Cooking Vietnamese food is simple, but it can be difficult in some places to get the ingredients you need. If you don't have a local Asian market that carries specialty ingredients, don't give up: go online. In most cases, you can find the ingredients you're looking for after a short search.
Rice is an important part of most Vietnamese food dishes, but cooking it just right can be difficult. Your best bet is to get your hands on a rice cooker. For best results, cook one part right and one and a half parts water, and add 2-3 tables spoons of rice.