Author: maavn

VinWonders Vinpearl Safari: Fantasy or Reality?

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Location of proposed VinWonders Vinpearl Safari on the outskirts of Hanoi. Here's what's behind Door #3, dear readers, as alluded to in a previous post. This is an example of things that go bump in the night in broad daylight, assuming this Frankensteinian project gets the green light. There are plans to build a VinWonders … Continue reading VinWonders Vinpearl Safari: Fantasy or Reality?

Of Spirits, Martyrs & Legends: the Magic & Sorrow of Vietnam’s Côn Sơn Island

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Here's my latest essay for CounterPunch. The tomb of Võ Thị Sáu A short up-and-down overwater flight from Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport and, voilà, you’ve arrived. While your destination is just off the coast of southern Vietnam, it may as well be another world. In less than an hour, you are transported from the … Continue reading Of Spirits, Martyrs & Legends: the Magic & Sorrow of Vietnam’s Côn Sơn Island

Covid-19 silver lining: overseas study opportunities abound for Vietnamese students

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Here's my latest essay for VNExpress International. Looking forward to seeing the Vietnamese version for my target audience. Educational institutions in key host countries, most of which bore the brunt of Covid's fury last year, are reopening their doors to international students, including those from Vietnam. One silver lining of Covid-19 and its impact on … Continue reading Covid-19 silver lining: overseas study opportunities abound for Vietnamese students

Words To Live & Die By: The Prologue to Bertrand Russell’s Autobiography

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Worth reposting here and reflecting on - again and again. What have you lived for? The key question to keep asking is, 'Are you spending your time on the right things?' Because time is all you have. (Randy Pausch, 1960-2008) Shalom (שלום), MAA What I Have Lived For Three passions, simple but overwhelmingly strong, have governed … Continue reading Words To Live & Die By: The Prologue to Bertrand Russell’s Autobiography

Got the COVID Blues (Lord, Have Mercy on Me)

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The fourth wave of COVID-19 in Viet Nam "inspired" me to write the lyrics for a song called...wait for it!... Got the COVID Blues. Think uptempo, piano, saxophone and/or electric guitar, bass, and piano. Can you feel the beat? I'm workin' from home in my gilded cageDreamin' of travel in the post-COVID ageCoronavirus on the … Continue reading Got the COVID Blues (Lord, Have Mercy on Me)

Constructive Criticism Rooted in Respect: A View from Vietnam

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Here's my latest essay for CounterPunch. If you like this excerpt, follow this link to read the article in its entirety! I recently penned an essay about the scourge of environmental pollution in Viet Nam that was published by a major media outlet. Shortly after posting the article on LinkedIn, Mr. Pierre, a Frenchman living in Viet … Continue reading Constructive Criticism Rooted in Respect: A View from Vietnam

Parental Love Also Means Freedom From…

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Caution! As seen in Hanoi traffic recently. A negative role model, i.e., what NOT to allow your children to do. Here are two possible consequences of this boy's "fun": 1) Inhaling polluted air, including carbon monoxide; and 2) Risk of injury or death in the event of a sudden stop or collision. Memo to Mommy … Continue reading Parental Love Also Means Freedom From…

Hà Nội in the Fourth Wave: A Heartfelt Wish & a Hopeful Prediction

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Hoàn Kiếm Lake in the heart of Hà Nội during the lockdown. My hopeful prediction came true! Earlier this week, the lockdown ended, barricades were removed, and people were out and about. Like flipping a switch, Hanoi was back in business! We've returned to the crazy traffic that is the old normal. This capital city … Continue reading Hà Nội in the Fourth Wave: A Heartfelt Wish & a Hopeful Prediction