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: United States

  • Delayed recriprocity

    The National Cherry Blossom Parade in the Nation’s Capital.  Washington Monument with cherry blossom in the foreground: picture perfect. Newly arrived immigrants learned that the Statue of Liberty was a gift from the French (who coincidentally lead the Libyan incursion this time), and cherry trees, gifts from the government of Japan (twice, before and after WWII).…

  • Unsung Peacemakers

    In the wake of a huge catastrophe, we tend to rely on experts, in this case, geologists to lecture us on aftershocks, fault line, Pacific Ring of Fire etc… We tend to miss the human dimension of unsung heroes, the peacemakers. There were a Japanese crew, earthquake experts, in New Zealand trying to help out in…

  • Dylan’s time a changin!

    Years ago, I rode in the back , my friend and his wife in front, and I popped “The Essential Bob Dylan” on “to knock, knock ….on heaven’s door” all the way to a Vietnam beach. On April 10th, the singer will be there in person, finally. http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-31749_162-20043290-10391698.html American celebrities with conscience have fascinated with…

  • Honor roll

    I attended a power breakfast this morning. Neither Presidential nor Congressional. Only elementary honor students and designated parents. Something about “the magic”. New Report System (Most improved etc… as opposed to traditional A,B,C grading). I am proud of my daughter. She exhibits all the traits of an up and coming Asian student (the model minority).…

  • from gook to geek

    It’s been a while since The Right Stuff was released. Gabby’s husband (Mark Kelly) was going back on the last Endeavor mission. The President referred to our Sputnik moment , and how we should move Science Fair under the Super (Bowl) dome. All this reminds me of a piece of moon rock on display by USAID…

  • Small is still beautiful

    I clicked on the “Place Order” button, and a few days later, arrived the used paperback copy of Small is Beautiful, by E.F. Schumacher. Its tag line ” Economics as if People Mattered”. I thought I had that same yellowish copy somewhere after years of moving around. Back then, graduate students already drove small cars…

  • Pass the torch

    At 95, the founder of Peace Corps left us to figure out world affairs by ourselves. http://www.baltimoresun.com/topic/sns-ap-us-obit-shriver,0,2461815.story I used to shine my dad’s shoes, while he slicked his hair back. From where I sat, he appeared a towering figure. Men from that generation ( like Burt Lancaster’s “From Here to Eternity”) stood erect,  principled and…

  • Use it

    Safeway doesn’t feel safe. Desert is now full of people ( from the media to law enforcement). Last weekend Arizona shooting reminds me of “Under The Banner of Heaven” which revealed the intersect of religious occult and gun culture in the region. It also highlights young people’s plight to make a name for themselves (in…

  • Kindness from your lips

    My kid’s elementary school is collecting lip balms to send to our troops overseas. It struck me that we spend our entire life trying to do good, from small gestures to larger ones, only to see others take it away in an instant. I saw the beautiful picture of the 9/11 girl whose life ended…

  • 21st-cent Chinese expats

    The Economist has a timely expose on “the Tale of two expats”. http://www.economist.com/node/17797134 It is written from a British perspective. If it were for the US, an entire section would have to be added in (given the background of Chinese Exclusion Act, the Japanese Internment Camp, and 80’s Yellow Peril). It’s hard for America to…