Not May, Chu and Ha

Location: Sapa, Northern Vietnam
Date: May 3, 2010

The Older Generation

Here is a little portrait of the older Hmong women, who don't have the English skills that the younger girls do. Basically what happens is that they approach you with their goods, no matter whether or not you show any interest in the item, and then they flock to you, whipping out different colors and sizesd and saying in a loud shrill voice, "BUY FROM ME!" The women are very kind and continuously have smiles on their faces, but the competition is fierce, and the last one to hang around usually is the winner. Below is a photo walk of the experience one afternoon between Abe and some of the Hmong women in the market...one of the women ended up following him all the way down the street, where the conversation was something like:
A: "I can only spend 80. I'll give you 80."
H: "Ok, 90."
A: "I can do 80, but not 90. 80 ok?"
H: "100 ok...."

The beginnings of the negotiation...

More and more women come and follow Abe throughout the market...

This little lady was persistent...following Abe down the street...

She was not happy that I was taking photos- it was interrupting her "game..."

In the end, he got the pants for 80. I guess she was tired after following us for an hour...