In the last Dragon Diaries we were dealing with Typhoon Noul. It came and went, and the weather actually improved. It is monsoon season, but after the typhoon it bloomed into a beautiful 2 weeks of sun and partly cloudy skies. We have opened a couple of businesses here which has been very exciting. Many know my wife, though an accountant by degree, is a beautiful nail artist, and my brother in law is quite the hair stylist.
Building a Business
It has been a very interesting proposition of getting into business in Vietnam, and something that has been surprisingly fun. I have been blown away by the ease of opening a business here. Being a communist country I assumed it would be bogged down in bureaucracy, but it has actually been a very enjoyable process. Operating restaurants in the states, I must say, is far more stressful and challenging than operating a business here. It’s an open market unlike any I have ever experienced. The ease of access to information also makes running businesses here less challenging.
This instant information combined with a very scaled back regulatory environment makes business ownership very accessible to the Vietnamese. As recently as 2017, the last year for complete economic data, 95% of Vietnam’s businesses were known to be SME’s. Small to Medium Enterprises. An SME is classified by the Vietnamese government as any business with capital investment of less than 100 million Dong, or about 4,350 usd. That is an incredibly reasonable amount to open and operate a business.
Getting to know the neighborhood.
It has only been in the past decade that Vietnam has seen the rise of large corporations, and big business. But the cultural spirit and attitude of Vietnamese is to support their small business neighbors. A trait I have adopted here as well. Getting to know the shop owners and food stalls near our shops and apartments. We only go to the larger retail stores about once or twice a month, and only because some things you just can’t find in the wet markets, or corner stores.
The first shop we opened was in an older neighborhood north of the Airport. Catering more to the Vietnamese. It has been a fun experience being in the neighborhood and interacting with the locals. I have spent many days exploring the area on foot. The bay is near the original shop, as well as great views of the Hai Van pass, and several architectural and cultural sights.
Shop number 2
After several months, a few setbacks and some accomplishments, we decided to open a second shop. This one a more modern salon, and nestled a block from the beach in an expat area. We are in the bottom unit of an Apartment building named Casa Mia. Additionally there are several other businesses nearby with Spanish names. So in keeping with the theme we decided to name this shop Señorita’s Salon. A name I thought was quite catchy and fitting for the neighborhood.
I am enjoying quite the time exploring the area here as well, especially the beach. Though it is not entirely new, as this is the neighborhood Diem and I lived in back when we were first married. So in a sense it’s like coming home. Though the neighborhood has changed so much. Many of the shops, restaurants and places we visited then, are gone or replaced. It is clear that this year has been difficult for many. We feel very blessed.
Tropical Storm Linfa
We only had the second shop opened for a few days when word came in that the city would be shutting down for a few days. Diem received a call from the school, they would be released early that day, and would be out Thursday, Friday, and potentially the following Monday. That Monday would have been the 12th of October. Another tropical storm was heading for Da Nang and the city was beginning to prepare.
The storm was not expected to make landfall until Sunday morning, but by Thursday the 8th of October the outer bands, and instability out to sea had combined with the monsoons and the wind and rain began in earnest. It was days of 30 to 40 mile an hour winds and just constant, and intense rain. Our apartment developed a few leaks, and the humidity combined with the water coming in made a bit of a mess. But hey, It’s a great story to tell.
Dinner with Friends
By Sunday morning the storm was making landfall just south of Da Nang, and we decided to have a dinner party. The awesome couple that owns the building we live in, Trung and Thu, asked if we would like to have a big dinner together. Never one to say no to food and company, we agreed and in the howling wind and rain began to prepare a feast. Trung harvested two catfish from our patio fish pond, and Diem and I prepared them to roast in our oven.
As the storm bore down on the city we sat in the apartment with our friends and enjoyed duck, catfish, sauteed mushrooms and greens, coconut and turmeric crepes, shrimp and vegetable soup, and rice harvested from Trung and Thu’s hometown in Quang Binh province. We have tea and coffee with Trung and Thu almost every day, but this was the first time we broke bread together. It was a very special meal. Trung informed me that it was the first time he had enjoyed a meal with an American, and it felt that to him it was a special time, and it was for me as well. He was also impressed with my eating habits, as Americans are stereotypically known to the Vietnamese to be finicky eaters. No problems with that here.
A Deadly Storm
Linfa wasn’t the biggest storm I’ve been through, but she left quite a swath of destruction. We were very fortunate that we only managed some minor leaks. In the end 28 locals lost their lives due to Linfa. Almost 400 houses were destroyed and more than 100,000 were inundated. Hoi An, the ancient trading town just south of us also suffered severe damage. Many of the streets and homes were already under many feet of water when the storm made landfall Sunday afternoon.
The Storm Moves On.
By Monday morning things had quieted substantially across Da Nang. The rain had mostly subsided, but school had already been called off as a precaution, and Diem, myself and the girls all headed to the shop to prepare for reopening. I took some time to walk to the beach, Senorita’s is only two blocks from My Khe, I wanted to see if any damage was visible. There was quite a bit of debris piled at the high water mark, and there were visible signs of erosion.
The water level was much higher than usual, an indication the storm had washed away a few yards of beach. Other than that everything seemed in good shape. The beachcombers were already sifting through the debris for recyclables, and I’m sure the city would begin clearing the beaches in the next day or two. The waves and surf were pretty intense at this point, and the surfers were out taking full advantage. I was surprised with the amount of bathers in the turbulent waters, but the life guards were out and keeping the bathers in clusters. I imagine it will make it easier to keep an eye on everyone.
The Endless Vacation
In the wake of the storm I received two bits of information. One very positive, and one I’m kind of numb and indifferent to. I received approval letters for Diem and the girls visas. So we are a step closer to freedom of movement between the US and Vietnam. The second piece of news is that my flight home on November 1st has been canceled. The thing that frustrates me the most is I can not vote. I was really counting on that flight home and it was all but guaranteed. It will be the first election I will not have voted in ever. Unfortunately there is not enough time to rectify this. So I will sit back and watch from afar.
I have obsoletely no idea when I may return to the US. It’s not news I was expecting. Given the situation with a resurgence of the outbreak around the world, it appears Vietnam is deciding to be cautious. International travel to and from Vietnam was suspended again late last week. The information coming from the government is not due to a resurgence of cases, but more due to a lack of international protocol and procedures on incoming flights. There was a story in the local paper late last week were a plane bound from South Korea had failed to properly prepare quarantine and testing procedures, so Vietnam simply said shut it down. Shut it all down.
Silver Linings
I will focus more on the positive. I get to stay in Vietnam for a while longer and that’s good. In addition, there is a chance that if things go well, when I return home next I may have three people with me, and that is good. I really can’t complain. There are a few unfortunate realities for a delayed return, but as it is out of my control we will not focus on that. The year of Covid has been difficult for so many people around the world. For me it has been one of the most adventurous, crazy, fun, and exciting years of my life. It hasn’t been perfect in many ways, but I can’t help but feel incredibly blessed.
So I will continue to find little adventures, great stories, and wonderful pictures to take. If one must remain, one must make the best of it. I think Diem and I are going to take a couple of days to visit her parents in An Lao in a week or two. It would be wonderful to stroll around the mountain valley with the monsoon rains. I find a great deal of Hemingwayesque romanticism in those less than comfortable moments in nature. Who knows, maybe we’ll wander deeper in this time. Maybe, just maybe, the Cambodian border will open and beckon us further into the jungle.
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