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.
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