The Night is Always Young in Saigon

By: Bonnie Teh, Joanna Maria and Lim Feixiang

Photos by Audrey Samuel and Lim Feixiang

Let us just put it out blatantly for everyone to see- Saigon’s nightlife is very much alive and thriving. For all the hustle and bustle of the city during the day, Saigon can easily join Kuala Lumpur as the city that never sleeps in South East Asia. With the many tourists and locals who make the vibrant city streets come alive at night, Saigon cannot be painted in words. At night, Saigon must be experienced through the many senses - sight, sound and smell. Like many other cities, the local hotspots at night are flooded with tourists out for different kinds of ‘fun’. Crossing the streets can be just as hazardous during the night as in the day, with motorcycles and taxis weaving past and surrounding you like flies- not to mention the amount of honking going down during the night that can drive you a little insane.

             

Perhaps the question on everyone’s mind, where nightlife is concerned, is whether alcohol is cheap. Regular cocktails are a little cheaper than back home, going for approx. RM18-22. As far as beer goes though, the answer is a resounding yes. One of our easy-going nights out took us down the alley of our hotel to a small corner shop where we enjoyed some beer with our new Vietnamese friends. Their local Saigon brew cost only RM1 for a mug and roughly RM2 for your standard bottle of beer. Heaven indeed!

             

The seating culture in Vietnam public places is a very strange and interesting feature to point out. On our first night out, we saw stools and seats half their usual size, with which we made ourselves comfortable, on a freshly set table in the alley. It was packed tight with tourists and locals making merry over beers, with the occasional ‘Yoh!’ (CHEERS!) shouted out every once in a while. We joined in of course, how could we refuse good Vietnamese hospitality?

             

After only a couple of rounds, we began sharing laughs and stories with our Vietnamese counterparts, and before long, it was as if we’ve known each other for the longest time ever. After a simple outing like this, we’ve come to realise how many similarities we share despite our cultural differences. It is indeed interesting to see how friendships can be formed and strengthened over a couple of beers. 

           

It is important to note however, that the fun stuff does not always happen in the bars. Take a walk around the park at the backpacker’s street at night and you will find a flurry of activity to partake in. We ‘patronized’ the public park on some nights and mingled with local Vietnamese people who were just as eager to get to know us as we, them. The sight of both the young and old kicking about a shuttlecock-looking object, called sutecock, attracted our attention. A popular sport among the locals, they kick around the contraption with their legs, shoulders, head and even their belly. The amount of skill they possess is phenomenal. They can tackle, juggle and handle the shuttlecock without even looking – it is as if they have memorized the shuttlecock trajectory through years of practice.

             

The Vietnamese notion of public parks is also rather different from ours in Malaysia. We discovered something most fascinating- the Vietnamese have a culture of getting together casually to not only learn, but also practice English at night. Not to say that anyone amongst them was qualified professionally to teach the language, but they exchanged what they knew. It was a touching sight as most of us take English for granted back home. The fact that some of us were fortunate enough to grow up speaking English at home made us blind to the value of so precious a language.

Public parks: the place to be

           

Perhaps its the night sky that makes everyone friendlier- because once we became acquainted with one local, the rest followed suit and asked question after question about where we were from and what we do. We were like mini celebrities. There was even a man in his 40s who rapped for us in English. Not too bad, we’d say!

           

It also warmed our hearts to see parents take their kids out to the park. They let the kids run, play and mingle with other kids. To make the most of the situation were vendors who selling street food and toys. There were also people who doing their routine jogs and exercises. The park really is a one stop area for everything, making us think of the symbolism public places hold.

             

Following relentless days and nights of visiting historic places, learning the culture of and mingling with the natives, the Saigon explorers set out to experience and understand the nightlife in Saigon city. Being typical young adults, we headed to not one, but two nightlife locations in Saigon city. Upon entering the clubs, one can’t help but be captured by its liveliness, the steady beat of music and the roaring of the crowd. People were comfortably dancing and mingling with each other as the DJ worked hard to keep the “people in the house” alive. The foremost thought to cross my mind was the lack of stuffiness and smoke hanging in the air unlike the clubs back home. The main patrons of the club were of course, Vietnamese people dressed to the nines.

