Commentary

U.S. Student Visa Update: Upward Trend Continues

Mark A. Ashwill Commentary, Updates , ,

According to the latest figures from the US Department of State's Bureau of Consular Affairs, a record 10,867 F-1 (student) visas were issued in Fiscal Year 2013, which ended on 30 September 2013.  That represents a 5%  increase over FY2012.  As you see from the chart below, the take-off phase, which reflects the rapidly expanding … Continue reading U.S. Student Visa Update: Upward Trend Continues

Same Same But Different

Mark A. Ashwill Commentary, Events , , , ,

Earlier this week, on a humid evening, the air heavy with memories and raw emotion at the Cinematheque in Hanoi, I met some of the 17 members of the Veterans for Peace Chapter 160 Spring 2014 Tour, who are here for a two-week visit, including Hanoi, Dong Ha/A Luoi, Khe Sanh, Danang, Hue, Hoi An … Continue reading Same Same But Different

2014 VSN International Conference “What Is A Good University?”

Mark A. Ashwill Commentary, Conferences , , , ,

I was recently invited to speak at a conference in Hanoi organized by the Vietnam Scholar Network (VSN), the Vietnam Centre for Economic and Policy Research (VEPR) and the University of Education, and sponsored by the British Embassy Hanoi.  The conference, which was kicked off with remarks from Prof. Dr. Nguyen Huu Duc, Vice President, … Continue reading 2014 VSN International Conference “What Is A Good University?”

Five-Minute Glass: What Our Government Sees When It Looks Out the Window

Mark A. Ashwill Articles, Commentary , , , ,

Below is an excerpt from a recent article written by Daniel H. Garrett, a former US Department of State foreign service officer and currently a senior associate at The Asia Institute.  I am posting it because it offers an insider's view of the work of US consular officers, including student visas.   In addition to … Continue reading Five-Minute Glass: What Our Government Sees When It Looks Out the Window

Jumping on the Vietnam War Commemoration Bandwagon: The Vain Search for Honor

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

Overcoming the Past? The good news is that while most of America continues to indulge in this national charade, and refuses to come to terms with its bloody past and prevent the "past" from becoming "prologue" again and again, the tiny S-shaped country upon which the U.S. military visited so much death and destruction has … Continue reading Jumping on the Vietnam War Commemoration Bandwagon: The Vain Search for Honor

Culture Shock: The Exploitation of J-1 Cultural Exchange Workers

Mark A. Ashwill Commentary, Reports , , , ,

“Employers, sponsors, and overseas recruiting agencies have hijacked the cultural exchange program, turning it into a low-wage guest worker program that benefits their bottom lines at the expense of these workers and the United States’ reputation.  Each year that the State Department and Congress fail to reform this program is another year thousands of young … Continue reading Culture Shock: The Exploitation of J-1 Cultural Exchange Workers

Nonimmigrant B Visa Adjusted Refusal Rates: Vietnam’s Stock Is Rising

Mark A. Ashwill Commentary, Updates, vietnam , ,

While B visas are not F1 (i.e., student) visas, a look at issuance statistics since 2006 reveals a positive trend for Vietnamese traveling to the U.S. on business or on holiday.  (B-1 visas are for tourism, pleasure or visiting, while B-2 visas are a combination of both purposes.) In Fiscal Year (FY) 2013 20.3% of … Continue reading Nonimmigrant B Visa Adjusted Refusal Rates: Vietnam’s Stock Is Rising

An Anti-Ode to Security Guards

Mark A. Ashwill Commentary , , ,

They are legion and ubiquitous, these.. dispensers of disdain, guardians of the gutter, helpers of the haves, keepers of the gate, monitors of the masses, movers of the motorbikes, protectors of the pavement, rulers of the realm, supervisors of the street, takers of the tickets. You know who - the bane of many people's existence, the guys … Continue reading An Anti-Ode to Security Guards

Ingroup, Outgroup, or Caught In Between?

Mark A. Ashwill Commentary , , , , ,

My last post of the 2013 Lunar Year... Vietnam is a highly homogeneous society.  I'm reminded of this whenever I look in the mirror and see a white guy staring back at me.  For those who are not Kinh, or ethnic Vietnamese,  it's pretty cut-and-dried.  We look different and therefore are different. There is a … Continue reading Ingroup, Outgroup, or Caught In Between?

Vietnam: Fastest Growing Facebook Market in the World

Mark A. Ashwill Commentary, Updates , , , ,

The number of Facebook (FB) users has doubled over the past year to over 22 million, which amounts to 61% of all netizens in Vietnam.  As one post pointed out, "Global brands are definitely eyeing the Vietnamese Facebook market."  The implications for student recruitment are also obvious.  If you want to reach out to young people, you need … Continue reading Vietnam: Fastest Growing Facebook Market in the World