From Lonely Cities to Saigon's Warm Connections

I've lived that life. I've been there. I I've lived that life. I've been there. I had colleagues and neighbors and a city had colleagues and neighbors and a city had colleagues and neighbors and a city of millions around me and I was of millions around me and I was of millions around me and I was objectively, measurably lonely in a way objectively, measurably lonely in a way objectively, measurably lonely in a way I only recognized when I stopped being I only recognized when I stopped being I only recognized when I stopped being lonely. lonely. lonely. No, Vietnam is not a cure for No, Vietnam is not a cure for No, Vietnam is not a cure for loneliness. Nothing automatically is. Uh loneliness. Nothing automatically is. Uh loneliness. Nothing automatically is. Uh but Saigon is a city where life happens but Saigon is a city where life happens but Saigon is a city where life happens on the street and in the open and at on the street and in the open and at on the street and in the open and at tables 2 ft from other tables. I live in tables 2 ft from other tables. I live in tables 2 ft from other tables. I live in a place where I run into people I know, a place where I run into people I know, a place where I run into people I know, where the woman who runs the coffee shop where the woman who runs the coffee shop where the woman who runs the coffee shop three doors down knows what I order in three doors down knows what I order in three doors down knows what I order in the morning, where the fabric of daily the morning, where the fabric of daily the morning, where the fabric of daily life has texture and warmth and life has texture and warmth and life has texture and warmth and accidental social contact built into it. accidental social contact built into it. accidental social contact built into it. You know, aunties pick up my kids, pat You know, aunties pick up my kids, pat You know, aunties pick up my kids, pat them, hug them. They're strangers. Ooh. them, hug them. They're strangers. Ooh. them, hug them. They're strangers. Ooh. The expat community here forms bonds The expat community here forms bonds The expat community here forms bonds quickly and meaningfully. Uh and I think quickly and meaningfully. Uh and I think quickly and meaningfully. Uh and I think it's because everyone made a non-default it's because everyone made a non-default it's because everyone made a non-default choice to be here. When you're choice to be here. When you're choice to be here. When you're surrounded by people who opted out of surrounded by people who opted out of surrounded by people who opted out of the expected path, you skip the small the expected path, you skip the small the expected path, you skip the small talk faster. People here are talk faster. People here are talk faster. People here are interesting. They have stories. They interesting. They have stories. They interesting. They have stories. They made a decision most other people around made a decision most other people around made a decision most other people around them did not and could not understand.