Month: September 2017
America’s soft power is strong
Traveling on a survey trip in the countryside is rewarding in many ways. When you live in a big city, it’s easy to forget that most people in the country don’t enjoy a high standard of living.
Yesterday I had two heartwarming interactions with Vietnamese people. The first was in a very small town in the Mekong Delta. We got a little lost, and were trying to figure out what to do. While we were standing on the side of the road, a young man walked up to me and struck up a conversation in English.
As a matter of principle, I like to engage with people, especially with students. You never know who kids will grow up to be. I’d love to be the American that a future leader remembers talking to, way back when. It’s also good for America when people have a favorable impression of us.
Anyway, this young man said he was 16, and asked where I was from. When I told him I was from America, his face lit up. He was clearly delighted to be talking with an American. His English wasn’t very good, but we managed a brief conversation. I admired his courage to approach a foreigner and try using a language that he was just starting to learn. I don’t think I am that brave.
The other interaction happened later that night, in town. We were on he street, when a small child, about 3 years old, walked by with his mom. With the encouragement of his mother, he smiled, waved, and called out “Hello!†to me. He didn’t speak any English, but he wasn’t self-conscious or shy, he trotted over to me and gave me a high-five.
I’ve had interactions like that in other countries. But Americans seem to enjoy especially high favorability among the Vietnamese people, even (or maybe especially) in rural parts of the country. In the eyes of many people here, America never wasn’t “great.â€
My day has been stranger than yours.
A guy just tried to sell me a Vietnamese lottery ticket while I was sitting in the car on a ferry crossing a river. When I got of bed this morning, I did not think that this would happen today.
Vietnam has finally given me a strange experience to match the weirdness that I saw in China. And the day isn’t over yet.
Fashion Asianwin
If this is a win, I’ll be satisfied with a loss.
Breakfast on the go
Life in the modern world, Vietnam style.
Why not?
“Blame Society”
At least they’re honest about it
“$nob Coffee”
This is messed up
I was out and about this afternoon, looking for a place to eat lunch, and saw an interesting propaganda banner. I stopped and took a photo. However, I captured more than I expected, more than I wanted, and much more than I can understand.
Here’s the original photo:
And here’s the banner. It reads: “Live and work according to the constitution and the law.” Pretty standard, run-of-the-mill communist propaganda.
But here’s the messed up thing. Look closer at the original photo. These two guys were standing under the banner.
I seem to have captured a moment of some kind. Just what the hell is going on here, I have no idea. Your thoughts?