We soon realized at our first stop that it is a Vietnamese tradition to serve a big ‘fruit bowl’ in a club. This encompasses a variety of fruits such as watermelon, grapes, rambutan and other assortment of fruits arranged beautifully in a clear bowl of ice. However due to miscommunication, the bowl of fruits which we thought was complimentary, ended up costing us each 50, 000 VND (approximately RM 8) but we went along with the flow as we did not want to let such a small matter damper our spirits. At our next stop however, we declined their offer of serving us another fruit bowl. Soon enough, we settled in and started swaying to the sound of music. As the night progressed, we realized that there are certain differences worth pointing out about partying in Saigon.

The fruits from hell

The first thing that stands out when entering a club in Saigon is the number of security personnel present. While it is common to have security or bouncers by the door, it was the first time many of us experienced tight security within the club. Through observation it appeared that the main duty of the security personnel was to ensure that there were no misfortunate incidents occurring within the club. Due to the jam-packed nature of clubs, these security guards also double as human barricades to allow people to pass through, making navigation through the night club a tad bit easier. Nonetheless some of us had the misfortune to experience the rudeness and unfriendliness of the security personnel, accidently shoving us and pulling our hands to get us walking faster. However, annoyance aside, we recognize that they were trying to do their jobs in order to ensure the safety and smooth operation of the club. Another interesting factoid about clubbing in Vietnam is that there are no identity card checks at clubs, as our student guides informed us that there is no lawful legal age for alcohol consumption in Vietnam.

Party rocking in Saigon

Interestingly enough, the music that was being played in both the locations visited was modern English music. In fact, the main attraction of the second club was an international DJ who was visiting Saigon for a short time. Featuring songs ranging from Lady Gaga to Tina Turner, the crowds were going crazy, dancing and singing along. One of our student guides informed us that partying goes on till 2am, as that is the standard closing time for nightlife spots in Saigon, an hour earlier than Malaysian hot spots but ample time to soak in the music and environment. A few Vietnamese from the adjacent table even offered ‘cheers’ to us a couple of times. Perhaps it was their way of welcoming us, as we evidently stood out amongst the locals.

As in many countries including Malaysia, due to entrance fees as well as the prices of food and beverages, only those who are financially privileged are able to enjoy such luxuries. Nevertheless, if only for once, every traveller visiting Saigon ought to pay nightclubs a visit one time to party rock- Vietnam style.


Bloggers' Profiles 

Bonnie Teh, 22 years young, currently pursuing Journalism and International Studies at Monash Malaysia. Believes that opportunities are not made, but seen. Tries to maintain a healthy balance between academics, an active lifestyle and a meaningful existence.

Lim Feixiang, is a Marketing and Communications double degree student. Alongside headlining this year’s Photography team, he can be found breaking hearts in the cafeteria, flexing biceps and on occasion, triceps.

 

JoannaMaria, 25, is an Honours student doing a thesis on female gamers and identity negotiation.

Food off the Streets

By Joanna Mary

Photos by Joanna Mary

One of the first thoughts that entered my head as we drove along the streets of Saigon upon our arrival was “O my God, I am so NOT going to have a problem finding food even at 3am!” I was captivated by the multitude of street vendors lined up along the sidewalk selling a variety of food and drinks. Street vendors can often be found in parks, and in any available spaces in front of buildings. Visiting these stalls, one can often select from a choice of baguettes, Pho (pronounced fur), crab noodle soup, a variety of fresh fruit as well as fruit juices and much much more. Prices are also affordable, starting from 15, 000 VND (approximately RM 3) to a maximum of 45, 000 VND (approximately RM7).

