Myself and my buddies considering the move are all late 20s and single, a couple with girlfriends that would come. Well my only question would be, why bring a girlfriend to Vietnam?
So true!!! I'm not flight crew just a regular passenger but I can offer some insight into living and working in Vietnam. Have been living in SGN since the mid 90s and now have a Vietnamese wife, several businesses and many local friends. Living here is improving, but back in the pioneering 90s one had to be incredibly resilient and patient. VN has always been described as a hardship posting and it certainly was in every sense of the word. The previous 2 or 3 years have seen dramatic changes in healthcare, accommodation, infrastructure, you name it and it has improved. But still has a long way to go before reaching the standards of Singapore, HK or KL. I noticed quotes around $1000 USD for an apartment, thats true for a brand new 2 bed as there has been explosive growth in construction. International schools start at $1000 USD per month, but better quality INT schools are much higher. Medical care has improved radically in the past 3 years, 15 years ago it was vital to fly out for any type of surgery. Food is cheap, services such as power, water etc are cheap, but nightlife can be expensive unless you like to hang out at cheap beer bars with local workers. A fulltime driver will set you back around $100 to $150 USD per month, a maid about $50 to $100 USD. I drive a motorbike and our car, but my Expat friends consider me as crazy. I would strongly recommend to never consider bringing a wife or girlfriend to VN. Its like bringing ice to the Eskimos. Doesn't make sense. Almost all marriages of 2 white people end in divorce here, simple reason is the competition. Up to 60% of the population is under the age of 30, so beautiful slim girls are in abundance and guess who they want to be their boyfriend or husband?? Many of them have good English language skills and if you look in the right places are University educated. I note the money on offer may not be great but if you are young, SINGLE and adventurous you will have a fantastic time. All the best.