Hoi An is an old city in Vietnam that was a center of trading among countries like Japan and China beginning in the 1600s. Walking around down there is, as one of my classmates described, like walking around in a Hollywood set from Crouching Tiger. The town isn’t too big and the main drag huddles around a section of the Thu Bon river for a stretch of only a few blocks. The town seems dedicated to creating custom made clothes for tourists, and you’ll find a good 15 different stores all displaying the same items, from the latest fashion in men’s p-coats to women’s sarongs and silk blouses. Just about any item in one’s personal wardrobe can be made in this small city, and for a fraction of the price, a facsimile of any piece of clothing in Vogue can be made for around 100$ or less, much less.
Other than learning Vietnamese, Hoi An was the main thing on my mind before coming to Vietnam. I figured the reality of our study abroad program would be keeping us busy engaging the more serious aspects of Vietnam: culture, history, politics, and the language. As of yet I haven’t been surprised. I found my time in Hoi An to be something quite different—Disneyland, only with more mannequins. Upon speaking to the clerks, I found that just about anything I wanted could be made in a couple hours, but not without alteration. The process truly takes two days. One could expect a suit in an afternoon, but the result is hit or miss.
I intend to fashion a whole wardrobe and it will be good. I need a week there to do it justice, but I can’t help but feel a little guilt in all of this. Here I am, just a tourist looking for a cheap way to live the American dream. My mother grew up in this country, but is this the country she remembers?
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