American man addicted to pork rinds, refuses high salary to live in Vietnam

(Dan Tri) - American man - Jordy Trachtenberg - gave up high-paying jobs to move to Vietnam. For him, no other place in the world can bring him the same happiness as Vietnam.

Western man loves pork rinds "Pordy boy" is the humorous nickname that many netizens gave to Jordy Trachtenberg, an American man living in Ho Chi Minh City. Jordy once shared in a culinary group: "Putting a hot piece of pork rinds in your mouth, taking a bite, the crispy sound and the layer of fat splattered on the tip of your tongue brings a magical feeling. I can really eat pork rinds every day. I'm not kidding, I see pork rinds in my dreams." The American man's post attracted tens of thousands of interactions on social networks. Jordy admitted that 2.5 years have passed but many Vietnamese friends and netizens still remember his post about pork rinds. "Before, I thought there was nothing better than bacon. But when I came to Vietnam. I know, the best dish in the world is pork rinds," the American man humorously shared. Jordy is also passionate about many other Vietnamese dishes such as banh mi, banh xeo, mi Quang, bun rieu, bo ne... and of course, sidewalk coffee in Ho Chi Minh City.

Bread is a familiar dish of Mr. Jordy (Photo: NVCC).

"Vietnamese people, culture and cuisine make it impossible for me to leave this land," Jordy admitted. The proof is that at the end of last year, after 3 years in Vietnam, Jordy moved to Bangkok. But in less than 6 months, the American man gave up his high-paying job to return to Ho Chi Minh City. Vietnam is a place to "heal" Mr. Jordy Trachtenberg (54 years old, American nationality), is currently an English teacher in Ho Chi Minh City. Previously, Jordy lived in New York and worked in the music industry. He owns his own record label, specializing in collaborating with famous music companies for 25 years. Due to the nature of his job, Jordy has the opportunity to visit many different countries. In addition to working, he spends time traveling, learning about culture, and trying to integrate into the lives of local people. In 2015, Jordy came to Southeast Asia for the first time. The difference in culture and life in Bangtao (Thailand) compared to Europe and America made him decide to sell all his assets in the US to move to Southeast Asia to explore. Jordy wanted to live like a "nomadic", experiencing each city from 6 months to 1 year. The first year, Jordy lived and worked in Phnom Penh. At first, everything went well. Jordy was attracted to the mysterious new city. However, not long after, two major events occurred. He became seriously ill and had to fly to Malaysia for treatment. Sadly, after returning to Phnom Penh for 6 weeks, his best friend suddenly passed away in an accident. "It was the worst time of my life. At that time, I considered giving up everything to return to America," Jordy said. "But something urged me to come to Vietnam. I arrived in Ho Chi Minh City on April 29, 2019. At that time, I was no longer myself. I had a huge emotional wound," he said. In the first week in Vietnam, unlike other places he had been to, Jordy quickly felt the warmth. "The people of Saigon are very nice, curious and straightforward," the American tourist described. When he walked on the street, many people stopped their cars and approached to ask questions. Some people were interested in stroking Jordy's beard, complimenting his beautiful beard and asking to take pictures with him. Some were curious about the tattoos on his arms. "Old men often ask me about my bald head: "Where is your hair?". I don't hesitate to reply: "If I knew where my hair is, do you think I should put it back on my head?". Language is not a barrier between me and Vietnamese people. Just looking at their eyes and facial expressions, I see their happiness and genuine concern," Jordy confided.

Jordy took a souvenir photo with a family from Ho Chi Minh City when he happened to pass by. The photo is very precious to him because it is full of emotion (Photo: NVCC).

In Vietnam, Jordy worked as a teacher. Jordy was quite picky about his students, but the children considered him a relative. Parents also had special feelings for Jordy, often meeting, chatting, and introducing him to the culture, cuisine, and beautiful landscapes of Vietnam. "I feel the warmth in Vietnamese families . I even feel that the children are my teachers. They teach me how to love my family, love life," Jordy confided. The friendliness and hospitality of Vietnamese strangers is like a "spiritual medicine" for Jordy, helping him heal his psychological trauma. In his free time, Jordy likes to go to pagodas. In the past 4 years, he has visited hundreds of temples and pagodas in Vietnam. Every month, the American man goes to Phu Chau floating temple, Go Vap to pray. He also visits coastal fishing villages in Vung Tau, Nha Trang, Mui Ne to visit whale temples. Jordy is planning to go to Hanoi soon. He has read many articles about the ancient, hundred-year-old pagodas there.

American men love to go to temples and pagodas to pray, sightsee, and learn about culture (Photo: NVCC).

Jordy admitted that he used to earn a lot of money in the US. When he accepted to work in Thailand, he was also paid an "astronomical" salary. However, only in Vietnam was Jordy truly happy and able to enjoy the joys of life. "Coming to Vietnam, I found a new definition of "rich". I am "rich" not because of money, but I am "rich" when I can eat delicious food, experience diverse cultures, meet friendly, life-loving people, and admire impressive natural landscapes," the American man shared. Currently, Jordy regularly records videos about life in Vietnam and shares them on social networks. He wants to introduce this beautiful country to the world. Each month, his videos attract more than 2 million views. In the near future, Jordy is planning to establish a community arts club where he can combine American and Vietnamese music culture.

The American man's videos sharing Vietnamese cuisine attract viewers (Photo: NVCC).

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