Moving to Asia- avoid getting sick
Jun 17th, 2012, 11:04 AM
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Moving to Asia- avoid getting sick
Hi everyone,
My boyfriend and I are moving to Vietnam in a couple of months for work. We´ll live there for at least several years and would like to not spend our first year there constantly ill but don´t know what to expect. Should we expect to spend a lot of time sick our first couple of months/years?
We´ve been to the doctor and got all our vaccinations so in that way we´re set.
Can anyone give us advice on what to expect and how to avoid getting sick?
Obviously things like not eating the meat will be impossible since we´re going to be living there.
Any advice or experience from other expats who have moved to Asia (esp. Vietnam) would be much appreciated!
Thanks!
My boyfriend and I are moving to Vietnam in a couple of months for work. We´ll live there for at least several years and would like to not spend our first year there constantly ill but don´t know what to expect. Should we expect to spend a lot of time sick our first couple of months/years?
We´ve been to the doctor and got all our vaccinations so in that way we´re set.
Can anyone give us advice on what to expect and how to avoid getting sick?
Obviously things like not eating the meat will be impossible since we´re going to be living there.
Any advice or experience from other expats who have moved to Asia (esp. Vietnam) would be much appreciated!
Thanks!
Jun 17th, 2012, 11:13 AM
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Will you be living in a city or a rural area? There are some insecto-borne diseases that are more prevalent in the countryside. Check with your travel doc.
Eating meat -- or anything else -- if it's been cooked shouldn't be hazardous. Raw foods, tap water, etc. should be avoided.
Do you have a guidebook or info from the organization with which you'll be working?
Eating meat -- or anything else -- if it's been cooked shouldn't be hazardous. Raw foods, tap water, etc. should be avoided.
Do you have a guidebook or info from the organization with which you'll be working?
Jun 17th, 2012, 11:40 AM
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first of all you will be fine and once there can rely on other expats for good advice...
i've been there twice and never had a problem
BOTTLED WATER ONLY.
use common sense.. don't buy meats, etc that are not refridgerated, i.e. from open markets..
i've been there twice and never had a problem
BOTTLED WATER ONLY.
use common sense.. don't buy meats, etc that are not refridgerated, i.e. from open markets..
Jun 17th, 2012, 11:48 AM
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Hi,
Thanks for your answer.
I´ll be living in Haiphong- which is a large city.
Yes, the guidebook has a few things such as don´t eat at food stalls that seem unpopular, boil the water for five minutes before drinking, wash the vegetables. But nothing much in detail. Hopefully by doing all that, it´ll be enough.
I´ve been living abroad in western Europe for years now, but even when I arrived here (where conditions are great and tap water is perfectly drinkable) I spent my first six months sick on and off again. It looks like I have bad health-luck when it comes to changing countries, so I´m looking for any extra advice anyone might have to save me from spending my first few months sick.
Thanks for your answer.
I´ll be living in Haiphong- which is a large city.
Yes, the guidebook has a few things such as don´t eat at food stalls that seem unpopular, boil the water for five minutes before drinking, wash the vegetables. But nothing much in detail. Hopefully by doing all that, it´ll be enough.
I´ve been living abroad in western Europe for years now, but even when I arrived here (where conditions are great and tap water is perfectly drinkable) I spent my first six months sick on and off again. It looks like I have bad health-luck when it comes to changing countries, so I´m looking for any extra advice anyone might have to save me from spending my first few months sick.
Jun 17th, 2012, 12:00 PM
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Go to the cdc website www.cdc.com/travel and read all about food and water precautions.
You should be drinking bottled water (and brushing your teeth with it) rather than boiling water. Wash your hands before you eat anything. Wash your hands before touching your face or mouth. Most colds, etc are spread by touch, so washing your hands can help a lot.
You should be drinking bottled water (and brushing your teeth with it) rather than boiling water. Wash your hands before you eat anything. Wash your hands before touching your face or mouth. Most colds, etc are spread by touch, so washing your hands can help a lot.
Jun 17th, 2012, 03:42 PM
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The past three years I lived in Hanoi for four months(Sept-Dec) and taught at one of the universities there. I love living in Vietnam and hope that you will enjoy it as much as I have.
