Study in the USA: The Post-Pandemic Recovery Continues

12/03/2024 Mark A. Ashwill Commentary, Updates recruit in vietnam, SEVIS, sevis data mapping tool, study in the USA, vietnam, Vietnamese students

Screenshot Last month, there were 26,919 Vietnamese students in the US, mostly in higher education, according to the SEVIS Data Mapping Tool. Here's the breakdown in descending numerical order: Four-year colleges and universities: 13,345 (49.5%) Community colleges: 3,630 (13.5%) Master's: 3,238 (12%) Secondary: 2,408 (8.9%) Ph.D.: 2,083 (7.7%) Language Training: 1,383 (5.1%) Other: 689 (2.6%) … Continue reading Study in the USA: The Post-Pandemic Recovery Continues

Drumming Up Business or Spitting in the Wind?

10/03/2024 Mark A. Ashwill Commentary customers, restaurants, sales tactics, small businesses, vietnam

Photo by MAA This is a common sight at restaurants in Vietnam, especially outside of the city, which I've always found amusing. The guy in corporate orange is trying to wave people over to eat at his employer's phở restaurant. This sales tactic must be successful - never. 😀 Ladies selling guava on the side … Continue reading Drumming Up Business or Spitting in the Wind?

The Life of a Caged Bird

07/03/2024 Mark A. Ashwill Commentary birds, caged birds, i know why the caged bird sings, independence freedom happiness, maya angelou, vietnam

Photo by MAA I saw this and other imprisoned birds at a phở restaurant near Hanoi. Full disclosure: I was once one of them. No, not the birds - at least in a literal sense - but their owners. As a teenager, I had a small parrot who spent most of his time in a … Continue reading The Life of a Caged Bird

Guest Post: “Erasing Palestine”

04/02/2024 Mark A. Ashwill Commentary anne frank, erase, gaza, israel, mike hastie, palestine, palestinians, vietnam

This is a guest post by Mike Hastie, a veteran of the US war in Vietnam whose tagline is "I was born in America, but my heart is Vietnamese." Erasing Human Rights Erasing Human Beings Erasing Hospitals Erasing Medical Supplies Erasing Oxygen Erasing Doctors and Nurses Erasing Ambulances Erasing Food and Water Erasing Electricity Erasing … Continue reading Guest Post: “Erasing Palestine”

Alcohol as a Social Lubricant & Form of Bonding

03/02/2024 Mark A. Ashwill Commentary alcohol, bonding, drinking, girlfriends, prostitution, social lubricant, toxic masculinity, vietnam

WAVEBREAK MEDIA/THINKSTOCK A Case of "When in Vietnam, Don't Do as Vietnamese Men Do" I've never been a big drinker even in my younger days. I never acquired a taste for hard liquor but will occasionally drink expensive vodka or Scotch in small amounts, especially when it magically appears in the form of a gift. … Continue reading Alcohol as a Social Lubricant & Form of Bonding

In Memory of John Pilger (1939-2023)

03/01/2024 Mark A. Ashwill Commentary cambodia, john pilger, khmer rouge, kissinger, nixon, vietnam, year zero

A quote that appears on John Pilger's website. I was saddened to learn of the passing of John Pilger, whom I have followed for years. Noam Chomsky described him this way: "John Pilger's work has been a beacon of light in often dark times. The realities he has brought to light have been a revelation, … Continue reading In Memory of John Pilger (1939-2023)

Season’s Greetings from Vietnam!

24/12/202329/12/2023 Mark A. Ashwill Articles, Commentary christmas, lunar new year, solar new year, tet, vietnam

For your reading pleasure, here's the English version of a December 2021 article I wrote about Christmas as the kickoff to a long holiday season that culminates in Tết, the Vietnamese Lunar New Year celebration: Christmas in Vietnam: bookending a long festival season. Even though most Vietnamese identify as Buddhists, Christmas has become a popular secular holiday in recent years, which is why … Continue reading Season’s Greetings from Vietnam!

One of My Role Models

20/12/2023 Mark A. Ashwill Commentary exercise, role models, staying active, vietnam

Photo by MAA While recently shopping for flowers, I noticed this old woman, bamboo cane in one hand and broom in the other, sweeping up around her family's business. My guess is that she's in her mid to late 80s, perhaps even 90s. I was reminded of Dick Van Dyke's 2016 memoir Keep Moving, something … Continue reading One of My Role Models

The “Made in the USA” Addiction Business Model

12/12/2023 Mark A. Ashwill Commentary addiction business model, obesity, USA, vietnam

Good for the Corporate Bottom Line, Bad for Consumers' Health A loud and clear message from Robert Lufkin, MD, a medical school professor (UCLA & USC) whom I follow on LinkedIn whose lengthy tagline is helping people prevent/reverse chronic disease, cultivate consciousness, and live life to the fullest. 'Envision a world of love, abundance, and … Continue reading The “Made in the USA” Addiction Business Model

Canadian Public Schools Remain Popular Destination

11/12/2023 Mark A. Ashwill Updates boarding schools, canada, day schools, public schools, USA, vietnam, Vietnamese students

Here's a useful update I received via email from the Canadian Association of Public Schools - International. During the 2022-2023 school year, over 33,000 international students from 139 different countries studied in Canadian public schools. Here’s a look at the top 10 source countries of students who studied in a one-semester or academic year program. … Continue reading Canadian Public Schools Remain Popular Destination

An International Educator in Vietnam

Information, Insights & (Frequently) Intrigue

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