A Gen-Z's Guide to Life and Real Estate

On a recent vacation, my girlfriend and I visited the country of Vietnam. While I could go on for hours about the experiences we were fortunate enough to gain during this trip, I noted one quite polarizing difference between our countries, especially in bigger cities: the sense of community.

Our trip started in the capital city of Hanoi, a hectic, bustling, restless city seemingly filled with as many shops/stores as residents. Oh yeah, and what seemed to be no traffic laws… To say this city is overwhelming to a Midwesterner is an understatement. Though crazy, it was addicting, all of the fantastic food, caffeine-loaded coffee, historical landmarks, and awe-inspiring pagodas. At these restaurants, one thing you will be sure to notice while exploring Hanoi, is that at street side restaurants, the tables are placed close to one another, but what is more interesting, are the chairs and tables themselves… It is common to find tables and chairs similar to the ones found in the first image in this link. These tables and chairs are small for EVERYONE… Except for children. It starts to make more sense when you sit down at these tables.

You look around: the locals have their knees to their chest, the foreigners have their knees to their chest, and the person across from you, the same, but wait, why are our faces so close to each other? You find yourself hunched over the table, elbows on your knees, face directly above the divine smell of pho, staring directly at the person in front of you. Kind of awkward after becoming so used to booths and tables with so much room you wouldn’t be able to reach across the table and even be close to the next person. To fill the small space between the person across from you, you start a conversation, and you carry it through your time at the establishment to avoid an intense staring battle with them. Now, you might think that isn’t uncommon, right? When you have a meal with someone, you will talk, but have you had many conversations with someone when you are very close together? It isn’t the same; it’s deeper, more introspective, and thought-provoking. It is easier to ask questions and learn from someone. It is easier to pick up on their facial expressions and dive into emotions. But that is just the start of what I noticed of this connected community…

*Don’t get me wrong, plenty of places with what could be considered “normal” eating arrangements exist.*

You leave the restaurant after eating some of the most deliciously fresh meals of your lives, and you see numerous groups of people chatting on the streets or in front of shops. It is nice to see so many friends and families spending time together, then you see more and more and more, and at one point, you realize that back home, if you were to actually find somewhere that had the same density of foot traffic, many of these people would be on their phones. Back home, people would be texting, watching short videos, or, more likely, just listening to music on their earbuds, hastily trekking to their destination; it would be far more disconnected. It is then that you truly realize the magic of this place. The time that people take to spend with others and connect before continuing about their day.

There is just one more thing that you pick up on that truly displays the reliance and trust this community shares with one another.

Our trip spanned over the course of two weeks, and with the adventurous nature of our time there, we were often looking for solutions to logistical problems. I.e., how do we get there from here? Where can we do our laundry? What are the best places to eat around here? The list could go on and on about questions we had. All you have to do is ask. Ask your homestay host, receptionist, restaurant server, or owner of the store you are shopping at. We were never more than a short conversation away from finding answers to whatever questions we had. Not only would they point you in the right direction, but so many people were quick to share contact information or even set up arrangements for us in just minutes. It was fascinating to see how connected some people are and how willing they are to help you even though you are just a tourist in their home. We also found through talking to other tourists that many of them were being helped by people they had met during their first days in the country!

If you are looking for a place to take a big vacation, I could not recommend Vietnam enough. The people are wonderful, the food is next to none, and the things you see will stay with you forever. Be sure to take the time to look at the communities as well. They will leave you with a warm heart.