(electronic dance music)
- (speaks foreign language) From Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
My name is Laura, hello.
I am currently using one of those face filters,
by the way.
I don't actually look like this
at seven in the morning.
So it is a beautifully smoggy day today and extremely humid.
I feel, I straightened my hair and I don't really know why
so we'll watch the progression of that all day.
But let me show you what it looks like today, it's lovely.
(Laura laughing)
It's currently the monsoon season here
so it is more than likely going to rain later
and so you'll get to see me wearing
my really stylish full-length
pink flowery raincoat (clicks tongue).
Everybody in the morning is sort of doing their thing.
So I'm actually gonna go take my motorbike
to meet two of my girlfriends for breakfast
and then we're gonna take a pottery class
which should be pretty fun.
Okay, enough with the filter.
So here is my motorbike.
It's really cute
and a guy yesterday told me that it is very feminine
and I thought yeah, because I'm not Arnold Schwarzenegger.
You have to lift these things in parking lots, guys.
Anyway I cannot show you what the traffic looks like
because I do not condone texting and driving.
There are enough people who do that, though,
so you always have to be vigilant
because people are just like,
like one-handed on their motorbike, very safe.
(motor running)
Okay, so I am at De-form Pottery in Ho Chi Minh City.
I can show you what it looks like.
Does anybody wanna say hi, no?
- Hi.
(Laura and woman in pink shirt laughing)
- So I am literally covered in clay
and it's all right.
Everybody's just staring at me.
But I'm at my favorite juice place in town
and I will show you why it's my favorite.
- Food.
- Woohoo!
(Laura laughing)
- These are my friends.
Everybody say hi! - Hi!
If you plan on driving a motorbike here
I recommend this company
because it's the only one
that actually blocks out all the pollution.
And when you're behind a bus you want to be protected.
I'm in a grocery store called Co-Op.
You can get pretty much anything here,
clothing, food obviously, it's a grocery store.
Lots and lots of mayonnaise if that's what you're into.
I'm here because I'm getting snacks and fruit
because I'm making Sangria
because I'm having a party tonight.
Getting fruit here at Co-Op is kind of a weird thing
so I figured I would show you guys
so you know in case you move here.
(stapler clicking)
(register beeping)
Okay, so the reason I showed you how to do that
is because the first time I ever came here
I had like a million bags of worth fruit.
Worth of fruit?
That doesn't make sense.
A million bags of fruit
and I brought it to the check-out
and they were like, "No!"
and I didn't know what was going on
and that's what you gotta do.
(rain falling)
Okay, in addition to those rain jackets
evidently being some of the most attractive outfits
that anybody on this planet can possibly wear
I just wanted to let you know they are so hot.
I don't know if you could see me sweating.
It's like being in a sauna (gasps).
So Co-Op doesn't have any American or foreign snacks at all
so I just texted a company 15 minutes ago
and they delivered some snacks straight to my door, so cool.
So I just got back from six weeks in America
and I was asked a number of questions
while I was there.
Some of them were legit.
Some of them were kind of strange.
So maybe some of you have these same questions.
So I'm gonna answer them.
The number one question asked by people young and old
was whether or not Vietnamese people hate Americans.
In short, the answer to that is absolutely not.
The people here are so kind and welcoming
and they're just lovely.
I love living here.
One of the stranger questions I was asked
was whether or not my apartment has western amenities.
I guess it's not terribly strange
but Ho Chi Minh City is a huge metropolis.
It is not the countryside and dirt roads.
For the record, not that there's
anything wrong with dirt roads,
but I just wanted to show you these are my washing,
(laughs) mine, these are our washing machines
and the dryer down there.
Those are my clothes hanging up.
It's just like living back home.
I don't think I mentioned on my last Instagram story
but my current apartment is brand new.
It was built last year.
My old housemate and I were paying $275 each
for a one-bedroom with, it's lovely.
Since I'm up here doing my laundry
I figured it was noteworthy to tell you all
that my new spot is the same price I'm paying here
but it will include a cleaning lady
that will do my laundry three times a week
and clean our kitchen and do my bedsheets
all three times a week, all included.
It is worth mentioning, though,
my next place I will be just having my own bedroom
and I will be sharing a bathroom and a kitchen
with somebody else.
It's not like living in a hostel, though.
It's a little bit more high brow than that but.
Another question that I was asked pretty regularly
was whether or not I feel safe living here.
Yes, I do, I've never really felt threatened.
There's the odd creepy guy here and there
but that's literally anywhere in the world, so.
And last but not least
another question that is worth mentioning
is whether or not there are a lot of foreigners living here.
Yes, at my company alone there are 300 of us.
It's hard to get away from them. (laughs)
And with that said I'm having quite a few of my co-workers
over to my house (laughs) tonight.
But I am no longer wearing my clay clothing
but I gotta get ready.
And so I hope I've been somewhat helpful so far.
If you have any questions.
(electronic dance music)