Vietnam blogs update

I just updated the Vietnam Blogs list. A few more folk contacted me over the past month and I've added them. Among those are a number of Vietnamese bloggers, mostly students.

If young Vietnamese take to blogging the way they have with chat, I have a feeling there'll be thousands of Vietnamese blogs by the end of 2006. Just not sure if the subject's getting any coverage in the youth rags and mags and importantly I dunno whether or not Vietnamese blogging software is free and/or widely available. For what it's worth, here's a thought I emailed to several other bloggers earlier this year:

I'm waiting for the day when some enterprising Vietnamese kid rips off my idea, does the same thing but in Vietnamese, hauls in a few advertisers to pay his way and blogs for a living. I reckon if they could write, take passable snaps and create a buzz in the local media they'd easily start to earn a minimum of $200 per month within 6 months {of blogging}. I'm sure it'll happen. The turf is ripe for the taking.

Vietnamese love food, love talking about food. $200 is a living wage here, hell a $100 is, especially if you're a streetfood blogger. Maybe there's a bunch of paranoid legal crap that could put a stop to it. However, if you're Vietnamese and you can write, take photos, and know a wee bit about marketing and can build up a decent sized readership, I reckon you'd be quids in. Nice job too.

Comments

[Monkee]

Heh I have friends that deffinitely can do this :) but can you give me more hints about how to start???

Thanks, also thanks for the blog. I enjoy reading your blog very very much, *sign* I miss Saigon and the food :( . Especially "canh bu'n", "pha' la'u" and "tie't canh vit" (I bet you wont be able to eat that :P if you can I have the best place ever for that in Saigon downtown) yuummm hehe can't find that anywhere in the state Rarrrr >:0 . You think they let me make one ??? :P

[Van Le]

Hey, I've been thinking that when I'm done with all the exams I'll create what could be the Hanoi equivalent of noodlepie. I'll be honest, it's your very blog that inspired and gave me that idea (duh), but not because I'm a rip-off, it's just that you seem to prefer Saigon's food, or even Saigon's variation, to Hanoi's. I just don't agree. North Vietnam, especially Hanoi, is not called the "land to eat" (hope I translated it right, if not, hope you get my idea) for nothing. Besides I want to give foreigners a Vietnamese' view on his country's own food, perhaps versus yours too, because, damn it, no one has ever done it before. Where's all the Vietnamese' pride? But don't misunderstand me, your blog is a great blog, gives me a new perception on food I eat everyday, and something else too. Congrats. Well done. Good job. *add your own compliment(s) here*

I hope you're not angry 'cause I'm going to "rip-off" your idea. I like the word "borrow" better.

Perhaps I'll do some more things with my blog too. Back when I still have a camera (until I sold it for some cheap money last Sep) I used to take a lot of pictures, from people to food to landscape. And I write a lot during boring classes, so please do give it a try, you may like it, and if not, drop some comments. Come on. give this young hopeful student some encouragements. And.....

Alright alright, I talk too much. I'll shut up now. Please don't hurt me.

[pieman]

First rule of blogging: blog what you're passionate about. Actually, it's the only rule. I'd love to see a Hanoi streetfood blog written by keen Vietnamese scoffers. There's only so far my limited Vietnamese will get me and someone with a far greater grasp of the language could do a very much better job of it IMO.