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Hi John, I'm glad that you enjoy your stay in Vietnam. We absolutely love it when people express interest in our country. If possible, please do share your experience, since we love to know how Vietnam looks like from the point of view of people from other countries .

It's glad to know that u really enjoy life here.

We arrive in Feb 2014 so will just miss you. We fell in love with Vietnam 4 yrs ago and what a change has happened in Vietnam in that time. We have been back five times and now we are going to live in Hoi an for a year. My wife works at the  University  of Queensland and they are starting a type of Keep Vietnam Clean campaign, starting in the Mekong Delta with the waterways. The big thing we plan to do is push the Keep Vietnam beautiful campaign. Love the  people love the life.

Interested to know more about what you will do here, VN has a bad pollution problem. It irks me everytime I go somewhere and see the piles of rubbish. So I would be interested in learning more about what you intend to do her. I also used to live in Brisbane for 15 years, I call Viet Nam home now, which as with anywhere has its good and bad points.

VN is going to ruin its tourist trade if it doesn't clean up its act. Its a grass roots program targeting kids just like the keep Australia beautiful program. I'm  not a greenie but  Vietnamese people need to take control of there environmental problem. Problem is most don't think there is one.

Many Vietnamese complain about pollution, but not many people act on it. However, I know many young people here in Vietnam would like to do something about it. We just can't do it on our own individually.

Its already destroyed its tourist industry, they just dont care. Here is an article by Tim Russell, who operated here for 9 years, in the end he went to Thailand, where they have the common sense to fix problems, not put a band aid on it.

Eyes of the 'Kings' are on green bills , neither citizens welfare nor tourism development!Policy is same as shop owners in Vietnam. "This is my shop (arrogance). If you want to buy something just pay the price I asked and take away(bullying), or just get out(don't disturb us when we play mahjong(Chinese chess)"!

Tail piece: I am not a native, just a 'traveller'.

colinoscapee wrote:

Its already destroyed its tourist industry, they just dont care. Here is an article by Tim Russell, who operated here for 9 years, in the end he went to Thailand, where they have the common sense to fix problems, not put a band aid on it.

The Vietnamese problem-solving technique:  "We have a problem here, we have a problem there, we seem to have a problem everywhere...  Why don't you guys get on it?  I have to go host an important guest."

It is a beautiful little country, no doubt.  But, this kind of leadership has gotten to go!  Can you imagine, we are foreigners and we are worrying about cleanliness here?  Where is Mr.  Hotshot and his baton-weilding army???

Not cleanliness, pollution, there is a difference.

sweet_summer wrote:

Many Vietnamese complain about pollution, but not many people act on it. However, I know many young people here in Vietnam would like to do something about it. We just can't do it on our own individually.

Well you can start small. Get one or two of your friends once a month for a hr or so and just go pick up rubbish. It's a small thing but if your friends friends start doing that it can turn into a big thing. Then people see you doing that and they ask what you are doing you tell them. It's a culture thing and the only way is to get into the habit of putting rubbish in bins.

When I was in England I worked for a fruit packing company and a van use to drive us to work. It was a long drive so we used to stop for a snack on the way. After the other were finished eating they chucked the rubbish out the window. I had a go at them and they said its what we have always done. The next time I brought a plastic bag and asked could they just put the rubbish in the bag and I would put it in the bin. This made people think and then everyone started thinking about what they were doing and stopped littering.  So little things can make a difference.

Actually education is what is going to work here, there are a few groups do the same thing as what you want to do. Everything takes time for change, but a chnage in attitude will help.Seeing as you didnt give me a reply, I will presume your not interested in informing others about future activities you want to be involved with.

colinoscapee wrote:

Actually education is what is going to work here, there are a few groups do the same thing as what you want to do. Everything takes time for change, but a chnage in attitude will help.Seeing as you didnt give me a reply, I will presume your not interested in informing others about future activities you want to be involved with.

Yes education is a big part of the cog. But seeing their own people doing something simple as picking up rubbish gives the people a connection to the land. This is just my small thing I'm thinking of doing. Just small stuff. Not big budget stuff. But if you have ideas I would love to hear them.

As we aren't leaving for Nam until feb its hard to plan this far out. I know I can't change the world but I can try to make a small part slightly better I will give it ago.

Every little bit helps, its a battle though. You will see people walk to the front door and throw rubbish into the street, as by some magic, it will soon disappear. I sweep and pick up rubbish outside my house, my neighbours laugh at me as I am the only one who does it. I try and convince them if they keep in front of the house clean, it will keep inside clean. It just goes in one ear and out the other.One thing your going to have to learn when you come here, is that you know nothing, they will nod and agree with you, but go back to the ways they know. I would just try and aim at teenagers and above, forget anyone over 30, it will be an uphill battle.

Yes mainly school kids, teenagers and uni students. Thinking a game or mobile app. My wife has just finished a web design course and will try and rope in some tecs from her uni. But I understand that they seem to think its fine to litter everywhere. Then can't understand why there are so many rats.  Anyway keep at it that's all you can do.

same problem in Australia, its just not my problem and someone gats to have a job any way, the issue is : my yard is clean : stuff the rest. Maybe it will shame them into action if they see foriegners doing something possitive

mark stutley wrote:

same problem in Australia, its just not my problem and someone gats to have a job any way, the issue is : my yard is clean : stuff the rest. Maybe it will shame them into action if they see foriegners doing something possitive

They will have to understand why we do it, or why they should feel shame on littering there own country. Yeah they need to bring back the keep Australia beautiful ads back. But in Australia you can get fined for littering or pollution the environment. VN is seems the norm to litter. I know in China you just throw your rubbish in the gutter and someone comes and cleans it up. But too bad if it rains all that rubbish goes straight in the river.

thats what they do in V N, at night the ladies come around with thier carts after the people stop eating , and clean up all waste

The rubbish in the drains is a big problem, one, it creates flooding and two, it ends up in the river and ocean.

Yes I think education is needed on the dump it on the street deal. If it was placed in bins 1 easier for the ladies to collect 2 may stop the rat problem. 3 wouldn't wash into drains. 4 would look a whole lot better. It not like they don't collect the rubbish at all its a culture thing.

John William wrote:

Hello,  have been in VN for about 6 monts through which I have learn alot through Vietnamese culture and History. I will continue to explore this country before my return ome in Jan 2014.

That's a great thing. Sorry I turned it into a whole drifferent topic.