The variety of fresh fruits available in Saigon (our favourite munchie).

Generally there are two types of street vendors, those that have permanent stalls and the wandering sellers. A wandering seller refers to someone who balances a bamboo stick on their shoulder and goes around selling edibles, on foot. For most of us, street food became part of our daily diet, as its value-for-money and we were able to experience authentic Vietnamese cuisine. Ordering is often a hilarious experience due to communication barriers, thus relying mainly on hand gestures and a constant “no no no”. Just this afternoon when I was trying to buy a sugarcane drink from this very friendly Vietnamese lady, my failed attempt of asking the price of my drink, ended up with my drink ice-less. Nonetheless it is all part and parcel of exploring Vietnam.

Another interesting aspect of street vending in Vietnam is the small, child-like tables and chairs used to accommodate customers. The best way to understand what this looks like is to try and imagine the tables and chairs used for preschool children; that would give an idea of the size of the meal tables here. Although at first it was difficult to sit comfortably on chairs and tables meant for someone who is shorter and way smaller, I grew to cherish the moments that we had to huddle together shoulder to shoulder having a steaming bowl of Pho. I realized that the small physical space helped us bridge and embrace the cultural and individual differences as conversations flowed easier and sharing (both food and personal stories) became more open. Perhaps this would help explain the sense of community and friendliness of the Vietnamese people. There are no adequate words that I can use to describe the friendliness of the Vietnamese street vendors. Most vendors are welcoming and amazingly patient while we take hours to order and even longer to settle the bills, take relentless photos of their stall and being the inconsiderate tourists that we sometimes are, make a lot of noise. Calculations are another distressing segment of our mealtimes, but help is always at hand in the form of the vendors who patiently explain  the dongs from the dollars and thousands from the millions (never once cheating us). 

However being a street vendor is not the pathway to an easy life. I had the opportunity to briefly interview two street vendors who were kind enough to share their experiences with me. I realised after talking to them that they lead a difficult life, often making just enough money to survive, with barely enough left to save. Such is the story of Nhi, 27, a fruit juice seller located two minutes from the hotel who we frequent everyday. Nhi fell from grace when her husband was diagnosed with terminal illness and passed away two years ago, driving her to bankruptcy. She then opened up a fruit juice stall to support herself and her then 22-month old baby. She shared the difficulties that she faces in saving some extra money due to high rent and competition from other vendors. She is required to pay rental to the hotel adjacent to her stall, as the sidewalk where her stall stands is the hotel’s property. Public spaces in Vietnam interestingly enough are managed privately. In addition, competition is very high at any given time, as there are about 6 – 7 vendors selling the exact same thing as Nhi, within the same street. Most times they are usually a few feet away from each other. As Nhi shared, “the only way to survive is to keep your prices low and ignore the competitors”. However what is interesting is that although competition is widespread and the stakes are high, there still exists a strong sense of community and belonging, where everyone looks out for each other. In instances where a stall is left unattended, a neighbour will gamely stand in; a common sight is to see vendors happily chatting with each other.

Our favorite fruit juice lady, Nhi.

Life is even harder for Thuy, a 53 year old street wanderer who is still working at an old age to support a family of five. Her shift starts from noon till 2.00am daily, walking approximately 20 km, selling fresh vegetables and eggs to earn a living. She has a husband who works as a builder and three children who are unemployed. A sweet and accommodating lady, she explained during the interview how life is difficult as at times there is barely enough money for food, let alone other expenses. Thuy has been a wandering seller for so long that when we asked her how long has she been in business, she smiled at us saying, “I have been doing this for so long that I have lost count of the years”. It was a bittersweet moment, knowing that for most of these wandering sellers, chances for a brighter future remains desolately slim.

Thuy, 53, the wandering seller.

