You're on candid camera! Photo taken in Hanoi by MAA When ya gotta go, ya gotta go, right? This is a common sight in Viet Nam's cities. It's a perennial issue that's frequently covered by the nation's media, usually accompanied by healthy doses of teeth-gnashing and breast-beating. What will the tourists think? What about Vietnam's … Continue reading Public Urination: A National Embarrassment & a Misdemeanor
Author: Mark A. Ashwill
Why we do what we do: A US international educator’s moral quandary
Stores that sell guns and related items are common in many US states. I took this one a few years ago in my home state of Delaware. Here's my latest article for University World News. (The editor shortened the title to Gun Violence: An International Educator's Moral Quandary.) It was inspired, so to speak, by … Continue reading Why we do what we do: A US international educator’s moral quandary
Fact-Checking a Recent PIE News Article About Viet Nam
Face-to-face key to recruiting Vietnam Gen Z This 8 July 2022 article by Helen Packer, which is essentially an advertorial for INTO, includes some facts and figures that are inaccurate. While I agree with the thesis, i.e., the importance of face-to-face recruiting, I feel compelled to offer these corrections in point/counterpoint fashion. Point #1: Approximately … Continue reading Fact-Checking a Recent PIE News Article About Viet Nam
A Trip to the COVID Capital of the World
Status: 2.7.22 (Mayo Clinic) It's deliciously ironic that I had to submit a negative COVID test result as a precondition for traveling to the country that is #1 in the number of coronavirus infections and deaths. I religiously wore my fashionable black mask on flights, a requirement on Japan Airlines but not American Airlines, in … Continue reading A Trip to the COVID Capital of the World
“We Are Not Okay”
I felt compelled to share this LinkedIn post about the recent mass murder in Illinois. It was written by Erin Gallagher, whose information is below, about Aiden McCarthy, the toddler whose parents, Irina and Kevin McCarthy, were killed in an act of domestic terrorism on July 4th in Highland Park. Erin Gallagher• 2ndFast Company's World's … Continue reading “We Are Not Okay”
They Hate US ‘Cause They Ain’t US!
For sale on Amazon During a recent trip to Boston, I saw this delusional expression screaming at me in large, red, white, and blue letters from the side of a passing cement truck. For the uninitiated, it’s a US cultural reference that has been transformed into a bellicose nationalistic war cry replete with t-shirts sold … Continue reading They Hate US ‘Cause They Ain’t US!
The Legion of Working Poor in the US
During a recent trip to my home state of Delaware, I noticed a sign outside a McDonald’s that was recruiting workers for up to $15 an hour. That's over twice as much as the US federal minimum wage, which stands at a paltry $7.25 per hour. While that is akin to modern-day slavery, the maximum … Continue reading The Legion of Working Poor in the US
Guns are US(A) Revisited
As a result of the recent mass shootings, I was on high alert in public places during a recent visit to the US. Some had warnings and the metal detectors to back them up, while others just had signs, as if mere words would deter gun owners from exercising their 2nd Amendment right to pack … Continue reading Guns are US(A) Revisited
“The Lines” in Hưng Yên Province
Artist's Rendering of The Lines Mr. Thompson: (He's back!) Goddammit Carl, would you stop fighting this? People buy homes, let the government pay for the parks, thats why we have taxes. The Oaks at Mesa Vista is a money train. You want to be on it? (From You, Me, and Dupree) Under construction (Photo by … Continue reading “The Lines” in Hưng Yên Province
The US Airline from Hell
"American Airlines Sucks" from the Blue Cat blog On a recent trip to the US, I had several unhappy encounters with the airline named after the country in which it is located. TripAdvisor reviews with titles - in A-Z order - like Abusive Staff, American Airlines is god awful, Bad Customer Service, Horrible, Terrible Customer … Continue reading The US Airline from Hell
An International Educator in Vietnam 
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