Daily Life In Hanoi
April 30, 2009
Panama City, Panama
PLUS:
- An Alcohol-free Weekend In Panama?...
AND:
- "I Just Want To Relax For A Year Or Two And Enjoy My Family"...
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The World's Top 18 Overseas Havens:
- Argentina...from cosmopolitan Buenos Aires to
Mendoza wine country...
- Belize...one of the easiest places in the world to
get foreign residency...plus some of the best diving on earth...
- China...yes, China...perhaps the cheapest place on
earth to think about becoming a foreign retiree...
- Croatia...the Mediterranean like it used to be...
- Dominican Republic...our editor Rebecca Tyre has
just returned from a scouting trip and couldn't be more bullish on this
beautiful Caribbean island fringed with miles of white sand...
- Ecuador...most affordable retirement haven in the
Americas...
- France...world's best health care...world's most
beautiful city...and more affordable than you might think, especially in
the secret "other" South of France...
- Hong Kong...bustling international and expatriate
enclave...
- India...cheap, cheap, cheap...and, in some parts,
beautiful...
- Ireland...perhaps the world's most welcoming
nation, right now in crisis...meaning this country makes more sense from
a cost of living point of view than it has in a decade...
- Italy...your dream of la dolce vita could
be more affordable than you think...
- Malaysia...My Second Home program welcomes foreign
retirees...
- Mexico...most accessible choice for Americans...in
some cases, only a drive away...
- Nicaragua...long and glorious Pacific
coastline...plus colonial Granada, the most romantic city in the
Americas...
- Panama...the world's #1 retirement, offshore, and
business haven...with still-emerging pockets of opportunity for real
estate investment...
- Philippines...working to make itself the most
foreign retiree-friendly country in Asia...
- Thailand...super-affordable and exotic...
- Uruguay...safe and stable with a low, low cost of
living...
Which one is right for you?
More than 20 experts and expats are convening in Panama City next month to
help you find an answer to that question.
Here's what you need to know:
What: How To Retire Overseas Conference
When: May 12-13, 2009
Where: Veneto Casino & Hotel, Panama City, Panama
Here's what you need to do right now:
Contact Conference Director Stephanie Valencia right away. Only a handful
of places remain.
Reach Stephanie by e-mail at
SValencia@LiveandInvestOverseas.com or by phone at 1-888-627-8834.
Full program details here.
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Dear Overseas Opportunity Letter Reader,
"Hanoi is a vibrant city of more than three million,"
writes new Correspondent Wendy Justice, "the cultural and spiritual heart of
Vietnam.
"Less influenced by the west than Ho Chi Minh City, her brazen sister to the
south, this modern city has retained its traditional roots, with small,
family-owned businesses instead of fast-food chains, mega-supermarkets, and
international department stores.
"Hanoi has a character rarely seen in modern Asian cities. It boasts
beautiful examples of French colonial architecture, trees on every street,
and busy cafes and shops spilling onto the sidewalks.
"Your first and lasting impression of Hanoi is of its energy. Barely
controlled anarchy rules, as thousands of motorbikes, cars, trucks,
bicycles, and pedestrians compete for space on the city's narrow, twisting
streets. A blizzard of sound assaults you. Horns honk, hawkers sing out,
loudspeakers blare the latest government announcement, diners at the al
fresco cafes seem to roar...
"During our three months living in the city, we spent a great deal of time
sitting on our doorstep, watching the activity swirl around us. Every few
minutes, a bicycle taxi, or cyclo, would stop, unbidden, the driver
asking, 'Where you go?'
"We saw a bicycle loaded with the equivalent of a small hardware store, the
owner slowly pushing his goods down the street...a man delivering three
gross of eggs strapped onto his bicycle...another bicycle packed with
12-foot lengths of bamboo...
"There was the glass vase peddler, with approximately 100 fragile vases
artfully displayed on the sides and back of his bicycle...
"It is possible to see refrigerators, plate-glass windows, and full-sized
mattresses strapped onto motorbikes...motorbikes hauling pigs, dozens of
chickens, cases of pots and pans...a motorbike stacked 10 feet high with
cases of toilet paper... The distribution network in this city is something
to behold.
"Every day, a middle-aged lady would squat on a tiny little wooden stool on
the sidewalk in front of our doorstep, a large, woven tray at her feet piled
high with cuts of fresh meat. A customer would stop, and the two would
negotiate a price. The lady would cut off a slab of meat and then, in a
matter of moments, cleaver in each hand, deftly chop the steak fine as
hamburger.
"Gossip and plans would be shared, money would exchange hands, then the
shopper would wander a few feet down the street to chat and dicker for
vegetables from the next vendor.
"The local economy of Hanoi is built on relationships. Prices are rarely
marked, and negotiation is expected. A purchase is as much a social
agreement as a business transaction. A foreigner can expect to pay more than
a local, and a young woman may pay more than an elderly man; a person
wearing peasant clothing almost certainly will pay less than someone wearing
an expensive suit. A regular customer, local or foreigner, will get a price
that is a fraction of what might be charged to a stranger.
"On one corner of our street was a bustling streetside café and snack shop.
On the opposite corner, a bia hoi (fresh beer) shop that did a
brisk business. Artfully dodging cars, motorbikes, pedestrians, and
bicycles, the waiters would carry huge trays laden with glasses of beer
across the street to diners perched on tiny plastic stools. Motorbikes would
honk their horns and, without slowing, pass through the unregulated
intersection.
"We saw many near-misses but, amazingly, few accidents.
