“Top mo boy’ is the nickname given to him by netizens after reading Jordy’s post on his page about ‘top mo’ (cracklings). The American man wrote that he can eat top mo every day and see top mo in his dreams.

The post about top mo has received tens of thousands of interactions on social networks. Though the post first appeared three years ago, it still is shared among diners’ groups.

The man not only has great passion for top mo, but for many other things in Vietnam, from people to culture to landscapes. In late 2022, he decided to move to Thailand and live there, but just six months later, he gave up a good job  and decided to come back to HCM City.

Previously, he lived in New York and ran a recording company which worked with famous music companies for 25 years. This gave him opportunities to travel to many countries and he always spent time learning about the countries’ culture and traditional customs.

Tet in Vietnam is one of the most wonderful and interesting things that he has experienced.

He set foot in Southeast Asia for the first time in 2015. He decided to sell all of its assets to move to Southeast Asia to lead a nomadic life there. He intended to stay for six months or one year in every city.

In the first year, Jordy lived and worked in Phnom Penh, where he had interesting experiences. However, the man fell seriously ill and his closest friend unexpectedly passed away in an accident.

Recalling the days, Jordy said he lost his sense of direction and could not find the reasons for living, calling it the most terrible time in his life.

At first, he intended to return to his homeland, but he heard about Vietnam and decided to go.

He set foot in HCM City on April 29, 2019, and could not have imagined that the trip to Vietnam could heal his scars

The city gave Jordy an incredibly warm and close feeling. Local people were friendly, hospitable and they inquired after the American man. Someone asked for permission to take a photo with Jordy, while others liked to stroke Jordy's unique beard.

They were curious but likable. They cared about his hair, beard and tattoos, thus making him no longer feel lonely. Though he could not understand Vietnamese, he still could feel their care through their eyes and gestures.

In HCM City, Jordy saw the national flags, red color with yellow star, hanging all over the city. He loved the ancient temples and pagodas, unique architecture, and diverse and attractive dishes. He liked the feeling of sitting on a red chair and enjoying food priced below $3 (about VND70,000) in small alleys in HCM City.

He decided to stay in HCM City and began a new life, hoping that the beautiful land would heal his wounds.

In Vietnam, Jordy works as a teacher of English. He said his students and their parents have introduced the Vietnamese culture, cuisine and landscapes to him. In his free time, he likes visiting pagodas. Over the last four years, he has been to hundreds of pagodas in Vietnam. 

In the past, Jordy did not like holidays because they were too crowded and noisy. But he has changed his mind since he set foot in Vietnam.

He experienced the first Tet holiday in 2020, when he witnessed the whole city turn red and yellow, and saw people in long dresses taking pictures in front of shops, parks and restaurants. Numerous delicious and eye-catching dishes were displayed at shops, and on pavement eateries. He was impressed by red lanterns and li xi (lucky money) envelopes.

The things he saw and the Tet atmosphere excited him. He was caught up in the atmosphere. It made him feel like a child again experiencing Christmas for the first time, and he wanted to immerse himself in it.

Jordy said his small apartment is decorated with Tet style all year round, with lanterns, flashing lights, and red decorations.

Linh Trang