Community Editor's Pick. Community Events Featured. Community News in Brief. Online comment sections are littered with examples that show for women in Hanoi, dating experiences are nothing short of abysmal. On being asked about the dating scene here, one woman summed it up with a succinct GIF: a woman falling flat on her face into some hard concrete. But are things really that bad or are folks simply hamming it up for comic effect? Some of them will make you blink, not once but twice. But what could be the root cause of this collective misery?
Well, Hanoi is home to a whole mix of people. And therein might be the problem. When these communities intersect in the dating world it actually creates an imbalance, at least in the heterosexual world.
Meaning, while interest between foreign men and local women is strong and they are a commonly seen pair, foreign women and local men for whatever the reasons rarely get together. So while expat men seem to have their pick of the litter from both sides, spoils for their female counterparts are decidedly scantier. Probably nothing. But to be fair, transience is also a big part of living abroad and fluid lifestyles could be making people deign to commit. Whilst tales of Tinder woes are a constant, one is inclined to wonder what people expect.
It is hardly a place for fairy tale endings. And perhaps that is why Katya Devin, a language therapist from Prague, thought she could trust an offline interest. After observing him from afar and a few solid dates, Devin felt she knew her solitary and introspective new beau well enough. But such feelings were short-lived.
She never quite got an answer but did find out this little lie was just the start. When stories about his cheating became many, she reached her boiling point. Hanh Nguyen, a cheerful year-old student in Hanoi, has met countless men who immediately asked for sex or sexual favors. Sometimes it happens before the first date has even been booked. Though not prudish, she still rightfully expects to be treated with a modicum of respect. Lexi Amado, a bona fide Texan and kindergarten teacher, has also stepped in some nasty puddles.
