For the Sunday Session this week, we were recording from East West Brewing Company, right on Ly Tu Trong in the bustling District 1 of Saigon.
I was joined by some familiar voices and a few friends who were here to share their expat experiences, perspectives, and stories about life in Vietnam. My wife Adrie, Shelly, Mischa, Will, and James. There was a group of expats there so this episode would be much more exciting.
Listen now to discover what makes life in Vietnam so special and why some of us may never want to leave.
Celebrate Vietnam Women’s Day – Other International & National Days Around the World
If you haven’t guessed already, our Saigon Sunday Sessions tend to be pretty casual. These episodes give us a chance to catch up and talk about whatever random topics come up, often over a drink or two.
In this episode, we gathered for our usual Saigon Sunday Session at East West Brewing Company, and it happened to be Vietnamese Women’s Day.
I thought it’d be a perfect opportunity to chat about this special day and the meaning behind it. Vietnamese Women’s Day, I learned, is actually celebrated on October 20th and has its roots in 1930, when Vietnamese women, with support from the Communist Party, came together in unity to stand against imperialism. They eventually formed what we now know as the Vietnam Women’s Union and the day became a way to recognize their sacrifices and contributions.
Mischa brought up how important it felt to honor the amazing women around us that day. It was great to take a moment to celebrate all the women in our lives—right here at our table and across Vietnam. We even got a few free flowers from East West Brewing.
When I asked Adri how she felt about the day as a woman, she said she appreciated it. She liked having a dedicated day to be appreciated, even though, in her words, there’s “a day for everything these days.”
And she’s right—there are so many of these “special days” that it can feel a bit overdone. We started laughing about how it seems there’s a day for almost anything you can think of. Mischa shared his experience seeing a festival for just about everything, even a “Colorful Bottle Festival” he’d seen advertised outside a supermarket in Vietnam.
And speaking of odd days, I recently found out there’s a “National Podcast Day,” so I shared a few random podcasting facts for that occasion. But someone joked, “Is there a National Idiot Day, too?” I mean, at this point, it wouldn’t surprise me!
We ended up talking about whether having so many of these days takes away from the significance of ones like Women’s Day. I think, for Adri, even though she could joke about the free croissants and coffee shop specials, she still liked the tradition. It gave everyone a chance to reflect on the history and contributions of women here in Vietnam.
Living Abroad as an American: Deny or Admit?
We moved to another topic that was familiar to many Americans living abroad: the temptation to sometimes identify as Canadian. For James, this “Canadian camouflage” served as a quick way to sidestep any assumptions or misunderstandings others might have about Americans.
Tyler admitted on a previous episode that he had started passing himself off as Canadian during his time in Australia, while James admitted to doing the same here in Vietnam—at least until someone caught him with his U.S. passport.
James shared his own story, explaining why he chose to “be Canadian” in Vietnam.
He was heading out on a six-month photo tour through Southeast Asia and had heard countless horror stories, from exaggerated warnings about kidnappings to fears of anti-American sentiment.
Later, James and his friends were out drinking with a group they’d met nearby, and he was chatting away with a couple of guys from Western Europe. It was all good fun until one of them casually asked where he was from. James proudly said, “Oh, I’m from Texas, in the U.S.,” expecting a friendly response. Instead, the guy turned on him, saying, “Get out of here! Get out of here!”
At first, James thought the guy was joking, assuming that kind of reaction was usually reserved for the British. But it was real. The guy insisted he wanted nothing to do with James, solely based on where he was from.
So, when he arrived in Vietnam, it felt safer to say he was Canadian, especially around foreigners, who he thought might be more judgmental about his nationality than locals. This worked until one day at a hotel, a Vietnamese worker spotted his U.S. passport and warmly said, “I love America!” To James, that interaction flipped a switch, showing him that the Vietnamese people were much more open and accepting than he’d expected.
Adrie also shared that she had the same thought when she first arrived in Vietnam. Many people around the world see America’s government as heavily involved in wars or conflicts, and unfortunately, that can sometimes lead to general negative assumptions about Americans abroad. Therefore, she was afraid that she would be hated or mistreated as an American in Vietnam because of the wars in the past. However, the Vietnamese turned out very friendly and welcoming.
Check out the related episode: Living in Vietnam As An American
Life as an Expat in Vietnam: Like It or Not?
The discussion captured the unique experiences and sometimes humorous misunderstandings that arise from living abroad, especially as Americans. Adrie started by talking about how leaving the U.S. can shatter a lot of preconceived ideas, noting that the reality of a place like Vietnam often differs from what Americans expect. Many Americans, as we discussed, tend to travel to places close to home, like Mexico, where they might not fully step out of their comfort zone or embrace local culture.
James then shared his thoughts on Texas pride, describing it as unique even by American standards. Texans have a deep-rooted sense of identity that comes with slogans like “Don’t Mess with Texas”.
Americans, seeing McDonald’s and Coca-Cola all over the world can create an illusion that the U.S. is everywhere.
Start-up in Vietnam
Our conversation about life as expats in Vietnam highlighted the unique appeal of living in a place where the community, affordability, and opportunities for entrepreneurship are surprisingly accessible. For many of us, the decision to settle here was rooted in these very factors. Unlike the U.S., where the cost of starting a business can be a daunting hurdle, Vietnam offers a level of financial freedom that makes it easier to take risks and succeed.
You may also like: Saigon’s Transformation Through the Eyes of Mischa Smith
A Safe and Friendly Country
Beyond affordability, there’s a unique sense of safety here that adds to the positive experience of living abroad. Many of us feel more comfortable and welcomed in Vietnam than we might in parts of the U.S. Adrie reflected on how she’s found a new sense of peace here, freed from certain stresses she might feel at home. The warmth and openness of the Vietnamese people are constant reminders of what makes this place special—whether they’re inviting you for a meal or supporting your business, it’s a country that has, in many ways, embraced us as much as we’ve embraced it.
Gun Culture and Personal Stories
We discussed gun culture in the U.S., a topic that’s personal for many of us. James opened up about his experience, saying he grew up around guns and owned them from a young age.
However, living abroad has shifted his perspective. Reflecting on the current situation in the U.S., he now feels that something fundamental needs to change, even going as far as saying, “Take them all. Take them away.” For James, the issue isn’t about guns themselves but about the larger cultural and legal failure to address the root problems of violence.
Adrie pointed out that other countries, like Australia, took a different route. After a major shooting incident in the 1980s, the Australian government enacted strict gun control laws, and, as she explained, the population largely supported it.
Conclusion
Living abroad is always a diverse and lively topic to talk about, and each expat offers their unique experiences and viewpoints.
We’ve covered everything from cultural observations and identity abroad to some of the quirks of American and Vietnamese life. It’s been a laid-back, candid conversation over a few rounds of beers, reflecting on the fun and complex sides of living as expats in Vietnam.
Thanks for tuning in to A Vietnam Podcast. Follow for more episodes in the future!