Vietnamese woman selling
About this recording
- Creator
- Kristin Post
- Date created
- January 18, 2001
- Duration
- 0:50
- Location
- Vin Moc Tunnels, Vietnam
- File
- MP3
- License
- This recording copyright ©2001. Terms of use
See this recording in context
- A child's day: Vietnam: In this lesson plan, students listen to audio recordings from Vietnam and discuss what life may be like for the children heard in the recordings. Students discuss topics including school, cross-cultural similarities, and child labor.
Related media
Learn more
- Search LEARN NC for Asia, child labor, children, Coca Cola, consumerism, globalization, marketing, markets, Southeast Asia, tourism, Vietnam, Vietnamese, Vin Moc Tunnels, and women.
In the classroom
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Many tourists in Vietnam take a tour through what was the DMZ, or demilitarized zone, during the Vietnam War. This one-day bus tour visits sights such as Khe San Air Force Base, the Ho Chi Minh Trail, and the Vin Moc Tunnels.
Where there are tourists, there are people selling to tourists. Just as we exited the Vin Moc Tunnels, a group of women and children were waiting to follow tourists, and sell “Coca” or “7Up” or “water.” These sales probably bring much-needed money to households, but for Westerners used to walking into stores to buy things, the persistent sales methods can be tiring.
At the beginning of the recording, you may hear a weird audio blip, but then you hear a woman asking “where you from?,” a common opening for salespeople. She then says something harsh in Vietnamese to a child who is also trying to sell something. I imagine the competition is tough, and the marginal profit from these sales must go a long way. You can also hear in my voice the fatigue of having to say “no” repeatedly. Finally, you can hear a persistent child asking if I want more “Coca?” Coca Cola and other Western drinks are readily available in Vietnam and almost any country you can imagine. The cost may prohibit some Vietnamese from enjoying these drinks, but for tourists used to pricier living, they remain within reach.
From my journal:
Vin Moc Tunnels: built because fishing village used to send supplies to an island offshore which was used for radio communication — village was heavily bombed- entire families lived [underground in tunnels] in 6ft. by 4ft. spaces- 17 babies born — wells, showers, meeting hall — entrance out to ocean where women and children pestering to buy water or food.
