Avoiding being hit by motorbikes while crossing the street is probably just one of Swedish expat Anders' daily adventures in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, where he manages a web agency and a website for expatriates who live in Vietnam. Read on for why living in Vietnam is a sunshine story for him, and learn about some of the ups and downs of his expat life in the city also known as Saigon.	Anders Palm

-Where were you born?

Gothenburg, Sweden

-In which country and city are you living now?

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam

-Are you living alone or with your family?

All alone on this adventure.

-How long have you been living in Vietnam?

Little bit more than a year.

-What is your age?

23

-When did you come up with the idea of living in Vietnam?

It was a pretty random decision, I applied for jobs in several different countries and in the end I could choose from China and Vietnam. I made an excellent choice!

-Was it hard to get a visa or a working permit?

Not at all, the Visa was arranged for me when I arrived.

-Was it difficult for you to get medical insurance before you went there or when you first arrived?

No, it is part of my contract with my company.

-How do you make your living in Vietnam? Do you have any type of income generated?

I work with web marketing in Vietnam and trying to push the web here to catch up with the rest of the world. I am managing IO Media, a small fast moving web agency. I got the interview through connections and did not have to use an agency. I find it very easy to find a job in Saigon.

-Do you speak Vietnamese and do you think it's important to speak the local language?

I do think it is important to speak the local language, but sadly my first attempts to learn Vietnamese has crashed and burned. I am a bit embarrassed to say that I only know the small things as hi, left, right, too expensive, thank you and mango, etc. (I love mango.. I plan to take classes before the end of this year if my job slows down a bit.

-Do you miss home and family sometimes?

I do miss friends and family sometimes but I can go home every year so I don't suffer. Activities I miss are being able to just walk everywhere in the fresh air and cooking. Yes, I could cook here, but so far it didn't make sense to me, the restaurants get me every time!

-Do you have other plans for the future?

I plan to travel quite a bit in the region and have been in Singapore and Cambodia just the last month. I hope to see Kuala Lumpur and Hong Kong soon enough. For business I will make IO Media grow first of all. I also started a site for expats at www.expat.vn, where a network of service providers helps expats out with anything from finding an apartment to learning Vietnamese.

-What about housing, have you bought, or are you renting a home? How much do you pay for it?

I am renting an apartment in district 1, I pay $540 and am happy with that as it is close to good restaurants, my office and downtown. It is also pretty big for me as it is approx 70 square metres.

-What is the cost of living in Vietnam?

If I really try, I can live on less than $1000 a month including rent. But, normally I spend almost the double with weekend getaways and some purchases included.

-What do you think about the Vietnamese?

I think Vietnamese people are great, generally they treat foreigners too nice but there is always a downside in the region when some people think that all foreigners are very rich.  So far it has been a sunshine story for me.

-What are the positive and negative aspects of living in Vietnam?

Positive: people, the variety of food, the weather, the beaches, the contrasts, the culture, the pulse of Saigon.

Negative: things are slow & the traffic is the worst I have seen anywhere in the world.

-Do you have any tips for our readers about living in Vietnam?

Arrive open minded and do make a better try at learning the language than me so far.

-Do you have any favorite Web sites or blogs about Vietnam?

www.expat.vn is a site where I am involved, we work as an online personal assistant and provide anything from house hunting, maids and finding a teaching job to travel arrangements, visas and tour guides

www.facebook.com is incredibly valuable to stay updated on what is going on and meeting a lot of people in Vietnam, both expats and locals.