{"id":13568,"date":"2025-03-10T10:31:57","date_gmt":"2025-03-10T03:31:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vietnamteachingjobs.com\/blog\/?p=13568"},"modified":"2025-11-13T15:10:25","modified_gmt":"2025-11-13T08:10:25","slug":"becoming-the-local-foreigner-when-expats-outstay-the-newbies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vietnamteachingjobs.com\/blog\/becoming-the-local-foreigner-when-expats-outstay-the-newbies\/","title":{"rendered":"Becoming the Local \u2018Foreigner\u2019: When Expats Outstay the Newbies"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>When you first arrive in Vietnam (or any foreign country), everything feels new and exciting. The street food is an adventure, the chaos of the traffic is thrilling, and you happily fumble through greetings in Vietnamese with the enthusiasm of a child learning their first words. You find yourself bonding with other fresh arrivals, united in your confusion about how to cross the road or where to find real cheese.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But fast forward a few years, and suddenly, you\u2019re not the new one anymore. You\u2019ve figured out the shortcuts, you have a favourite street food vendor who knows your order, and, most noticeably, you start noticing waves of new ex-pats arriving, making the same mistakes you once did.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Congratulations\u2014you\u2019ve become a \u201clocal foreigner\u201d, part of a unique group of expats who have outlasted the newbies and now see Vietnam as home. But how does this shift happen? And what makes long-term expats so different from fresh arrivals?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-rank-math-toc-block\" id=\"rank-math-toc\"><div><strong>Inside This Guide<\/strong><\/div><nav><ul><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#stage-1-the-bright-eyed-newbie\">Stage 1: The Bright-Eyed Newbie<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#stage-2-the-settled-expat\">Stage 2: The Settled Expat<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#stage-3-the-local-foreigner\">Stage 3: The Local Foreigner<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#stage-4-the-jaded-long-timer\">Stage 4: The Jaded Long-Timer<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#the-strange-thing-about-long-term-expats\">The Strange Thing About Long-Term Expats<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"stage-1-the-bright-eyed-newbie\"><strong>Stage 1: The Bright-Eyed Newbie<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/vietnamteachingjobs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Stage-1-The-Bright-Eyed-Newbie.jpg\" alt=\"The newbies are easily spotted standing at the edge of the road waiting for a local to cross so that they can walk alongside them\" class=\"wp-image-13570\" srcset=\"https:\/\/vietnamteachingjobs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Stage-1-The-Bright-Eyed-Newbie.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/vietnamteachingjobs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Stage-1-The-Bright-Eyed-Newbie-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/vietnamteachingjobs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Stage-1-The-Bright-Eyed-Newbie-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>The newbies are easily spotted standing at the edge of the road waiting for a local to cross so that they can walk alongside them<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>We all start here. Arriving in Vietnam feels like stepping into another world. The colours are brighter, the smells are stronger, and every day is an adventure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Signs You\u2019re a Newbie:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>You still wear a helmet with the chin strap undone like a tourist.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You take Grab everywhere because motorbikes still seem terrifying.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You attempt to haggle but end up overpaying for everything.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You join every expat Facebook group and ask questions like, \u201cWhere can I find peanut butter?\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You go to Bui Vien (Ho Chi Minh City) or Ta Hien (Hanoi) every weekend.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Newbies tend to travel in packs, eager to explore every tourist attraction. They\u2019re obsessed with cheap street food, but they haven\u2019t built up the stomach strength to avoid occasional food poisoning. They\u2019re also extremely optimistic, assuming they\u2019ll pick up fluent Vietnamese in a few months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Long-term expats see newbies everywhere, and while they might be helpful, they also find their questions and struggles a little amusing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Explore More About Vietnam:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/vietnamteachingjobs.com\/blog\/a-housekeeper-in-vietnam\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Strange Reality of Having a Housekeeper in Vietnam<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"stage-2-the-settled-expat\"><strong>Stage 2: The Settled Expat<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/vietnamteachingjobs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Stage-2-The-Settled-Expat.jpg\" alt=\"When you start to complain about the heat you are entering the settled expat stage\" class=\"wp-image-13571\" srcset=\"https:\/\/vietnamteachingjobs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Stage-2-The-Settled-Expat.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/vietnamteachingjobs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Stage-2-The-Settled-Expat-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/vietnamteachingjobs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Stage-2-The-Settled-Expat-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>When you start to complain about the heat you are entering the settled expat stage<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>After about 6 months to a year, the excitement wears off, and reality sets in. You\u2019ve learned the basics\u2014how to drive a motorbike without panicking, how to eat street food without getting sick (most of the time), and how to navigate daily life with a mix of English and broken Vietnamese.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Signs You\u2019re a Settled Expat:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>You now complain about the heat instead of just being amazed by it.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You know which pho place is good and which is just for tourists.