Story and Photos By TAM NGUYEN, Nguoi Viet

Summer isn’t officially summer until a camping trip is involved – and that is just what about 100 students did this weekend.

Campers waiting to board one of two buses heading to camp.

But it was about more than hiking and s’mores. Instead, this camping trip was about sharing Vietnamese culture, language and history with a generation that is slipping further away from its heritage.

A family banner begins to take shape.

The Union of Vietnamese Student Associations led the trip from Garden Grove, Calif., to Pathfinder Ranch in Mountain Center, Calif., a community in the San Jacinto Mountains. Two buses left Friday and returned Sunday. The campers all were in high school or recent graduates.

Before a weekend away together, campers meet the ‘family’ for the first time.

 “The camp is hosted by UVSA, and it aims to provide Vietnamese American students with the knowledge and tools to become more effective leaders in their schools and community,” said Billy Le, the adviser of UVSA. “The camp also gives more information about our culture and history of Vietnam, giving the new generation knowledge that can help keep the culture alive.”

Staff members build a bridge as the students board the bus.

 UVSA was founded in 1982 to organize events within the community, including the annual Tet Festival. With the camp, the group’s mission is to build unity with the students from high schools and colleges so they can serve the community throughout Southern California and Viet Nam.

Camp chairman Khanh Tran, center, makes sure last-minute details are addressed.

Once at their mountain destination, the campers took part in a variety of workshops. One, called “Chao Cac Ban,: was designed to teach the basics of Vietnamese language, culture and history. The group leaders nicknamed the workshop “Vietnamese 101.”

A second class, named “My Parents Are Dinosaurs,” was intended to teach campers to better understand their parents, as well as their elders’ background.

That was valuable to Tommy Tran, 15, a Garden Grove High School student.

 “I know I don’t communicate a lot with my parents because of the language barrier but with this workshop, I have ideas to make it easier for myself and my parents,” he said.

 Tuan “Bobby” Tran, 17, and a student at Fountain Valley High School, had praise for the programs, as well.

 “I had little knowledge of our culture, and after the workshop I learned much more and understand our language a little more too,” he said.

 Keynote speaker Matthew Nguyen, a self-taught poet, let the students know they are important in keeping Vietnamese traditions going in America. 

“There is a lot of pressure for the next generation to carry on our culture because with the youth, the culture is fading,” he said.

Still, he encouraged them to go for their dreams – even if it isn’t what their parents have wanted for them.

“Never give up on your goals and don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do it. Lastly, don’t ever think that your parents hate you for not becoming a doctor, lawyer or anything they want you to be. They will love you no matter what you do in life because nothing can replace you.”

The message resonated with the campers.

 “After hearing Matthew, I have courage to do what pleases me and know my parents would support me no matter what — even though they don’t show it,” said Kimberly Ngo, 17, a La Quinta High School who aspires to a career as a veterinarian.

 This camp marks the 11th such event, and the number of campers rises each year.

 “When we first started we had about 20 campers and it grew from there,” said Liz Nguyen, 27, a UC Irvine graduate who serves as the camp chairman. “In high school I went to the same camp and instantly fell in love with the organization and decided to join after high school.”

 Khanh Tran, 27, UC Irvine graduate, also became a member after high school. “UVSA supported my school and the clubs that I was in, and I liked the way UVSA helped us and wanted to do the same.”

 Plus, the camp is still fun for the counselors.

 “I made a new family of my own, and these kids are like my own,” said Emmy Thai, a group leader from UC Riverside.

From WIRE REPORT

In a style of Da Lat in the Central Highlands, a restaurant in downtown Sai Gon serves grilled dishes that are cooked, not the normal way on a metal grill, but on a piece of ngói (clay roof tile).

Fermented pork roll is rolled along with raw vegetable using rice paper. Photo from Thanh Nien News.

My latest foray there was to the rooftop grill, where my friends and I had a great time dining under the evening sky in the warmth from the stove and the cool air of the breeze. The only light came from three lamp posts standing between the two lines of wooden tables, just like the streets of Da Lat.

The grilling choice was beef, pork, deer, octopus, chicken’s innards, pig’s bowel, or a few other animal bits, each cooked with a different mixture of spices.

It was VND78,000 for a small serving and VND98,000 for a large one. Not wanting to fill ourselves to bursting, we decided on three small portions to share.

Then came the best part.

A piece of roof tile was put on the clay brazier, tilted slightly to allow the cooking oil to flow down into the large pan below rather than get trapped in the hollow of the tile.

The main advantage of using a tile rather than a metal grill is that the meat doesn’t come into direct contact with the flames so it’s less likely to get overly crisp around the edges or downright charred.

Seeing the oil ladled onto the meat and running off into the pan whetted our appetite and added to the anticipation of a fine meal coming up.

I thought it would take some time to cook our beef and chicken organs and was pleasantly surprised when it arrived in short order, accompanied by a mouthwatering aroma.

The meat was tender and spicy in the best possible way, and made a satisfying impression on our palates.

