Shadowing Practice: Everyone's Moving to Vietnam! Here's Why - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Welcome back to Saigon, Vietnam.
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I just moved back here after a year and a half in Da Nang.
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It is a brand new year.
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Chuk Mung Nha Mui.
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I'm excited to be here
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and today I want to basically ask you a simple question about why you're not here yet
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or why you haven't moved to Vietnam.
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It's an incredible place.
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It's the kind of place that'll blow away all of your expectations.
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It's not just cheap.
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It's not just beautiful.
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It's neighborhoods just like this and cafes like this that are gonna surprise you.
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Today I want to ask you something straight -up simple though.
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How much longer are you going to wait before you pull the trigger, before you actually move to Vietnam?
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How many more months are you gonna sit in your apartment in Ohio or California or Syracuse?
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Shout out Kevin.
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Wherever you are, scrolling through Instagram, watching other people live the life you basically want, telling yourself like, yeah someday someday I'll do it but not today.
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I moved to Vietnam seven years ago in 2019 with a single suitcase, my laptop, you know, no real plan,
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no connections, no safety net other than a job teaching English, and it was the best decision I've ever made in my life, coming here instead of China.
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My cost of living dropped by like 70 percent.
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My quality of life went up by 3 ,000 zillion percent.
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I'm healthier, I'm happier.
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I'm building a life and a family
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that would be financially impossible back home in the US and Canada and the UK and Australia.
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And every single week, I mean, other Americans, other Westerners, more and more people who are stuck in this weird limbo.
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They want to move abroad.
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They know they should move abroad.
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They're emailing me about moving abroad.
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They're absolutely miserable where they are, but they're paralyzed by fear and overthinking, not money.
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So today I'm going to give you 10 legitimate concrete reasons
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why Vietnam should be at the top of your list right now.
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Not Thailand, not Bali, not Portugal, but this place.
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This Vietnam you might not know.
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And I'm going to be really direct and forthright with you.
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If you've watched my other videos you know that's how I am.
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This isn't a travel blog or a bit about the best pho, the best beaches or whatever.
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This is a straight up pitch because I genuinely believe that if you're watching this video you're probably ready.
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You just need someone to tell you that it's okay to pull the trigger
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and to leave behind a bunch of the crap that's holding you where you are.
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So let's talk about why Vietnam is the move right now.
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Classic top 10 countdown style.
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The way only David Letterman can do.
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Number 10.
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Your money goes five times further.
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It's tet right now, which means everything is 50 % more.
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This coconut coffee costs $2 .70.
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Usually it's $1 .80.
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In the busiest, most expensive city here.
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Let's just start with the most obvious reason it's money right
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in the united states i was spending thirty five hundred dollars
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a month just basic you know rent utilities groceries health insurance car payment gas phone bill
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that was baseline survival in san francisco in toronto not much
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better maybe 3 200 you know maybe i saved 10
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but the reality is toronto's not as good of a city
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as san francisco right i wasn't living well i was just existing
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when i did end up back in toronto it wasn't because i wanted to be there is because that's like home.
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That was my default setting.
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In Vietnam, my total monthly expenses are literally around $700 baseline, okay?
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That's because I'm not paying rent right now.
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And I'm not roughing it.
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I'm living in a modern apartment in District 7 where you're seeing right around you.
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There's a gym, there's pool, there's security.
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I eat out every single day.
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I get massages on the regular.
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I travel constantly.
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So how exactly is that possible?
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Well, let me break it down for you, right?
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Rent for the place, if I was paying in a great neighborhood like this, would be about a thousand bucks for a three -bedroom, okay?
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So I'd split that with my wife, 500 each.
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We're not paying because the condo is owned.
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So you break that down to a studio, and you're literally looking at three to four hundred dollars for a studio, maybe less.
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I just interviewed a guy
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and he was saying one he's paying 550 a month for a nightly Airbnb price for it monthly
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Yearly contracts you're looking at 275 300 plus utilities and water beautiful place
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We'll link it we toured two apartments together street food a
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dollar to sit down restaurant five to eight dollars Coffee one
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or two dollars beer literally like 50 cents a gym membership
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easy 20 bucks a month 30 bucks a month max unless
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you're splurging a motorbike like these guys over here you can
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get one of those for 40 a month a haircut a
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great haircut i made a video about this recently four bucks
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if you're making western money right even just two or three thousand dollars a month
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from a moat work or online business or social security or your retirement, your pension.
