Bud in Vietnam 1971                                                                                                      Bud in Vietnam 2010

Vietnam Veteran, Bud Brown recently returned after an emotional trip to Vietnam after an absence of almost 40 years.

"I left Vietnam in 1971 and promised myself that one day I'd return," Brown said."I just didn't think it would take this long."

Brown, who was a U.S. Naval Advisor and speaks Vietnamese says he was amazed at how things had changed, mostly, the abundance of scooters in downtown Ho Chi Minh City. "When I left, peole mostly got around on biicycles and cyclos (which are two wheeled bicycles the carry passengers on a little seat between the two front wheels.)  Now it's almost all cars and scooters. What was the same? "The people are still very friendly,"Brown said. "Everywhere I went, college students would asked if they could practice their English with me."

During his ten day stay in Ho Ch Minh City (called Saigon by the locals), Brown visited several University classrooms, bought souveniers at the world famous Ben Thanh Market, lit insense and at several Chinese temples, visited the War Remnants Memorial and took the tour at the Cu Chi Tunnels, where the Viet Cong hid and lived during the massive American bombings "The tours were very emotional for me", Brown said, especially the War Remnants Museum, that had lots of  photos of the atrocities that happened at that time."

"I was surprised that my Vietnamese came back so easily after all these years,"  Brown said. Since it was so helpful to me I decided to create a website where Americans and others could learn Vietnamese. It's called Vietnamese101.info. Knowing Vietnamese opened up a lot of doors for me that, I'm sure, would have been closed if I had not been able to speak the language."Brown said."I really waant to go back again, but this time I won't wait so long."

Well I have just returned from two months in the Philippines and ten days in Vietnam. If you know me you know I took tons of photos and videos. I will edit the videos and organize the photos then post them here and on YouTube.  Thanks for following me in my adventures. By the way, that two month adventure was just an appitizer for things to come!

I'm sitting in the airport in Korea on my way back to the States. I can't believe that I just finished a two month trip to the Philippines, including a ten day side trip to Vietnam. As soon as I get home I'm going to post my photos and videos. I really learned a lot about the local people and also improved my Tagalog, Cebuano and Vietnamese language skills. That's really the best way to learn a language, I feel, is to be on the ground hearing and speaking with the local people.

I am presently in HCM City, Vietnam,  after an absense of 39 years. Some things are the same and some things are different.

Same:

• Still takes the same method to cross the street. Just step out and slowly and steadily walk to the other side, letting all the vehicles go around you.
• People are still friendly and helpful.

Different:

• Not many bicycles on the street. Seems they have been replaced by scooters.
• Most everyone in the city has a cell (mobile) phone
• No more "cyclos" (bicycles with the front two wheels). Only for tourist transportation.

Will keep you updated.

I just got this Vietnamese magazine named TUOI TRE  from the reporter who interviewed me (by Skype) the other day. Here's the email she also sent:

Dear Bud Brown,
 
The article has been published today. As it's on our weekly newspaper, they're a little bit slow in posting it on the website. I will send the link to you as soon as it's on. Meanwhile, be prepared. Now you're famous in Vietnam
 
Cheers,
 
Truc

UPDATE!

Here's the link to the article in Vietnamese:

and here's the link to the article in English: