U.S. veterans living in Vietnam

I live in QN and can probably help out a bit. Send me a PM and we'll chat offline

Mark

Gia-na-dai wrote:

Hey out there.

I am in Quy Nhon.  Been here a week and I am still lost.
I have a decent-enough room in a small hotel near the beach, am renting a small Honda that runs, though no one has been taking care of maintenance on it and trying to study Vietnamese
on the online courses and Youtube.

I studied Vietnamese at the school in Monterey 50 years ago, prior to going to I Corps. I have found that people speak differently than I remember - even the phrase for "Hello" is different.
ANd of course my accent is off.  Ordering a meal is more than a challenge.

Just joined this ex-pat forum a few weeks ago, while I was in Thailand. I see that threads are out of
date.
So I am attempting to re-open this thread - to communicate with other veterans and get help
getting acculturated.

Looking forward to hearing (reading ?) from y'all, and possibly meeting for a cup of coffee if you
are nearby.

Don't know what you mean about "threads are out of date".

The threads where you were previously posting are:

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=832038

and

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=806848

If you mean you haven't been receiving immediate replies, there are no guarantees or requirements in the forum regarding when or if you will ever receive a reply to a public post.

Also, you haven't "re-open(d) this thread", you have created a new thread.

A couple of posters in Quy Nhơn had previously replied to you. Did you attempt to contact them through the private messaging system?

I know I sent you a private reply to one of the other threads, but you never acknowledged my message.

I hope that you find some local expats to connect with in Quy Nhơn.

I also hope you were well enough prepared for this move that you won't be in crisis mode if that assistance doesn't materialize soon.

Good luck!

P.S. I recall you mentioning in another thread that your V.A. disability compensation rating is for PTSD.

I have empathy, as that's part of my own total rating.

I also hope you have that well-managed.

I get the desire to live out the rest of your days on a quiet beach.

I also know there are a LOT of anxiety/anger triggers to navigate during a move here, especially if things had been safe and peaceful in Thailand for a while.

I hope you take care of yourself and don't let the recent moving nightmare get you off your game.

Even if we can't personally assist you, there are a number of us in the forum who understand the stress you are likely experiencing.

Wow ! You said a lot.

I guess I don't know what a PM is.
I assumed it meant a personal email message - I have not received any messages in my email from anyone in this forum.

I just now checked the two threads you cited and neither of them is what I was referencing: I found some messages under the title "U.S. Veterans living in Vietnam" . They were dated in 2015. There was a box to check to start a new thread. Beside it was a box to "Unsubscribe".
So I used that format to  reach out to anyone.
If this is against protocol then Xin loi. maybe i should have checked the "unsubscribe" box.

Also, I found in a message from 2018 someone referred to a person living in Quy Nhon and gave an email address to reach him. I wrote to that email address and it "FAILED" to go.

I replied to you and one other person who had replied to me on the public forum, if that is the term.

And no, i was not prepared to move here and things were not peaceful for me in Thailand. A lot of ex-patriots there have been speculating about the new restrictive laws for foreigners and new difficulties to get visas  and the idea of making a "visa run " to Vietnam - instead of to e.g. Vientiane or Kuala Lumpur - came up.
From a snow-covered and drafty old motor home on a remote 20 acres in Utah 2 1/2 months ago to choking air in Chiang Mai with crowds of Chinese everywhere to a quiet beach neighborhood in Quy Nhon where  people  tend to show me how much money they want from me for what I buy.
I am not on my game, have not been for some time.

Coming here was more of a "What the frak" impulse than a coherent planned destination.
But I am here and trying to make it.

I didn't mean to disturb anyone on https://www.expat.com forum.
I could just check the "unsubscribe" box next time.

OceanBeach92107 wrote:

Gia-na-dai wrote:

Hey out there.

I am in Quy Nhon.  Been here a week and I am still lost.
I have a decent-enough room in a small hotel near the beach, am renting a small Honda that runs, though no one has been taking care of maintenance on it and trying to study Vietnamese
on the online courses and Youtube.

I studied Vietnamese at the school in Monterey 50 years ago, prior to going to I Corps. I have found that people speak differently than I remember - even the phrase for "Hello" is different.
ANd of course my accent is off.  Ordering a meal is more than a challenge.

