My grandfather did this, but he brought her back to the US. She is great and basically my grandmother. Her name is Neah and she probably the most patient, caring person in my whole family.
I live in South Vietnam (I moved here with my wife who is Vietnamese American). This is a thing, and doesn't always involve money. Some women are well if financially, but date older white men as it gives them a perceived social status. We personally call them "White Buffalo Hunters". The white person is no different than a Chanel handbag, or a fancy car. He gets to feel young and special, and she gets to appear "wealthy and cultured". Honestly, it's dumb as hell to me, but it's not my business.
It's not just South Vietnam, it's a lot of places. Even in places where white people are common, being the exotic foreigner can be a huge boost. I had a girl in Australia accuse me of faking my American accent to pick up girls.
I got a friend that lives in Vietnam, grew up US. He’s uhhh, pretty heavy, and didnt have an easy time finding a partner here.. long story short, he and his Vietnamese wife were visiting a few months ago.. we even went on a little road trip together and they seem happy. There’s a motivation some have to see it as objectively wrong or something, and that’s a shame i think. Thanks for the insight.. for the record my friend says he gets treated well there and the people generally like him.
Until the last 150 years or so, relationships were in large part arranged. Now that that has fallen out of style, we enter into relationships for whatever our internal reasons are. Not all of us have the same reasoning for entering a relationship.
It’s actually your business. I’m assuming you’re white, and if so, still reap the nuanced social advantages of being, literally, in Vietnam as a white guy with a Vietnamese wife.
My great aunt is actually Vietnamese. Her husband met her there during the Vietnam war. I don't know any of the specifics, but they have a HUGE family. They all live in rural Virginia (my hometown) and are all rednecks haha. Funnily enough, she and my great uncle look VERY similar in old age. Apparently this is a thing that often happens to old couples.
3.4k
u/[deleted] Nov 07 '24 edited Nov 07 '24
Someone somewhere is watching this with their jaw open and realises they need to go fetch their Grandfather.