hanoi

7th Grade Boy Assaults Teacher at Dai Kim Secondary (Junior High) School in Hanoi

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

If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality. -Desmond Tutu Trigger warning: This video contains violence that may be disturbing to some. This is the unedited video of a 7th grader assaulting his teacher on September 16, … Continue reading 7th Grade Boy Assaults Teacher at Dai Kim Secondary (Junior High) School in Hanoi

White Jesus in Vietnam

Mark A. Ashwill Commentary , , , , , ,

Photo by MAA. The billiards sign adds a special touch to this hastily snapped photo. I didn't have the heart to tell my Catholic driver in Hanoi that Jesus didn't look like me, except for the beard. Since Christians, most of whom are Catholic, are a minority in predominantly Buddhist Vietnam, I'm intrigued whenever I … Continue reading White Jesus in Vietnam

Opposition to Trump’s $1.5 billion Golf Club Heats Up

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

Thanks to Greg N. for sharing this information via the Vietnam Studies Group listserv. Like Greg, I'm very familiar with this area. Area where the golf resort is planned. Shared by Greg N. Greg wrote: I spent much time volunteering teaching English in Khoai Chau district where this project is planned. This project is projected … Continue reading Opposition to Trump’s $1.5 billion Golf Club Heats Up

Happy Reunification Day!

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

Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the end of the US war and the reunification of Vietnam. It's been my privilege and honor to be a resident of Vietnam for 20 of those 50 years. This national holiday is also known as "Victory Day" and "Day of the Liberation of the South." The most common reference … Continue reading Happy Reunification Day!

The Land of a Thousand Handshakes

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Yes, this image was AI-generated. 😀 I created this story about my friend Chuck Searcy but did not write it. I asked my digital friend ChatGPT to "write a short story about Chuck Searcy using the style of David Sedaris." I then copied and pasted it into Grammarly's free AI detector. The result? 12% of … Continue reading The Land of a Thousand Handshakes

Have Garbage Will Burn: An Ecocide Update

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

Coarse particles (PM10), with diameters between 2.5 and 10 micrometers, are inhalable and can deposit in the upper airways, including the nose, throat, and bronchi. Burning is to Vietnam as baseball is to the US: a national pastime. It's one of the two primary methods of trash disposal, the other being burying rubbish in a … Continue reading Have Garbage Will Burn: An Ecocide Update

Happy 15th Birthday, Capstone Education!

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Hanoi and HCMC staff off- and online after speeches and a party. Earlier this week, my staff and I celebrated our 15th anniversary. Here's a message I shared on Capstone's social media channels in text and video form. HCMC and Hanoi staff on- and offline after speeches and a party. On the auspicious occasion of … Continue reading Happy 15th Birthday, Capstone Education!

Hail The Scrap Collectors and Scavengers!

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

Photo by MAA. Taken in early October 2023 in Hanoi. These are people most of us ignore or worse look down on. They roam the streets of Hanoi and other cities on their rickety bicycles or aging motorbikes looking for recyclable material they can sell at a very modest profit. When I saw this woman … Continue reading Hail The Scrap Collectors and Scavengers!