Basically, be open to trying new things and having new experiences. I tried to "go native" as much as possible. This means shopping at the morning markets with the rest of the Vietnamese population. You will see all kinds of "interesting" things. Be open to trying new foods! You won't find refrigerated meat at the markets, but if you shop early in the mornings, the meat will be fresh and good! Most of the meat was walking around the night before and is killed early in the morning and transported to the market. The pork, chicken and fish will be fresh and the best you have eaten! I avoided beef because it is harder to find and much more expensive. Take the meat home, wash it off and refrigerate.... it will be fine!
The fish....oh my...the wonderful fish! It is fresh and wonderful. Tofu is very cheap and also freshly made! Banh Cuon for breakfast--buy it at the market!! wonderful! Learn to cook with fish sauce. It smells horrible...but really gives your food great flavor. I use it almost daily here in the US.
I shopped at the same "morning market" and got to know the various vendors. They treated me like a local--which means I paid only a small amount more than their regular Vietnamese customers. I did learn to speak a few key Vietnamese phrases and also learned my numbers. They love to bargain and after buying from the same people for a few times, you will love the bantering back and forth with them. Just realize that you will pay a bit more for things -- but it all is relative. You will pay 3,000 dong for an egg--whereas a Vietnamese will pay 2,500. The difference is pennies and not worth the hassle or the anxiety. It took me a long time to get over this fact....
Learn how to say Hello.....thank you.... and other key phrases and it will go a long way! Smile and be open to new experiences. Most Vietnamese are very kind and helpful people and will try to help you out--especially if they know you are living there and not just a tourist passing through.
Learn how to navigate the bus system...you can easily go to Hanoi or other cities via the bus. I did not drive -- either a car or a motorbike nor a bicycle because traffic in Hanoi is hell! I didn't want to die and I figured that I would do so if I tried to use that form of transportation. I did learn how to avoid the "bad" taxi drivers who will rip you off badly if you let them.
So....like me, you will arrive probably scared, clueless and wondering what the hell you have done! But after a few weeks you will have learned the basics and probably will be navigating the city like the locals!!!
Good luck and have some Banh Cuon for me! By the way...I ate street food almost daily. I was careful and NEVER had any problems. Just look for the places that are crowded and the food is freshly cooked and not laying around for a long time. You should be fine.
Enjoy!!
Basically, be open to trying new things and having new experiences. I tried to "go native" as much as possible. This means shopping at the morning markets with the rest of the Vietnamese population. You will see all kinds of "interesting" things. Be open to trying new foods! You won't find refrigerated meat at the markets, but if you shop early in the mornings, the meat will be fresh and good! Most of the meat was walking around the night before and is killed early in the morning and transported to the market. The pork, chicken and fish will be fresh and the best you have eaten! I avoided beef because it is harder to find and much more expensive. Take the meat home, wash it off and refrigerate.... it will be fine!
The fish....oh my...the wonderful fish! It is fresh and wonderful. Tofu is very cheap and also freshly made! Banh Cuon for breakfast--buy it at the market!! wonderful! Learn to cook with fish sauce. It smells horrible...but really gives your food great flavor. I use it almost daily here in the US.
I shopped at the same "morning market" and got to know the various vendors. They treated me like a local--which means I paid only a small amount more than their regular Vietnamese customers. I did learn to speak a few key Vietnamese phrases and also learned my numbers. They love to bargain and after buying from the same people for a few times, you will love the bantering back and forth with them. Just realize that you will pay a bit more for things -- but it all is relative. You will pay 3,000 dong for an egg--whereas a Vietnamese will pay 2,500. The difference is pennies and not worth the hassle or the anxiety. It took me a long time to get over this fact....
Learn how to say Hello.....thank you.... and other key phrases and it will go a long way! Smile and be open to new experiences. Most Vietnamese are very kind and helpful people and will try to help you out--especially if they know you are living there and not just a tourist passing through.
Learn how to navigate the bus system...you can easily go to Hanoi or other cities via the bus. I did not drive -- either a car or a motorbike nor a bicycle because traffic in Hanoi is hell! I didn't want to die and I figured that I would do so if I tried to use that form of transportation. I did learn how to avoid the "bad" taxi drivers who will rip you off badly if you let them.
