Americans are retiring to Vietnam, for cheap healthcare and a decent standard of living

Robert59

Robert59

Well-known Member
Location
Now I live in Tennesee. Did live in Michigan.
This article actually makes me angry: 58,000 US lives were lost in this country for the sake of enriching the US military/industrial complex, and nothing more. There was no truth, ZERO, to the idiotic domino scenario used to justify this obscene war, this waste of lives, this destruction.

Now, US dollars are enriching this country where we lost a major, unjust war. The higher ups in the US military have long ago acknowledged that this war was a lost cause, from the beginning.

I just can't get my head around Viet Nam as a posh tourist attraction, and the next big thing in a retirement destination.

(Yes, I know, healing old wounds is a great thing. Let the past be the past. Blah, blah, blah. This still sticks in my craw.....)
 
Maybe I’m completely naive here but why did the US even get involved in Vietnam’s business? Were they asked to help them? Is this how they became involved?

Last summer we went on a sail boat and the captain of the boat flies to Vietnam every winter. He’s says it’s dirt cheap to live there. The only stipulation is that you can’t purchase ground land.

Any immigrants wishing to purchase property , have to purchase condominiums above ground level but even renting housing is very cheap there.
 

treeguy64 said:
This article actually makes me angry: 58,000 US lives were lost in this country for the sake of enriching the US military/industrial complex, and nothing more. There was no truth, ZERO, to the idiotic domino scenario used to justify this obscene war, this waste of lives, this destruction.

Now, US dollars are enriching this country where we lost a major, unjust war. The higher ups in the US military have long ago acknowledged that this war was a lost cause, from the beginning.

I just can't get my head around Viet Nam as a posh tourist attraction, and the next big thing in a retirement destination.

(Yes, I know, healing old wounds is a great thing. Let the past be the past. Blah, blah, blah. This still sticks in my craw.....)
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One question: While I fully agree with your assessment of why the US fought the Vietnamese, I don't understand why you're blaming the Vietnamese victims. It's not like they could have picked up their country and moved it to Mars for 20 years.

The US, like most countries, forgives prior enemies and learns to get along with them. Sometimes we even become allies and BFFs. England, Mexico, Germany, Spain, Austria, Japan, Vietnam, Cambodia and more come to mind. We're making peace with Cuba - or at least we were a few years ago and likely will get back on that track again.

So why shouldn't Americans feel free to enjoy Vietnam?
 
StarSong said:
One question: While I fully agree with your assessment of why the US fought the Vietnamese, I don't understand why you're blaming the Vietnamese victims. It's not like they could have picked up their country and moved it to Mars for 20 years.

The US, like most countries, forgives prior enemies and learns to get along with them. Sometimes we even become allies and BFFs. England, Mexico, Germany, Spain, Austria, Japan, Vietnam, Cambodia and more come to mind. We're making peace with Cuba - or at least we were a few years ago and likely will get back on that track again.

So why shouldn't Americans feel free to enjoy Vietnam?
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I respect your opinion, and I actually agree with it, to an extent. Unlike the other countries we fought, though, the Viet Nam war resulted in thousands dying totally in vain, accomplishing nothing. This same thing is happening in the MidEast, right now. I guess seeing Viet Nam as a trendy destination, now, just brings back very unpleasant memories.
 
There certainly are a lot of people going overseas for retirement or just a cheaper way of life.

A few years back, I read a good article about a guy from California whose father had Alzheimers and mother had Parkinsons. The cost of caring for them was astronomical in the U.S. and since he could work remotely from anywhere in the world, he moved with them to India. For a little more than $3,000 a month, he had a lovely 4-bedroom house in a good neighborhood, 24-hour-a-day care for his parents (each one had their own caretaker) and a cook, maid and gardener. There is American-level health care in the private hospitals.
 
jujube said:
There certainly are a lot of people going overseas for retirement or just a cheaper way of life.

