Expat Voices

Expat VoicesSatire
0

White Savior Complex Leads To First “Real” Cinnabon in Vietnam

Posted byNguyen Ayi

Satire By Joe Fotalattee

Larry Chave, 35, from Burt Korn, Alabama first arrived in Ho Chi Minh as a tourist in 2012. “From the first moment I stepped foot in the bustling alleyways with a plethora of food stalls, I didn’t see one Cinnabon.”

Larry previously visited impoverished nations in Africa and thought that he could change the world if the fried dough with sugar on top was prepared in the “correct way”.

It first started as a hobby for Larry as he made a few Cinnabons in his toaster over in his apartment in Thu Duc. “It was really difficult at first because there are no ovens in Vietnam,” Larry told The Beat.

Larry was determined to get the “correct” flaking of the dough while baking and began sharing the cinnamon buns with some of his NGO friends. “I even suggested they could do a white paper on exploiting low labor costs, because I would never be able to have an employee in my own country.”

Yet, Larry does not currently have staff and hopes to hire some soon. This doesn’t stop Larry from describing himself as an entrepreneur, CEO, and sole proprietor. “After a few more of these visa border runs, I plan to expand into other markets like Hanoi.” Larry spoke optimistically about the future, “A lot of people call me the King of The Cinnabon, but you can just call me Larry.”

Expat VoicesNewsOpinion
0

Easier Work Permit Exemptions In Hanoi

Posted byNguyen Ayi

 

Easier Work Permit Exemptions In Hanoi

Opinion by Joe Fotalattee

The Hanoi Department of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs streamlined the approval process for hiring foreigners in recent years.

Most foreigners who want to work in Hanoi must apply for a work permit, which is a legal document that allows them to be paid by an employer in the capital city.

As stated in Decree No. 152, foreign nationals having a work permit exemption certificate may work in Hanoi without a work permit. This certificate can be used to apply for a temporary residence card and is equivalent to a work permit. It is valid for a maximum of two years.

The following categories provide a work permit exemption:

– People from outside Vietnam who are in charge of running foreign NGOs or international organizations in Hanoi.

– Foreigners employed and foreigner experts in Hanoi for less than three months, and working to solve challenging technical issues that cannot be resolved by Vietnamese.

– Foreign nationals with valid passports employed by governments, political parties, or other organizations with sociopolitical goals.

– Foreign nationals who have received authorization from the Ministry of Education and Training to conduct research and teach in Hanoi.

15,000 foreign workers by more than 10,200 businesses were employed in Hanoi in 2022. The department checked 20 businesses for adherence to the law regarding the hiring of foreign workers.

Hanoi Times reported the department held a training conference on the issuance of permits for foreign workers on December 20, 2022, for 120 organizations and businesses in the city.

 

This post has been updated as it may have misstated the current status of gay marriage in Vietnam, or not.

CrimeExpat VoicesNews
0

Pending Trump Indictments On State And Federal Levels

Posted byNguyen Ayi

Pending Trump Indictments On State And Federal Levels

By Joe Fotalattee

On Monday, the U.S. Senate’s January 6 committee urged the Justice Department to prosecute civilian Donald Trump for Obstruction of Justice, Inciting And Aiding An Insurrection, Conspiracy To Defraud The United States, And Conspiracy To Make False Statements.

Normally, at The Beat, we avoid repeating a criminal’s name or news outside Vietnam, but the complete lack of coverage in the local Vietnamese press highlights the misunderstanding of US politics on a local level. Therefore, we will share the details of four charges the former president could face from the justice department. 

These offenses relate to the former president’s actions during last year’s uprising in the U.S. and his attempts to overturn the outcome of the 2020 presidential election.

The Justice Department will now be the center of attention as it decides its approach to prosecution.

ASSISTING IN AN INVASION OR CAUSING ONE

The committee’s attempt to hold Trump responsible for the riot itself — for both his actions and inaction as well — is exemplified by the inclusion of this statute.

According to the law, Trump did not need to plan his uprising with his supporters. Instead, one could break the law by simply encouraging an uprising or offering support to those who are already taking part in it.

Following the attack on the Capitol, the House impeached Trump on a charge of incitement; however, the Senate later found him not guilty. He urged the crowd to “fight like hell” that day while also directing them to travel to the Capitol.

The committee notes that on January 6, Trump invited rioters to Washington. The committee documented some of the alleged rioters charged by the Justice Department have cited Trump’s tweets encouraging them to come as their inspiration.

The … Read more

Expat Voices
0

Remembering Denver And Beth As Families Still Morn

Posted byNguyen Ayi

Riding A Motorbike Is Fun In Vietnam Until It Isn’t

By Joe Fotalatte 

The BBC recounted the tragic death of two tourists back in May 2002. Denver Barfield, 24 from Leicester, was on holiday when he and University of Leicester student Beth Thompson, 24 of Essex, died in a tragic bike crash.

The BBC previously reported that on the evening of May 15, Mr. Barfield and a few of his friends went out to bars and clubs near their backpacker hostel in Hoi An. On the morning of May 16, between 03:19 and 03:24, Mr. Barfield and Miss Thompson were seen on CCTV entering the hostel on a motorbike. The coroner stated that after seeing this video, “nothing to suggest that Denver was excessively intoxicated by alcohol or any other substance” was present.

After Miss Thompson and Mr. Barfield were seen riding off, they were later seen colliding on Hung Vuong Street. According to a Vietnamese police report, the motorcycle struck a curb and hit a pole.

Foreigners have many options for bike and car transport, especially in the late hours, including apps from Bee, Gojek, and Grab.

Expat VoicesOpinionTravel
0

Final Destination

Posted byPaul Blake

by Paul Blake

 

People often ask what it is like to live in another country, but no one asked what it is like to die in one. I pondered this question as I put Kevin’s ashes on the TSA’s customs conveyor belt in Newark, New Jersey, just after a contentious exchange with a wannabe cop, who did his best obtaining a GED. The ashes were already spread upon the Saigon River.

What was left, I was told, were the bones inside of an urn, inside a cubed box one might ship a small globe or 5 kilos of cashews from Australia. But it was my friend Kevin’s human remains, and I didn’t want to make a scene. I tried to discreetly slip insecure Officer Power Penis an official US Embassy letter and a certification from the Ministry of Health and Disease Control, which clearly stated the remains were in good health based on the number of red stamps on the documents.

As I passed the certified stamped papers, I hoped it would sufficiently explain why I was traveling internationally with human bones, as I figured it may be a red flag as it passed through the x-ray baggage machine.

However, an official letter alerted Captain Self-Important more than the 8,372 bags before, which contained foreign products from socks to microchips to lotus seeds that could unravel the economics of freedom quicker than Sargent Ball Fondler could read a sentence. “What’s this??!!!” he shouted as his routine of doing nothing was interrupted. “Sir,” I whispered, “I am carrying human remains and this is the paperwork.”

“Just put it through!” he said callously and it created a moment of uncomfortable silence as I stepped forward.

Then Agent Asshole added loudly, “NO ONE CARES!” Welcome to Newark I thought.

Then there was … Read more