Stories

The Saleman by Nguyen Quoc Thanh

One evening, I heard chanting sounds coming from a dark corner of the Lenin park. There I saw young people gathered in a large circle. They cheered each other in a frenzy like a fan club worships its pop idol. In the centre of the circle stood Vuong, a 22 year old graduate of Hanoi Industrial College. He looked like a natural leader in a grey suit and elegant shoes. Vuong expressed his enthusiasm freely, his hands raised like a preacher, as if he was to posses every person listening to his words.

This was one of Thien Ngoc Minh Uy company's weekly, ceremonial meetings. Vuong joined the company when he was still in the college. “I saw people forming a circle and I wanted to be one of them" - he said. "I wanted to be independent, to be successful". Vuong comes from a village outside Hanoi. He is the youngest son of four children in a poor family. He now rents a small flat in Tu Liem district, at a walking distance from his work. He only buys lunch on occasion, he rather cooks meals at home to save money. His flat is just made from metal and plastic pieces on a roof of a brick house. It's a depressing place, with catchy slogans hanging on a wall beside the bed, that are to motivate Vuong to work harder. Next to the door, an ozone producing machine is hanging in the wall. An electric rice steamer sits in the corner and on the table, there are few tubes of cosmetics. All he has in this room are the products that he and his company is selling. Even here, it's all about the work.

Thien Ngoc Minh Uy company sells “miracle making” products like a bra set that helps prevent cancer for 200 dollars. The work place looks rather strange, with smiling faces, people dressed in ill fitting suits. All are working in a parking lot outside a big, glass fronted building. It reminds me more of a political convention, than a regular business. “It's is still a new type of business in Vietnam” - Vuong's superior told me. This is a multi level network marketing company, where self employed salesmen maintain their own networks. The complicated structure is explained to newcomers on a piece of paper.

“I am working on my own success” - Vuong is convinced he will make his dream in 3 or 4 years. He is said to earn 10 millions a month. Strange, Vuong doesn't manage to save enough money to send home, to his parents. He seems not to have many friends, too. “When I am lonely, I think of my people in my network” - he told me. “And I have bought a Christmas lights to cheer myself up”.