My VN Home

I live on the 3rd floor of five story house located in Duong 3 Thang 2 (Feb 3rd Road) of District 11 in Sai Gon.

Here the occupants:
Hong (Owner, Mother)
Little Cuong (Son of owner)
Uyen (Daughter of Owner)
Phat (Grandson of Owner)
Phuoc (Housekeeper)
Sai (Babysitter)
Hanh (Renter 23 years old Male)
Khoa (My roommate 19 years old Male)
Big Cuong (Me)

I pay about $100 a month for the room and one msg meal a day. Air conditioning blunts the humidity in my room that I share with Khoa. While swirling tornadoes spin out of a massive helicopter-like fan to dampen my hard Viet accent. Khoa sleeps on a mattress on the floor and I blanket my elevated mattress. The room has its own personal bathroom, fully furnished with a handle shower head without the tub. The bathroom floor is the bathtub. The mirror to the sink sits 4 inches too low, but it makes me feel tall.

The house has a small washer, but no dryer. Everyone here loves to air dry with the Sai Gon smog. The house has a TV supplied with some home made MTV action and Viet-dubbed Korean flicks. Two little dogs (Ben and Bo) incessantly bark at strangers, but they love my leg. One likes to bite too.

Otherwise Khoa and Hanh have become my personal Viet advisor - money, Viet bling bling, scheduling, and transportation. Like my American Express Card, I don’t leave home without them. Also Khoa loves Craig David’s “I’m Sorry” and Kelly Clarkson’s “Because of You.”

For now check out my “My VN Home” video.