A few years back, I read a good article about a guy from California whose father had Alzheimers and mother had Parkinsons. The cost of caring for them was astronomical in the U.S. and since he could work remotely from anywhere in the world, he moved with them to India. For a little more than $3,000 a month, he had a lovely 4-bedroom house in a good neighborhood, 24-hour-a-day care for his parents (each one had their own caretaker) and a cook, maid and gardener. There is American-level health care in the private hospitals.
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Wow! A great alternative if one can manage it.
 
My husband has been to India on business several times, and I think he'd tell you there are no good neighborhoods. But if you're of Indian descent, maybe it would work. My issue would be being far from my family -- daughter and grandkids -- and healthcare. Knew a guy who retired to Bali for economic reasons. He got cancer. Flew to Thailand for treatment. Died shortly thereafter. Yes, he might have anyway, had he lived in the states, but I'd rather take my chances here. But to each, his own.
 
StarSong said:
One question: While I fully agree with your assessment of why the US fought the Vietnamese, I don't understand why you're blaming the Vietnamese victims. It's not like they could have picked up their country and moved it to Mars for 20 years.

The US, like most countries, forgives prior enemies and learns to get along with them. Sometimes we even become allies and BFFs. England, Mexico, Germany, Spain, Austria, Japan, Vietnam, Cambodia and more come to mind. We're making peace with Cuba - or at least we were a few years ago and likely will get back on that track again.

So why shouldn't Americans feel free to enjoy Vietnam?
Click to expand...

StarSong said:
One question: While I fully agree with your assessment of why the US fought the Vietnamese, I don't understand why you're blaming the Vietnamese victims. It's not like they could have picked up their country and moved it to Mars for 20 years.

The US, like most countries, forgives prior enemies and learns to get along with them. Sometimes we even become allies and BFFs. England, Mexico, Germany, Spain, Austria, Japan, Vietnam, Cambodia and more come to mind. We're making peace with Cuba - or at least we were a few years ago and likely will get back on that track again.

So why shouldn't Americans feel free to enjoy Vietnam?
Click to expand...
Hmmm...I didn’t read anything about blaming the Vietnamese people. Although I have agreed with many of your past posts, you got this one wrong. There are still some parents of dead soldiers living and there are many children who are now adults and have never seen their father that would also disagree with you.

After the next two generations have passed, I would think that the Vietnam War will be nothing more than another item in the history books. Until then, we should respect those that have lost their loved ones who fought in a war that only the government wanted.

There are still a lot of veterans who would feel dishonored by any American wanting to visit or live in Vietnam. I have no hate for the Vietnamese people. Their government, some. They kept our POW’s longer than necessary, so that they could continue to torture them and we still have about 1500 MIA’s.
 
oldman said:
Hmmm...I didn’t read anything about blaming the Vietnamese people. Although I have agreed with many of your past posts, you got this one wrong. There are still some parents of dead soldiers living and there are many children who are now adults and have never seen their father that would also disagree with you.

After the next two generations have passed, I would think that the Vietnam War will be nothing more than another item in the history books. Until then, we should respect those that have lost their loved ones who fought in a war that only the government wanted.

There are still a lot of veterans who would feel dishonored by any American wanting to visit or live in Vietnam. I have no hate for the Vietnamese people. Their government, some. They kept our POW’s longer than necessary, so that they could continue to torture them and we still have about 1500 MIA’s.
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Fair enough. You make some very good points.
 
It wouldn't be for me but I don't see a problem with it.

I do believe that whenever people start writing articles about secret retirement destinations, great investments, fantastic little restaurants and hotels that the party is winding down and the end is near, be skeptical.
 
From all the homework that I have done looking for a Senior-friendly “state,” it appears that Tennessee or South Carolina would be good choices. I do know a fellow that I graduated from college with and his wife and him live in Da Nang. I haven’t heard from him in over a year, but his last letter stated his love of the city and the area in general. He invited me to come for a vacation, but I’m not ready for that yet.
 
