As US international student recruiters know all too well, these are tough times for most institutions for a variety of social, political, and economic reasons. Viet Nam, however, remains a bright spot on the recruitment horizon. As of March 2019, there were 30,684 young Vietnamese studying in the US at all levels, most in higher … Continue reading US Student Visa Issuances Up in May-July 2019 Over 2018
Commentary
How Van Gogh Found His Purpose: Heartfelt Letters to His Brother on How Relationships Refine Us
Below is a reprint from Brain Pickings, a website that describes itself as An inventory of cross-disciplinary interestingness, spanning art, science, design, history, philosophy, and more. This particular essay is from the BP archives, what Maria Popova, its creator, refers to as "something worth resurfacing and resavoring as timeless nourishment for heart, mind, and spirit." I … Continue reading How Van Gogh Found His Purpose: Heartfelt Letters to His Brother on How Relationships Refine Us
“Ain’t Gonna Study War No More”
I saw this child during a recent trip to China having fun engaging in stroller-by "shootings" on a crowded city street, and this song popped into my head. Parents buy toy guns for their children, mainly sons, in many countries because violence, even faux violence, is part and parcel of masculine identity in many cultures. … Continue reading “Ain’t Gonna Study War No More”
A Widening Crack in the Wall of Viet Nam’s Tourism Industry?
How to kill tourism in one easy step I stumbled upon the following 29 July 2019 post with photos on the Danang & Hoi An Foreign Expats Facebook group, of which I'm a lurking member: I wouldn't be swimming anywhere near Apocalypse Now Beach Club in the next few days. Huge outpouring of sewage into the … Continue reading A Widening Crack in the Wall of Viet Nam’s Tourism Industry?
Guns are US(A)
A Vietnamese version of the article below appeared on 6 August in the Voices section of Zing.vn, a major media outlet in Viet Nam. This is the unabridged English version with photos. Postscript: Here's an irony for you. Delaware is an open carry state but it doesn't permit online orders for wine. On the other hand, … Continue reading Guns are US(A)
Coming to Terms with the Past by Honoring Historical Truth: The Case of Fulbright University Vietnam
Here's my latest essay about Fulbright University Vietnam. Below is an excerpt from the conclusion to whet your appetite (or not). Education is one way to heal the past, assuming it is objective, comprehensive, and truthful. FUV has yet to live up to its billing as a university with a mission grounded in the liberal … Continue reading Coming to Terms with the Past by Honoring Historical Truth: The Case of Fulbright University Vietnam
“Global garment firms no longer bullish on Vietnam as costs rise”
So goes the title of a recent article about international textile companies operating in Viet Nam. The first thought that always pops into my head whenever I read about rising labor costs is how much by local standards and how much is enough in terms of net profit? Why not pay your employees a living … Continue reading “Global garment firms no longer bullish on Vietnam as costs rise”
Of “Summer” & Concentration Camps
The drawing on the left was done by a child held at a what is euphemistically called "a summer camp" (detention center) in the U.S. I see a cage. The physical impediment that keeps her prisoner. The drawing on the right was also created by a child. Except this child's drawing was made while being held … Continue reading Of “Summer” & Concentration Camps
Social Media Question on Visa Application: Yet Another Obstacle on the Path to Study in the USA
Yes, the nightmare proposal related to US-bound international student recruitment has become a cold, stark reality. Check out this 3 June 2019 update from NAFSA: Association of International Educators or this 1 June 2019 BBC report about the collection of social media information. The "social media" question has been added to the DS-160 form, the … Continue reading Social Media Question on Visa Application: Yet Another Obstacle on the Path to Study in the USA
The Hustling Culture of International Education: Conference Sessions for Sale
Here's my latest article, this time on LinkedIn. This introduction might whet your appetite for more (or not): As one digs deeper into the national character of the Americans, one sees that they have sought the value of everything in this world only in the answer to this single question: how much money will it … Continue reading The Hustling Culture of International Education: Conference Sessions for Sale
An International Educator in Vietnam 
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