Work Permit Woes

When I returned to Hanoi in the fall, I was informed of new policy the government was instituting: Work Permits. I’ve heard (as yet unsubstantiated by an internet search for reliable sources) that it is a way to deal with the problem of undocumented workers from China. While I understand Vietnam’s prerogative to protect its economy, it has been very frustrating trying to navigate all of the requirements to obtain a work permit. The biggest problem as been, since this is a new program, no one really knows what we need to have, and we keep learning about different documents we need to take to multiple places to have certified. And it takes a lot of time. It takes time for documents to get to Hanoi from the U.S. It takes time for them to be translated. It takes time for them to be certified.

We’ve been working on this since October, and I still don’t have my permit yet. It’s stressful, but I have been thankful for all the work people with LCMS WM, the NIN (National Institute of Nutrition), and at Bach Khoa have been willing to do to try and make this process as easy on me as possible.

And then there are those times when it all seems overwhelming and you look up to see this staring at you. It made me feel a little better.

The man on the rock

Every once in a while I see something that makes me think “I really, really wish I had my camera with me right now.” One of those moments occurred on the way to Church last Sunday. I was looking out of the bus window and saw a man sitting on top of a large boulder, smoking a cigarette. This in and of itself was not unusual; what made it picture worthy in my mind was that this took place in the median with cars, buses, and motorbikes whizzing past him on both sides.

I laughed at first, until we went past, and I looked back. I saw the sadness underneath.

The man was not just sitting on the boulder. He had a large piece of cardboard over a ratty looking backpack. I realized then why he was sitting the middle of the road. He had no where else to go.

[Disclaimer: the information in the following paragraph is based off of information I have only heard from other people. I haven’t had time to do a good internet search to verify this information, but I still want to include it in a post. I’ve been basing my thought processes on this information, so it is still pertinent for a personal blog but please don’t quote it as fact.] I heard recently that Vietnam had been moved off the developing countries list. If true, this would be a good thing, don’t get me wrong, but there are some serious ramifications as well. Some NGO work and Foreign Aid programs would end here, support some people here depend on. I was reminded by the man on the rock, and by the woman in the picture below, there is still much work to be done in Vietnam.



*Future blog post: The conundrum of trying to help without being condescending.