"Directly opposite our doorstep were the bamboo merchants. Long poles of
bamboo were stacked vertically against the building, reaching toward the
roof. Sometimes the poles would be fashioned into ladders, pipes, canes, or
baskets while the customer waited, sipping tea and sharing gossip.
"A lady would walk by smelling like daybreak with a mountain of fresh
baguettes piled on a tray balanced atop her head. A young man with a stack
of photocopied books would beam a smile to every foreigner he saw, hoping
for a sale. We would watch ladies trotting down the street burdened with
giant baskets of fresh tropical produce, household goods, or even small
restaurants hung from wooden poles and balanced like scales on their
shoulders.
"We found that we didn't need to go to the store. Hanoi brought the shopping
to us.
"One day, we heard a loud explosion. Was it a bomb? An accident? There was a
rare moment of silence. A crowd of more than a hundred people gathered, only
to find that a cat had apparently jumped off a roof and landed on an
electric transformer. The power was out, but activity quickly resumed. Horns
honked, and people discussed the event for a few moments, while bits of fur
floated gently away in the breeze. Just another day in Hanoi.
"Another steamy afternoon, we watched as a motorbike screeched to a stop a
few feet away from us. Jumping off his scooter, the driver lifted up the
seat of his bike to retrieve some papers from the compartment underneath and
out jumped a rat, which promptly scurried off. The rider barely noticed, but
we couldn't stop laughing at what passes for normal in this city.
"Other cities may have bigger markets or more glittery temples, but no other
city offers such a sense of 'other-ness.'
"The best way to experience Hanoi is to walk through the many
micro-neighborhoods in the Old Quarter (the Hoan Kiem District). You'll hear
the tin street before you get there, as a block full of tinsmiths hammer
from dawn until dusk manufacturing the goods of their trade.
"Nearby is Hang Ma, where bright lanterns, elaborate gift baskets, stacks of
paper offerings, cards, lights, and holiday decorations erupt in a carnival
of color.
"Hang Bac, where you can shop for every sort or silver imaginable, is near
Lan Ong, where the tantalizing smells of Chinese herbs and teas drift over
the sidewalks.
"There are linen streets, candy streets, fish streets, toy streets, art
streets, audio streets, baby clothes streets, silk streets, cell phone
streets...
"Part of what makes Hanoi so unique is the exuberant and incredibly
energetic nature of its people. They are intoxicated with the enthusiasm and
hope that come from improving living conditions and expanded freedoms. The
laughter of children and the honest curiosity of the people are welcoming.
The arousing atmosphere of ordered chaos, seasoned with a hint of luck and
fortune, sharpens the senses.
"Vietnam was consumed by struggle for decades. It has emerged victorious.
Its population, most born after the wars ended, are irrepressible idealists.
They see their world developing and evolving and are determined to be
successful participants."
Kathleen Peddicord
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Time For Plan B
In the United States and elsewhere, this is shaping up to be the retirement
era of scraping by and making do.
But not everywhere. In some key spots, not only can you maintain the
standard of living you enjoyed during your hard-working years...you can
improve it!
You can live better than you ever did "back home."
By the sea...in big cities...in small colonial towns...sometimes, even, on
the edge of nowhere...
Here's your road map to the world's top Plan B retirement options right now.
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"Panamanians take three things very seriously: time off
from work, drinking, and voting (in that order)," writes Editor Rebecca
Tyre, living in Las Tablas.
"I can't wait to see how they handle the resulting conflicts of priorities
this weekend.
"Panama's national election takes place this Sunday, May 3. A new president
is elected every five years, and voting is mandatory for all Panamanians of
age. No, you're not punished if you don't vote...but you're expected to
vote.
"To make sure Panamanians aren't distracted from this duty, the government
imposes an election-time dry law from noon on Saturday through midnight
Sunday.
"This is not the same dry law that is put in place during religious
holidays. The election-time dry law is more severe. Not only is it illegal
to sell alcohol Saturday or Sunday...but you can be fined even if you get
caught drinking in your own home!
"This year's election falls on the long May Day weekend. Panamanians take
long weekends very seriously and usually head to the interior of the country
or to the beaches to enjoy their time off.
"So I can't help but wonder...if everyone goes off to the beach on Friday,
how will they vote on Sunday?
"I can tell you that I'm going to the beach...and I don't think I'll be
alone..."
"Kathleen, I hope you can help me. I am an attorney, 48 years old, and I
have had two major car accidents. I also have three beautiful children under
4 years old.
"I was heavily invested in real estate in South Florida, and I have just
begun practicing law again after my injuries.
"I just want to relax for a year or two and enjoy my life and my family. I
want to attend your seminar in Panama, but it all seems overwhelming with my
three children in tow.
"If you had to pick one place, in my situation, to get away and maybe
ultimately retire, where would that be?
"Health care, of course, is a most important concern for the children. I
don't want to spend more that US$250,000 on a home."
-- Richard R., United States
Panama could certainly work, dear reader. Both health care and
international schooling options are top-notch here. That's one of the main
reasons we chose Panama over the other countries we considered for our move
to the Americas last summer.
San Jose, Costa Rica, Buenos Aires, Argentina,
and Montevideo, Uruguay, could work, as well. In fact, as
taking it easy is a main goal, Montevideo might be perfect. It is laid back
and safe, but still offers the amenities of a real city.
These are precisely the kinds of questions we're going to consider, live and
with the help of more than 20 experts and expats from all over the world,
during our How To Retire Overseas Conference in Panama City
next month.
Full details here.
I understand that a young family adds a layer of complication to the
prospect of living or retiring to another country...but, speaking as one who
has made three international moves with small children, I promise you: It's
worth the trouble.
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