Thang Nguyen 555

Cultures on Collision Course

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about

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: Western world

  • Social dynamics

    Like aerodynamics,  social dynamics involve working with conflicts, not avoiding them. Since we are all made differently, we accept change at various speed. That’s why some ideas are voted down immediately. Others might take some arm-twisting. For instance, it took a while for some emerging countries to introduce the condoms. Used to be a cultural taboo to mention…

  • Speaking one’s mind

    She came back today to visit the school, accompanied by her Dad. Forthcoming, confident and spoke her mind. After all, to her, “time is money”. Up to 19 AUD per hour, doing what natives wouldn’t otherwise do: taking care of old folks. Another day at work. Another day of plugging away, but not without occasional…

  • Reaping rewards

    Image of an old guy spread out on his Harley w/ a cigar in his mouth stuck with me. To him, that was it. The end game. Reaping the windfall. In Seven Habits of Effective People, Steven Covey urges his readers to “begin with the end in mind”. I guess, in this case, I better…

  • Asian self-awareness

    In some cultures, people felt ashamed to put on clothes, or if they dressed at all, they would go to the middle of the house in plain view instead of the far corner (where it would draw more attention to the act of changing). Au contraire, at 24-hr fitness, I notice most of the corner…