In a bar on Saigon’s Bui Vien Street, the author meets a young Vietnamese woman who joins his table and candidly shares her life story. Raised in a rural farming town, she fell into alcoholism and promiscuity during her teens. Disillusioned with her hometown and a troubled relationship, she moved to Saigon seeking freedom.
There, she began having sexual relationships with foreign tourists—more for pleasure than money. She never explicitly charged but was often gifted money afterward. She viewed herself not just as a sex worker, but as a companion who offered both physical and emotional connection.
Her life changed when she met a wealthy Englishman who became her partner, mentor, and teacher. After several years, she left him for a younger man from Sweden, whom she married. She now works online as a cam-girl, dancing and chatting with clients, and plans to move to Sweden soon.
She says she doesn’t plan her future—she just lives it.
