Living in Vietnam has proven to be easier than we expected. We live in a modern Western apartment, have broadband internet connection, and have only gotten food poisoning a few times in the past eight months. It’s been the little things that cause us to roll our eyes, shake our heads, stomp, and curse.

  • Satellite TV hiccups that cause us to miss the punchline or entire programs altogether.
  • ADSL broadband that clocks at 185 Kbps, faster than 56 k dial-up but slower than the slowest DSL/cable at 384 k. And that’s when it’s working at all.
  • Housekeeping not replacing the lint trap on the washing machine properly which results in a flood of water gushing out onto the utility room floor.
  • Local appliances have two flat parallel prongs for plugs, but our apartment building takes three prong plugs (two flat, one rectangular).
  • Stores don’t bother to maintain inventory. There’s never a continuous supply of anything including bread flour, yogurt, and diapers.
  • Cell phone signals fade in and out throughout the day regardless of location.
  • Hairdressers cut hair with blunt scissors.

Seeing this list and recalling all my past gripes makes me think that I lead a petty existence.

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