Decrepit

The market is known as Bốn Con Hộ, or Four Tigers. It houses the businesses, street food stalls, and other types of vending options of the Asian people living here. In Budapest, the population of Far East Asian immigrants does not exceed twenty thousand—a very compact number. As I entered this area, my expectations were not met by any means. Through a few blog posts I have read previously, the image of this Asian area somewhat paralleled those markets of Chợ Bến Thành in Sài Gòn. But what I was greeted with was a very dilapidated, dumpster like area. Trash filled the small alleyway paths, the smell of garbage and urine was so profound that I had to hold my breath. It is a very particular area in a city known for its beautiful architecture, scenery, and cleanliness.

I attempted to take a few pictures, but was stopped by what seemed to be security guards—individuals who appeared to be ethnic minorities themselves. The number of the majority Hungarians in this area was close to zero. Walking through these narrow, grimy passageways all I could think about was how distinct and different the Asian area was from the other parts of what I have seen in Budapest. Such disparity simply points to the economic problems minorities face in this country, or rather this city. I spoke to a few Vietnamese people in the market and asked them about their lives, when they arrived in Budapest. Many of those to whom I spoke stated they’ve been here since the nineties. Most of their income comes from the products they sell. I found what they cited to me to be quite interesting. In Việt Nam, there are individuals who are selling phở or fake Armani pants to tourists or even locals as a means of income, but these people were simply doing the same as in Việt Nam. Normally, immigration or refuge to another country during the nineties constituted a sense of economic migration, where individuals sought more opportunities to gain higher capital. Here in Budapest, it seemed as a complete replica.

Perhaps Vietnamese people and other South East/East Asian folks possessed false dreams. Many people believe arriving to a country with a stronger economy translates to a higher chance to make money. But this may not always be the case. Here in Budapest, the cost of living is much higher than that of Sài Gòn or Hà Nội. Selling these products as they do in Việt Nam really does not bring them that higher capital even if they inflate the prices 100% compared to the prices back at home. To be in a third world country for six months, I became accustomed to what Westerners would regard as decrepit, dirty, etc. Walking through Chợ Bốn Con Hộ, this sense of normality of decrepit was suddenly challenged as the sights and sounds which lay in front of my eyes magnifying the realities of how poorly the conditions of South East Asians were here in Budapest. In the near future, I will return to this area and observe in finer detail.

Trần Qúy Hạc