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

  • Dilemma and Decision

    Leaders are tasked and paid to make decisions. Hard calls. Tie-breaking calls. Go for the Gold, or take the safe route. Coach Joe Paterno had a lot of wins, but many were taken away from him because of one mis-step. Pope Benedict XVI , however, did call it quit (right timing). And Tesla–Solarcity–Space X? the jury…

  • Shared dishes

    Suzie Wong. Suzie Q. Lazy Suzan. All the S’s in stereotypes. All boils down to a round table full of shared dishes, each could easily meet  your dai;ly cholesterol quota. Half roasted duck, half chicken ginger etc…. Hong Kong cuisine, served in Herndon (VA). I thought about Nixon’s trip to China, and how many shared dishes he tasted…

  • 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…

  • Brand America

    American Apparel ‘s tag line is “sweatshop free”. Nike‘s Just Do It (i.e. Just Buy It). Apple‘s – Think Different. Meanwhile, Haier and Huawei are trying to copy Hundai and Kia who tried to copy Honda and Toyota who had tried to copy VW and Mercedes. Brand building in and outside of America. What would John…

  • Georgetown on my mind

    It’s been some years since my last visit to Georgetown. Who could forget the last scene in Exorcist (which set standard for a whole new genre). But first, a stop at my parent’s graves in nearby George Mason U. Cold and crisp. Students were out for a jog, some even shopped for shoes. It’s President…

  • If you could read my heart

    In Eastern cultures, one relies on traditional matchmakers to “read” marriage prospects. Online, we’ve got eHarmony.com or Match.com. Over job interviews, we rely on body language, off-guard remarks and (in)consistencies to form an impression and to determine candidate’s culture-fit. If only could you read my heart. How are we to determine his/her reaction after the…

  • The ME who could’ve been

    It’s Chinese New Year morning. Except there weren’t a lot of Vietnamese around. They were here yesterday, and last week. But apparently, on this cold Sunday morning, gym wasn’t their priority. Attention is devoted to festivals and festivities at the Temples, in the park and at the fair. Like in-country counterparts, they would put on…

  • Say “cheese”!

    I touched on this slightly in another blog. It’s about growing up never knew if my grandparents even smiled at all (I gathered this from the black and white photos in the family album). We are still shackled by the analog world which tells us to stand straight and stare straight into the lenses (36 poses…

  • Go a bit more native

    In 2000, after 25 years of being away, I made a short trip back to Vietnam. What a culture shock (especially when I landed in Hanoi, where I had only heard about). Twelve years. A dozen trips later. A little deeper into the alleys and byways. I think I have touched on different parts of the proverbial…

  • Retreat, retrench and return

    40 years on since the last US combat boots pulled out of Vietnam. Today, Starbucks lady returns, luring passer-by amidst the town square. Senator Kerry is getting his confirmation while a 40-year-old Vietnamese couldn’t tell an American from a Russian. Vietnam is just a name, like Iraq will be 4 decades from now. Vietnam today has Vespas…