In addition, another interesting observation about Vietnamese street vendors is their mobility.  This is due to the political and economic standpoint of Vietnam, as street vendors are illegal and therefore comes under scrutiny by the police. Hence in order to avoid harassment, most vendors relocate from time to time.  Although some food stalls have some sort of permanent fixture along the sidewalks, more often than not, we have observed new vendors, in the place of old ones. This is most common especially when observing the street vendor in front of our hotel. Almost every morning, we come down to the sight and sounds of the ever changing street vendors selling all kinds of food for breakfast. Sometimes it is like a hide and seek game, where one minute you see a stall you want to try and the next day it is no longer there. This shows just how fragile the street vendors set up is- here today, gone tomorrow.

In about less than 48 hours we will be boarding the flight back to Malaysia, leaving behind good food, the familiar faces of those whose stalls we have frequented over the last eight days and the hospitality of our Vietnamese friends. I am sure I speak on behalf of all of us when I say that these street vendors have been an integral part of our experience here and it has been an eye opening experience to us, the crazy Monashians, to gain a small but nonetheless deeper understanding of the lives of Vietnamese street vendors.

Joanna Maria, 25, is an Honours student doing a thesis on female gamers and identity negotiation.

Loving the Fringes of Society

By Joanna Maria and Cheah Wui Jia

Photographs by Joanna Maria and Christyna Fong

On Day Four of the trip, the students made their way to Chuong Trinh AIDS, a NGO that helps the HIV/AIDS patients of Ho Chi Minh city through multiple channels. Having ties with a number of organizations and sub-groups, we met Mr. Pham Thanh Van, the co-ordinator, whose organization liaises with community efforts to collectively come together as one and aid HIV/AIDS patients. It was into these community efforts that the students were then divided into for the day’s session. While some were assigned to visit the Pagoda’s community effort, others went to see how individual community members had taken on leadership roles to aid others within the community.

The common thread binding all four groups is the social pandemic HIV/AIDS, showing just how ubiquitous the disease has become and how various walks of life have incorporated it into their community efforts to deal with it as effectively as possible.

This particular account has been written by students who visited the organisation Suc Song, founded by a person of Catholic faith.

“What do you think about people with HIV? Do you think they are abnormal?”

Miss Vu Thi Hue, founder of Suc Song, an organization that caters to the needs of those affected by poverty, AIDS or domestic abuse, posed the six of us this question when we visited her house on Day Three of the Saigon trip.

(from left to right) Tunh (volunteer from Suc Song), Monash student Christyna, Miss Hue, students of Monash Mumbi, Joanna, Wui Jia, Andrea, and student guides Thu and Thang.

 

Suc Song reaches out to Acquired Immuno Deficiency  Syndrome (AIDS) patients by providing a haven that offers emotional and social support and helps them in coping with the stigma surrounding the disease.  Last year they also helped provide aid and support to domestic abuse victims. The Suc Song organization has been in existence for more than three years. The founder of Suc Song, Miss Hue, attributes her cause to her Catholic faith. She feels a divine calling in her endeavor to minister to the spiritual needs of HIV/AIDS victims, who, according to her, would be vulnerable to emotional distress in relation to their physical ailments.

Anh, a volunteer with Suc Song, also ascribes her service to the organisation to her Catholic faith, her relation with the HIV/AIDS patients probably made more realistic by the fact that her husband, Man, is an AIDS sufferer. This, however, does not dampen the social workers’ passion. Anh believes that volunteering to work for the service of HIV+ victims is a calling from God.

While some of the social workers have family members who are suffering from AIDS, they are not easily beaten in spirit. Assistant leader Nguyen Van Tuan who has been doing volunteering work for the past 3 years, believes that it is his “calling” and love for God that encouraged him to carry out community projects amongst women and children affected by HIV/AIDS. Moreover the matter resides close to Mr. Tuan’s heart as he has family members affected by HIV. Having experienced the discrimination by society, he is passionate for others to not experience the bigotry experienced by his family by providing a safe environment for these women to turn to.

