₦airaland Forum

Some more updates.....

Internet is free here. Your room comes with internet. When you're in a public place, say a gym or restaurant, you can request for wifi password. Some write it and paste on the wall. I no longer download movies, I just watch online and there's no interuption.

I've said it before that things are cheap here. Was going to upload some pictures with prices but some people deem it fit to ban me anyhow ontop something I'm not being paid for. One year gym subsription is as low as 28k naira. A very big fish, those very big ones they sell specially in lagos is just about 700 naira here. 10 big eggs is about 300 naira. Things are sold per kg here. Remember to price Lagos style. If the price be like say e too much, then it's too much. Walk away to the next store and sure enough it would be cheaper. There are the honest ones who tell you straight up the price. Some would try to rip you off especially those mamas.

Things are cheaper in the market than the supermarket so try to buy things from the market. Some things are cheaper in the supermarket plus there's no language barrier and prices are fixed and you have a variety of options.

Ask ask ask for help when you are in malls and need to buy a product but don't know the section or can't read the labels. Or when you need to find out something. Some of them speak little English. I always start with "Do you speak English" They are always willing to help. If you don't find one who can speak English, use google tranlate. They will willingly type back and assist you

Their food is really nice. Never say never, try it out and you'll find out that 95% of the time, you'll enjoy it. You could spend a month trying out different types of food here. At least for the next one week after you arrive here, you'll be eating out so get ready to try new dishes and use chopsticks. I got the hang of it on the 3rd day. Now I have one fork and 4 chopsticks

There are lots of street food sellers here and they are cheaper and tastier too. there's also KFC and the likes if you don't want to go local

Pork is their main protein here but there's also beef which is a little expensive. But there's fish which I already told you guys is cheap and there's chicken.

Fruiits are in abundance here and different types too. I've counted up to 10 and they don't seem to be seasonal. They also have lots of vegetables here.

Someone asked if Hanoi is developed. Yes Hanoi is developed. It's the Capital city. So is Ho Chi Minh, Da nang (This is the beach city), Hai Phong, Lao Cai. Ha long, These are the ones I can say for now.

Houses come fully furnished here too. The degree of the furnishing sometimes determine how expensive. Like does it have a washing machin, TV, rice cooker, pots and plates, etc.

If you're the type that doesn't eat sticky rice, you might have a little problem here as that's the way their rice is. Still looking for the ones they said they export to Naija. The one I currently use isn't too bad. It just needs to be cooked on low heaat with little water.

Just like their rice, their noodle takes just 1 or 2 minutes to cook if not, akamu straight up! Like you'll stand there and rice don done. Not the Naija one you cook forever.

Their detergent/liquid soap is foamy. Thank God I used some to wash my undies and socks before using it in the washing machine. I for don resemble Mr. Bean with lots of foam coming out of the washing machine and me looking confused

SN: Learning to ride a bike is kinda difficult. I'm finding it hard keeping my balance. I tend to tilt to one side and feel like the bike is about to fall. Any ideas/advice?

Edit: My bike is automatic

Linsigne:
lolz. Im asking if it their sim card works on ur phone

Yes it does

All the pictures I posted had Redmi Note 8 watermark

Linsigne:
@Whyna pls did ur redmi phone work there wit there service provider or u got a new phone

Soknown:
Thank you for the updates, can we have more when you have time to write. Apart from learning to ride a bike and learning their language, is there any other thing to do while waiting for school resumption ?.
Is there any historical sites in Hanoi, I know Asians love preserving their historical sites.
What about their healthcare ?. Your contract of employment, does it cover your health needs and do you pay for health insurance ?
On a lighter note, let me ask you, what I should have asked Google, do they have a monolithic culture and language.
Thank you.

Yes there are lots of historical sites here. I'm not really into those things but maybe one of these days, I'll visit some of them. Vietnam is also known for it's tourist centers so there's always always an influx of westerners here on a daily. many have decided to stay back, others spend a couple of days or weeks. The Tay Ho area is their abode. Just like idi-araba in lagos or Ama awusa in owerri.

There are lots of things to do and learn here. It all depends on what interests you

I haven't had a reason to visit the hospital and I pray I don't anytime soon. Yes most schools have health insurance as one of the benefiits. Just ask your employer or read the contract.

Yes. to the best of my knowledge, they have a monolithic culture and language. It may be too soon to deduce this anyway but I'll say yes. religion wise, I think there's about 3.

Extra: They love massages here. There is a massage palour on almost every corner...even those that come with happy endings

Edit: They actually aren't monolithic. There are about 52 ethnic groups but majority are known as the Viets. They account for more than half of the population.

sosowater:
Nice. Please which of these packages did you choose?

One year visa. It's the best

justwise:
This type of nonsense gets me crazy, Whyna post was tagged as spam by the software rather than reporting you people started making some silly unfounded allegations against unknown persons here.

