Thang Nguyen 555

Cultures on Collision Course

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With some short-term relief work in Asia/Africa and long stint in Telecom, Thang also earned a B.A. at Pennsylvania State University. M.A. in Communication at Wheaton Graduate School, M.A. in Cross-Cultural Communication at Gordon-Conwell Seminary, Boston. In addition, he earned a CELTA – classes taken in Hanoi for cultural re-immersion.

Tag: Asia

  • Cancer and Career

    At Van’s Cafe Ho Chi Minh City, if you stayed til the end of their second set of music, you would no longer hear Truc Vy doing her closing songs. She performed her set last week for the last time. Despite her late-stage throat cancer, she gave her best with composure and courage. I did…

  • Goodbye Saigon, pt II

    Another friend flew out for Thanksgiving. There is no such a thing here in Saigon: oven-roasted turkey, croton and mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce , yam and apple pie. Mouth-watering!  children running around and old folks reminiscing the good old days. Yes, his destination has a few hallmarks of the American Dream. Here in old Saigon,…

  • Risks and Rewards

    As the saying goes, you’ve got to enter the lion’s den to get the lion. No pain no gain. Taking risks is not something for everyone. After all, we have all the safety measures built-in to our system: from seat-belts to “frisk-machines”. Yet, in business as in life, risk is part of life, just like…

  • People w/ Purpose

    When I read about a young girl who designed flip-flops and got picked up by Macy’s, I thought that was awesome. My daughter thought the girl in White House Down was also. Built-in and born with. That recognition of greatness, valor and something grander than one’s self. We might not end up being one, but we…

  • Poor substitute

    We are so connected (Google Fiber) and disconnected (from people) at the same time. Starting with TV broadcast which reduces viewership from a theatre like in “Cinema Paradiso” down to a nuclear family in their living room, to a Youtube video download for personal  use. With smart phones, we don’t have people knocking on the phone booth for their turn or get…

  • Resolution Revisited

    Remember ABBA‘s Happy New Year refrain? Seems so far away, yet so near. Remember those resolutions? To finish a book, lose a few pounds and pick up a new skills? Almost 80 days into the year. Even in the days of hot air balloon, people would  have finished circling around the globe. There has been…

  • New Context New Narrative

    When Starbucks opened its first store in Saigon, it must have been a big blast. Centrally located, visibly in-your-face, upscale e.g. wifi and air-conditioned. Early stage. When I had my cup of Starbucks, like this morning, in a Virginian Mall, there was no fanfare, no fuss. Late stage. Same store and story (pour your heart into…

  • Stories of Suffering

    Unlike America where suffering is well hidden behind locked doors, here in Vietnam, it is in your face: lottery ticket sellers. They could be an under-age child, a blind man, or the worst case, a young man who dragged himself (both feet paralyzed) along an extremely crowded street peddling tickets. Even the Cu Chi tunnel,…

  • From Mandarin to Model (Lung Dai-Chan Dai)

    My generation have been a betweener one: from Mandarin to Mobile phone system, from French Colonial to Fashion TV (with Asia Next Top Model). The saying goes like this “Vong Anh di truoc, Vong Nang theo sau” i.e. when a man passed the King’s exam, he went home to the village , with his lady in tow. Now, it’s the Model who get…

  • Romancing Saigon

    Good luck! Bit it’s better  for you to wait until the scorching heat subsides, before you have a chance. There are layers to Saigon, like you would peeling an onion. Cafe Sua Da prices fluctuate from one street corner to the next. On the main tourist strip, you still find Zippo lighters and even dog tags…