So....like me, you will arrive probably scared, clueless and wondering what the hell you have done! But after a few weeks you will have learned the basics and probably will be navigating the city like the locals!!!
Good luck and have some Banh Cuon for me! By the way...I ate street food almost daily. I was careful and NEVER had any problems. Just look for the places that are crowded and the food is freshly cooked and not laying around for a long time. You should be fine.
Enjoy!!
Jun 17th, 2012, 03:42 PM
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There's no reason to expect that you will contract a serious illness in Vietnam. You should take normal precautions -- drink bottled water, keep your vaccinations up to date, use anti-malarials (if recommended), wash your hands with soap. Dengue is a serious problem for which there is no preventative except avoiding mosquitos, so use repellents.
Mild digestive upsets are fairly common. These can often be resolved by a few days of bland diet. People have different tolerance to eating unaccustomed foods, and it's sounds as if you are on the sensitive side. You'll learn fast what your system likes and doesn't like. Raw vegetables and leafy greens are a big part of Vietnamese cuisine, and it may not be possible to avoid them altogether.
If you prepare food at home, you have to be careful of how uncooked vegetables and fruits are washed. In some areas you need to soak them in an antibacterial solution. If you have a cook or helper at home oversee his/her hygeine carefully. E.g., hand washing, handling of raw meat and cutting boards, washing of fruits and vegetable, storing foods.
The MOST important protection in underdeveloped countries is having a good medical evacuation insurance policy. Aside from illness, accidents are quite common and even for a non-life threatening injury -- like a broken limb, a burn or an infected cut -- you will want to receive treatment outside of Vietnam.
For minor ailments you'll want to connect with an international clinic like SOS. Be very careful of prescriptions, though, and check the drugs on the internet before to you take anything, and don't allow injections unless you're clear on what you're getting.
My experience with local doctors (in Indonesia not Vietnam) is that they prescribe antibiotics for just about everything, even in cases where they are not appropriate such as viral infections. Diagnosis is commonly wrong for tropical viruses, bacteria, parasites and funguses so if problems persist get yourself to a tropical disease center for testing.
Mild digestive upsets are fairly common. These can often be resolved by a few days of bland diet. People have different tolerance to eating unaccustomed foods, and it's sounds as if you are on the sensitive side. You'll learn fast what your system likes and doesn't like. Raw vegetables and leafy greens are a big part of Vietnamese cuisine, and it may not be possible to avoid them altogether.
If you prepare food at home, you have to be careful of how uncooked vegetables and fruits are washed. In some areas you need to soak them in an antibacterial solution. If you have a cook or helper at home oversee his/her hygeine carefully. E.g., hand washing, handling of raw meat and cutting boards, washing of fruits and vegetable, storing foods.
The MOST important protection in underdeveloped countries is having a good medical evacuation insurance policy. Aside from illness, accidents are quite common and even for a non-life threatening injury -- like a broken limb, a burn or an infected cut -- you will want to receive treatment outside of Vietnam.
For minor ailments you'll want to connect with an international clinic like SOS. Be very careful of prescriptions, though, and check the drugs on the internet before to you take anything, and don't allow injections unless you're clear on what you're getting.
My experience with local doctors (in Indonesia not Vietnam) is that they prescribe antibiotics for just about everything, even in cases where they are not appropriate such as viral infections. Diagnosis is commonly wrong for tropical viruses, bacteria, parasites and funguses so if problems persist get yourself to a tropical disease center for testing.
Jun 17th, 2012, 10:57 PM
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Before moving to Africa on a volunteer project we were sent on several days medical training for volunteers. Most of the information provided was basic common sense, some of which is posted above. It is great that you have had the good sense to consult your doctor re vaccinations etc. so you are prepared in that respect. we were all given a copy of Ted Lankester's Travellers Good Health Guide which is excellent and easy to read and is widely regarded as one of teh definitive books on the subject - might be worth getting a copy from the library or even buying one - http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0...SIN=0859699919
One piece of advice given to me which proved invaluable was to identify a decent doctor or medical facility as soon as you arrive so you at least know where to go in the event of and emergency
One piece of advice given to me which proved invaluable was to identify a decent doctor or medical facility as soon as you arrive so you at least know where to go in the event of and emergency