I visited this thread now and saw that her last post was wrongly blocked then i have to unblock it and remove the ban on whyna.

Palazo:
Its so disheartening that when those who knows the way are trying to help others the disgruntled elements with notorious heart will try all possible means to block ways just because of selfishness. @whyna have gain knowledge and tried to open our eyes so that those who wish to leave Nigeria will know how to go about it by themselves but yet some persons had to report her post and she was blocked now she can't post or follow up her post anymore. She told me she's been trying to continue with her post but she can't and ask me to tell every Naira landers of goodwill about it. God is watching as con agents don't want to look for legal jobs to better their lives they will con themselves...........

justwise:
This type of nonsense gets me crazy, Whyna post was tagged as spam by the software rather than reporting you people started making some silly unfounded allegations against unknown persons here.

I visited this thread now and saw that her last post was wrongly blocked then i have to unblock it and remove the ban on whyna.

Bro @justwise please calm down. He's just looking out for the good of others.

@palazo thanks for speaking out.

It's all cool guys.

New apartment....

Another good thing about Vietnam. You can move around quiet often if you find something better.

There are lots of massage parlours here

90% of them use iPhone

If you're a female, you'd often see the women would want to touch your hair especially if you're on braids.

People would walk up to you and ask to take pictures with you

Learn to ride a bike before or when you arrive here. There is Grab bike just like GoKada but e go dey sweet you as you dey fly the bike dey pay small small money. Next thing, you've spent money you would have used to buy a bike in one month

Schools are closed for another 2 weeks so I'm getting a new bike tomorrow and learning to ride.

zamony:
Congratulations to you aunty whyna... I hope you Dey enjoy Banh MI too... Xin chao... I have some brothers over there studying...

Nice. Yea Bahn Mi is great. You just gotta find a person who makes great Bahn Mi and stick to her. Just like finding your favourite Amala dealer. lol

Palazo:
@Whyna: My sister no vex abeg, this package is it a business visa or a tourist visa, please font be offended. Also did you apply for job from here or the agent did that for you?

There is business and working visa

veneza:
@ why na can I buy one way flight ticket for both tourist and business Visa.

Nope

veneza:
@ why na can I buy one way flight ticket for both tourist and business Visa.

Nope

Palazo:
Sorry dear what are the documents to authenticate at Vietnam embassy and how much USD did you pay for it






quote author=WhyNa post=86682557]The next day, I proceeded to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as early as 7am. Was lucky to get someone who did it via the express route at a subsidized rate.

Please be careful when using outsiders or fast tracker to authenticate your documents both at MOE and MFA. If your document is found to carry a fake signature, it would be seized and you'll part with nothing less than 50k with abeg.
Saw two guys it happened to.

Now that I was done with both ministries, I proceeded to the Vietnamese embassy for another round of authentication. I was supposed to go with dollars and I didn't so I had to go change the money and come back.

By 4pm, I was done with everything authentication.

Stage one had been completed

$50 per page. TEFL, police and medical report, degree

Hadampson:
That's good Their official language seem difficult though

In 6 months time, you sef go don sabi how to rap like them

Hopefully. I'd rather consciously learn German or Spanish though.

regizoch:
Looks like HCMC is more developed than Hanoi, I guess?

Not really. Ho Chi Minh is like the Lagos of Vietnam and Hanoi is like the Abuja of Vietnam

Some things I've noticed here.

1. Truly these people are nice. Today, in the apartment I stay, i didn't hang my clothes well to dry after using the washing machine. Before I went back to the roof top, grandma had re-arranged the whole thing for me. Also climbed chair to help me bring them down

2. A lady left her noodle soup that's supposed to be eaten hot and was helping me translate, explain and order food for good 20 minutes just cos I was indecisive.

3. People will stare, get ready for this. It depends on how you take it. For me, i like it o. I don't pick offense. I just smile back and they smile or wave. Sometimes the younger ones call the attention of their sibling to you. Think of it this way.....remember those days when whites were not common in Nigeria? How the whole street will run out shouting oyibo pepper, shikishiki pepper and all that? It wasn't us trying to be racist or rude. we were just fascinated. Same as these guy. Blacks aren't much here at all

4. Hopefully this video go gree attach. The driving here is wonderful. Nobody waits for you to cross road. You cross naija style only raised to the power 100. If you want tto wait for traffic light, you go wait tire . I'm getting used to cross inbetween moving bikes and cars. Just keep walking, they will dodge you

Ok so the video couldn't upload but I found something similar on youtube. HCMC is crazier than Hanoi though


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tfpny1mifs4

Hadampson:
Whyna

Nice pictures sis

I believe you have started learning their language?

Small small o. Them dey rap here. But I can say Hello, thank you, one, bread, noodles, fish, jam.

Others will come later

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Park

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Real pizza not Domino's

Bun Ga
Fish noodles lol

West lake

Bike

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Night time....West lake
Don't know why I can't upload 4 pictures at once again

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