archive for January, 2008
vietnam, saigon
Hallo Leute, since I travelled through Viet Nam unbelievable fast like Nemo when he tries to see his friends in Sydney again, I arrived a week ago in Sai Gon (South). On my way down I was quite shocked how the tourism branch took over every single attraction and every single town. Of course their are lots of places to see without tourism, but its either hard to get there on your own or there is nothing to stay, to eat and to talk. While last issue is more a matter of fact that I don’t speak any vietnamese at all.
Since I am staying in Saigon with YenLinh, a good friend I studied with, I decided to stay longer to see more of Viet Nam from the inside. And closer looks to the inside take usually longer. So I rented a motorbike, get my self a phonenumber and searching since than for a job as illustrator and photographer. The need for such is actually big. Is more the kind of photography I am doing that people don’t agree with. Or lets better say, the vietnamese advertisement branch is not ready for it yet. It seems to be that I am going to do more freelance work and do the photoghraphy beside for myself for example for the project I am doing with Yenlinh.
The project we are doing is a combination of getting more of peoples attention about children and youth in Viet Nam and a Restaurant calls Bloom in Hue. This restaurant is founded by Benjamin Lee, a japanese guy, who opened the restaurant for giving youth in Hue a perspective in work experience and a stronger hold in life and get them away from the streets. This project goes hand in hand with the ACWP. A foundation to support children without parents. The pictures I am going to do are strongly related to the children and youth, working in this restaurant. We want to have this children coming more out of theirselves and give them a stronger personality.
I look forward to this project a lot. First of all, because its social work and I like to help this country instead of just earning the money I get from illuistration and have a convient life. Secondly, its my first real documentary photo report. So I am doing exactly what I really want to do. The organisation is planning everything now, so I don’t think its gonna be far in future and I will be proud of it to show my work, so you can easily spread out the stuff and tell more people about this organisation and the restaurant. Its even in the lonley planet already.
For myself I am searching for schools to learn vietnamese now and enjoy my life here for a while. YES. Some people recognized already that I uploaded some new pictures on my flickr account. I do have lots of opportunities to edit my work, so more pictures are following soon.
Thanks for reading and kisses to all.
guangxi and enter into vietnam
yes. the far east is what i thought it is sopposed to be: new faces, languages i don’t speak and food i never tried before in my life. Its great. After heading from Hong Kong to Guilin, a lovley city north of guangxi province i met some great people. Even if you ask chinese people only for the way or a specific place you can become friends for life in a second. Great. For all you facebook junkies, china is a place to collect as many contacts as you want and add them in fb. But to find people who speak just a little english is rarly to find. Even though you don’t see a lot of foreigners I was lucky enough again to meet somebody from the states who studies chinese for 8 years and lives in Nanjing and we travelled together for a while. I had a great time. Thanks again.
From Guilin I did a two day trip to Yangshuo and climped up the steep mountains to have a great view. Even it was pretty foggy or smoggy or both I still enjoyed the view. Awesome bro. Can’t stop saying it, hehe. I went back to Guilin and did a day trip to the rice terraces of Longsheng. Unbelievable how human beeings can change they enivornment. From boring hills into rice terraces steps. Amazing.
I took the train with my lovely travel mate Shawnee to Nanning and watched locals doing social dances in the streets to relax and enjoy. Even if chinese people have kind of a serious understanding of fun, they are defnitly able to laugh. You just need a closer look. But I also could tell you about outside stages where children perfmored all they power and ability on drums and nobody clapped their hands. Weird. In germany or elsewhere they would at least clap just because they are some children performing to give them some engourage on th stage.
From Nanning I head to Hanoi and even when I am just a couple of hours here: I love it. I love it. I love it. Tomorrow I will take a bike and smash myself into the traffic of hanoi to explore the city. Yes. Yes. Thanks for reading carefully my blog and comment your your thoughts.
In love, florian