In the past I commented on how the Vietnamese think. Sometimes a person can chuckle and be amused about some events, but others can make a person rage at the lack of thought of what tomorrow can bring. Vietnamese people live in the now and think very little of the future, those that do become very successful, very quickly. Here are just a few examples of things that happen in my world.
There is a new apartment that has opened next door. They have 7 rooms and 3 with an Ocean view. I had 2 foreigners who were interested in renting for 3 year terms for 400 USD a month. (a very high rent for this country) Because of the interest, the building owner and his wife concluded that they could set a price of 650 and bargain to a price in-between. Needless to say that the foreigners just rented elsewhere and now after two months of business, they are still waiting for their first customer. To add insult to injury, There was a couple on a motorcycle idling in front of their drive way looking at the
building, when the cleaning lady threw a bucket of wash water right onto the entrance sidewalk just to run down to where they were stopped. I just stood shaking my head in wonder as the now uninterested party drove off.
I have been trying to train my staff always to keep change on hand so that if there are late night purchases, everything will be covered. It happens so many times that a daytime customer will pay with a big bill and instead of somebody opening the safe and exchanging it for smaller ones, they will make change with every tiny denomination in our cash drawer. An expat may stop and have a drink before bed and when I go to make change, there is none!! I have been trying to impress upon them the need to have change. They just shrug and laugh.
I was called in as a mediator for my family. Apparently my brother in law was trying to prevent a neighbor finish a wall adjoining his property.
Everybody else in my family was on the side of the builder to finish the project. I went over to mediate the dispute and after having him rage for a while, told him I would go to my house that is behind his and see what the problem was as I have 3 floors to view from. What I saw blew me away!! Where I used to have a beautiful view of the mountains from my rear balcony now stood a 2 story homestay with open stairways and a view of bathroom vent windows. I could not believe it!! To make things worse, my own nephew who lives in a small house in my back yard was working on the project. Not one person inn my family gave a single thought telling me that there was something being built next to us. I could have opposed the development application had I known. Apparently the original plan was to be one level that would probably have created more noise with the multipal tenants livingh there, but went beyond into the monstrosity seen in the photos. I can hear it now….. Karaoke being sung into the wee hours. 20 motorcycles roaring in the small corridor between my house and theirs. The nonstop
barking of dogs from all the people coming and going. My family is saddened and surprised that my plan to relocate to that house is now not going to happen. They now understand why after I explained all the problems with this kind of thing next door. When I frustratingly asked why none of them never told the owner of the house (ME!) what was going on next door, they simple said the did not think about it and assumed everything would be OK. It looks like I may have to turn my retirement home into an even bigger homestay and try to generate revenue with it now that I cannot live there. There is the possibility that I can add a couple of levels to my house to shut out all light and noise from the place, but I am willing to bet the owner next door will have the chance to dispute it!
Now for the latest that has happened just moments ago. A couple of lad came to clean out air conditioners. Huh? I did not know anything about it. They brought a pressure washer with them. Concerned as the paint in Vietnam is
non washable and any dirt that is on that cannot be washed off, I talked to them, and my wife that this was not a good idea, because the ventilation shaft that is the heart of this hotel would end up a mess and the hotel would look dirty. Everyone must think I am some kind of idiot, because they assured me over and over it would be fine…… No problem (the scariest thing to hear in Vietnam). Well they just left and as I feared, there are dirty streaks covering the walls making the hotel look very dirty. AGAIN!! Another job done without any thought to the consequences. Now I have a fight on my hands as to who will pay to have the largest and hardest to get to area repainted. Beware a Vietnamese person that says NO PROBLEM.
Well, yes the choise from the look was tin or asbestos.
Tin has other problems, no insulation from hot/cold and it is light, easily damaged by even a small rock.
They should use standard brick tiles but the weight alone need a big structure to sustain it….
But at least it is safe!
I can honestly say that I have never seen asbestos here. The roof is large sheets of corregated tin. everything else is brick, morter and clay.
An interesting point – is asbestos allowed as a building material there? Very dangerous to do renovations if it is, although as long as the asbestos is completely covered and sealed it’s OK to be in established buildings containing it.
The rooftop looks like asbestos but i cannot see the thickness so i’m not sure.
If it is asbestos do not stay there, do not go there, simply RUN, RUN AWAY.
I good isdsea for a topic. I will write on that next.
very interesting post owee- frustrating I know! that is so maddening about your ‘lost’ view.
what do you mean by ‘homestay’? is it where local people might live and rent a room long term?
over here-in australia- we may offer homestay to overseas students – a room and board, either short term or long term, as they study in australian universites.