sketchwalk may'11 Holland Village

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sketchwalk mar11 #3

Its too bad I couldn't sketch more in Vietnam due to time shortage, and the weather was punishing. It wasn't as though I made trips to certain location just for sketching, you know? I had several hours in the two airports purely doing nothing, and even though I was exhausted I made 2 sketches to kill time. But i guess if i were to break up my abundance of time in the airports into 4 parts, I was mainly checking out gerls, playing game on my phone, smoking and checking out gerls.




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Vietnamese Stories Part 3 Art & Design

Being in a foreign country, I definitely want to check out its local design scene. Unfortunately, it is close to none. I mean…they are a few graphic design shops with printing services I’ve come across, some street clothing store with those funky sneakers, and plenty of art galleries. Perhaps there were more in HCMC with it being the largest city. Hanoi however was close to none. The furniture stores were mainly selling tradition Chinese carvings, and there was only one store I passed by in the taxi that sells modern furniture. Some furniture in the Re-unification palace had a mix of influence of both Chinese and French.

I tried asking the tour agent but to no avail. Later on while using Google map, I found a Hanoi University of Art located quite far away from my hotel, but I was determined to check it out. My memorable motorbike experience in Bangkok kept me away from taking the motorbike taxi, so I decided to go on foot.

It was long walk and I had to ask many for directions. Surprisingly, I found a small little shop house with a large poster saying “Graphic, Fashion and Shoes Design”. I was exhilarated and I entered immediately. The entire place was covered in red paint with pictures of photography, graphic art and a picture of Philippe Starck hung on the wall. I wonder why Philippe Starck…Hmm…

What came after this wasn’t as exciting. I spoke to the manager, the only one who speaks English, with a prominent scar on his face.

“The design in Hanoi is small. Mostly you can see is just the Chinese and French influence with the architecture. *Blar blar blar* The course here is 6 months and it cost 1,200USD. After which we will give them a certification. They student can also choose to go for advance certification.”

I was very disappointed with the manager’s un-welcoming attitude, even when I provided my namecard and revealed that I’m a product designer, pointing to the picture of Philippe Starck who is also a product designer. I asked if I could see the students work exhibited in the school but seems as though they have none to exhibit, not even in their brochure. I was denied to visit the studio upstairs but was shown an introductory video of the ‘school’ through a laptop. Absolutely disappointing.

The scarred face manager, however, gave me the exact address of the University of Arts. When I got there, I bashed into one of the art studio (Not literately) like an un-invited guest. It turns out that the hours of walking and searching was worthwhile after all.

“We are second year students here. We have to study here for 5 years before we graduate and each semester cost 100USD.” (That makes 1,000USD for the entire 5 years)

“Our parents are supportive of us doing arts, even though it is not easy earning money in arts. My father is also an artist, so he is supportive. I’m also doing some graphic design so that after I graduate, I will have more options.”

I can do nothing more than to encourage them to continue their aspiration. I also advised them to upload their works online inorder to spread them worldwide, and with it being free there is nothing to lose. It is inspiring for me to see students pursuing their dreams in arts even in a society such as Vietnam.

End of the day, after chatting with the students for awhile I felt an unknown sense of relief. Maybe because I felt that my decision to give up my Halong Bay trip due to time shortage was a right choice. I am now tired of typing and gathering my thoughts. So I am going to end this abruptly.

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Vietnamese Stories Part 2

In part 1 of Vietnamese Stories, I mentioned about Dan whose father owns the hotel I was staying in Ho Chi Min City with a small restaurant and a “middle-person” tour agency fitted into their lobby. Dan represents the youth which he described as “Parents work hard and given everything to their children”. He graduated from local university with a degree in Economics. The biggest difference between him and our youth in his country is that he is given the opportunity to dream and aspire, unlike a lot others.

“I learn my English by talking to the tourist here. When I came out of University I can’t speak English at all. Only can write…….Now I’m helping my father to run this hotel. If you graduate from university, you can get a 8hrs job. If not, you have to work 12hrs or even more, 24hrs.”

“I think that guest who stays in our hotel, we have to make them happy. If they are not happy, then they will not come back next time.”

I was curious as to what else he aspires to be except to managing the hotel, so I asked what he thought of doing outside of this hotel.

“Oh, I can do many things. Like tour agency, go other hotels and help people make motor bike license….”

Wait What?!? I had to stop him right there to confirm what I just heard.

Me: “So you’re saying that for someone like me who can’t ride a motor bike in my own country, I can pay you money and you will make me license in your country?”

“Yes. If you pay me 200USD, I will make you a motor bike license.”

Baring in mind the kind of traffic in Vietnam, I wouldn’t want to ride a motor bike even if I have the license to. That explains the many motorists who seem too young to be on the roads with their gerlfriends. I believe they either get a cheaper local rate or they don’t even have license to start with. But I have to salute their driving skills to avoid people walking dogs, motorist going against the traffic and other reckless drivers. Yes, there are even more reckless drivers among all these reckless drivers.

Another youth I spoke to is of a different background. His name is Tguyen (If I’m not wrong), a 21 year old trainee in a social enterprise that provides vocational hands-on training to give youth like Tguyen a useful skill that would lift them out of poverty. This place is called KOTO (Know One, Teach One) and it is basically a restaurant located in Hanoi.