Volunteers from Suc Song joining the Monash students and the Vietnamese student guides for a group shot

Most of the social workers are of the Catholic faith and devout in their belief. HIV/AIDS patients are introduced to religion in order to help them gain peace of mind and heart. During the counseling stages, new patients are given a brochure that introduces them to ‘Catholicism’ and if interested, they are then directed to a counselor that guides them through their new faith. Although non-believers are not forced to accept Christianity, there are a significant number of HIV/AIDS victims (40%) that accept and embrace Catholicism. The conversion rate is even higher amongst orphan children living with HIV/AIDS (90%).

 “We feel normal and happy. We try to provide support to our own family members and help them cope with the discrimination that they face,” says Tan, a social worker.

Social workers Tan and Xuan sharing a light moment.

Volunteers of Suc Song meet these victims once a month at the house of Miss Hue to offer a listening ear or advice as sufferers of AIDS discuss difficulties and personal experiences associated with the disease.

In Vietnam, the discrimination against people with HIV/AIDS is very high. Due to misconceptions and lack of education of the illness, those who test positive are often driven away from homes and jobs, left to fend for themselves. Children with HIV/AIDS are barred from schools hence depriving them from a proper education system. Suc Song sends support groups to visit the homes of affected children. The children of the HIV-positive women who come to Miss Hue’s house for solace participate alongside their mothers in support group meetings during special occasions or festivals. In such circumstances, religion becomes a tool of strength and inspiration for these women and children to accept their circumstances and integrate into society.

Apart from religion, counselors of Suc Song group employ a 4-step method to counsel and rehabilitate new victims. The four steps are: (a) approach, (b) consulting, (c) assistance and (d) reallocation. The first step refers to the various methods that are used to engage HIV/AIDS victims into the program.

The first step predominantly refers to volunteers who venture into the hospitals to acquire the addresses of those positively tested for HIV/AIDS in order to offer them a support system and help them cope with their daily life. In addition, the “snowballing” technique is also used to reach out to new victims. Often current members of the Suc Song program introduce their friends and relatives thus enabling more women to gain the proper care that they so desperately need. The second step involves physical consultation where women living with HIV/AIDS are taught to better care for themselves. Their main focus is to educate these women on the importance of healthy eating habits as well as hygiene maintenance. In instances were the women are too poor to afford to maintain a healthy diet, the volunteers would often find sponsors who are willing to finance these women.

During the third step, volunteers assist these women and children in two ways; (a) physical needs – ensuring sufficient medication for women and children who need it, (b) psychological needs – by providing counseling to those who are troubled. The final step, refers to the reallocation of women and children who have been ostracised and abandoned by their family members. The Suc Song volunteers would then find these women another residence, where they can find work and lead somewhat of a normal life, while having the support they need in order to overcome their circumstances.

The Suc Song group also runs other programs where they distribute condoms to sex workers and educate them on the importance of practicing safe sex. In addition, they also try to create awareness and educate people regarding HIV/AIDS. Most importantly perhaps, the Suc Song group is advocating against discrimination, especially against children in order to enable to get a proper education system.

“Perhaps the most important thing we bring to another person is the silence in us, not the sort of silence that is filled with unspoken criticism or hard withdrawal. The sort of silence that is a place of refuge, of rest, of acceptance of someone as they are. We are all hungry for this other silence. It is hard to find… Silence is a place of great power and healing.” This is a quote by Dr Rachel Naomi Remen, famous for developing a psychological approach to people with life threatening illnesses. Suc Song has done exactly that, catering to the needs of approximately fifty women. We left Miss Hue’s house, warmed by her passion for social justice and most of all, her desire for people to be loved and accepted.

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Joanna Maria, 25, is an Honours student doing a thesis on female gamers and identity negotiation.

CheahWuiJia, 23, is currently an Honours student doing her thesis on Christianity in Malaysia and its tithing practices. She’s a fresh Arts graduate who likes to study people and how they behave (thus the Psychology major), and loves writing about people (hence the Writing major).