Source: SEVIS Data Mapping Tool Amazingly, SEVIS issued another update in December 2020, i.e., in the US presidential interregnum, that provides a clear, real-time picture of international enrollments at US educational institutions. That was the third in one year, in addition to January and September 2020. Below are the top 10 sending countries with 12-20 … Continue reading Vietnamese Enrollments in US Hold Steady in Latest SEVIS Update
Author: Mark A. Ashwill
“Winning the Great Power Education: Revamping the U.S. Approach to Education Exchange”
I learned about this Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS) commentary from a colleague's LinkedIn post. Once I saw the source, CSIS, a quasi-USG, pro-US American NGO based in Washington, D.C., I knew exactly what "Great Power Education" referred to. It's all about winning the "hearts and minds of the next generation of global … Continue reading “Winning the Great Power Education: Revamping the U.S. Approach to Education Exchange”
Of Fish & Kitchen Gods: A Tết Ritual Needs To Be Carried Out in a Humane & Non-Polluting Manner
Dead carp floating in the To Lich River in Hanoi on Thursday. Photo by VnExpress/Ngoc Thanh (February 2018) On a recent commute to my office, I noticed numerous signs on the bridge over the Red River. They asked people not to throw fish into water river below. As this 2018 article notes, "the ritual is an … Continue reading Of Fish & Kitchen Gods: A Tết Ritual Needs To Be Carried Out in a Humane & Non-Polluting Manner
Trumpism is Exactly Who Many of US Are
Image courtesy of CounterPunch Here's my latest essay for CounterPunch in which I expand upon this 23.1.21 blog post Agree to Disagree? It Depends. Below is an excerpt to whet your appetite (or not). During the dark years of Trump and MAGA madness, I often heard from disbelieving and exasperated colleagues that this is not who … Continue reading Trumpism is Exactly Who Many of US Are
Vietnamese Student Reaction to US Capitol Violence
Trump supporters clash with police and security forces as they push barricades to storm the US Capitol on January 6. (Photo courtesy of CNN) We kept a close eye on the reaction of young people here to recent events in the US interregnum, including the US Capitol insurrection and violence on 6 January, all of … Continue reading Vietnamese Student Reaction to US Capitol Violence
Agree to Disagree? It Depends.
Us vs. them, for or against, Democrats and Republicans. This is what most US Americans learn growing up. There are always two sides to every argument. As a result, they end up inhabiting an intellectually limited dual world in which everything is either/or without realizing that arguments can have many sides and perspectives. I recently … Continue reading Agree to Disagree? It Depends.
“Do not be daunted by the enormity of the world’s grief”
A universal and timeless message worth (re)reading, reflecting on, taking to heart, and acting on every remaining day of our lives, whether we're young or old. Lo Alecha haM’lacha Ligmor, veLo Atah Ben-Chorin leHivatel Memenah / לֹא עָלֶיךָ הַמְּלָאכָה לִגְמוֹר, וְלֹא אַתָּה בֶן חוֹרִין לִבָּטֵל מִמֶּנָּה / It is not your duty to complete the task, but … Continue reading “Do not be daunted by the enormity of the world’s grief”
Happy MLK, Jr. Day!
Black American civil rights leader Martin Luther King (1929-1968) addresses crowds during the March On Washington at the Lincoln Memorial, Washington D.C., where he gave his 'I Have A Dream' speech. (Agence France Presse/Getty Images) Celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday, a federal holiday in the US, by (re)reading and listening to two of … Continue reading Happy MLK, Jr. Day!
The Old Amidst the New
Photos by MAA I like these businesses that have been around since before the Đổi Mới (renovation) economic reforms kicked in, which ushered in what's officially known as a socialist-oriented market economy and one of the great success stories in the developing world. This one, located down the street from Capstone's Hanoi office, is a … Continue reading The Old Amidst the New
Twice a Loser, Twice a Traitor
Protesters seen all over Capitol building where pro-Trump supporters riot and breached the Capitol in Washington, DC on January 6, 2021. Rioters broke windows and breached the Capitol building in an attempt to overthrow the results of the 2020 election. Police used buttons and tear gas grenades to eventually disperse the crowd. Rioters used metal … Continue reading Twice a Loser, Twice a Traitor
An International Educator in Vietnam 
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