April 6 – 14, 2023 (Arrived in Japan on April 15)
by Hide Ono / ivy web
I’m a freelance web designer from Japan.
To be honest, working while constantly moving from one place to another isn’t really my strength.
So I’ve always thought, “I’m not a nomad.”
And yet, there’s always a quiet wish in me —
to try working abroad,
to see how life and work might feel in a different country.
This time, I decided to try again.
The place was Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
Arrival in Ho Chi Minh
After recovering a little from a fever in Bangkok,
I arrived at Tan Son Nhat Airport in Ho Chi Minh.
I stayed at Gia Vien Hotel, near Bui Vien Street.
It’s known for its nightlife,
but since I wasn’t feeling great,
I stayed in, walked a bit nearby,
and had a quiet dinner of pho.
I went to bed early, planning to take a PCR test the next day before flying home.
PCR Test and a Bit of Work
The next morning, I went to DIAG Laboratory for my PCR test.
The test was done around 10:30 a.m.,
and the result was expected by 4:30 p.m.
With a few hours to spare,
I wandered around looking for somewhere I could work.
I found a cafe called One Coffee —
quiet, with Wi-Fi and outlets.
I ordered a banh mi and a cafe latte set for 59,000 dong (about $2.5).
Unbelievably cheap.
As I drank the latte,
I did a little work and organized my travel notes.
It was only a short time,
but somehow it felt like my “ordinary work”
and the air of this new city had quietly overlapped.
The Test Result
In the evening, I returned to the hotel and opened my email.
Next to the word “POSITIVE” was the number 23.
I looked it up — and realized it meant I had tested positive for COVID.
I had half expected it, but still, it hit me with a quiet shock.
Beginning of Isolation
I didn’t panic.
Before this trip, I had watched a YouTube video by Takeshi Tanaka
about what to do if you get COVID in Vietnam — and it came back to me immediately.
Thanks to that, I knew exactly what to do.
First, I called my insurance company.
Then I booked an online consultation with DYM Medical Center.
They prescribed medicine and arranged for delivery by motorbike.
Next, I searched for a hotel where I could stay in isolation.
I contacted Azumaya Hotel Le Thanh Ton, a Japanese-run hotel.
At first they said it was fully booked,
but later a Japanese staff member called me — on her day off — and said they could prepare a room.
Thanks to her kindness, I was able to check in that evening.
Long Days in Isolation
At Azumaya, everyone was very kind.
Meals were brought to my room, and I was truly grateful for their help.
But the days that followed felt endlessly long.
My body was already fine, yet I couldn’t go outside.
I tried to work, but couldn’t focus — time just passed.
Four days later, I took another PCR test.
I felt sure this time it would be negative.
Waiting for the email felt strangely long.
And then —
still positive.
Three days later, I took yet another test.
This time, I really thought it would be fine.
The result arrived.
…Positive, again.
I sighed, thinking, “I must be better by now.”
Then I tried a piece of advice I found online —
washing my nose with salt water.
It sounded ridiculous, but I was ready to try anything.
And so, I took my third test.
The Third PCR Test
This time, the result was negative.
I couldn’t help smiling — my steps felt lighter as I walked back.
I submitted the insurance documents to DYM Medical Center and started getting ready to go home.
On the night of April 14, I left Ho Chi Minh City.
By the morning of April 15, I was back in Japan.
Reflection
My stay in Ho Chi Minh didn’t go as planned.
What was supposed to be a short work trip turned into days of isolation.
But when I look back,
there was kindness everywhere —
and a quiet, unforgettable time that reminded me that even stillness
is part of the journey.
Nomad Life — small experiments in working abroad, one quiet step at a time.
