Being Black In Vietnam

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In the line of things that make me, I am Human above all else.  I am a Woman, second.  And somewhere down the line of attributes, being Black factors in.  Where?  I’m not sure whether it is at the top or the bottom of the list.  But it is certainly not the end all, be all that constructs my person.

However, being Black affects my experiences because my race/ethnicity is the first thing you see.  It is visual, inescapable, there’s no way around the fact.  Furthermore, I am aware that this characteristic called skin tone, factors in all of my experiences when in Vietnam.

Micro-aggressions do exist.  For example, just a few days ago, I was walking out of the grocery store, bags in had, when I passed a man.  He looked at me as if I was diseased.  As if I were a disgusting insect to be squashed on sight.  Flinching away from me, he moved to give me the widest berth possible when passing, even though he and I were the only two people on the walkway.  While not even close to being a regular occurrence for me, moments like this do happen.

Yet, many positive aspects exist: the droves of curious children, giggling and coming up to me to practice their English. Or the hundreds of strangers that give me an extra special smile and wave hello when I am walking down the street.

Just this weekend, I was at a massage parlor enjoying some TLC.  While being pampered, the Vietnamese women in attendance marveled over my skin in comparison to theirs, which they called “smokey and beautiful”.  A compliment I receive over and over again in regards to my complexion.

So what is the overall gist of this post?  Yes, without a doubt, I get stared at. Yes, I have strangers come up and ask for a picture, and numerous adults and children pet and caress my hair.  But that is pretty much as far as the strangeness goes. The people here are some of the nicest, most welcoming I have ever met. This country is one of the safest and most vibrant places on Earth, and let me say Being Black doesn’t change that fact.

Hanoi

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5 thoughts on “Being Black In Vietnam”

  1. Wow. I really needed this post, thanks for the information! I’m taking a leap of faith moving from Colorado top teach abroad my first choice was Vietnam. I had the location narrowed down Hanoi but after discussions with teachers (non-black) I was advised to stay away from Hanoi and HCMC… so…. now I’m looking in smaller cities which will affect my pay on top of it already being affected by the color of my skin. I understand that their reservations of hiring blacks is purely ignorance but it’s still something I have to think about. With all of that being said, is there am area in Vietnam better than another? How difficult was it to find a teaching job? Sould I stay somewhere else completely?

    Btw I’m 35 (I look younger, blessing and a curse), graduated from a 4 year college, will have a tefl before I arrive but do not have teaching experience.

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    • Hi there,
      Congrats on taking a leap of faith and deciding to move out to Southeast Asia. In the bigger cities, like Hanoi, it can be a bit more difficult to find a job as a woman of color since there’s such a surplus of foreign teachers. Not to say that it’s impossible, and in my opinion, it’s a little easier for women than men of color.

      However, smaller cities I think you’ll have greater success. There’s more of a need for native speaker teachers and I’ve found the locals more welcoming to me. Definitely curious about my ethnicity, but excited for me as a teacher. Maybe check out Hue, or Bac Ninh, or Da Lat! There’s also the Facebook group Hanoi Massive- the new era and Hanoi English Teaching Jobs if you want to check out that area. Good luck and I’m so glad you found the post helpful!

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  2. I’ve bookmarked your blog and will reference it when I have questions about Vietnam. I’m an English teacher living in Japan and I’m looking for my next destination. When I do research about a country, in the Google search I always type in “being black in…” Because like your post said, it affects my experience. People see me first as being black. I’m already categorized (I understand not by all). So automatically my experience is different from someone who isn’t a person of color. I’m okay with that. Perfectly okay. Couldn’t really picture it any other way really lol. It just nice to read relatable journeys and happenings though women who just get it. So thank you for your post, and your blog!

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    • I’m glad you could relate. When I first accepted the job in Vietnam, I also typed in “being black in…” And found nothing. It was why I wrote this post, so that when someone searched the Internet, they would find at least one source to lean on. I’m glad I could help. Hopefully my muse and motivation will come back and I’ll write even more!

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