Life in Hanoi

Hanoi is a city of four million people, including a population of approximately 5,000 expatriates, located in the North of Vietnam. Like many Asian cities, Hanoi is a study in contrast; a vibrant and charming place filled with life lived out on the streets. Bicycles and cyclos vie with buses,cars and the ubiquitous motorbike in the narrow streets. Birds call from bamboo cages hung outside of homes and shops, amid the calls of the street vendors, the beeping horns and the excited chatter of the Vietnamese people. Spices, grilling meats, jasmine, and gardenia mingle with the smell of exhaust from diesel buses.The weather, hot and humid in the summer, is cold and damp in the winter.

Living in Vietnam is interesting,challenging, exciting and different in so many ways from life in the West. But each of the sights, sounds, smells and temperatures that greet you when you open your door are all evocative of South East Asia, are usually pleasant and are all part of life in Hanoi.

Vietnam is a developing country but not, by any standards, an underdeveloped country. Infrastructure, in terms of roads, telecommunications and electricity, are well developed and reliable. There has been, and will continue to be, an increase in the last few years in the availability of consumer goods and imported food stuffs, with a number of new supermarkets and even a shopping mall and a cinema that shows English-language films. Everything you’ll need for living, household use and school items are becoming more and more widely available and there continues to be an increasing number of leisure opportunities, such as fitness clubs and sporting facilities, restaurants and bars, and cultural events.

Living in an ancient culture, visiting new and interesting places, meetingand getting to know many different people,all add to the very positive aspects of life in the capital city of Vietnam. Most Vietnamese people are extremely helpful when you find yourself in a difficult situation where you may need directions or help. Many services are not only inexpensive but easy to access – people will come to your home to collect money for your bills, shine your shoes, teach you a new skill or even give a massage.

However, don’t expect that things will function the same way as in your home country, or even the country you are leaving. Vietnam has its own way of doing things, some of which will be a blessing to you and some of which will cause frustrations. A sense of humour, much patience and a consciousness that you are here as a guest in this country are definitely all required.

Your life in Vietnam will no doubt be a change to you. You will need to find accommodation – which could be an apartment or house in the Ciputra housing estate where the school is located or a house built for expatriates in the Tay Ho District – and it will generally be very spacious. You may employ domestic staff for cooking, cleaning and caring for your children. You may drive a motorbike (with a helmet) or catch taxis for transportation. Your diet will change as you adjust to the many wonderful tastes ofVietnamese food. You will need to find ways of negotiating in the Vietnamese language or through an interpreter when things go wrong – from the water pump in your house breaking down to difficulties over bargaining in the shops. Many of the expatriates you will meet in your stay here have been through the same experience of settling-in to life in Hanoi. They are a great resource when trying to make the many day-to-day decisions that must be resolved during the settling in process.

A good way to settle in is to make connections with the local Vietnamese community. Many people are pleased to support your efforts in making contact and there are ways of becoming connected to the local Vietnamese community, notably by participating in community service activities through the school, charitable groups or arts activities. The expatriate community is also an active one, with many opportunities for socializing, playing sport, becoming involved in community work, or even joining a drama group or a band. Your life here in Hanoi can be varied, colourful and rich.

Climate

The North of Vietnam has four seasons. When you arrive in August, Hanoi will be experiencing summer, July and August being two of the hottest months, with temperatures up to 35°C and high levels of humidity (over 95%). These are also rainy months, with occasional devastating typhoons on the coast which affect the weather inland in Hanoi. Late September to November is more pleasant as the heat and humidity start to decrease, there is less rain and the autumn days become mild. A cool but humid winter usually begins in December, with an average temperature of 15°C (down to 8°C). The drops in temperature can be quite sudden and the chilly wind warrants warm coats. The skies can be very grey right up to March, when the weather starts to get very damp and humid and spring begins to appear as the temperature rises throughout April. The summer weather from late April up to the end of the school year in June is once again characterized by high temperatures, heavy rains, flooding and typhoons. In Southern Vietnam, the climate provides a relatively constant temperature and two seasons: a rainy season from May to October and a dry season from November to April. The hottest months are March, April and May when temperatures may reach 40°C.

Language

Vietnamese is a mono-syllabic tonal language using a Western alphabet. Most words in Vietnamese are only three or four letters long, making the language appear easy. The stumbling blocks, however, are the six tones that can turn the word “cam”, for example, into orange, give, don’t, flirt, nice, hold, feel and sick!

Vietnamese people greatly appreciate any attempts to learn their language and will engage easily in simple conversations, with varying degrees of success! When all else fails, Vietnamese are adept at non-verbal communication and this can be very helpful in difficult situations. Many are interested in learning English and some will prefer to practice their English words and phrases with you. Speaking French is less useful than it was several years ago, as the French-speaking Vietnamese population has decreased. However, it should be noted that many of the Vietnamese you will deal with, especially on the street and in taxis, do not speak English beyond a few basic words. It’s worth considering taking some Vietnamese lessons in order to learn some simple vocabulary that will help you to greet people, get to where you want to go and negotiate in shops, and as a courtesy to your host country. The Communications Department has a list of Vietnamese tutors (communications@unishanoi.org) and also runs Beginner’s Vietnamese courses as part of the Community Education Programme.

The People of Vietnam

The Vietnamese are intelligent, hard-working, strong-minded and determined. They have a great sense of humour and can be very playful, and usually they will enjoy bantering and laughing with ‘foreigners’. You will usually feel welcome, and will only occasionally be surrounded or approached except in tourist areas, where there are beggars and persistent street merchants. You will find that the Vietnamese are friendly and curious about expatriates. They will ask, either in English or through interpreters a great deal about you, and some of these questions may seem intrusive at first, particularly those about your age, weight and salary! Don’t be alarmed by this, or feel that it is directed at you personally. It is very common for Vietnamese to ask other people, both expatriates and locals, what we might consider personal questions and no harm is intended. If you feel uncomfortable it is more polite to divert the conversation to another topic than refuse to reply – local people are also very interested in where you are from and how you like Vietnam! Making connections with the local community can greatly enhance your life in Vietnam.

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