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You truly are living incredibly well here.
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It is very affordable for luxuries here.
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And that's not hyperbole.
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It's just the math.
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It's just the basics, right?
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The question isn't whether you can afford to move to Vietnam.
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The question is whether you can afford not to.
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Because realistically, whatever you're doing now, it's way more expensive than my lifestyle here.
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I'm like, this isn't roughing it.
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That was a nice cafe.
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Aroma hops.
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This is a craft beer bar right behind me.
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The only reason it's closed is because it's a holiday.
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Number nine.
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The visa situation is actually easy.
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Cut through the bullshit.
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That's all garbage.
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I have links to long -term or short -term visa options below.
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People overthink the visa.
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They see visa, they immediately assume it's complicated, it's bureaucratic hell, it's so expensive, they're going to reject it, yada yada.
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It's not.
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It's basic.
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It's simple.
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It's just a form.
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You can come to Vietnam right now on a tourist visa and stay for 90 days.
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That's it.
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25 bucks.
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No sponsorship.
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No complicated applications.
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Just fill out the form online.
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Pay the fee with a credit card.
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Show up.
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90 days to test the waters to figure out if this place, if Vietnam, is for you or not.
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You want to stay longer?
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Then you figure it out, right?
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You get a business visa.
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You get a marriage visa.
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You start a business.
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You do whatever you want to do.
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You don't need a job.
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You can get an education visa if you're 18 to 60 years old.
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You don't need a company.
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You just need to pay a visa agent a couple hundred bucks, and they'll handle it for you.
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I made a whole video on this.
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I'm sick of people in the comments making excuses about the visa situation here.
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That's bullshit.
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If you're saying that, it's because you're not fucking here, okay?
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It's easy to get a long -term visa here.
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For five years, I lived in Ho Chi Minh City.
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I didn't know anyone doing a visa run.
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Never heard of that until I went to Tourist Dinaen.
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Yeah, I've been doing this for seven years.
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I've been doing my visa almost every year in country.
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Sometimes it lasts two or three years depending on what kind of job or marriage.
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It's never been a problem It's never been stressful, bro I never even do it for myself.
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Literally my HR used to do it for me And now my wife does think about that.
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I literally don't even do my own visa It's not something I've ever thought about compare
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that to Thailand's new crackdown on visa runs compare
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that to Bali's complicated KITS system compare
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that to EU where you're limited to 90 days in every 180 day period or whatever.
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It's not like that here.
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Right now, it's 90 days and you just renew it after.
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It's that simple.
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Vietnam is literally making it easier for people to come here.
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They want your money.
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They want foreigners spending dollars in the local economy.
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The economy is growing like crazy.
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They've streamlined the process.
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People who are saying it's hard are making excuses because they're lazy or they don't want to be here.
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The visa situation is not a reason to delay your move.
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In fact, it's one of the easiest parts of your move.
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You can do it online before you get on a plane for 25 bucks.
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Number eight, I'll stop ranting.
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You can rent a place here in 24 hours fully furnished.
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No problem, yeah?
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Finding housing in the US, in the UK, Australia, Canada, nightmare.
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Applications, security checks, first month, last month, security deposit, references.
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Do you have a dog?
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Do you have a cat?
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Get lost, fuck you.
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Background checks, waiting periods, lineups at the door to see mediocre places.
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Are you kidding?
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There's no housing crisis here.
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In Vietnam you can rent an apartment in 24 hours.
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Yeah, sometimes in the same day.
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An old guy who just came from the Philippines with his girlfriend, my buddy Andy from Operation Da Nang, got him in a nice place, literally like hours after he was off the plane.
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Here's how it works.
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You scroll through Facebook groups or local rental sites.
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You message the landlord.
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You go look at the place.
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You like it?
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Boom.
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Cash in hand for the first month or brief deposit, usually equal two months rent sometimes on three months up front
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whatever they hand you the keys on the spot you move in
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that day it's furnished already
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but the fridge is plugged in no credit check no application no references just cash
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and keys tell me that's difficult huh being honest tell me it's difficult and
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if you don't like it you just leave at the end
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of the month you know what's the least breaking penalty when your deposit is a few hundred bucks no complicated exit process.
