My arrival in Vietnam had not been without its obstacles. As part of my introduction, I was supposed to have been picked up from the airport in what was formerly Saigon by someone from the school's head-office in the city. However, I found myself waiting around for some time at the exit with no welcome in sight. I reasoned that they may have been delayed so gave them an hour. I had been emailed a phone number in case of emergencies and the address of the hotel I would be staying at, but unfortunately the airport didn't have wireless capabilities for me to be able to retrieve them. Nevertheless, I decided that my best course of action was to jump in a taxi and head into the city centre to find an Internet cafe. Eventually, I managed to call HR in HCMC and speak to a woman who had no idea who I was as she only dealt with the Saigon teachers. I asked her to put a message through to someone in Vung Tau and asked for the address of the hotel I was likely to be staying at - presuming one had been booked. It was easy enough to locate and with great relief discovered that a room had been reserved. A former work friend of mine in Istanbul was working in HCMC for the summer, so I dumped my things in my room and gave her a call. She was at a cafe just down the road and we met up for a belated "welcome to Vietnam."
The next day I was met at the hotel and chauffeured to the ferry terminal, where I would take the boat to my final destination. One hour south of Ho Chi Minh City, on a peninsula protruding in to the South China Sea, lies the tiny city of Vung Tau. Once a tiny fishing village, Vung Tau has been transformed in to a touristy-beach town awash with money from the burgeoning oil industry. The place first began this metamorphosis during the Vietnam War when Australian servicemen would use it as a base for some R&R. I can't say I remember much of the trip down, but my first impression of my new home was generally positive; traditional fishing boats in the harbour, beaches, greenery and great views of the sea. Despite being a fifth of the size of Bishkek in Kyrgyzstan, there were already 5 times as many things to do!
This former fishing village is now a weekend retreat for Saigon residents looking to get away from the hustle and bustle of the big city and as such numerous cafes and restaurants have sprung up. With the high number of ex-pats making up a proportion of the population too, it wasn't surprising to note the high concentration of bars that cater to westerners also dot the cityscape. The bars - known as girly bars - are pretty much the preserve of western guys and are filled with young Vietnamese girls serving drinks (as well as other things, but I'll save that for another blog). The big draw, though, is the proximity to the sea and the ability to sit on the beach or in a cafe and drift off into your own world and soak it all up.
Although it's not going to be a place I would ever think of as 'home,' the easy-going lifestyle, the great year-round sunshine and the low-cost of living will ensure that my brief 9 month stay will be enjoyable enough to sample some South-East Asian culture.
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