Besides grilled meat, Ngoi offers hotpot, fish and shrimp grilled the traditional way, and a few specials such as baked fermented pork roll and fried tofu with milk.

The fermented pork roll is served in a mẹt (flat round bamboo basket) along with rice sheets and raw vegetables. The idea is to roll the pork and vegetables in the rice sheets and eat them with the hand.

The fried tofu with milk is a house specialty at the restaurant. Its cover is crunchy while the part inside, containing milk cooked with tofu, is gooey and greasy, and a bit sweet.

Ngoi’s second floor is a closed room named Tra Khum, a sort of café with music, and obviously unsuitable for grilled food.

Tra Khum is decorated in Middle-East style with wall hangings, rugs and soft lighting. Sitting in the low purple sofa chairs is a comfortable way to sip tea and listen to the modern music they play there.

I can highly recommend Tra Khum’s lemongrass tea, which we found to be perfect for our full bellies after the grill upstairs.

The restaurant’s ground floor is packed with tables and chairs and equipped with electric fans and air-conditioning to prevent the room when crowded from becoming too hot and sticky. It’s cosy for some but inappropriate for those who like airy spaces.

 Ngoi Restaurant
245/23 Nguyen Trai Street, District 1, Sai Gon

From WIRE REPORT

The construction ministry’s recommendation that foreigners be allowed to buy property is a step in the right direction for a maturing market but would not have a big impact on the market itself, analysts have said.

A worker arranges steel structures at a construction site of a rental office in Hanoi. Photo from Thanh Nien News.

In its recommendation to the government late last month, the Ministry of Construction suggested that foreign investment funds, banks, Vietnamese branches and representative offices of overseas companies, and foreign individuals with a visa for at least three months should be allowed to buy homes in Vietnam.

Existing regulations allow certain categories of foreigners to buy apartments for living in them.

The new proposal seeks to permit foreigners to buy all kinds of houses with less than 500 square meters of land, and to lease them out.

The houses can only be sold or gifted only 12 months after the ownership certification is issued.

Asked about the proposal, deputy chairman of the Vietnam Construction Federation, Pham Sy Liem, said it would be good news for the real estate market, especially the high-end segment, but would not help the market recover due to the limited demand from foreign buyers.

Expats who want to own property in Vietnam are those working here for a long time, which number is not big, he said. Most foreigners work in the country for just a few years, so renting a house is better for them than buying one, he said.

Since many companies provide housing for their foreign experts, the latter do not have the need to buy houses themselves, he said.

Dung Duong, associate director of research and consulting at property firm CBRE Vietnam, concurred: “Obviously, removing the restrictions on foreign ownership… is very positive news but that is not the only solution to the problems that have been plaguing the real estate sector for the last five years.”

“Like first time buyers, retirees, up-graders, Vietnamese overseas and newly married couples, foreigners should be seen as a logical extension of a maturing market, not just a quick fix.

“Foreign buyers have been and will be following the market carefully. They will be keen to buy when they see the market turning round and not before.”

The relaxation would not have any impact on foreign investment either, Liem said.

“Investors come here to make profits. All they want is simplified investment procedures.

“The changes to the regulation will not affect their business decision. If they are unable to buy a house, they can live in rented houses or hotels. I don’t think it is a big problem.”

The ministry recommended two alternatives for individuals: they can either buy any number of housing properties or will be limited to one or two. For organizations, it will depend on the number of foreign employees they have.

The proposal also has two alternatives for the duration of ownership by individuals. The first is to allow ownership for 50 years with the possibility of a 50-year extension, or 70 years with no extension.

There is no suggestion of changing existing regulations for organizations, whose ownership of property will expire along with their license.

Too expensive for foreigners

Many foreigners are uninterested in buying houses in Vietnam not only because of the regulations but also high prices, so the new proposal is not likely to strongly boost demand.

Under the current law that took effect in 2009, certain categories of foreigners can buy apartments but cannot lease them out or use them for any other purpose except living.

Individuals have to sell or give away their apartments after 50 years, the general duration of apartment ownership in Vietnam.

According to the ministry, only 126 foreign nationals and organizations had bought apartments as of June, mostly in southern and south-central localities like Sai Gon and Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Binh Duong, and Khanh Hoa provinces.

Liem said property prices remain high in Sai Gon and Hanoi despite the slump. A villa in Hanoi, for instance, costs a million dollars, much higher than in a city like the French capital Paris, where it could cost a few hundred thousand dollars.

An apartment in the two cities could cost $100,000, too high for many foreigners.

Wayne M Worrell, an English teacher from Britain who has lived in Vietnam for four years, is indifferent since he does not intend to buy a property.

“It is not easy to raise more than $100,000 to buy a flat,” he said.

“Renting is better to me. For just $500 a month, you could rent a convenient flat in Hanoi.”

From WIRE REPORT

The Performing Arts Agency has asked the organizers of the Vietnam’s Next Top Model 2013 to explain about the participation of transgender contestants, which is a violation to the contest’s rules.

