Future face

After having been slowly traveling up through the country for the past few weeks, it’s been great to fly back down to Saigon for these last couple weeks of my time in Viet Nam.  As my first stop in and last stop out this has become a bit like home for me here.  I took a flight down from Hanoi and riding back in to the city from the airport I am once again impressed by how ‘young’ the city is.  That’s true all over the country but here in Ho Chi Minh City there seems to be an even stronger youthful feel.  I’ve read how more than half the population is under the age of 30 and everywhere I look I see others my age or even younger.  These are the future not only of Saigon but of all the country.

Estimates range between 400,000 to 500,000 college and university students are in the city.  Vo-tech schools, certificate or skills based schools, 2 and 3 year colleges as well as full universities can be seen spread throughout the city.  Coupled with this, many young people from rural areas not going to school have also migrated to the city working jobs in coffee shops and restaurants or in factories.  So this week, I’m taking things a little slower.  Resting from my extensive travels these past few weeks and also getting out among the young people and students of the city.

(Click on an image below to enlarge and scroll through in a lightbox.)

Helping

Upperclassmen wait as high school seniors take college entrance exams. These volunteers mentor incoming freshman as they transition to university life.

Hey

Waiting for the bus to arrive.

Anywhere

A student studies for a test while waiting for her younger brother to take an exam.

Mobile

Text messaging friends.

Desk

Studying in the open air.

Study group

Team work.

Going out

A university student takes a break from studying to hunt for dinner in the city.

Helping

A student returns to campus after spending the day selling fruit to raise money for local children fighting cancer.

1-2-3

Three freshman rehearse a breakdance routine for an upcoming festival.

Guys

Taking a break.

Pitch

In the afternoons, available soccer fields quickly fill up with teams ready to practice.

Sideline

Sitting on the sidelines.

Official hashtag:  #rachelsjourney

View this gallery of pictures on Flickr at https://flickr.com/reachingvietnam

Keep up with all of the Rachel’s Journey posts on reachingvietnam.com at http://bit.ly/rachelsjourney and through our social media channels of Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.