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You just give 30 to 90 days and move out.
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I've moved apartment three times in seven years.
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Every time I found a new place within a week.
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No stress, no drama, no bureaucracy.
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It's not an issue.
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Your landlord will register you with the local ward because you're a foreigner afterwards.
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The flexibility here is just insane.
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You're not getting locked into year -long leases with penalties unless you want to.
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You can test neighborhoods, you can upgrade when you want, you can move closer to friends or the beach or you can just change cities it's not a problem.
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I have a bunch of friends who used to live in this apartment block over here.
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Housing is not a barrier it's actually one of the easiest most flexible parts of living here.
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Little parkette how quiet and beautiful is this right now.
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When that restaurant is packed at night, this place would literally just be a parking lot.
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Okay, number seven.
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The food, the diet will ruin western food for you forever.
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I'm not exaggerating when I say Vietnam has the best food in the world.
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Sure, it's personal preference, but it's true.
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Not good food, not interesting food.
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The best.
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Pho, bong mi, bun cha, con tim, bang seo, cow lao, pork vermicelli, seafood.
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I was literally still swimming or flopping around in a pot an hour ago.
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Deliciously fresh and it's not just the food itself it's the fact
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that you can eat world -class meals for a couple bucks
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and you can eat them three times a day at a place like
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that sitting beside the water sitting out on the street sitting in stalls
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and ultimately you're gonna have a food budget of like one two hundred dollars a month.
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Check out these places eh?
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These is ridiculous mansions.
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I really want people to see what Vietnam is actually like.
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This is what it's actually like for a lot of people.
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The food here is social.
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You're going to be eating with people.
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You're going to be sitting on plastic schools on the sidewalk.
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You're going to be drinking cheap beer.
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You're going to be talking.
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You're going to be watching the city move around you.
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You're going to be enjoying yourself, right?
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Compare that to eating on a sad desk or packed lunches or microwave food.
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Look at this.
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Tomahawk steak, Hong Kong crab, duck, lobster, fresh fish, snails.
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There you go.
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No more 12 ,000 or 1 ,200 calorie chipotle for me, thanks.
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No more meal prepping chicken.
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Just talking about the good life in Vietnam.
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Because here you can afford to eat out, unlike at home.
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The food alone, not as a novelty, but as your daily reality, is worth the move if you ask me.
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Look at this guy.
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He's got some beautiful stuff going on.
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Ooh, delivery.
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Wow, sin chow.
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This looks yummy.
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Next up, number six, attach the food.
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You can get healthier and probably skinnier without trying.
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This one truly surprised me.
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I didn't move to Vietnam to get healthy.
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I took here for a surprise job but it just happened anyways.
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There's a side benefit right?
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First because you're walking everywhere like me or you're cycling or you're taking a motorbike, you're not doing a long commute,
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no sedentary commute, you're constantly on the move if you're participating in the local culture.
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Second is that food.
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It's fresh, it's real vegetables, it's real protein, no processed garbage, no high fructose corn syrup and everything,
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no chemicals you can't pronounce and no MSG is not bad for you that's a myth.
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Third, there's no drive -through culture in Vietnam.
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You can't eat in your car because you don't have a car.
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You're not door dashing McDonald's at midnight
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because there's a better street food stall just down from where you're hanging out and living.
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You can eat real meals at real times because you can afford it.
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Fourth, gyms are cheap like I said 20 bucks a month often
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with no contracts no consulate cancellation fees just to pay and go.
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I literally lost like 15 -20 pounds in my first six months here.
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Went from 200 down to 180.
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My energy went up, my sleep improved, my mental health got better and you'll see this a lot.
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Little outdoor parkettes with gyms okay.
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And it's not because Vietnam again has some magic weight loss pill or secret.
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It's not a Zenpic.
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So the default lifestyle here is more walking, more social eating, more affordable fitness.
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It's just healthier than the American default of sitting, driving, and processed food.
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Check this out, right?
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This kind of workout setup.
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I use these all the time.
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They're everywhere.
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You don't have to become a health nut.
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You just have to exist here.
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And a lifestyle upgrade often happens automatically, right?
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Almost by accident.
