During our housing tour, it wasn’t my first time in this area of District 7. I went to the same area for shopping with my coworkers and was amazing by the development and the enormous size of the Western style mall. I felt like I was back in America, wasting time and money in the […]
A Space for Community: Virtual, Political and Physical (originally posted Oct. 5th)
I am endlessly fascinated by the concept of Doi Moi. It extends and injects itself into so many arenas the body occupies on a daily basis and is inspiring to thing about. I imagine people with the world of possibilities multiplying before their eyes and a stark change that is as real and visceral, like […]
The Impact of Economic Reforms on Artistic Expression
My research is focusing on Vietnamese art and the economic development initiative Đổi Mới. Governmental economic reforms aid to shape and redefine the practices of working artist to either allow more freedom in content and politics behind the work or confine freedom of expression. Art can reveal the struggle, social issues and daily life of […]
Open up a can of capitalism
If I had to describe my visit to the Coca Cola factory in one word it would be: fantastical. The tour guide and rhetoric surrounding Coca Cola elevated the company and product to almost religious like proportions. Coca cola was a savior; a way out of poverty and a beacon of light and hope for […]
Tourism, apathy and the person serving me my exotic juices: A students struggle with the local versus global
The difference between a student and a tourist is one I am trying to construct for myself when I thinking about the global system I am apart of in Vietnam. During my time in the Mekong Delta, it was easy for me to feel like a tourist. I was living in a beautiful homestay, being […]
Observational Study: Children of the Markets
During my time in Thi Nghe and Tan Dinh Market I observed the role children and young teens held in the businesses and layout of the space. Child labor is an interesting concept in Asia because education is sometimes seen as a luxury rather than a necessity to children and families. What are the children […]