Swaffham and Saigon: Not as different as you first think

Ho Chi Minh City sees a population of just over 9,000,000 people. Swaffham sees a population of just over 7,000.

The main mode of transport in Ho Chi Minh City is a motorbike. The main mode of transport in Swaffham is a tractor-no just kidding it’s a car (but there are a shit load of tractors).

The main reason for traffic jams in Ho Chi Minh City is due to the sheer amount of traffic on the roads, or people having bike accidents left right and centre. In Swaffham, the likely cause of traffic congestion is because the sheep on the local farm have escaped and are causing havoc.

Temperatures in Ho Chi Minh City can reach up to 39 oC in the dry season. To reach that temperature in Norfolk, you would need to be doing a gym work out… in a sauna…fully clothed.

It’s safe to say there are some pretty extreme differences between the two places. When I arrived at Saigon Airport, I felt like a lost countryside girl in a city that doesn’t have an off button. Ho Chi Minh City is split into 19 districts. One of these districts can be up to four times the size of Swaffham.  However, despite these differences, if you look closer the two may not be as different as you first think.

Living and growing up in a sleepy market town means that you know literally everyone by sight. You walk into town and everyone you pass you say hello to. Country life has the closest communities, and I feel areas in Ho Chi Minh City share this too.

Walking down đường số 7 (my street), I often share a “xin chaoooo” with the locals, which comfortingly makes me feel right back at home in Norfolk. A couple of times a week I visit a lady’s house down my road to pick up a homemade smoothie. She speaks no English and I can only say the odd word in Vietnamese, however we always seem to have really great conversations! She recommended a good, cheap place down my road to get your nails done and often she speaks about her family. Who knows, she was probably talking about something completely different, but I always love to have a sit down with her to try and talk about things!

At this same place, a 60- something Vietnamese man came and sat with me as he wanted to practise English. We sat there for a good half an hour just talking about life and then he invited me to have dinner with his family! Obviously that may not happen in Swaffham, however the sense of community in my local Vietnamese area is very strong. Everyone’s house seems to be a restaurant!

On Fridays, I have to leave the house at 6am when the sun is only just coming up. At this time in Swaffham you would probably see a handful of dog walkers and those out for a pre-work jog. In Vietnam, 6am seems to be the prime time to do exercise because of the ridiculous daytime temperatures. A group of men at the end of my road always have badminton net up across the whole road, and there are always old ladies about doing lunges. It’s all pretty funny to see when I’m still trying to fully wake up.

Obviously, there is still such a massive list of differences between Swaffham and Saigon. I’m still experiencing these on a daily basis. However, looking at the local community life in each district, Swaffham sometimes doesn’t feel so far away. There's even a Norfolk Hotel in the centre of the city!