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So look, we're halfway through the list and I want to just pause for a second and say truly, if you're thinking this sounds great, but I don't know how to actually do this,
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yada, yada, another excuse about the logistics, that's why I put together my entire Move to Vietnam Masterclass.
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It's a 60 -minute deep dive where I walk you through eight simple steps that are most frequently asked questions, the visa process, the apartments, the bank account stuff, you know,
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setting up your life, everything that nobody tells you in one place simply.
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Because truly moving to Vietnam isn't always easy, but if you know what you're doing
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and you're not going to make the same mistakes myself or all the people I've helped have before, it's not going to be that hard, right?
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Other people have figured out the hard way.
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You don't have to.
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Ultimately, that's all it's about.
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And along with that in the membership, there's full breakdowns of five different countries, all the guides I've ever put together, more classes, etc. That's all linked below and in the comments.
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Let's keep going though.
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Number five in this beautiful parkette, the expat community here is thriving.
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So one of the biggest people, fears people have about moving abroad is loneliness, which is justified, right?
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Like, what if I can't make friends?
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What if I'm totally isolated here?
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Well, let's kill that fear right now because the expat community in Vietnam, especially in Saigon, Da Nang, Hanoi, is thriving.
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It's growing a lot, right?
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There are Facebook groups with literally tens of thousands of members.
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There are meetups every day, every week, every night in different cities.
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There are co -working spaces full of digital nomads and remote workers.
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There are sports leagues, hiking groups, cycling groups, running groups, language exchanges.
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Oh, God, yes, there's pickleball
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and networking events you can make friends in a week no problem
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if you put in a minimal effort
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and these aren't necessarily going to be shallow friendships these are
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people who just like you are choosing to uproot their entire lives
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and move abroad
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so you already have something in common right they're going to
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be interesting they're going to be ambitious they're going to be
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open -minded they get it they get the need the desire
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the hunger right i've made better friends here in the last seven years than I often made in decades back home.
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And I'm not unique, right?
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Everyone says this.
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They're just constantly meeting people.
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The other thing is that the expat community here is often very supportive of your choices, right?
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If you have a question, you post it in a Facebook group or you post it online, and you're going to get 20 helpful answers in like an hour, right?
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If you need a visa agent, a doctor, a dentist, someone's going to recommend theirs.
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If you're struggling, people are going to show up.
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Trust me, everyone has done this before.
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You're not going to be lonely unless you choose to be
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isolated there is plenty of community here you just have to show up
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and make a tiny bit of an effort number four this is one
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that is vastly underrated but as i'm always addressing in my interviews with other expats
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which is that you can build a business in vietnam for almost nothing right
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if you have any entrepreneurial instincts
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or desire at all vietnam is a fantastic place to test
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them this year in 2026 it's going to surpass thailand as the third biggest economy in the region.
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If you want to start an online business here, your overhead is like your cost of living, right?
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It's 700 bucks a month.
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It's a thousand bucks a month.
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You can fail five times before you even hit that break -even point you'd have in the United States.
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Think about that.
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What I actually just said, right?
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Your runout time is like infinite.
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You want to start a service business, you know, something like English teaching, consulting, marketing, design, whatever.
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There's demand here and almost no barrier to entry.
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Often people are going to look to you as an expert for being a foreigner.
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You want to start a brick and mortar business?
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Lots of people do that too.
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Rent for a small storefront in a good location, you know, $300 to $600 a month is often what you're paying.
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Compare that to like $3 ,000 to $30 ,000 a month in any American, Australian or Canadian city.
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I know expats here running coffee shops, bars, restaurants, hotels, tour companies, e -commerce brands, consulting firms,
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yes, YouTube channels, coaching businesses, import -export, right?
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They're doing it without needing venture capital or loans or massive startup costs.
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And the bonus, when you do it, you can get your own visa and sponsor yourself.
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Oh my goodness, think about that.
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The low cost of living literally gives you room to experiment.
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You can try things, you can pivot, you can fail and recover quickly.
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At home you need minimum $50 ,000, $100 ,000, a business loan to even think about starting something.
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Plus if you're doing this
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while you're quitting your job you're then out the cost of living of whatever that is another $100 ,000.
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Here you just need a laptop, an apartment, that's it.
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Trust me Vietnam rewards hustle especially Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City.
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If you're willing to work there's opportunity everywhere.
