My cousin told me, the abject poor abounds in Vietnam. I didn’t believe her.  Yes, some stay in squalid huts, a single room for a family, push carts and labour for a few dong. But in each hut there is running water, a colour TV and children going to school.  I was adamant (because i had seen abject poverty in other Southeast Asian countries and they truly had nothing).

But for the past few months i battled cats digging in my trash and tearing apart the plastic bags that held these treasures. It was ok, trying to stuff back my own mucky trash into a new bag each time (otherwise the garbage collectors refuse to dispose of my garbage).

But i had had enough after a month. I decided to place the garbage bags in a closed bin. Then the neighbours pointed out – these bins will most certainly be stolen. It is only now, after another month that i have realised its not cats! People are helping themselves to my garbage.

Is there something i throw that can still be of value? How much do i consume or rather not consume that other people seem to want so much of? Have i gotten so used to consuming that i have forgotten how much i discard that others could use? What wealth and what desperation…. Today they took away a leaking tap we had replaced…they even take the plastic bags that carry my goods!

PS: I just wish i could set up shop instead rather than have to repack my garbage each time.

The Saigon Tai Tai views the city through a glass window. It is the glass window of the posh car, tinted to protect her against the scorching sun of Vietnam; the window that keeps away the dust and grit of the city. The blur of the car's speed hides the details of the streets – the motorbikes, laden with families and goods; the street side stalls where the ordinary Saigonese squats to eat and drink; the sidewalk chatter that spills onto the streets between bikers; the flavours and scents of the day and the night. So the Saigon Tai Tai rolls up the window and through the tinted glass sees only the monochrome of life.

being a tai-tai comes with many responsibilities. the first is having to explain what one does… one/ creating blogs… two/ trying hard to insert images of the idyllic life of a tai-tai but failing (both for lack of pictures and of skill). but tai-tai's aren't after all expected to be photographers nor skillful IT programmers? What with being in Saigon and all…