Just joined this ex-pat forum a few weeks ago, while I was in Thailand. I see that threads are out of
date.
So I am attempting to re-open this thread - to communicate with other veterans and get help
getting acculturated.

Looking forward to hearing (reading ?) from y'all, and possibly meeting for a cup of coffee if you
are nearby.

Don't know what you mean about "threads are out of date".

The threads where you were previously posting are:

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=832038

and

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=806848

If you mean you haven't been receiving immediate replies, there are no guarantees or requirements in the forum regarding when or if you will ever receive a reply to a public post.

Also, you haven't "re-open(d) this thread", you have created a new thread.

A couple of posters in Quy Nhơn had previously replied to you. Did you attempt to contact them through the private messaging system?

I know I sent you a private reply to one of the other threads, but you never acknowledged my message.

I hope that you find some local expats to connect with in Quy Nhơn.

I also hope you were well enough prepared for this move that you won't be in crisis mode if that assistance doesn't materialize soon.

Good luck!

P.S. I recall you mentioning in another thread that your V.A. disability compensation rating is for PTSD.

I have empathy, as that's part of my own total rating.

I also hope you have that well-managed.

I get the desire to live out the rest of your days on a quiet beach.

I also know there are a LOT of anxiety/anger triggers to navigate during a move here, especially if things had been safe and peaceful in Thailand for a while.

I hope you take care of yourself and don't let the recent moving nightmare get you off your game.

Even if we can't personally assist you, there are a number of us in the forum who understand the stress you are likely experiencing.

Gia-na-dai wrote:

Wow ! You said a lot.

I guess I don't know what a PM is.
I assumed it meant a personal email message - I have not received any messages in my email from anyone in this forum.

I just now checked the two threads you cited and neither of them is what I was referencing: I found some messages under the title "U.S. Veterans living in Vietnam" . They were dated in 2015. There was a box to check to start a new thread. Beside it was a box to "Unsubscribe".
So I used that format to  reach out to anyone.
If this is against protocol then Xin loi. maybe i should have checked the "unsubscribe" box.

Also, I found in a message from 2018 someone referred to a person living in Quy Nhon and gave an email address to reach him. I wrote to that email address and it "FAILED" to go.

I replied to you and one other person who had replied to me on the public forum, if that is the term.

And no, i was not prepared to move here and things were not peaceful for me in Thailand. A lot of ex-patriots there have been speculating about the new restrictive laws for foreigners and new difficulties to get visas  and the idea of making a "visa run " to Vietnam - instead of to e.g. Vientiane or Kuala Lumpur - came up.
From a snow-covered and drafty old motor home on a remote 20 acres in Utah 2 1/2 months ago to choking air in Chiang Mai with crowds of Chinese everywhere to a quiet beach neighborhood in Quy Nhon where  people  tend to show me how much money they want from me for what I buy.
I am not on my game, have not been for some time.

Coming here was more of a "What the frak" impulse than a coherent planned destination.
But I am here and trying to make it.

I didn't mean to disturb anyone on https://www.expat.com forum.
I could just check the "unsubscribe" box next time.

OceanBeach92107 wrote:

Gia-na-dai wrote:

Hey out there.

I am in Quy Nhon.  Been here a week and I am still lost.
I have a decent-enough room in a small hotel near the beach, am renting a small Honda that runs, though no one has been taking care of maintenance on it and trying to study Vietnamese
on the online courses and Youtube.

I studied Vietnamese at the school in Monterey 50 years ago, prior to going to I Corps. I have found that people speak differently than I remember - even the phrase for "Hello" is different.
ANd of course my accent is off.  Ordering a meal is more than a challenge.

Just joined this ex-pat forum a few weeks ago, while I was in Thailand. I see that threads are out of
date.
So I am attempting to re-open this thread - to communicate with other veterans and get help
getting acculturated.

Looking forward to hearing (reading ?) from y'all, and possibly meeting for a cup of coffee if you
are nearby.

Don't know what you mean about "threads are out of date".

