“I still remember vividly the anticipation running through my veins, when I saw a waiter bringing me a glass of sữa đậu nành, every time my family took me to one of the many Vietnamese restaurants of the 13th arrondissement of Paris, the city’s renowned Chinatown. For me, this glass represented the quintessence of typical Vietnamese drinks during a good meal: one of the rare glimpses into the daily customs of my ancestor’s culture.”

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Written by Tom Phạm.

Read the full article here: https://saigoneer.com/saigon-food-culture/28928-how-soy-milk-symbolizes-an-imagined-vietnam-of-my-childhood-in-france.

Much like mushrooms sprouting after the rain, grassroots water sources have appeared during dry spells in every corner of the city. Bearing friendly messages like “Free drinking water” or “Cool water for travelers,” stainless steel containers and insulated buckets dot the sidewalks to serve as mobile wellsprings for those in need of hydration.

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Written by Uyên Đỗ.

Read the full article here: https://saigoneer.com/saigon-news/27167-how-saigon-s-free-water-coolers-quench-thirst-and-spread-kindness.

“Piercing through the teardrop monument is a heart-shaped hole. It exists because we are all incomplete alone, incomplete without the care and labor of and for one another, a reciprocity so often unfulfilled. Standing before the droplet, I observe what it reflects. I’m there, tiny amidst it all. And above me, the bright blue sky, still looming large, still looming high.”

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Written by San Kwon.

Read the full article here: https://saigoneer.com/saigon-news/28824-pristine-blue-sky-and-memorial-park-ruminating-on-what-the-covid-19-pandemic-left-us.

From banana leaves to a plastic mold, one food producer's decision to change the design of its bánh giò is sparking debates online. What does it say about the shifting tastes and economic health of today?

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Written by Khôi Phạm.

Read the full article here: https://saigoneer.com/saigon-food-culture/28768-welcome-to-the-new-age-of-mass-produced,-enshittified-plastic-bánh-giò.

If you have relatives who live abroad, it's likely that you've noticed this aroma, which perfumes their luggage whenever they make a visit. Amongst the Hershey's Kisses, Irish Spring soaps, and multivitamins, there's a distinctive scent that's often referred to as "mùi Việt Kiều." As lunar new year is coming close and so is reunion season, our writer takes a walk down memory lane to reflect on the mùi Việt Kiều of Tết past.

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Written by Khôi Phạm.

Read the full article here: https://saigoneer.com/saigon-culture/28719-unraveling-the-mystery-behind-the-mùi-việt-kiều-of-my-childhood.

“When running away from life’s many grievances, I often find myself at the convenience store. I’ve crossed every stratum of society in those murky hours. I’ve shared space with fratty kids fresh from the club, arms full of beer and noise. I’ve stood beside quiet students hunched over textbooks and aging calculators. I’ve seen the same kind of existential blues that I carry myself in strangers.

I've also met so many of the quiet cogs that keep the city running: janitors, delivery drivers, security guards, stopping in for a bottle of water, stealing five minutes of rest before heading back into the night.”

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Written by Uyên Đỗ.

Read the full article here: https://saigoneer.com/society/28571-on-finding-packaged-existential-relief-at-saigon-s-convenience-stores.

“My sister and I live 600 kilometers away from home, in a placid town amongst green hills. Every month without fail, our mother always sends us a box of food to help out. When we were little, it was our family ritual to gather around the hearty meals she cooked for us. Now that we’ve left home, through her bountiful care packages, it’s like she’s still by our side in a quiet but affectionate way. One time, I texted her randomly: ‘Mom, I really want to eat heritage pork.’ A few days later, she sent me 7 kilograms. I was beside myself with astonishment, perhaps this is just how all moms operate.”

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Written by Hạ Vy.

Read the full article here: https://saigoneer.com/vietnam-news/28462-my-mom’s-care-packages-remind-me-that-home-can-fit-inside-a-box-of-food.

“I have witnessed the arrival of generations of people here, ready and hopeful for changes, for chances to develop and make a living. A few of them might stay and become movers to help other newcomers settle down. Old tattered moving posters will be replaced by new ones, like a physical embodiment of the vicious circle of urban life. It’s precisely that constant rhythm that fuels Saigon’s passionate, unrelenting life force.”

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Written by Minh Phát.

Read the full article here: https://saigoneer.com/society/28548-on-moving-posters-and-saigon,-the-city-of-constant-movements-and-migration.

“The bus stop is not a place to talk with strangers. We are so close, and yet so far apart.”

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Written by Paul Christiansen.

Read the full article here: https://saigoneer.com/saigon-news/28684-loneliness-too-waits-for-the-bus-saigon.

To take a dip in the pool, Saigoneers today have a plethora of decent choices, from private to public. For much of the 20th century, however, swimming in a pool in Saigon was a privilege that only an exclusive few could access and afford.

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Written by Tim Doling.

Read the full article here: https://saigoneer.com/saigon-heritage/2311-old-saigon-building-of-the-week-the-former-cercle-sportif-saigonnais.