats that aren't out to hit on me or complain how they hate women like me (western)

cheeha

missmae wrote:

there is a page called meetup.com and a saigon expats groups. I signed up once and it was a nice way to meet new people when new in town but I didn't like some of the expats (old one, big belly, wanna hit up on very young local girls and boost about how rich they are here). Try your luck and sign up:)

Some Expats also meet up at Zoom Cafe.


NinaVamp wrote:

This is essentially my issue. I'd love to meet some expats that aren't out to hit on me or complain how they hate women like me (western)


Unfortunately missmae had a bad experience with 1 member but the whole group can be judged by 1 idiot.  99.9% of people are cool and just there to make new friends  as well as hangout with old ones.

Come see for yourself this Saturday.

iOS Freelancer

Let's not get carried away.  99.9%?  More like half.

I've met four good friends on here but I've also met some people on here who are absolute jerks, exactly the kind of people I wanted to get away from. 

One guy actually told me, I am not making this up, he came here so he could smoke wherever and whenever he wanted without taking any guff about "consideration for others."  Nice.  Several times I'd be setting up a meet and the other guy would want to meet at a bar.  Mention I don't drink, poof, the exchange is over.

Had anyone asked me I'd have said that expats are cooler than average people open to new things.  Some are.  Not 99.9%.  A lot of them are just people with serious abuse problems who came here for cheap tobacco and booze.  They eat western food, they're not learning Vietnamese, and they're flashing money around to take advantage of others' misery and poverty.

The groups I found in Saigon were all drinking clubs.

MarkinNam

Sorry to be a wet blanket but seems many in xpat-blog are secret squirrels , I have tried for meet up each time I return and only 1reply  :/  I give up now, not into exclusive clubs

iOS Freelancer

When I first joined this site a guy who stays here when he visits his wife said we will meet up, that was nearly two years ago, never saw the guy. I also caught up with a couple from India who were new to Viet Nam to help them with some info about doing things here. We met once and never heard from them again.I just dont bother with expats, most are just a bunch of tossers.

Richard Loo

Happy day friends. Guess we have different responds about expats. We all come from different cultures and lifestyles. Everyone has their own concept about life. We should not judge people and accept them as they are. Its up to you to chose them as your friend or not. Nobody is perfect .We have meet up is to get more friends regardless of nationality or race...as we are all expats here. We have own needs and expectation but should respect all as themselves. Maybe one day ,this new friend may be able to give you an important advice. I sincerely hope we can use this platform to achieve this. This gathering is not only exclusive to any nationality but to all expat who still have faith in friendship.We only live a short life...lets make the best of everything here. So lets give expats a chance!...

Jquinoq

:dumbom:  I'm normally at the rooftop garden at The Rex hotel on Friday afternoons/evening,  I not a drinker , but fruit juice, iced tea hit the spot , plus the great view....

cang_nduc

There's a cf in d7 called master cup, expats and locals meet up every day, come and have a talk if u're bored or just want a talk :)

Richard Loo

Great. Now we know a place to meet up in D7 . I could be working in D7 soon ,so what time people meet up there? Who are the people usually there? We will confirm the meet up very near  Binh Thanh Market soon for March. See you

cang_nduc

Richard Loo wrote:

Great. Now we know a place to meet up in D7 . I could be working in D7 soon ,so what time people meet up there? Who are the people usually there? We will confirm the meet up very near  Binh Thanh Market soon for March. See you


here's the opening time
Tuesday - Saturday :8am - 10pm.
you can google for the location address :D

Richard Loo

Yup I found the place as I was in D7 on Sunday to attend a concert.Its also near the carnival playland. Wonder why its closed on sunday?..sigh....usually gathering are on sundays for convenient. Lets see if I can make it next time. thanks pal

pissedoffdude

District 1, near Go2

pearllypearl

omg.... I just lost my bike! so demotivated to go to work tmr.  :sosad:

Hi guys, I'm from Malaysia. Nice meeting you all.

Richard Loo

Nevermind lo......old bike dont go .......new bike dont come la. Cheer up!

Richard Loo

Alright its confirm friends. There will be a gathering at 1.30pm (after lunch) at Highland Coffee in Benh Thanh market area at this Sunday (9th March 2014). Please acknowledge your confirmation here. ALL ARE WELCOME. Please introduce yourself here and lets have fun-la. Be yourself and be a friend. See you all.

iOS Freelancer

Richard Loo wrote:

Alright its confirm friends. There will be a gathering at 1.30pm (after lunch) at Highland Coffee in Benh Thanh market area at this Sunday (9th March 2014). Please acknowledge your confirmation here. ALL ARE WELCOME. Please introduce yourself here and lets have fun-la. Be yourself and be a friend. See you all.


So you want me to be myself and also be my friend, so what you are looking for are people who are schizophrenic.

Helloshen

Richard,

Unfortunately I will be away this weekend. Let me know if there will be another gathering la. Have fun!

Dannytan

This Sunday is good and I will be there. If is weekly get together, Shen you can join next week, right?

Richard Loo

Awww too bad you are not around. We will organize more .Lets hope we will get good respond this weekend. See you next time.

Richard Loo

Any expats and local friends want to meet up? . Below are the details:
           Date: 6/7/2014 Sunday
        Venue: Highland Coffee Ham Nghi
                      68C Pho Duc Chinh, District 1
                        (opposite Ben Thanh market)
             Time: 1.30pm
Go upstairs and watch out for 'expatblog' sign. Be yourself. Be a friend.
All are welcome.Pay for your own beverage. See  you all

Richard Loo

Reminder to all who are coming for the meet up .
We will have a WELCOME EXPAT sign on the table .
So watch out for it for easy identification.
See you all tomorrow.

Tommymc

Busy today. Hopefully meet u all next time

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