The threads where you were previously posting are:

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=832038

and

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=806848

If you mean you haven't been receiving immediate replies, there are no guarantees or requirements in the forum regarding when or if you will ever receive a reply to a public post.

Also, you haven't "re-open(d) this thread", you have created a new thread.

A couple of posters in Quy Nhơn had previously replied to you. Did you attempt to contact them through the private messaging system?

I know I sent you a private reply to one of the other threads, but you never acknowledged my message.

I hope that you find some local expats to connect with in Quy Nhơn.

I also hope you were well enough prepared for this move that you won't be in crisis mode if that assistance doesn't materialize soon.

Good luck!

P.S. I recall you mentioning in another thread that your V.A. disability compensation rating is for PTSD.

I have empathy, as that's part of my own total rating.

I also hope you have that well-managed.

I get the desire to live out the rest of your days on a quiet beach.

I also know there are a LOT of anxiety/anger triggers to navigate during a move here, especially if things had been safe and peaceful in Thailand for a while.

I hope you take care of yourself and don't let the recent moving nightmare get you off your game.

Even if we can't personally assist you, there are a number of us in the forum who understand the stress you are likely experiencing.

You don't have to take everything personally here in the forum.

There are some here in the forum who think they need to treat others like schoolchildren.

Gia-na-dai wrote:

I guess I don't know what a PM is.
I assumed it meant a personal email message - I have not received any messages in my email from anyone in this forum.

If you click on the avatar of a person, you will  see an option on their profile to send a private message (unless they have disabled the feature).

You can turn on email notifications for when you receive private messages.

Also, when you are logged in, if you have a message, there should be an indication at the top of your screen, next to your own avatar.

You haven't offended anyone (I don't think) or disturbed things.

I'm not meaning to treat you like a schoolchild, as one isolationist commented.

You left a lot of breadcrumbs in different threads, and I pay attention when a genuine poster (not a troll) seems to be having difficulties.

Gia-na-dai wrote:

And no, i was not prepared to move here and things were not peaceful for me in Thailand. A lot of ex-patriots there have been speculating about the new restrictive laws for foreigners and new difficulties to get visas  and the idea of making a "visa run " to Vietnam - instead of to e.g. Vientiane or Kuala Lumpur - came up.
From a snow-covered and drafty old motor home on a remote 20 acres in Utah 2 1/2 months ago to choking air in Chiang Mai with crowds of Chinese everywhere to a quiet beach neighborhood in Quy Nhon where  people  tend to show me how much money they want from me for what I buy.
I am not on my game, have not been for some time.

So forgive me (I hope) for picking up on the anxiety and frustration (anger?) you've been experiencing lately.

Since I'm both a PTSD patient and an R.N. who has been a facilitator for PTSD support groups, I'm just doing my best to help you learn the ropes here, as well as letting you know that someone is listening and gets what you are likely experiencing.

Also, if I were to share here about what I went through in the year before I returned here, I think we'd find we have a lot in common.

Gia-na-dai wrote:

Coming here was more of a "What the frak" impulse than a coherent planned destination.
But I am here and trying to make it.

Glad you navigated the Visa situation.

That's usually the biggest challenge everyone faces.

I see GoodMan has reached out to you. I hope you get connected.

My revised travel plans will likely put me in Quy Nhơn in 3 to 6 weeks.

Hopefully we can meet for REAL coffee then.

Meanwhile, I'm headed to what might very well be my final destination someday, on the undeveloped beach and river getaway of Tam Thanh at Tam Ky.

Peace~

Thanks. I should keep that in mind

Gia-na-dai wrote:

Thanks. I should keep that in mind

The number 1 and 2 reasons I returned to Việt Nam are "sand" and "saltwater".

I've recently realized how much the noises of the city are getting to me.

The peaceful quiet I've experienced in Tam Thanh (see my thread about that HERE) reminds me of my secluded home in Tennessee, but with more cafes, a fresh food market, less traffic and a beautiful, often deserted beach just steps away from my bungalow door.

I'm sure it gets noisier there on weekends, and the landlord of the place says he can't rent to me monthly in June, July and August when children are out of school and some groups rent the entire resort for a week at a time.

However, for now, it's going to be an ideal spot to just chill.