I no longer work at Bo Sua. Meaning i will no longer work on a hourly wage basis. I hope to still be able to stop by and hang out with my co-workers. Although I won't have a set schedule, I will still be at the retail store helping out with little things, or translating English, or drinking ice tea with them. I will still be at the office, asking designers, accountants, and managers questions, helping the out with whatever they need me to do, and share about my experiences in the states.
I just got back from an excursion in Nghe An to pass out jackets to school children of ethnic minority villages in the mountains. This trip has made me think a lot about one of my majors "Ethnic Studies" and its importance in the academic world. Today in modern times of national politics, why is it necessary to look at the significance of ethnicity and how does one determine "ethnicity" in the first place? Well, in Vietnam, if you were to ask Vietnamese people if they were considered "ethnic." They will most likely say no because what is "ethnic" is a conception associated with "minorities" in the country--those who do not identify with the national majority; that is, Vietnamese or Kinh of the lowlands.
National culture simply cannot be equated as ethnic culture because ethnicity is something that is in opposition to the nation. Ironically, the make-up of a nation such as Vietnamese is an ethnicity in itself. It just so happens that they are the winners of the story called "history" and they own a land they call their country. While reflecting upon this topic on the bus, I came to think a lot about America and how it's somewhat similar, if not the same way. Would Americans say that American culture is "ethnic" compared to the culture practiced and bought/sold in "enclaves" like Chinatowns, the barrios, Japantown, and so on? Hmmm..
When I was at the ethnic minority schools, I thought of America's own "ethnic minority" schools, aka segregated schools. I thought of the divisions of class and race. I thought of the problematics of school curriculum and what should be taught nationally, and whether or not those who do not identify with the "pro-national" narrative should learn the same as those who do. I thought of teaching relevance as opposed to "regulated regurgitation." I wondered whether or not those children who live in the highlands identified with the Vietnamese nation knowing that they are not "ethnically" Vietnamese, but rather nationally Vietnamese. I wondered if they are taught their own history, and how their people fit in Vietnamese nationalism and struggle for independence. Although at times, I felt awkward doing "charity work" and temporarily easing their "poverty," I nonetheless felt happy that I was able to help; however, I couldn't help but to think of those charity commercials of Christian missionaries in Africa. There's something about it.
This November with the freed time from working, I wanted to explore new terrain in Hanoi. I was hoping to hang out at Lenin Statue, a place I see as the "youth (sub)cultural mecca." This is truly where all the skateboarding, rapping, breakdancing, beatboxing, popping, and locking take place; these are where all these ideas about metropolitan-urban cultures manifest and spread. This is also where the owner of Bo Sua started skateboarding and met all his friends, some of whom are a part of the company. However, with so much on my plate and to-do list, I don't think it will be possible to carry out a full-out and personally.
With so much planning at hand, I have to remember the reality of it all. My time here in Hanoi is not much, but I will try my best to carry out all the things I want to do. If not, that's okay too. For now, here's to Berkeley style all-nighters and wrapping things up.
