Việt Nam in Transition – Change and the Youth

Rapid change is hitting the young people of Việt Nam.  Like teen-agers and twenty-somethings around the world, they want things to be different from their parent’s ways.  On the one hand, Việt Nam is bound by tradition, and most of the youth respect that.  On the other hand, they hear the siren song of The New – and they want it.  Huê is a  much more conservative city than either Hà Nội or Sài Gòn, yet the youth are adapting new ways very quickly even here.

An estimated 60% of the populace is under thirty years old.  Take a moment to digest that fact. This creates a veritable tidal wave of change that is being propelled by the young.  In their short lives, they have seen enough change to create rising expectations.  They are, and will continue to make social, economic, cultural, and political changes

This young lady is anything but traditional.  Looking at the red tinted hair, I suspect she enjoys watching Korean romance movies.  Korean fashion is all the rage so it is not unusual for the girls to forgo traditional long hair and color their hair to something other than black .  The very long dangling ear rings are not very traditional either.  However, she works in a local market, which is about as traditional as can be.

There’s a strong likelihood she bought her clothes in this store – or one like it.  There are a number of them in Huê, and of course hundreds of them in the big cities.  Most of my students dress like the young woman at an American university – a rather “studied casual” look of nice jeans or khakis, a nice t-shirt or top, and sandal-type shoes (with or without high heels.)  Their clothing transition hasn’t yet reached the point of being grungy, but they don’t dress up either.

Later that night, maybe our young lady and some friends will want some pizza.  Yes, you can get a pizza at Little Italy (where we had Thanksgiving dinner ) - - but, even better, you can have it delivered.  Okay – it ain’t exactly Domino’s, but it ain’t bad either.  Young Vietnamese in Huê still aren’t quite comfortable with pizza because they are not used to cheese – the texture is strange to their mouths.  But that is changing.  Its probably more of an issue with affordability than anything else.

Businesses in Việt Nam are no fools either.  Just as elsewhere in the world, companies recognize the power of youthful spending.  This picture was taken on campus.  Care to guess what they’re promoting?

ATM bank cards.  Can credit card hawking be far behind?

Comments

[Dennis]

I really think that the city of Hue should hire you as their publicist! You do a superb job describing Hue and the vicinity as well as showing the transition that Viet Nam is going through. Miss you both tremendously! Can't wait to see you in June!

[Tom Murray]

My college students are more like the picture outside the store. Spaghetti strap tops are everywhere. Pants,especially jeans, are hanging low on the hip a style trend started by Jennifer Lopez. Stomachs are always visible. Back in the day it was called showing a little skin. My wife works at the health clinic here at the College of Charleston and is shocked regularly with the way girls dress for class.

Somehow I can't see students in Hue dressing like my students and that's a good thing.

Tom Murray