Commentary

Viet Nam Ranks 5th Among US-Bound International Students

Mark A. Ashwill Commentary , , , , ,

As of March 2021, the US hosted 24,534 Vietnamese students, down from 25,221 in December 2020 and 25,824 in September 2020. The number in January 2020, the second semester and the month that COVID-19 arrived in Viet Nam, was 29,976. Those are decreases of 13.85%, 2.34%, and 2.72% - in ascending chronological order. The total … Continue reading Viet Nam Ranks 5th Among US-Bound International Students

Miracles in Our Midst: It’s Giant Crape Myrtle Time!

Mark A. Ashwill Commentary , , , , , , , ,

Looking down on the trees in question. Photo taken on 6 May 2021 by MAA. I have felt a connection to trees and plants, a reverence for all living beings, truth be told, since my first memories. I am also prone to making a note of everything in my surroundings, ranging from the good and … Continue reading Miracles in Our Midst: It’s Giant Crape Myrtle Time!

“Deported by Biden: a Vietnamese refugee separated from his family after decades in US”

Mark A. Ashwill Articles, Commentary , , ,

Tien Pham, 38, who fled violence in Vietnam as a child, was sent back to an unfamiliar country due to teenage conviction: ‘America is my home’ Image courtesy of The Guardian This 3 May 2021 Guardian article jumped off my screen. This poor guy goes from one frying pan into another. It reminded me the … Continue reading “Deported by Biden: a Vietnamese refugee separated from his family after decades in US”

The Environment as Communal Trash Can

Mark A. Ashwill Commentary , , , , , ,

As seen recently in Hanoi traffic. Last cigarette. What to do with the empty pack? Toss it out the window, of course. Aside from being a crime against nature, littering, including cigarette butts, is against the law in Viet Nam, but it's rarely, if ever, enforced. (Check out this March 2021 post about smoking in … Continue reading The Environment as Communal Trash Can

Taking the Pulse of F-1 Issuances in Viet Nam: A Year of Recovery & Challenges

Mark A. Ashwill Commentary , , , , , ,

As the end of April approaches, I thought I'd check on the number of US student visas issued since the beginning of the 2021 fiscal year and compare it with last year in the (mostly) pre-COVID era. Yes, I know this is the low season for F-1 issuances, the high season lasting from May through … Continue reading Taking the Pulse of F-1 Issuances in Viet Nam: A Year of Recovery & Challenges

Hội An Visit a Bittersweet Experience

Mark A. Ashwill Commentary , , , , ,

Photos by MAA Strolling around Hội An on a recent sunny afternoon, classical music playing softly on the omnipresent speakers, the tropical breeze wafting through the trees and alleys, was both a sad and peaceful experience. For the uninitiated, this charming little town, a short drive south of Danang in central Viet Nam, is a … Continue reading Hội An Visit a Bittersweet Experience

RocketReach Falls Short

Mark A. Ashwill Commentary , , ,

I was recently searching for something online and came across this RocketReach (RR) profile of Capstone Vietnam. (Full disclosure/reminder: I'm managing director and co-founder.) RR is a web-based tool that mines data to create profiles of companies that include website addresses, social media channels, and email addresses, among other information. The results illustrate the current … Continue reading RocketReach Falls Short

Requiem for the ‘American Century’

Mark A. Ashwill Articles, Commentary , , , ,

It's not often that I simply post an article but this essay by Andrew J. Bacevich, which originally appeared on TomDispatch, is worth reading. 9/11 tribute. (David Z from Pixabay) Only when Americans openly acknowledge their imperial transgressions will genuine repentance become possible. And only with repentance will avoiding further occasions to sin become a habit. … Continue reading Requiem for the ‘American Century’