Love of Hanoi from a special COVID-19 patient

Jean Noel Poirier lived in Vietnam for 12 years, during which he worked for one term as a French Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City (2000 – 2004) and another as the French ambassador in Hanoi (2012 - 2016).

Reflecting on the time when he first started taking up the new position, Poirer narrated his story in Vietnamese: “When I first started taking up the ambassador position in August 2012, I instantly had a familiar feeling with this place, as if I had been living here before. Maybe it’s because in Hanoi, the reminiscence of French architecture still remain, especially in the old Quarter. Actually the first time I came here was for a diplomatic meeting with former Foreign Minister Nguyen Co Thach in 1989. The city gave me a waim feeling, but I was bored as there was almost no nightlife at that time. But by the time I came back, the city had become very dynamic and vibrant. Young people looked very cheerful and they always smiled with positive thoughts”.