I guess if people cold move to Germany or Japan or even give them tourist dollars why couldn't Vietnam get the same treatment

That being said Vietnam was a different war in length, tactics and results. It wasn't as straight forward. I wouldn't move there for several reason one being proximity to communist China and like other tourist areas because that what Vietnam 'is' are frequently either or. Either you have money or you don't. One would probably be very limited as to where they could safely and/or conveniently travel. Medical tourism is one thing but a retirement community is another.
 
I have had the opportunity to visit Vietnam with some other vets. It's not for me. It would be like picking an old scab and watching it bleed. What would I do? Stand there and say "Here's where so an so was killed"? Yeah, that's the ticket. Kind of like the Cu Chi tunnels. Now a tourist attraction. What the heck? (could have used an F, but out of respect for others I won't) I can't even picture anyone of the 25th infantry wanting to go and visit that attraction.
Hell, I can't even bring myself to visit "the wall".
 
fmdog44 said:
Don't like their food. Would never live there or in any dictatorial country.
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It's kind of funny that you mentioned the food. In my early work life, I worked for DuPont as an Engineer. I traveled to Singapore, Hong Kong, Korea and Taipei. On my first trip to Singapore, I ate at the hotel, the Sheraton Towers in Singapore City. The menu looked like American food, but when I got it, the food sure didn't taste American.

My first day on the job at DuPont-Singapore, we were to have lunch with another engineering group. We (maybe 8 or 9 of us) all sat at a long table and the luncheon was catered. After we had soup to start the meal, the next thing to come out and be placed on the table were two large smoked fishes, one at near each ends of the table. Then, they passed the fish around and using their chopsticks, they took off the amount of meat that they wanted. When the fish came to me, I passed it on. Everyone, except the other American that was with me, stopped what they were doing at just stared at me.

The Superintendent, (that's what they called the boss), asked me to step outside the room with him. Once we were alone in the hallway, he told me that I had offended the others by not accepting to take meat off of the fish. I told him that I was sorry and that I was given a book to read with the cultures of Singapore listed in it and I know there was nothing in it about accepting food. I then told him that just didn't find the fish very appetizing.

I went back into the dining room, apologized to everyone and left the luncheon. I went outside to go for a walk and saw a big sign for KFC about two blocks down the street and that's where I had lunch. Needless to say, but I was not invited to any more luncheons.
 
I think it was rude of THEM to make you feel uncomfortable! Also ignorant.

How do they know but you might have been allergic? Or just plain hate eating fish. What did they want you to do, choke it down and feel disgusted or nauseated?

Some hosts! In this day and age...we're not ignorant tribes anymore. Shame on them.

Now, I admit I do feel annoyed by overly picky eaters, but I would never be so rude to them.
 
RadishRose said:
I think it was rude of THEM to make you feel uncomfortable! Also ignorant.

How do they know but you might have been allergic? Or just plain hate eating fish. What did they want you to do, choke it down and feel disgusted or nauseated?

Some hosts! In this day and age...we're not ignorant tribes anymore. Shame on them.

Now, I admit I do feel annoyed by overly picky eaters, but I would never be so rude to them.
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It was kind of weird. After I apologized to the group, it seemed like all was well. They didn't harbor any ill feelings. The original plan was for them to have a luncheon each day for the two of us while we were over there. After that first day, however, they decided to take our lunch order and have it ready for us at 12 noon each day. That worked out really well. I had KFC, McDonald's, Burger King and Pizza Hut. A few of the other engineers would laugh when I get my order. I must say that even though the restaurants were American, the food still tasted different.

I did tell you in another posting that I ate some of the junk, or what they call delicacy, they eat over there. Like for example: monkey brains, deep fried chicken feet and snake meat. In Taipei, they took us to a place called "Snake Alley." There, you can get all kinds of snake meat and blood, deer ***** wine and turtle meat and blood. I'm being truthful. You can't make up this stuff. If you're really up for a delicacy, why not try a helping of turtle testicles? Yum, yum!!

No, I didn't try any of it. It sounded disgusting to me.
 
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