Ho Chi Minh no longer reflects the romantic Vietnamese imagery of bicycles, ao dais, and old women with betel stained teeth sitting on every corner. It´s been cleaned up, modernised, buildings have got taller, skirts have got shorter and the rickshaws have gone.

If you brave the hidden alleyways, you can still find the Ho Chi Minh of old. An old woman hunched over a steaming pot of pho, three small children playing marbles, rubbish collectors, fruit stands, clothing strung between white washed walls, a lone birdcage with a copycat minor whistling away: meander and you will certainly find pockets of yesteryear.

Some things never change. I still have the ice in my warm beer. My squatting thighs are back on track. I still have to throw the toilet paper in the rubbish bin. My ears are assured of the dulcet tones of Celine Dion as I wander down Bui Vien. I can hear the bells of the masseuses as they cycle their way through the streets. I can still hop on the portable scales and register ´overweight´ at 56kg. And best of all, I can still have a beer and a 45 minute massage and walk out with change from $3.

I am in awe of the speed of economic development in this city, appreciative of what has stayed and thankful I had the opportunity to watch it grow up into a vibrant, energetic and flourishing metropolis.

I don´t know whether my birth made the family happy or worried about my future life, happy or unhappy?

I heard that it was only my mother with me when she gave birth to me. My dad just dropped by sometimes to greet and to give my mum some money.

Time has slowly gone by. What has to come will come. When I was 14, she left me for her roomate without returning. I grew up with love and good care of father Minh and mother Phung. Luckily, I was able to be on school grade 2 even though the family had difficult circumstances. Then I became a foster child when I was in grade 2.

I try to study hard and well in order to make my parents and foster parents happy. If I have a wish, I would wish my parents good health, happiness. For myself, if I will be a successful person, I will help poor children and take good care of my parents.

I hope that everyone has own parents, friends, relatives, and is able to play and to study.

Simple wishes. Simple dreams.

When I wish upon a star, my dreams come true.