I had no idea that there was such a strong coffee drinking culture in Vietnam. I also just discovered it is the second largest exporter of coffee in the world. There are hundreds of coffee shops (at least) in Ho Chi Minh that often must compete with each other so they do different types of things to bring in customers. One woman I was talking with yesterday told me that there is a coffee shop that has multiple cats hanging around for customers to pet. There is also one just with dogs. Starbucks only recently came into the city so it will be interesting to hear how they do among so much independent competition.
So the work my team has for this month involves spending 4-5 hours a day talking with Vietnamese customers in a coffee shop. Many Vietnamese and other foreign residents want to improve their English and they value being able to speak to a diverse range of native English speakers. So far it has been a great time though it can also be draining. The Vietnamese are very friendly and talkative and we often see repeat customers come in day after day. During the rest of our day we often spend time with a teammate or will sometimes set up outings with the people we befriend at the coffee shop.
Things to keep in mind:
– Good conversations and time spent with customers
– Open hearts and minds to Him here in Ho Chi Minh and throughout Vietnam
– Growth for my team
Please also keep in mind those who are currently hurting and mourning in the Philippines. When our squad was there in September the country was still recovering from the damage of flooding in previous weeks. From what I’ve heard the typhoon did cause a few deaths in northern Vietnam as well.