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There are people looking to collaborate to build to start things.
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Number three, let's talk about meeting people.
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Dating and social life, in my opinion, are infinitely better here.
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I'm just going to be blunt about this
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because I get asked about it all the time and it's true even though people don't talk about it that much, they don't want to, yada yada.
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If you're a western man, the reality is that dating in Vietnam is going to be better than dating in the United States or in Europe.
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Not because of any weird fetish reasons or anything like that
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because the dating culture here is just healthier right more accessible
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people actually talk to each other in person they don't hide behind apps they're not jaded
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and cynical they're not transactional or playing games traditional gender roles still exist here
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which some people love some people maybe hate
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but at least everyone knows where they stand yeah things are
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clear as day women people are going to be very upfront
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here about expectations about what they want from the relationship what their goals are
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and they're going to tell you up front right away on the first date.
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The social life in general is just better and more straightforward.
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People go out they sit at cafes for hours they drink
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beer on sidewalks at beaches they invite you to do things they play games
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and sports actively openly there's no we should hang out sometimes
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that never happens texting bullshit right people are actually following through
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because they're going out to events and you're automatically interesting here just by bringing your story.
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As the foreigner, as a native English speaker, as someone who comes from away,
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you have perspectives that people want to hear as long as you integrate and talk and do activities with locals.
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Compare that to being basically invisible back home or alone and isolated.
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Compare that to dating apps where you're going to get ignored or you have to pay.
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Compare that to spending Friday nights at a shitty dive bar in Toronto
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or Buffalo watching sports spending hundreds of dollars on like crappy bottled pilsner.
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The social fabric here is just more alive and if you're even slightly outgoing you will thrive.
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Number two huge one maybe the biggest one but it's number two you actually have time to live right.
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So here's what I didn't realize until I moved here.
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I was spending 40 plus hours a week back home just maintaining my existence.
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Not growing, not doing anything, just being static.
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Commuting, grocery shopping, cooking, cleaning, car maintenance, dealing with insurance companies.
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I was part of a union based on my teaching job, you know, waiting on hold with customer service, standing in lines to renew my driver's license, sitting in traffic.
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Buddy, it just felt like I was going backwards.
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All of that vanishes in Vietnam, or at least it did for me.
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No car means no commute, no maintenance, no insurance, no gas, no parking stress.
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Gas for a motorbike costs nothing.
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You know, no grocery shopping, no meal planning, no dishes.
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Laundry service is a couple bucks, you know, do a pickup and drop off.
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Need something delivered, it's going to arrive in 30 minutes.
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The delivery fee is going to be under a dollar.
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This is the reality of Grab here.
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Moving here literally bought me like 30 hours a week back, every single week, before I retired.
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Now that I'm retired, it's ridiculous, right?
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And what do you do with that time?
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How do you actually change your life.
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You can do whatever you want.
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You can build a business, you can learn a language, you can travel, you can make friends, you can create content, you can join a football league, you can rock climb, you can read, you can exercise.
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Or like me, you can do all those things.
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It's amazing.
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Time is the most valuable thing you have
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and back home in the United States is being stolen from you by systems designed to keep you busy, stressed, and broke for no fucking reason.
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It's nuts.
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In Vietnam, you'll have advantage and you'll be given that back through geo -arbitrage.
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It's just how money works.
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Okay, number one, you'll never regret it, right?
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You're never going to regret moving to Vietnam.
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You're going to regret it if you chicken out and you don't do it.
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Here's the truth.
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The biggest risk isn't moving to Vietnam and it not working out and you going home.
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The biggest risk is sitting in your apartment for another five years thinking about it
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when you're getting closer to the end, right?
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Watching other people do it, telling yourself someday, and then waking up at 50, at 60, at 65, at 75, realizing you never tried.
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Man, my father just turned 80.
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He was in Vietnam once a year for the last three years.
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They've been wintering here in Da Nang.
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They loved it, okay?
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I think it's a cap now that he's 80 because they can't do it anymore, but imagine if they'd never come.
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They never met their grandkids.
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I meet people all the time who visited Vietnam once, who loved it, who went back home, and then spent years regretting the fact that they didn't stay, that they didn't make it work.
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They got pulled back into the grind, back into the routine, back into the life that wasn't making them happy in the first place.
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You want that to be you?