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You\u2019ve mastered Grab Bike, but you still get nervous in crazy traffic.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You start judging tourists who struggle with basic things.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You attempt Vietnamese, but you\u2019ve accepted that tones are your enemy.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Settled expats still go out and explore, but they stick to routines and have local spots they love. They\u2019re no longer trying to see every pagoda and waterfall\u2014they\u2019re more focused on finding a good coffee shop with WiFi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is when the first shift happens. Instead of being part of the \u201cnewbie group,\u201d you start rolling your eyes at them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Discover Related Guides:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/vietnamteachingjobs.com\/blog\/vietnamese-generosity-vs-expat-independence\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Vietnamese Generosity vs. Expat Independence: Why Saying No Can Be Offensive<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"stage-3-the-local-foreigner\"><strong>Stage 3: The Local Foreigner<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/vietnamteachingjobs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Stage-3-The-Local-Foreigner-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"Avoiding tourist areas and complaining about how things have changed are signs you are a local foreigner\" class=\"wp-image-13572\" srcset=\"https:\/\/vietnamteachingjobs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Stage-3-The-Local-Foreigner-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/vietnamteachingjobs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Stage-3-The-Local-Foreigner-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/vietnamteachingjobs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Stage-3-The-Local-Foreigner-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/vietnamteachingjobs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Stage-3-The-Local-Foreigner.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Avoiding tourist areas and complaining about how things have changed are signs you are a local foreigner<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Somewhere between year two and year five, something strange happens\u2014you stop feeling like a visitor. You\u2019re not just an expat anymore, you\u2019re part of the landscape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Signs You\u2019re a Local Foreigner:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>You complain about how much things have changed, even if you\u2019ve only been here a few years.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You switch between Vietnamese and English effortlessly, especially for food orders.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You never ask for prices because you already know what things should cost.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You\u2019re annoyed by newbie expats who think they discovered hidden gems.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You have local friends, not just other expats.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You avoid tourist areas unless you\u2019re playing tour guide.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>By this stage, Vietnam feels like home. You might not speak perfect Vietnamese, but you know enough to handle daily life. You have a solid friend group, which includes locals, and you\u2019ve stopped converting prices into your home currency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>More importantly, you now see waves of newbies arriving, making the same mistakes you once did. And let\u2019s be honest\u2014you probably feel a tiny bit smug about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"stage-4-the-jaded-long-timer\"><strong>Stage 4: The Jaded Long-Timer<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"631\" src=\"https:\/\/vietnamteachingjobs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Expat-in-Vietnam-1024x631.png\" alt=\"When you no longer even notice the traffic and do not find things cheap you are well onto the way to being a jaded foreigner\" class=\"wp-image-13573\" srcset=\"https:\/\/vietnamteachingjobs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Expat-in-Vietnam-1024x631.png 1024w, https:\/\/vietnamteachingjobs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Expat-in-Vietnam-300x185.png 300w, https:\/\/vietnamteachingjobs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Expat-in-Vietnam-768x473.png 768w, https:\/\/vietnamteachingjobs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Expat-in-Vietnam.png 1477w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>When you no longer even notice the traffic and do not find things cheap you are well onto the way to being a jaded foreigner<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you hit five years or more, you either fully embrace Vietnam as your permanent home, or you start feeling frustrated with the things that used to charm you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Signs You\u2019re a Jaded Expat:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>You complain about expats who only stay for a few months and act like experts.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You hate the way your city is \u201cchanging\u201d, even if change is inevitable.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You no longer even notice crazy traffic\u2014it\u2019s just normal now.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You roll your eyes at newbies who call everything \u201cso cheap\u201d because they haven\u2019t adjusted yet.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You\u2019ve been through multiple visa crises and survived them all.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>At this point, you\u2019re probably running a business, married to a local, or just so comfortable that moving home feels like a foreign idea. You\u2019ve seen new expats come and go, and you probably don\u2019t make much effort to befriend fresh arrivals because you assume they won\u2019t last.