Andrew, Hien and I hopped on the 02 bus and headed to Big C, the area where we thought Trung Van would be. Unfortunately after asking around, the xe om drivers told us that in order to get to Trung Van, we would have to walk for an hour and since there wasn't a bus route that took us directly to Trung Van, so we had to call for a taxi.
After arriving in the area, not all of the locals knew where Trung Van was. We asked around some more for directions and ended up at the front gate of a residential area which lucky for us, was Trung Van. The security personnel who worked there let us through but told us that we were not able to take pictures or video record anything. One of the security guards followed us for a few minutes on his bike and then eventually left so we were off to explore.
The area had a community gate and Trung Van was still under construction. There was only one building where there were actually some people living there, but other than that, it was just the construction workers. We saw probably about four people who live there, but we didn't get to ask them about the lifestyle there or costs of living. Fortunately for us, I asked the security worker where the closest market in the area was and if vendors were allowed to wander the streets of Trung Van, of course he said that there was a local market nearby not within the vicinity and that people who did not live there would not be able to enter the gates of Trung Van after construction was done.
Some of the homes there looked modernized as if you could see the same of architecture in magazines or in the United States. Each home had their front porch lined with fencing which made it seem like a jail. When walking through the area, I felt that I was a fish out of water and Vietnam is not what it used to be the last time I was here. The houses were so separated and I felt as if there was no sense of community which saddens me because I felt like people were becoming more isolate and independent. It made me think about what Vietnam has become and the first thought that popped into my head when I got there was "globalization = bad." If I had the opportunity to live within this area, I would not want to live there.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Mapping the City
Thank you Hien, Thoa and Andrew for being so nice and willing to spend your Saturday exploring instead of Friday :) Thank you, thank you <3
Ho Dac Di and Tran Huu Tuoc is two large streets that outline a lake (Ho Dac…something) I absolutely love the lake view, but I was sad that we weren’t equipped to go fishing. There were so many local stores and recreations within a small proximity. It’s kind of crazy but it’s nice because it creates a sense of community. With such limited space, it seems hectic, but it people don’t seem to be bothered by it.
Andrew and I had our first banh bao in Vietnam that morning (they didn’t have xa xiu and not as good as it is in the states but that was okay) We walked up, down and all about the area and found SAO MAI (yay! my volunteer organization) It began to rain, so we went to a New Zealand ice cream parlor. It was relatively expensive (38.000 for two scoops) but was delicious :D Afterwards, as we were walking around the lake, I saw this lady with tau walk down the lake doing something out of the ordinary so I followed her down the steps to the water. I thought she was going to do laundry or something but when I got to the bottom, I saw the tau filled with candy, fishes, sea-snails. The lady was throwing money and food into the lake. Hien and Thoa asked her what she was doing and she said that she was making an offering for the lost souls and homeless people who have don’t have people to pray for them. Then this old man burnt paper houses and money and dumped ashes into the lake as his offering (pollution!!!). It was nice to see the culture and have an understanding of what they were doing. (VERY NICE PEOPLE)
I definitely wouldn’t mind living there a few days, but not for a long time span. Right outside of Ho Dac Di was Nguyen Trai and there were much larger buildings like Parkson Mall, etc. Although that area is similar to the area around Dai Hoc Ha Noi (like any other place in Viet Nam), I prefer to not to live there just because I’m more familiar to the area around school and I have had the opportunity to get to know some of the locals and vendors already.
Ho Dac Di and Tran Huu Tuoc is two large streets that outline a lake (Ho Dac…something) I absolutely love the lake view, but I was sad that we weren’t equipped to go fishing. There were so many local stores and recreations within a small proximity. It’s kind of crazy but it’s nice because it creates a sense of community. With such limited space, it seems hectic, but it people don’t seem to be bothered by it.
Andrew and I had our first banh bao in Vietnam that morning (they didn’t have xa xiu and not as good as it is in the states but that was okay) We walked up, down and all about the area and found SAO MAI (yay! my volunteer organization) It began to rain, so we went to a New Zealand ice cream parlor. It was relatively expensive (38.000 for two scoops) but was delicious :D Afterwards, as we were walking around the lake, I saw this lady with tau walk down the lake doing something out of the ordinary so I followed her down the steps to the water. I thought she was going to do laundry or something but when I got to the bottom, I saw the tau filled with candy, fishes, sea-snails. The lady was throwing money and food into the lake. Hien and Thoa asked her what she was doing and she said that she was making an offering for the lost souls and homeless people who have don’t have people to pray for them. Then this old man burnt paper houses and money and dumped ashes into the lake as his offering (pollution!!!). It was nice to see the culture and have an understanding of what they were doing. (VERY NICE PEOPLE)
I definitely wouldn’t mind living there a few days, but not for a long time span. Right outside of Ho Dac Di was Nguyen Trai and there were much larger buildings like Parkson Mall, etc. Although that area is similar to the area around Dai Hoc Ha Noi (like any other place in Viet Nam), I prefer to not to live there just because I’m more familiar to the area around school and I have had the opportunity to get to know some of the locals and vendors already.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
McDonald's Crew Member
I do not mean to be generalizing American teenagers, but there is a good amount of us out there (myself included) that take everything for granted. I have never held a job in my life, and here goes a girl who started working when she was fifteen to help her mom pay the bills (my parents wanted me to only concentrate in school…was not because I was lazy or anything).
What caught my attention the most about this interview was that, working at a young age to help out the family is a major concept in Vietnam. When I first came to Vietnam, my mom told me to visit the countryside where she grew up. So, my cousin, niece and I took the two hour bus ride to Nga Nam. While on the bus, I met this girl who was working for the bus company selling bus ticket. Unfortunately, we did not really strike up a conversation, but I overheard her talking to a friend about working to pay for school and books (because education is not free like it is in the states). Furthermore, I knew she was younger than me. It saddens me to see that kids have to grow up so fast, missing out on their childhood, but it enlightens me to see that kids can mature quickly and be responsible.
