Homeless in Hanoi

My beloved brothel packed in two hectic weeks, now the paint peeled walls and cavernous spaces are empty and bare. My possessions, scattered to the four corners..walking out with an interesting stream of people. It's possible I'm almost ready to say goodbye to this tangled nest of a city.

Hanoi rushes over itself, jangles and honks, has broken edges that assault the senses and skylines that confuse the mind. After almost two years living and breathing Hanoi..and as beautiful as it is, I want a clearer picture. But what about the underbelly..

Now is a good time as any for a social experiment. If my apartment made me at home in Hanoi..what will being homeless do?

I don't have a fixed place to stay..and I intend to keep it that way. There are many homeless in Hanoi. Mostly sleeping in parks and on benches or on the streets and in alleys. The homeless and itinerant here are many..

Crime is high and many young kids are brought up on the streets. They come from many backgrounds, but they say children of rural families coming to the city to look for work have the worst time of it. The government is not kind to these families, sometimes detaining them for up to 6 months.

So I want to get a different perspective, as such. Take a nap on the bench of someone less fortunate and experience what it's like to have no attachments, to your city, your possessions and or your society. I've put these posts up 'post' experiment...enjoy my trials and tribulations.

And wish me luck. I'm eying off those benches in a park near you!

Meanwhile, a friend works for Volunteers for Peace they have a centre for homeless kids in the Ha Dong district of Hanoi. She's looking for volunteers to teach English or educate kids on HIV/AIDS. There is also temple work and orphanage work too!