oh the streets they are changing

Many people here have commented on the rapid changes in Hanoi. Since I've only been here five weeks and have no "old Hanoi" to compare with the "new Hanoi," I must rely on what I hear to form my perspectives. So open your ears with me...

--Many people have commented on the traffic this year, that it is the worse they have ever seen. There are more cars on the streets (expensive ones at that), making traffic jams almost impassible. There are fewer and fewer bicycles (I am among the quiet pedalers). Drivers are more aggressive. When I ask people what they think of their city, they often complain about the traffic. And, let me say, i tru, es la verdad. Traffic accidents are a leading cause of death among the youth, which I can easily believe after seeing three accidents in one night! The government just passed a law that requires all motorists to wear a helmet in an attempt to decrease injuries and fatalities. We'll see if people actually wear them...

--Another change is the presence of imported goods. Today is the mid-Autumn festival, when children traditionally would make lanterns and other crafts and parade them proudly in the streets. Now, China has dominated the market with cheap plastic toys mimicking the traditional ones, so kids parade with battery-operated plastic lanterns instead. People who remember the "good ol' days" complain that, while they don't like this change, there's really not much they can do about it. People buy what's cheap and flashy, and those are goods from China. There's also a plethora of imported fruits from China, and people say that they have so many chemicals that a peach will stay ripe on your counter for weeks. Many avoid these "fresh" foods from China if they can afford to.

--Another major change is pollution, especially in the rivers. As people gain more wealth, there are more disposable goods that end up in the many lakes and rivers around Hanoi. Either people don't realize that this is a problem or they don't care. One of the projects that Action for the City is involved in is "PhotoVoice." From the Photovoice website (our inspiration): "At PhotoVoice we encourage the use of documentary photography by enabling those that have traditionally been the subject of such work to become its creator - to have control over how they are perceived by the rest of the world, while simultaneously learning a new skill which can enhance their lives." Basically we will train some youth to express themselves through photography, give them cameras, and have them take pictures of the rivers and surrounding communities. After a few months, we will gather the photos, edit them, and display them publicly to show the community what the problems are and what can be done about them.

Of course, along with these more negative changes, there are many new changes in Hanoi that people accept excitedly. Change is in the air, and even after five weeks here, I feel it...

(ps--As noted on the side of this blog, these posts tend to be more objective. If you'd like more personal updates, send me a note and I'll add you to my email list. :-) )