Story so Far
An update: March 22, 2010
In 2004, after a dozen years working in journalism, PR and assorted office-based off shoots, I decided it was time for a change and signed up to VSO.
As ever, I got lucky, firstly when I was sent to the greatest city in the world, Hanoi, and also when I was asked to take up a post as fundraiser for the wonderful street kid organisation, KOTO.
My job was to find the cash needed for them to move to a new restaurant after the lease was up on the old one. Such is the nature of life in Vietnam, what we had hoped to do in a matter of months took over two years, before this wondrous day.
Job done it was tempting to stay forever in Vietnam but I decided to keep on moving so, after I said goodbye to KOTO, I did stints in Nicaragua, back home in Newcastle and later in Cameroon.
The, not always happy, Cameroon spell was again with VSO and was enough to make me realise that I had done enough moving around and it was time to put down roots.
So, I made the decision to move back to Hanoi. KOTO trainees I had worked with before had become used to foreigners coming and going and would repeatedly ask me “How long you come back for?”
I’d tell them: “Forever”. And I meant it.
However, not part of the plan was for me to meet someone wonderful and get engaged. The wedding is set for October 2010.
So life is good. Best yet.
Hanoi continues to change and while there are days when it irritates me beyond belief – there are also days when, driving around on my bike, it moves me to tears. I love this place.
To bring you absolutely up to date – on returning I initially worked in the local media with an online newspapers. I followed that up with a stint for as an account manager for an international PR company.
I soon realised however, rather than be frustrated with employers it was about time I did what I had been threatening to do for a while, and start my own gig. That’d teach me.
So Our Man in Hanoi – the training and communications business – was born.
Mr, I look forward to reading your Hanoi blogs. I am intrigued by the fact you have lived here before, went away and decided to return. Will you still like Hanoi as you did before you left and as you do now at the initial point of return. I am not a prolific writer but i do set up a blog to keep my loved ones posted with my movements here. If you email me, I will send you my blog’s name. Best wishes.
Greetings from the Pacified South, Comrade!
I too am looking forward to your Hanoi blogs. Hope you are having satisfactory weather.
May Nutrition Increase!
Cmd. I C Kret
The Ministry of Noodles, HCMC
Steve,
So jealous that you’re back to stay. I returned for the summer and spend three months traipsing between my job in Thanh Hoa and the weekends in Hanoi. Man, I miss it. Soon enough my kids will be grown and I can stay longer than a few months at a time.
Enjoy and I’ll keep reading. I can’t believe they drained Lenin Park.
teresa
read your comments with great interest re: hanoi
we (wife+me)-went on a group trip to vietnam last year-from australia
from here the trips emphasise the south-but we thought that the trip spent too little time up north-esp. in hanoi-so we extended it accordingly-and without doubt thought it was the best part of the trip
only part -i’d go back to
clive
Steve,
This is wonderful. I know how much you love that country and I look forward to seeing more pictures from you. Enjoy the country and hopefully one of these days, our paths will cross again.
Nice to meet you, I’m from Hanoi but now I’m studying in Sunderland, yeah, near Newcastle Upon Tyne. When I see your pictures, I miss my hometown so much. Enjoy and discover hidden beauty of Hanoi
Hi, great site and best wishes for the big day in October 2010! I will make sure to get in touch on my next trip to Vietnam!
Luiz @ The London Foodie
Mr, I look forward to reading your Hanoi blogs. I am intrigued by the fact you have lived here before, went away and decided to return. Will you still like Hanoi as you did before you left and as you do now at the initial point of return. I am not a prolific writer but i do set up a blog to keep my loved ones posted with my movements here. If you email me, I will send you my blog’s name. Best wishes.
+1
Hi Steve. Thanks for the extremely entertaining blog. I’m sitting here on Sunday morning in Manchester, UK, nursing a hangover and a coffee. I’m moving out to Hanoi in early August to take up a teaching post. I’m incredibly excited! Like you, I have a background in journalism but have now switched to ESL teaching. This will be my first job teaching. Your blog is allowing me to research and to think about Hanoi before arriving – and for this I am extremely grateful! Thanks so much and keep it up.
Matt
I stumbled upon your blog when googling Thomas Crampton. You’re working at KOTO? I know Mr Hung from KOTO Saigon! What sort of PR work you’ve done? Sound interesting I’m working at Ogilvy PR in HCMC.