Hi Jules, In researching the beautiful but aloof Vietnamese eurasian women that so impressed G when he was there I came across a sad story of how they were virtually abandoned by the French administration when it left Vietnam. In colonial times these people wre encouraged to think of themselves as a cut above the Vietnamese population and were allowed to register themselves separately. They were given jobs within the French Administration and even allowed to attend special schools where their Frenchness was emphasised. Then the French withdrew and the admin jobs were no longer reserved for them. Many were not able to follow their fathers to France because they could not get the necessary signatures acknowledging their heritage. And then it all started again with the US troops. War is so sad. Pia
"To awaken .. in a strange town is one of the pleasantest sensations in the world." —Freya Stark
"I should like to spend the whole of my life traveling abroad if I could anywhere to borrow another life to spend afterwards at home." - William Hazlitt
4 comments:
This blog is just lovely, Jules. Love the Frenchness of Hanoi. Your comments are great. I'll be back.
Lovely, fading French colonial architecture and respect for old folk like me? I think I've got to go there, Jules.
The sentiment should be adopted all over... Wisdom with age.. oh! somedays I feel so wise, now I know why.
Hope the phone lines are buzzing for you tonight Jules, it must be a right pain at times for you all over there.
Hi Jules,
In researching the beautiful but aloof Vietnamese eurasian women that so impressed G when he was there I came across a sad story of how they were virtually abandoned by the French administration when it left Vietnam. In colonial times these people wre encouraged to think of themselves as a cut above the Vietnamese population and were allowed to register themselves separately. They were given jobs within the French Administration and even allowed to attend special schools where their Frenchness was emphasised. Then the French withdrew and the admin jobs were no longer reserved for them. Many were not able to follow their fathers to France because they could not get the necessary signatures acknowledging their heritage. And then it all started again with the US troops. War is so sad.
Pia
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