American man goes to Vietnam for treatment

Struggling with the trauma of illness and the shock of losing his best friend, Jordy Trachtenberg decided to move to Vietnam, four years ago.

"Actually, I didn't choose Vietnam, but this place chose me. As soon as I set foot here, I didn't want to leave because I felt true peace and happiness," said the 54-year-old man.

Jordy takes a photo with street vendors he met on the streets of Saigon, March 2023. Photo: Character provided

Jordy Trachtenberg was born in the suburbs of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, but has lived in New York since he was 18. He worked for major record labels and had his own company. Although he made a lot of money, Jordy said he always felt like a slave to his work. In 2016, at the age of 48, he decided to put everything aside and travel to learn about culture and get musical inspiration. Southeast Asia was his first choice.

The first two years, Jordy stopped in Phuket (Thailand) and Phnom Penh (Cambodia). At first, life was quite smooth but two major events happened in succession.

In 2018, Jordy became seriously ill and had to go to Malaysia for treatment. After returning to Phnom Penh, he heard that his best friend had suddenly passed away in an accident. Overwhelmed with grief, he decided to return to the US, but he did not want to repeat his workaholic life, so he looked for a place where he could heal his soul.

"Everything comes and goes so quickly that I realize life is short, so I should cherish the time I have left," Jordy said. He searched online for his next destination and chose Vietnam because of its geographical proximity and customs to the places he had lived.

In April 2019, the American man landed at Tan Son Nhat airport. In a foreign country, he didn’t know anyone, and he went everywhere alone. The trauma made him increasingly withdrawn, and the mental pain deepened.

After a long time staying only in hotels, Jordy decided to step out into the world. He rented a small room in a residential area on Phan Van Han Street (Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City).

The appearance of the foreign man with a muscular body and tattoos covering his arms and legs immediately attracted people. As Jordy walked, many people stopped their cars to ask questions. Some people were interested in stroking his beard, complimenting him and asking to take pictures with him, while others wanted to learn about the meaning of the tattoos.

At first, Jordy felt uncomfortable being asked questions, but then realized that these interactions made her happier and more open. "It was like the beginning of the healing process," Jordy admitted. "When I stepped out of the house, I received smiles, sometimes tears of emotion when my neighbors asked about my health, something I didn't receive anywhere else I had lived before."

He opened an English class for children. The children always made Jorrdy happy with their funny questions and hearty laughter. Whenever he asked them "How are you today?", they would answer "I'm happy". There were times when the American man realized that children were his teachers with a life lesson of loving and being happy with what you have.

From then on, the little things around him were enough to make Jordy happy. He smiled when he saw girls riding motorbikes in pajamas, wearing helmets with two cat ears. Jordy loved the Vietnamese people who always helped him when he needed to cross the street or were confused when someone gave up their seat on the bus. He realized that Saigon was very beautiful, especially on holidays when everywhere was filled with national flags. Even the numbers painted on tree trunks and the tiny stools at sidewalk eateries made this man feel fresh and interesting.

Jordy loves Vietnamese street food, enjoying his meal on a plastic chair and watching people passing by. After only a short time in Ho Chi Minh City, he was able to eat all the local specialties that foreigners are wary of, such as durian, shrimp paste, duck tongue, coconut worms, and even rat meat when traveling to the West. Jordy especially loves pork rinds, calling himself "Top Mo boy".

“Even when I’m having a bad day, I remind myself that I still live in a place I love,” says Jordy.

Visiting temples is also a special hobby of the American man. In nearly four years of living in Vietnam, Jordy has visited hundreds of temples and pagodas, because he finds peace here. Every month, he goes to Phu Chau floating temple in Go Vap district to pray or goes to coastal fishing villages in Vung Tau, Nha Trang, Mui Ne to visit whale temples.

When he first came to Vietnam, Jordy often visited famous temples and pagodas, but then he sought out further places, even places that had never seen tourists before. He often took photos, recorded short videos, and noted down the places he visited. When he returned, he read more news to understand more about the history and architecture.

At Phu Chau Floating Temple, Jordy was overwhelmed by the place covered with more than 100 dragon sculptures and porcelain reliefs. The temple is more than 300 years old and he always feels like he has gone back in time when he is here. Men often burn incense and pray or sit quietly on chairs outside the temple door.

"When I go to places of spiritual worship, the peaceful scenery makes me relax and feel peace in my soul," he said.

Jordy Trachtenberg burns incense at Phu Chau floating temple, Go Vap district, Ho Chi Minh City, August 2023. Photo: Character provided

To capture beautiful moments and introduce the place where he lives, Jordy regularly records videos about life in Vietnam and shares them on his personal page. Each month, these videos attract more than two million views.

In the near future, he plans to establish a community arts club that can combine American and Vietnamese musical culture.

Jordy Trachtenberg said he made a lot of money in the US, but it was only when he came to Vietnam that he truly felt happy and knew how to enjoy life. That's why he always tries to live like a real Vietnamese: using chopsticks or sitting cross-legged on a mat.

Vietnam is now his home, his cup of coffee, his morning bread, his experiences of a land he thought he understood, was familiar with, but was always new from every angle.

"I often tell people my body is American but my heart is Vietnamese. I always believe I chose the right place to live and love," Jordy said.

Vnexpress.net

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