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| Americans are retiring to Vietnam, for cheap healthcare and a decent standard of living |
| 2019-12-27 |
| [LA Times] HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam ‐ When John Rockhold drew a low number, No. 12, in the 1971 draft lottery, his adolescence in the San Fernando Valley forever changed. Seeking to avoid the Army, he signed up for the Navy just after graduating from Granada Hills High School. As an enlisted petty officer, he spent months operating boats that dropped off SEALs at night along long and humid Vietnamese shorelines where American troops were trying to stop the communist north from taking over the south. More than 58,000 U.S. service members died in the war, and since it ended in 1975, innumerable American veterans have returned to Vietnam, seeking understanding, forgiveness or reconciliation. Now some are coming for more mundane reasons: inexpensive housing, cheap healthcare and a rising standard of living. After his military career, Rockhold worked as a defense contractor, operating mostly in Africa. He first returned to Vietnam in 1992 to work on a program to help economic refugees. He settled in Vietnam in 1995, the same year the United States and Vietnam normalized relations. He married a Vietnamese woman in 2009. In fact, he liked it so much that he persuaded his mother to move to Vietnam from Santa Maria, Calif., also in 2009. "She came for the wedding, and decided to stay," he said with a laugh. She lived in Vietnam until her death in 2015 at 94. |
| Posted by:Besoeker |
| #4 Living is cheap and it doesn't sound like some of the other hellholes in the Third World where you are a target for terrorists and/or kidnappers... Summary of cost of living in Vietnam Family of four estimated monthly costs: 50,930,953 ₫ Single person estimated monthly costs: 25,357,235 ₫ Vietnam is the 3rd cheapest country in Asia (12 out of 14) Cost of living in Vietnam is cheaper than in 86% of countries in the World (84 out of 98) 1 US Dollar = 23,171 Vietnamese Dong Last updated · December 27, 4:00 PM CST |
| Posted by: magpie 2019-12-27 20:29 |
| #3 Reads like Vietnam might be better than San Francisco, California, Chicago or Baltimore for longevity and retirement. |
| Posted by: JohnQC 2019-12-27 09:11 |
| #2 We will conquer you with our retirees ! |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2019-12-27 02:35 |
| #1 And memories of number one girl? |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2019-12-27 02:26 |