An Italian man is earning money by cleaning cars at traffic lights at a junction in Hanoi.

Arca Arcenciel Toppino is cleaning a car at a red light near Bac Co Slope in Hoan Kiem District in Hanoi.

Arca Arcenciel Toppino arrives at a red light near Bac Co Slope in Hoan Kiem District everyday and does his job between 7-9am and 3-5pm.

He told Bao Giao Thong or the Transport Newspaper said that he has been doing this job for more than a month now and is earning enough to cover his living.

"I have been living in Vietnam for three years and have a Vietnamese wife," he said. "My wife has a stable job with good income and we have a house here. Life is not too difficult but I should also have something to do to earn some more money.

The Italian man said that he used to sell sport shoes online and had prepared to open a shop here but there were some problems that he could not start his business.

"I decided to take this job because I really like it," he said. "When I was in Italy, I was impressed when seeing some foreign tourists doing this to earn money."

With some very simple tools including a towel, a wiper brush, and small sprayer for his work, Arca is being paid VND10,000 (USD0.45), VND 50,000 or VND 300,000 or even nothing depending on the vehicle owners.

“No matter how much they give me, this work is very interesting," he said. "I love Vietnam and find that Vietnamese people very friendly and easy-going."

Although the Italian man said that he did not care about how people think about his work, it has attracted lots of attention from local people most of whom expressed surprise at a foreigner doing such work.

"I admire him for his willing to do that work," a facebook user said. "I know many Vietnamese people here are jobless but will not take that job, fearing that they can lose their face by doing it."

"He's very hard-working and deserves respect and good tips," a reader commented on a story about him on Dan Tri Online.

But some people said they would not let him clean their cars because it is not a reliable service.

"I see him only choose luxury cars to work on," an anonymous Facebook user said. "He wears a signboard saying free service but always comes to talk to the driver after doing his work. I think he wants to ask for money. And he can't make cars clean in such a short time."

Dtinews