Dear Future Self,
You're moving to Danang! That's fantastic! Allow me to share with you the things you/I thought of when I moved here this fall. Some things below I did and I'm super happy to have done, and others are things I only wish someone had recommended to me, so I'm recommending them onwards.
First off, let me point you back to this post about coming for a visit: https://vietnamchases.blogspot.com/2025/10/youre-coming.html
Now, let's upload the advice for moving here, which is slightly different ...
Delay going to Danang:
Your body has a different jetlag response when you're just traveling for a short trip vs when you're moving 12 time zones and flipping day and night. Instead of hurrying to get to your destination, take 5 full days to adjust to the time zone, rest from the busy buzz of last-minute packing and travel, get physically well enough so that when you do arrive in your destination you are really 100% present. It might feel like wasted time, but it will shorten the transition time overall.
Delay getting into a Lease:
Arrive and get over jet lag, then move directly into a tiny Airbnb apartment for a two week booking. Look for housing, but you're in no hurry. If you find what you like the first day, they'll hold it for two weeks. If you're still looking after two weeks, get into another place for two weeks. Easy.
Tell your friends NOT to delay coming:
We've got friends coming at the end of our time here this time around, and that will be nice because we can send some of our stuff home with them. But it SURE would be nice to go first, get settled, then have a small team of friends come maybe two weeks later, packing your stuff and ready to first-hand experience your new place (so they can be more fully with you sharing your adventures the rest of your time abroad). In that context, it would make sense to purchase at thrift stores back home things that you *could* just as well buy new in Danang once you arrive but so many of those small items begin to add up to real money when you have to lay out rent and deposit and pay so many other starting costs. I'm thinking of forks and spoons, kitchen towels, etc. We actually brought an area rug to Vietnam in our checked luggage this time and it's a happy thing to have.
To bring next time (these are also available in Vietnam)
- Kitchen spatula
- Forks and spoons
- Helmet
- Sunglasses
- Kitchen and bath towels
- Quilt
- Chinese chili oil
- Maple syrup
- mobile keyboard
- White shirt
- Goo gone
- Mashed potato packets
- Cooking oil (Kirkland avocado oil)
- Mushroom seasoning powder (without msg)
- Black slacks and shoes for formal occasions