“I’m not from Hanoi. I am from ***** (I’m not familiar with this location). You know *****? I come here to learn new things and I will be working in **** Hotel when I graduate.”

I don’t understand half of what he was saying. He probably only started learning English in KOTO which is a 2 year program. Later I asked about his stay in KOTO, whether he paid to be in this program and about his family living outside Hanoi.

“I really enjoy living here. We are like brothers and sisters. The training here is free and we are living in a hostel near by. My family is poor and my father is a farmer. I come here to learn more so I can do more in the future and give more to my family.”

As I said earlier, I was having a hard time understanding his English. If I’m not wrong, the trainees work for 8hrs a day, so at least we know that they are not exploited.

“You….can understand what I say? I am sorry. My English is not good.”

After chatting with Tguyen and another female trainee, Tam, for quite awhile, I find these youth are highly enthusiastic and very eager to learn. I also felt that they are genuinely happy in KOTO. Like what Tguyen said earlier, they are like brothers and sisters. Even though the price is slightly higher than other restaurants, the trainees there gave me the best service during my stay in Vietnam, the food was delicious, and their generous smiles were free of charge. Speaking of which, Tguyen mentioned that he will contact my email so I could send him the photo I took of him and Tam, but he hasn’t. Maybe he had lost my namecard. Hmm…

During my stay, I see many youth trying to make a living in the streets by shoe polishing, selling books or other accessories. One of them I noticed had teeth in very bad condition even at his age. Once I saw a boy looking as young as 8 year old, carrying a stack of novels and guide book approaching tourists. What I don’t understand is why are these people selling the same stuff as though they carry them out of the same factory, as though there is a black hand controlling all these.

To be continued.

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Vietnamese Stories Part 1

Vietnamese Stories Part 1

In my short stay in Vietnam I had spoken to many people, including tourists, to understand their lives and culture in this nearby part of the world with very different society. I shall share with all these stories, but note that I did not ask for their names because I am so good at forgetting names, so I shall give random names.

Of all that I’ve heard, one came as most shocking to me was a taxi driver who have to work 24 hours a day. When I first heard of this from Dan (not his real name), the son of the owner of the hotel I was staying in HCMC, I was having much doubt. The next day, I had a flight to Hanoi and I took a taxi to the airport. The driver was a well dressed man speaking good English which I shall call him Vin. The topic came when I asked whether he had been to Singapore and he replied...

“No, I have not been to Singapore. I have to drive for 24hrs shift in order to provide for my two children. I rest a full day the next day and I continue 24hrs”.

I had to ask him again to assure that I heard it correctly, then I asked why don’t he work on a 12hrs shift and rest for 12hrs. For a Singaporean, it sounds like a fair proposition. Until now, I still cannot comprehend the reason for 24hrs shift.

“No, I can’t. 12hrs is not enough. It has to be 24hrs. After 24hrs, the company (Vinnasun Taxi) pays me about 20-24USD. I sleep a little in the afternoon in my taxi and then I continue again”.

Now, his taxi is a MPV that is spacious and comfortable with very clear metering. If he only earns 1USD per hour after 24hrs, I can’t imagine how other drivers are earning. Its no wonder that many Vietnamese had to resort to scamming the tourist to make a living. I had totally forgiven the first cab driver who ripped me off big time from that point onwards.

“Living here is difficult. A lot of taxi drivers. We earn more if we pick up tourist from the airport, because they travel longer distance. We earn very little from short trips inside city. A lot of taxis wait at the airport, but they don’t allow too much taxis inside. So we are given a number card.”

“If you put 100,000USD in the Vietnam bank, you get 700USD every month. You don’t have to work. The American children here are rich. They don’t work, but they do whatever they want here. It is difficult for Vietnamese to buy their own house. A small apartment can cost up to 60,000USD.”

I think it is safe for me to say that Vin’s income is fully reliant on tourism alone, because within the city there are many form of transportations that are cheaper than a taxi. Every street corners and junctions there are motor-bike taxi where riders can look as young as 18.

“My daughter is 20 and she just finished high school. My son is 18 and still in school.”

I asked whether his daughter is thinking of further studies and whether she has good grades then she could apply for scholarship to ease the burden.

“She is thinking of working to help earn money. Err…*Laughs. Her studies are not that good. In Vietnam, woman cannot study too high because it will be difficult to find a husband.”

To which I jokingly said that she can come to Singapore if that happens because the women in Singapore can earn more than the men. In my opinion, that’s fine with me but I don’t know about the rest.

The young Vietnamese are slowly shedding the old conservative values. Do not think of long sleeves and trousers, people are wearing those in the day time because they are wrapping their skin over the metal body of their scooters under the hot sun. At night, you will see women dressing more casually in shorts. Tons of young men bringing their gerlfriends on a night out and mostly chilling out at the park. I’m guessing their criteria to have a girlfriend is to first own a scooter, with their most fashionable being Vespa.

I must say that I do admire Vietnamese women for their resilience to hardship. It is not uncommon to see pregnant women still working, climbing up and down, or old women selling random accessories in the streets from day to night. Not forgetting that the Vietnamese gerls are Cute~~. Some are pretty, though not gorgeous, but I’m totally up for Vietnamese gerls.

To be continued…

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