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.
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