I admire Kysha’s optimism and her perseverance of working to help out her mom and not just sitting on the porch and sobbing over the fact that she is poor, actually taking initiatives and doing something about it.
What caught my attention the most about this interview was that, working at a young age to help out the family is a major concept in Vietnam. When I first came to Vietnam, my mom told me to visit the countryside where she grew up. So, my cousin, niece and I took the two hour bus ride to Nga Nam. While on the bus, I met this girl who was working for the bus company selling bus ticket. Unfortunately, we did not really strike up a conversation, but I overheard her talking to a friend about working to pay for school and books (because education is not free like it is in the states). Furthermore, I knew she was younger than me. It saddens me to see that kids have to grow up so fast, missing out on their childhood, but it enlightens me to see that kids can mature quickly and be responsible.
I admire Kysha’s optimism and her perseverance of working to help out her mom and not just sitting on the porch and sobbing over the fact that she is poor, actually taking initiatives and doing something about it.
Introduction :)
I took my first breath into the world on July 31, 1990 in Fountain Valley, California. I was born into traditional, conservative Vietnamese family and raised as Roman Catholic. I am the youngest and of four siblings (one brother and two half-brothers). I was daddy’s little girl :)
I grew up in Santa Ana (some people called it the “ghetto”) and lived right across the street from Rosita Elementary school. Every morning my mom walked my brother and I to school and then she left for work. Afterschool, my dad picked us up, walked us home and then he left for work. My dad purposely worked the midnight shift for MacDonald Douglas/Boeing, because he was afraid that we would get kidnapped or something.
Growing up, my brother and I always went to a baby sitter because there was not any one older in the house to take care of us. Although it was nice going to the baby sitter and hanging out with the other kids, I wanted to be home or spending quality time with my parents. I vaguely remember packing my stuff every day, and standing at the door, looking through the screen door waiting for my mom to come pick us up :( we were not mistreated or anything but I was definitely scared of one of the mothers who sent her son to the same baby sitter. I remember her threatening all the kids there to behave or otherwise she would hit us with the rose stem with big-ass thorns. Also, there was something eerie about the house that made me feel uncomfortable, I just wanted to be home, in the setting that I was familiar with. It was not until my grandmother came from Vietnam, were my brother and I able to come home instead of going to the baby sitter.
I guess this leads to one of the main reasons why I choose to study abroad in Vietnam. I wanted to study abroad in Vietnam because I wanted to visit my grandmother in Soc Trang who I had not seen in about five years. This studying abroad was planned around the fact that I wanted to see her before anything happened. Unfortunate that she passed away two months ago, but I feel that it was better in the sense that she was no suffering anymore not being able to eat, walk or speak anymore. She was a big part of my life and although she is not around anymore, I am glad I was able to visit her grave twice before I left for Hanoi.
On a less emotional state, I wanted to study abroad in Vietnam because one of my goals is to relearn Vietnamese and maintain it. After four years of just speaking it, I have forgotten how to read and write. And in order to connect with the people, it is essential to learn Vietnamese. On another note, I feel that it is important to learn about one’s cultural heritage in order to be proud of who they are. I wanted to learn about the Vietnamese lifestyle and the dynamics of Vietnam. The last time I was in Vietnam and it was in 1997; a lot has changed since then.
Going abroad never stepped foot into my mind when I started college but neither was joining a fraternity, but I believe that everything happens for a reason and luckily I am here today.
I grew up in Santa Ana (some people called it the “ghetto”) and lived right across the street from Rosita Elementary school. Every morning my mom walked my brother and I to school and then she left for work. Afterschool, my dad picked us up, walked us home and then he left for work. My dad purposely worked the midnight shift for MacDonald Douglas/Boeing, because he was afraid that we would get kidnapped or something.
Growing up, my brother and I always went to a baby sitter because there was not any one older in the house to take care of us. Although it was nice going to the baby sitter and hanging out with the other kids, I wanted to be home or spending quality time with my parents. I vaguely remember packing my stuff every day, and standing at the door, looking through the screen door waiting for my mom to come pick us up :( we were not mistreated or anything but I was definitely scared of one of the mothers who sent her son to the same baby sitter. I remember her threatening all the kids there to behave or otherwise she would hit us with the rose stem with big-ass thorns. Also, there was something eerie about the house that made me feel uncomfortable, I just wanted to be home, in the setting that I was familiar with. It was not until my grandmother came from Vietnam, were my brother and I able to come home instead of going to the baby sitter.
I guess this leads to one of the main reasons why I choose to study abroad in Vietnam. I wanted to study abroad in Vietnam because I wanted to visit my grandmother in Soc Trang who I had not seen in about five years. This studying abroad was planned around the fact that I wanted to see her before anything happened. Unfortunate that she passed away two months ago, but I feel that it was better in the sense that she was no suffering anymore not being able to eat, walk or speak anymore. She was a big part of my life and although she is not around anymore, I am glad I was able to visit her grave twice before I left for Hanoi.
On a less emotional state, I wanted to study abroad in Vietnam because one of my goals is to relearn Vietnamese and maintain it. After four years of just speaking it, I have forgotten how to read and write. And in order to connect with the people, it is essential to learn Vietnamese. On another note, I feel that it is important to learn about one’s cultural heritage in order to be proud of who they are. I wanted to learn about the Vietnamese lifestyle and the dynamics of Vietnam. The last time I was in Vietnam and it was in 1997; a lot has changed since then.
Going abroad never stepped foot into my mind when I started college but neither was joining a fraternity, but I believe that everything happens for a reason and luckily I am here today.
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