This is an essay I felt compelled to write about a US American study abroad program to Viet Nam that reinforces and indeed celebrates US nationalism. It is a textbook example of how not to structure such a program. The country of Viet Nam is but a sideshow, a prop that enables students and veterans to … Continue reading A “Patriotic” Education Study Abroad Program in Viet Nam: God Bless America, Right or Wrong!
Author: Mark A. Ashwill
O Canada! The Vietnamese Student Pivot to the Great White North
It appears that the bloom is temporarily off the red, white, and blue rose for growing numbers of Vietnamese parents and students. For the first time ever, there are almost 15,000 Vietnamese students in Canada, nearly half as many as in the US. Vietnamese students had the highest percentage increase in 2017 at 89%, making … Continue reading O Canada! The Vietnamese Student Pivot to the Great White North
Fewer US Student Visas Issued in Viet Nam in FY18
In the 2018 fiscal year, ending on 30 September 2018, US student (F-1) visas issued to Vietnamese students declined by 971, or 5.7%, over the previous year. Below are the monthly stats starting in October 2017. October 2017: 275 November 2017: 364 December 2017: 1299 January 2018: 1165 February 2018: 207 March 2018: 207 April … Continue reading Fewer US Student Visas Issued in Viet Nam in FY18
Latest IIE Open Doors Data Reveal Shift in Vietnamese Major Preferences in the US
Below is a list of majors - in descending order - that Vietnamese students chose in the 2017/18 academic year. Interestingly, there was a decrease in the percentage studying business/management, down from 30.9% the previous year. This reflects growing interest in non-business majors and perhaps, quite possibly, the dawning realization that one doesn't need to … Continue reading Latest IIE Open Doors Data Reveal Shift in Vietnamese Major Preferences in the US
Water Torture, DC-Style
While the US president lurches from one shit storm to the next, his mouth a fount of filth and lies, his mind a roiling cauldron of chaos, and The White House in a perennial state of (crazy) crisis, there are some nameless yet busy little beavers working in the trenches of the vast federal bureaucracy … Continue reading Water Torture, DC-Style
Financial Aid for Vietnamese Students?
If your institution awards financial aid to Vietnamese students, I hope your approach is of the "trust but verify" variety. Not all parents and students are honest, and Viet Nam is no exception. Many people of means are happy to game the system and accept financial aid, if they can get it. I remember a … Continue reading Financial Aid for Vietnamese Students?
Happy 9th Anniversary to IEVN!
Wishing my blog a Happy 9th! 2009 to 2018 is a lot of Information, Insights & (Occasionally) Intrigue. Here's to another nine (9) years of more of the same! Shalom (שלום), MAA
US Visa Overstays: Is the Sky Falling?
The Trump administration recently proposed (yet another) new rule related to nonimmigrant, including student, visas. This one, if approved, will establish a maximum period of authorized stay for international students and other holders of certain nonimmigrant visas. Why? Is there something broken that needs to be fixed? Are the overstay rates breaking new records? Do … Continue reading US Visa Overstays: Is the Sky Falling?
Proposed Change to Public Charge Ground of Inadmissibility
Yet Another Obstacle in the Path of Obtaining a US Student Visa? Sadly, YES, if this proposal becomes law. From the horse's mouth: Section 212(a)(4) of the INA: Any alien who, in the opinion of the consular officer at the time of application for a visa, or in the opinion of the Attorney General at … Continue reading Proposed Change to Public Charge Ground of Inadmissibility
Vietnam Hangs Out the Welcome Sign for International Schools
The Vietnamese government is keen on attracting more FDI and expanding educational opportunities for its young people. Decree 86 covers both bases. In the spirit of giving credit where credit’s due, it is an example of good governance, a smart and timely decision that will pay off in the long-term for both individuals and society. … Continue reading Vietnam Hangs Out the Welcome Sign for International Schools
An International Educator in Vietnam 
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