Here's my latest essay for CounterPunch. Reading time: ~17 minutes. The hectic, sun-drenched streets of the capital have fallen silentIn the middle of the dayThe empty parks surrounded by yellow ribbons that exclaim,Keep out! Shuttered stores and barricaded neighborhoodsLivelihoods diminished; plans put on hold; dreams deferredMasked people shuffling around like otherworldly figuresWaiting patiently, resolutely, and … Continue reading The Latest Chapter in Vietnam’s Valiant Battle Against the Delta Variant
coronavirus
In the Midst of a Fourth Wave of COVID-19 in Viet Nam
Source: Worldometer, Vietnam Viet Nam is facing its greatest public health challenge yet since the global pandemic began. As of this writing, the country logged 81,328 active cases of COVID-19. Keep in mind that there were fewer than 200 active cases in April. The total number of deaths stands at 499, which is expected to … Continue reading In the Midst of a Fourth Wave of COVID-19 in Viet Nam
Number of US-Bound Vietnamese Students Continues to Inch Upward
As of June 2021, there were 25,816 Vietnamese students in the US, most enrolled in the nation's colleges and universities, according to the latest SEVIS update. That's an increase of 5.23% over March 2021. There are now nearly as many as there were last September, a positive sign. If you add language training (802) to … Continue reading Number of US-Bound Vietnamese Students Continues to Inch Upward
Wishing Everyone a Happy, Healthy, & Peaceful Solar New Year!
As I stated in my holiday message to friends and colleagues, 2020 was certainly a year to remember and, in many respects, one to forget. While there have been some professional silver linings to COVID-19, innovations that we will continue in the post-COVID-19 era, it has been a year of pain and loss for so … Continue reading Wishing Everyone a Happy, Healthy, & Peaceful Solar New Year!
Social Solidarity During a Global Pandemic
Dear Fellow US Americans, Here's an excerpt from a 9-20 article I wrote entitled Balancing Solidarity & Individualism in the COVID-19 Era and Beyond: a View from Vietnam: In contrast, the US, led by an incompetent, cruel, and narcissistic leader who politicized a public health issue and essentially did nothing, hoping and saying repeatedly that COVID-19 would … Continue reading Social Solidarity During a Global Pandemic
USA is #1 in Number of COVID-19 Infections & Deaths
The US set a new record in the number of new COVID-19 cases in one day last Friday, 30 October: 101,461 (!) & 988 deaths. In case you're counting, that's more infections in one day than the total number of cases in 169 out of 218 countries and territories, including China (85,940), where the coronavirus … Continue reading USA is #1 in Number of COVID-19 Infections & Deaths
Is Vietnam the Next ‘Asian Miracle’?
The country is making autocratic capitalism work unusually well. Hang Ma Street in Hanoi, last month. Linh Pham/Getty Images This 13.10.20 New York Times op-ed by Ruchir Sharma, the chief global strategist at Morgan Stanley Investment Management, is a decent analysis for someone who is probably writing about Viet Nam from his perch in New … Continue reading Is Vietnam the Next ‘Asian Miracle’?
A Sign of the Times
Here's a message from someone in the education industry (my italics). Only time will tell whether the new pastures are greener. Dear _______, today is my last day as part of INSERT COMPANY NAME. For the last 3 years I have learned a lot from my mentors and build good relations with our partners. I … Continue reading A Sign of the Times
“We Will Defeat COVID-19 Again.”
Photo by MAA This is the spirit of Viet Nam and its people. Until the third week of July, there had been no cases of community transmission since 16 April and 0 coronavirus-related deaths. Here's the latest: Total confirmed cases: 847 Active cases: 433 Recovered: 399 Deaths: 15 The government reacted quickly to the new … Continue reading “We Will Defeat COVID-19 Again.”
“Why Democracies Do Better at Surviving Pandemics”
The COVID-19 pandemic has intensified the debate over whether authoritarian states are gaining the upper hand across the world. In contrast, democracies are showing capacity for innovation and adaptation. Seriously? When I first saw the title, I thought it was satire. It's downright Orwellian along the lines of war is peace and freedom is slavery. … Continue reading “Why Democracies Do Better at Surviving Pandemics”
An International Educator in Viet Nam 
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