The 10 second question and the 10 minute answer

Happy8888 Serial expat

Member since 19 December 2013

Happy8888Serial expat30 November 2015 00:19:34

563

I've lived here a while , but I just can't get my head around Asking Viets a simple question about directions . Sometimes my Viet GF and I will get ourselves lost , not uncommon . So we will stop and ask a local , xe om etc
Inevitably my girlfriend will end up in this long winded conversation about something that should be rather uncomplicated
Instead of someone saying "sure , go up this road to the third set of lights , turn right and it will be on your right about 100 metres聽 , next to lotteria "
But no , it is obvious that this is not as simple as it seems . I say to my GF , what on earth are you talking about ? She usually tells me I talk too much ???
Go figure
Or recently in Nha Trang , we were lost a little inland , a few K's . I told my GF to just ask which way to the ocean and we will be right . After her talking to someone for what seemed like an eternity , she told me they didn't know where the "big water was " How anyone that lives in NT cannot possibly know where the ocean is , is way beyond my comprehension
It is quite common also , to ask 3 different people and get 3 completely different answers

Citsym Contributor

Member since 15 July 2013

CitsymContributor30 November 2015 00:28:29

143

I can't help you with the answer.... BUT
I know exactly what you mean...
I'm used to "The 10 second question and the 10 minute answer" now!

Fred Indonesia Expert

Member since 02 August 2009

A smile is the universal welcome.
Max Eastman

FredIndonesia Expert30 November 2015 02:25:31

29378

Welcome to Asia ...... but it also happens in Sheffield.

Trang D瓢啤ng Active member

Member since 17 May 2015

Trang D瓢啤ngActive member09 December 2015 11:22:08

I think problem is your GF. Is she Vnmese? Just be lost some K's and dont know how to get back?? I dont understand why someone can be lost and dont know how to get back while they are in town, not mountain or jungle. u got me?

Happy8888 Serial expat

Member since 19 December 2013

Happy8888Serial expat09 December 2015 13:00:51

563

@Trang Duong , Yes I have no doubt 'I got you ' . Obviously you either cannot聽 read , cannot comprehend what you read , or read what I said , then completely forget
Let me refresh what little memory you have ,. The second sentence of my post quite clearly says " sometimes MY VIET GF and I get ourselves lost " . Then you ask me if my GF is Vietnamese ?????
That was our first time to Nha Trang , we don't know our way around a city we have never been to before聽 . So you don't understand , because you know your way around every city the first time you go there ????? Yeah right girl聽
I know exactly why聽 you don't understand , but it's best if I don't say on this forum . Next time you don't know where you are going , and need to ask someone directions , remember me please

ralphnhatrang Serial expat

Member since 20 January 2015

ralphnhatrangSerial expat09 December 2015 19:36:37

599

Many people in Asia don't move around much, even within their own city otr town. When my wife asked a neighbour to give her a lift 9kms into Nha Trang , which takes 20 minutes, the neighbour could not find her way out of town and took two hours to get home. She simply had never been into Nha Trang (population 500,000) for many years.

Happy8888 Serial expat

Member since 19 December 2013

Happy8888Serial expat09 December 2015 22:34:18

563

Yes Ralph , they certainly don't move out of their comfort zone much . Some years back , my son was arriving at the airport , so I tried to catch a xe om there . The driver looked about 300 but was more likely in his sixties
I was in district 1 , so not all that far . Only problem was , he had absolutely no idea where the airport was and continually stopped to ask people
The worst part was I don't think he exceeded 4 kmh the whole way there .
@trang Duong , please read carefully what Ralphnhatrang wrote , maybe his post might help you "to get it " ! But somehow I seriously doubt it .