Lan Phuong – a transgender contestant in the interview round at Vietnam’s Next Top Model this year – Photo: The organizing board

Thousands of contestants took part in the preliminary round of the Vietnam’s Next Top Model in Hanoi and Sai Gon, including many candidates who conducted entire or partly transgender surgery, transvestites, bisexuals or the third gender.

In the preliminary competition in Sai Gon, transgender contestant Dong Phuong Tran entered the bikini round while Lan Phuong entered the interview round. Many other contestants who are transsexuals and transvestites were named by the press, such as Duong My My, Ngoc Anh and Truong Giang.

Although all these candidates have been excluded, the Performing Arts Agency will still review and handle this case. The organizers of the Vietnam’s Next Top Model are alleged to have violated the rules of their own. According to the rules of the program, the contestants must not be transgenders.

But according to the State, are the transgenders not allowed to participate in modeling contest or not?

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Nhan, from the Performing Arts Agency, said the Decree 79 on performing arts, fashion shows, beauty contests and modeling, in beauty contests–the contestants must have natural beauty, meaning no cosmetic surgery but the modeling contests do not have this provision. So the above rules on transgenders are stipulated by the Vietnam’s Next Top Model organizing board.

Vietnam’s Next Top Model is the Vietnamese version of America’s Next Top Model. But America’s Next Top Model accepts transgenders, bisexuals and the third genders. The contestants and the judges do not hesitate to publish their real status.

In 2009, Isis King – a transgender model – overcame a lot of contestants to win the America’s Next Top Model. Currently, she is a famous model and designer in the U.S.

America’s Next Top Model this year has changed its format and accepts both male and female contestants. In particular, many bisexual contestants, the third genders and transgenders take part in the contest.

Virgg, a 19-year-old contestant, admitted that she is a transsexual. Cory, 22-year-old male contestant, is not ashamed to recognize himself as a gay.

In Vietnamese showbiz,  there are several transgenders such as Cindy Thai Tai, Huong Giang Idol and Lam Chi Khanh.

From WIRE REPORT

About 80 kilometers from Hanoi, along Highway 21A, there is a bustling pig market that attracts traders from the North to the South.

Photo from VietnamNet Bridge.

Located on Road 975 in An Noi village, An Noi commune in Binh Lu district, Ha Nam province, this pig market or pig street has been operating for over ten years. It is known as the largest pig market in the country.

Mr. Cu Van Thuc, chief of An Noi village, said the pig market is crowded from 1am until the evening. Every day, it welcomes at least 300 pig traders from many provinces, particularly Hanoi, Yen Bai, Nam Dinh, Nghe An, Ha Tinh … Some days, the market has the presence of over 1,000 merchants with large trucks.

Due to the increasing demand for pork in the market, people in An Noi have grouped up to make a big commercial association. There are hundreds of families in An Noi trading pigs, although they do not raise pigs.

At 12am, hundreds of pig merchants from Ha Tinh and Quang Binh were present at the market to load pigs to big trucks. Mr. Tran Hong Viet, a pig trader from Ha Tinh province, said: “Each week, I carry about 300 pigs from this market to Ha Tinh.”

According to village leader Cu Van Thuc, around 5,000 pigs are traded at An Noi market daily. To have such a large number of pigs, An Noi’s pig traders had to go to many provinces to buy pigs from pig farms.

Mr. Nguyen Van Chi, a “pig hunter” in An Noi said: “Pig hunting is not easy. You will lose if you lack capital or relations with pig farms and pig traders. Each trip I use three large trucks to transport pigs but the pigs I have are not enough.”

The pig market is packed from 1am until late afternoon. Road 975 is almost completely paralyzed because of the large number of trucks. The atmosphere is extremely lively, creating a vibrant unique pig market.

The future for Pig Street

Binh Luc district in Ha Nam province used to be a poor rural area when locals earned their living from the field. A few young people gave up farm work to become pig traders with little capital. Then good luck came when the neighboring commune of Ngoc Lu became a “giant pig farm.”

The “golden opportunity” arrived and An Noi set up big pig farms to create the pig street. At present, many families in An Noi have cars and big houses thanks to pig trading.

Mr. Tran Xuan Vuong – Chairman of An Noi Commune, said: “Thanks to the big street that the life of local people is improved significantly. The number of workers at the pig street is up to thousands of people. An Noi people earn at least VND10 million ($500) per month.”

Mr. Tran Van Quang, who has got rich from pig trading, said he has pursued this job for over ten years. It is a hard job but generates high income. Quang currently owns a big house and a car.

The biggest benefit from the pig street, according to Chairman Vuong, is that it creates jobs for the youth. An Noi commune is proud to have no drug or alcohol addicts.

Vuong confirmed to turn An Noi into the biggest pig trading site in the country. Currently, the pig market is located on Road 975 so it is not favorable for traders. Vuong said the pig market will be moved to a place of over 5.000m2 on the right bank of Bui River. He said it will be the most “beautiful” pig market in the north.