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It was me.
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I was back in Canada for two years wondering what the hell I'd done and why it was 30 below again.
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And when you do that, you get stuck, right?
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Or you think you're stuck at least because you have more responsibilities and it's harder to go.
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Every time you go back, it's harder to go.
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There's more debt.
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There's more excuses.
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You know what I honestly never hear?
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I never hear someone say, man, I really, really regret moving to Vietnam, Evan.
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Literally no one's ever said it to me ever right people always say oh my god thank you
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so much you're the reason i moved here i really appreciate
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it i watched all your videos i bought your course yada yada yada all the freaking time
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when i was walking around and antung
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and denang people are walking up to me stopping me saying thank you
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so much so to all of you i appreciate you thank you
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so much and the question is ultimately are you going to be the person who does it
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or the person who wishes you did it
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because from someone who's on the other side of that decision already it's worth it.
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Every risk, every uncertainty, every moment of fear before you buy the ticket it's all ultimately worth it
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if you pull the trigger and move to Vietnam.
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So let's talk about how you can actually make this happen because here's where most people get stuck.
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They're convinced they want to do it, they don't know the mechanics, they don't know the steps, they don't know what to do first, second, third and so they just don't start at all.
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That's exactly why I put everything together right the cost of living abroad membership that's linked below
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so it's tired of watching people screwed up and
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because i'm a teacher
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and i can teach people how i already did it has
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the move to be a non -masterclass how's my how to
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live in southeast asia course Right now I'm releasing my Retire Early Abroad course.
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Everything I've ever done is in there.
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All the PDF guides, etc. Yada yada.
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Step -by -step breakdowns of how you can make your move happen.
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You'll find that in the links below.
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Or you can watch this video.
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It's an expat interview with my buddy Nick, an American veteran retired early in Vietnam who lives in a condo over $600 a month.
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Or this video, which is my latest tour from around Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City.
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Thanks so much for watching.
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I'm Evan A.
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Why This Video is Perfect for Your English Practice
The video features a lively, conversational speaker sharing their passion for Vietnam, making it ideal for learning real-world English. The tone is friendly and direct, with natural pacing that mirrors everyday speech—perfect for building confidence in IELTS speaking practice and casual communication. Whether you’re a beginner or refining your skills, the dialogue’s mix of personal stories and persuasive points offers rich material to study.
Top 5 Phrases to Master from the Video
- "Pull the trigger" – To take action (e.g., "I finally pulled the trigger and booked the trip").
- "Blow away all your expectations" – To surprise someone greatly (e.g., "The city blew away all my expectations").
- "Stuck in a weird limbo" – In a state of uncertainty (e.g., "I’m stuck in a limbo between jobs").
- "Cost of living dropped by 70%" – A common way to talk about expenses (e.g., "My rent dropped by 50% after moving").
- "Straight up pitch" – A direct, honest argument (e.g., "Let me give you a straight up pitch for this idea").
Step-by-Step Shadowing Guide for This Video
Shadowing (or shadowspeak) is a powerful way to improve pronunciation and fluency. Here’s how to use this video:
- Listen first: Watch the video once to grasp the main idea. Focus on the speaker’s energy and pauses.
- Repeat in chunks: Pause after 5-10 seconds and repeat the words aloud, mimicking the tone and speed. For example, try "It’s not just cheap. It’s not just beautiful"—notice how the speaker emphasizes "not just."
- Focus on connected speech: The speaker often links words (e.g., "kind of place" becomes "kinda place"). Practice these links to sound more natural.
- Record yourself: Compare your recording to the video. Did you capture the stress in "best decision" or the casual "you know"? Adjust until it matches.
- Speak extemporaneously: After shadowing, summarize the video in your own words. Use phrases like "pull the trigger" to reinforce learning—great for shadow speech practice!
With consistent practice, you’ll not only master new vocabulary but also gain the confidence to speak English like a native. So, hit play and start shadowspeaking today—your fluency journey starts now!
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Present perfect continuous have/has been + -ing — an action that started earlier and is still going on | I've been doing · They've been wintering |
| “Used to” used to + verb — a past habit or state that is no longer true | used to do · used to live |
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | haven't moved · I've ever made · you've watched |
| Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing | people who are · now, which means · guy who just |
What is the Shadowing Technique?
Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.