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But deep down, you also remember being new, and sometimes, you miss the excitement of that stage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Continue Learning:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/vietnamteachingjobs.com\/blog\/street-vendors-in-vietnam\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Street Vendors in Vietnam: The Heart and Soul of Everyday Life<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"the-strange-thing-about-long-term-expats\"><strong>The Strange Thing About Long-Term Expats<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>What\u2019s interesting is that every long-term expat was once a newbie. But over time, you become part of a small, unspoken club\u2014the people who actually stayed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You start recognizing faces at your favourite spots, you know which businesses are run by long-term foreigners versus those that are just passing through, and you develop a deep appreciation for Vietnam beyond its surface attractions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Newbies come and go, but you stay. And that, in itself, is a badge of honour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Not every expat stays long enough to become a local foreigner. Some people burn out after a year, some move on to new adventures, and some find that Vietnam isn\u2019t for them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But for those who stick around, Vietnam becomes more than just a place to live\u2014it becomes home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So if you\u2019re still here after years and you find yourself watching another group of newbies struggle to order banh mi, just smile. Because not too long ago, that was you. And who knows? Some of them might just stick around long enough to become the next generation of local foreigners.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"kk-star-ratings kksr-auto kksr-align-left kksr-valign-bottom\"\n    data-payload='{&quot;align&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;id&quot;:&quot;13568&quot;,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;default&quot;,&quot;valign&quot;:&quot;bottom&quot;,&quot;ignore&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;reference&quot;:&quot;auto&quot;,&quot;class&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;count&quot;:&quot;2&quot;,&quot;legendonly&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;readonly&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;score&quot;:&quot;5&quot;,&quot;starsonly&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;best&quot;:&quot;5&quot;,&quot;gap&quot;:&quot;5&quot;,&quot;greet&quot;:&quot;Rate this post&quot;,&quot;legend&quot;:&quot;5\\\/5 - (2 votes)&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;24&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Becoming the Local \u2018Foreigner\u2019: When Expats Outstay the Newbies&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:&quot;142.5&quot;,&quot;_legend&quot;:&quot;{score}\\\/{best} - ({count} {votes})&quot;,&quot;font_factor&quot;:&quot;1.25&quot;}'>\n            \n<div class=\"kksr-stars\">\n    \n<div class=\"kksr-stars-inactive\">\n            <div class=\"kksr-star\" data-star=\"1\" style=\"padding-right: 5px\">\n            \n\n<div class=\"kksr-icon\" style=\"width: 24px; height: 24px;\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n            <div class=\"kksr-star\" data-star=\"2\" style=\"padding-right: 5px\">\n            \n\n<div class=\"kksr-icon\" style=\"width: 24px; height: 24px;\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n            <div class=\"kksr-star\" data-star=\"3\" style=\"padding-right: 5px\">\n            \n\n<div class=\"kksr-icon\" style=\"width: 24px; height: 24px;\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n            <div class=\"kksr-star\" data-star=\"4\" style=\"padding-right: 5px\">\n            \n\n<div class=\"kksr-icon\" style=\"width: 24px; height: 24px;\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n            <div class=\"kksr-star\" data-star=\"5\" style=\"padding-right: 5px\">\n            \n\n<div class=\"kksr-icon\" style=\"width: 24px; height: 24px;\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    \n<div class=\"kksr-stars-active\" style=\"width: 142.5px;\">\n            <div class=\"kksr-star\" style=\"padding-right: 5px\">\n            \n\n<div class=\"kksr-icon\" style=\"width: 24px; height: 24px;\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n            <div class=\"kksr-star\" style=\"padding-right: 5px\">\n            \n\n<div class=\"kksr-icon\" style=\"width: 24px; height: 24px;\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n            <div class=\"kksr-star\" style=\"padding-right: 5px\">\n            \n\n<div class=\"kksr-icon\" style=\"width: 24px; height: 24px;\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n            <div class=\"kksr-star\" style=\"padding-right: 5px\">\n            \n\n<div class=\"kksr-icon\" style=\"width: 24px; height: 24px;\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n            <div class=\"kksr-star\" style=\"padding-right: 5px\">\n            \n\n<div class=\"kksr-icon\" style=\"width: 24px; height: 24px;\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n                \n\n<div class=\"kksr-legend\" style=\"font-size: 19.2px;\">\n            5\/5 - (2 votes)    <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When you first arrive in Vietnam (or any foreign country), everything feels new and exciting. The street food is an adventure, the chaos of the traffic is thrilling, and you happily fumble through greetings in Vietnamese with the enthusiasm of a child learning their first words. You find yourself bonding with other fresh arrivals, united [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":13569,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[162,16,164],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13568","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-culture-integration","category-life-in-vietnam","category-social-life-networking"],"blocksy_meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vietnamteachingjobs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13568","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vietnamteachingjobs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vietnamteachingjobs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vietnamteachingjobs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vietnamteachingjobs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13568"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/vietnamteachingjobs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13568\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vietnamteachingjobs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13569"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vietnamteachingjobs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13568"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vietnamteachingjobs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13568"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vietnamteachingjobs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13568"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}