Is the Bloom Off the Canadian Rose for Vietnamese Students?

19/03/202019/03/2020 Mark A. Ashwill Commentary COVID-19, overseas study, study in canada, study permit refusal rate, viet nam, vietnam, Vietnamese students

I wrote updates for University World News in 2018 (Vietnamese students look at the US and head north - editor's title) and 2019 (The shift of Vietnamese students to Canada marches on) but I what I have to say this year will fit into a short blog post. As of 31 December 2019, there were … Continue reading Is the Bloom Off the Canadian Rose for Vietnamese Students?

SEVP Does An About-Face With I-20 Issuance Policy

02/03/2020 Mark A. Ashwill Articles, Commentary department of homeland security, I-20, ICE, sevp, study in the USA

My latest essay for University World News is about the June 2019 I-20 policy guidance and the about-face just six months later. As I noted in my concluding paragraph, I give ICE credit for recognising the error of its ways within six months of publishing a policy guidance document on Form I-20 Issuance and School … Continue reading SEVP Does An About-Face With I-20 Issuance Policy

“Face masks made from toilet paper found in Hanoi”

19/02/202009/03/2020 Mark A. Ashwill Articles, Commentary cheating, coronavirus, COVID-19, viet nam, vietnam

Market officials inspect mask production at Viet Han Company Ltd in Thuong Tin District, Hanoi on February 13, 2020. Photo by VnExpress/Chien Son. Why am I not surprised? Here's the latest example of cheating, this time in the midst of the coronavirus crisis. (Thu gần 100.000 chiếc khẩu trang làm từ giấy vệ sinh) I'm … Continue reading “Face masks made from toilet paper found in Hanoi”

Vietnamese Student Enrollment in the US Holds Steady

10/02/202010/02/2020 Mark A. Ashwill Articles, Commentary international students, sevis by the numbers, study in the USA, Vietnamese students

The US Department of Homeland Security via the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) has finally released the latest stats on international students in the US. The last one was March 2019 (!). (Here's 13.1.20 commentary about that.) Gee, I wonder if my many gentle reminders had anything to do with the timing of the … Continue reading Vietnamese Student Enrollment in the US Holds Steady

COVID-19 & Viet Nam

06/02/202004/04/2020 Mark A. Ashwill Articles, Commentary 2019-nCoV, china, coronavirus, johns hopkins csse, pollution, viet nam, vietnam

This is a screenshot from Jealous Coronavirus, an animated music video and public service announcement from the Viet Nam Ministry of Health. Click on "CC" for English subtitles. The transcript has translations in 22 languages. It is based on Jealous, Vietnamese hit song from 2017 Update on 15.3.20 This Wikipedia article 2020 coronavirus pandemic in … Continue reading COVID-19 & Viet Nam

Viet Nam’s New DUI Law: Thank You, National Assembly!

01/02/202009/03/2020 Mark A. Ashwill Commentary decree 100, drunk driving, dui law, viet nam, vietnam, vietnam national assembly

Bạn trẻ uống bia tại một bữa tiệc - ẢNH: QUANG ĐỊNH (Photo courtesy of Tuoi Tre News) 1 January 2020 was the dawn of a new era in a society in which excessive drinking is considered to be a sign of masculinity and part of doing business. Before that auspicious day, Viet Nam was … Continue reading Viet Nam’s New DUI Law: Thank You, National Assembly!

Playing Geopolitical Whack-a-Mole: The Viet Nam Flag Issue Revisited

24/01/2020 Mark A. Ashwill Articles, Commentary flag issue, RVN, socialist republic of vietnam, south vietnam, study in the USA, viet nam, vietnam

“The past is never dead. It's not even past." (from Requiem for a Nun by William Faulkner) Sadly, the "flag issue" is very much alive at many educational institutions, especially those with nearby Vietnamese immigrant communities. If you're intrigued by the title and/or introduction below, follow this link to read the article. I include advice … Continue reading Playing Geopolitical Whack-a-Mole: The Viet Nam Flag Issue Revisited

The Five Remembrances by the Buddha

21/01/2020 Mark A. Ashwill Commentary Buddha, buddhism, five remembrances, Thích Nhất Hạnh

Translated by Thích Nhất Hạnh Thích Nhất Hạnh Worth (re)reading from time to time, including at the end of another Lunar Year. (Follow this link for a PDF version of The Five Remembrances. or click on Thích Nhất Hạnh's photo to the left. As he notes, When you deny the reality of life, you appreciate … Continue reading The Five Remembrances by the Buddha

“Why constructive criticism of the US is not anti-American”

20/01/202009/03/2020 Mark A. Ashwill Articles, Commentary international student recruitment, international students, nationalism, overseas study, patriotism, study in the USA, viet nam, vietnam, vietnamese parents, Vietnamese students

Here's my latest University World News essay from 18 January 2020. (NOTE: Editor's title.) The original working title was Nationalism Rears Its Ugly Head in the Tumultuous World of US International Education, which is descriptive but too long. 🙂 If the title or introduction below whets your appetite for more, follow this link Closeup of … Continue reading “Why constructive criticism of the US is not anti-American”

Of SPAM, Viet Nam, & the World

18/01/2020 Mark A. Ashwill Commentary SPAM, viet nam, vietnam

I've always found it ironic that a certain percentage of emails sent from Viet Nam to other countries end up in colleagues' SPAM folders because of the security settings of their institutions' servers. The irony lies in the fact that Viet Nam does not rank among the top 10 "worst enabling Spam countries" in the … Continue reading Of SPAM, Viet Nam, & the World

An International Educator in Vietnam

Information, Insights & (Frequently) Intrigue

Commentary