Source: EF Whenever I travel to China, it never ceases to amaze me how few people can communicate in English and other languages, including those who interact with foreigners as part of their job. China is doing so well in many other areas. Why not language training? It reminds me of US Americans, most of … Continue reading English Language Proficiency in China
vietnam
Why Vietnam Will Boom For The Next Five Years
Image generated by ChatGPT based on the post title and description. An interview with Michael Kokalari, Chief Economist, VinaCapital. Length: 38:04. Below is a transcript I created with TurboScribe, followed by an AI-generated summary and a Vietnamese translation of both. Uploaded on 22 October 2026 Host: Hao Tran Description: As the global economy navigates complex … Continue reading Why Vietnam Will Boom For The Next Five Years
Show Them the Love at Education Fairs!
ChatGPT generated this image based on my prompt. While most colleagues who travel to Vietnam to recruit students are passionate about their work and always put their best foot forward, there are some whose heart is not in it. You can see it in their body language and hear it in their spoken language, or … Continue reading Show Them the Love at Education Fairs!
“Foreigners, What Are Things That You Dislike About Vietnamese Culture?”
Someone kicked off a discussion in the r/Vietnam Subreddit with this question. Most of the comments revolved around these themes: consideration for others, responsibility for shared space, accountability, hierarchy, money/status, and weak enforcement of rules. The discussion also includes Vietnamese and Viแปt Kiแปu voices, not just foreigners, and several commenters explicitly say they love Vietnam … Continue reading “Foreigners, What Are Things That You Dislike About Vietnamese Culture?”
Happy 17th, Capstone!
17 years ago, I co-founded Capstone Vietnam, a full-service educational consulting company with offices in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC). It marked my seamless transition from the non-profit to the private sector in Vietnam. Click on this image to access Capstone's Recruit in Vietnam website for foreign colleagues. Join me in raising a … Continue reading Happy 17th, Capstone!
Higher Education and the Misuse of AI
I follow a number of Subreddits in which young Vietnamese, i.e., Gen Z members, post about a variety of important issues, including education, relationships, family, mental health, corruption, the environment, justice, etc. This one appeared the other day in r/vozforums. The issue of AI use, misuse, and abuse in higher education is a canary in … Continue reading Higher Education and the Misuse of AI
Brooke Barney’s June 2026 Confrontation with Israelis in Danang, Vietnam
This "Free Gaza - Free Palestine" sticker is what triggered, pun intended, the IOF backpackers. Source: Al Jazeera This is a video that went viral in July 2026. It's an ugly scene that's being repeated in many countries that Israelis visit, many of them former IOF soldiers who look forward to some R&R after exhausting … Continue reading Brooke Barney’s June 2026 Confrontation with Israelis in Danang, Vietnam
Gridlock in Hanoi
Hanoi drivers are arguably the worst in Vietnam. I say this with some authority because I've been driving here for over 20 years. It's the transportation equivalent of social Darwinism. Cutthroat competition reigns supreme. As I'm fond of saying, sharks and pit bulls driving cars, trucks, tuk-tuks, buses, and motorbikes. No mercy or courtesy just … Continue reading Gridlock in Hanoi
It’s Jackfruit Season!
The specimen above is 11 kg (24.25 pounds). You can tell it's ripe because of the browning. Jackfruit ("mรญt" in Vietnamese) is one of my favorite tropical fruits. The Malayalam word for jackfruit is chakka (เดเดเตเด) from Kerala, India. Portuguese traders called it jaca and it was later anglicized to "jackfruit" by European writers first … Continue reading It’s Jackfruit Season!
Curious If Others Have Experienced This in Phu Quoc
https://youtube.com/shorts/zQP3GxyZFZY?si=5SeHoMXdGqpd0fpp I saw this Reddit post in which a tourist summarized her/his unpleasant experiences with Indian tourists in Phu Quoc. It's not an anti-Indian rant but a thoughtful accounting of his/her encounters. It's becoming an issue to the point that growing numbers of Vietnamese are becoming anti-Indian. Just do a search for Indian tourists behaving … Continue reading Curious If Others Have Experienced This in Phu Quoc
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