Mỗi nước có một số liệu riêng, nhưng một bài của UN Women Australia cho rằng 1/3 phụ nữ có thể gặp phải bạo lực trong cuộc sống của mình, và 1/5 phụ nữ là nạn nhân bạo lực tình dục trong cuộc sống. Cứ cho là 20% là số liệu miêu tả thế giới. Nếu người ta sử dụng số liệu này để miêu tả Việt Nam, thì điều này có nghĩa là chừng 9.2 triệu phụ nữ Việt Nam là nạn nhân của bạo lực tình dục.
Theo ý kiến tôi thì số liệu này sẽ không giảm xuống tự nhiên.
Chính vì vậy mà tôi xin viết về bốn lý do tại sao phụ nữ nên tập võ tự vệ.
Friday, July 25, 2014
Sunday, July 13, 2014
Difficulties Foreigners Face Studying Vietnamese in Saigon
The following is an English version of an essay I wrote in Vietnamese entitled "Những khó khăn người nước ngoài gặp phải khi học tiếng Việt ở Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh."
This will obviously read differently from my regular posts, in that this is a structured essay and not a narrative hastily reorganized into something coherent and semi-intelligible.
Nevertheless, this was still fun to write (in both languages) because I could finally reflect on and relay some of my experiences with learning Vietnamese in three completely different places, the University of Washington (GO DAWGS!), Ha Noi, and Saigon. For those studying Vietnamese, perhaps this will resonate with or even help you in your studies. For everyone else, I hope that you'll enjoy this nuanced glimpse into the life of someone studying Vietnamese.
Lastly, I realize talking about regional Vietnamese accents can actually be a touchy subject. Southerners call northerners "bắc kỳ," and northerns call southerners "nam kỳ." No one agrees on what is considered to be "standard Vietnamese" -- although I will argue in a future post that there is no such thing as a standard Vietnamese accent. Many people do seem to agree, however, that NO ONE can understand people from the central region (sorry Huế peeps, much love).
Basically, note that these are my personal observations only. I'll gladly welcome your comments telling me that I'm right or wrong, but please refrain from -- and I can't believe I'm typing this... -- putting down regional accents or engaging in debates about which accent is better, more correct, etc.
This will obviously read differently from my regular posts, in that this is a structured essay and not a narrative hastily reorganized into something coherent and semi-intelligible.
Nevertheless, this was still fun to write (in both languages) because I could finally reflect on and relay some of my experiences with learning Vietnamese in three completely different places, the University of Washington (GO DAWGS!), Ha Noi, and Saigon. For those studying Vietnamese, perhaps this will resonate with or even help you in your studies. For everyone else, I hope that you'll enjoy this nuanced glimpse into the life of someone studying Vietnamese.
Lastly, I realize talking about regional Vietnamese accents can actually be a touchy subject. Southerners call northerners "bắc kỳ," and northerns call southerners "nam kỳ." No one agrees on what is considered to be "standard Vietnamese" -- although I will argue in a future post that there is no such thing as a standard Vietnamese accent. Many people do seem to agree, however, that NO ONE can understand people from the central region (sorry Huế peeps, much love).
Basically, note that these are my personal observations only. I'll gladly welcome your comments telling me that I'm right or wrong, but please refrain from -- and I can't believe I'm typing this... -- putting down regional accents or engaging in debates about which accent is better, more correct, etc.
Những khó khăn người nước ngoài gặp phải khi học Tiếng Việt ở Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh
Tôi viết bài này để chia sẻ kinh nghiệm về việc học tiếng Việt ở Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh (và cũng để tập viết bài bằng tiếng Việt). Nếu bạn có ý kiến về nội dung của bài này thì xin chia sẻ ở comment section ở dưới. Nếu bạn thấy lỗi chính tả hay nghĩ tôi có thể viết gì đó hay hơn thì xin gửi message riêng cho tôi. Tôi đã sửa bài này với cô giáo hai lần trước khi post trên đây, hy vọng không có lỗi :)
Cảm ơn các bạn!
Cảm ơn các bạn!
Monday, July 7, 2014
How to Renew Your Passport Entry Permit Stamp
Around the second week of June I remembered that my three-month permit stamp in my passport was going to expire at the end of the month. To get a new stamp, I was planning to leave the country for a couple of days; I would get a new three-month stamp on my way back into Vietnam.
Brian, a fellow expat friend and co-founder of Saigoneer (check out the website, it's a fantastic glimpse into life and culture Saigon) and his wife, Chau, clued me in on another method to getting a permit stamp, one that wouldn't require me to spend time and money leaving the country.
Brian, a fellow expat friend and co-founder of Saigoneer (check out the website, it's a fantastic glimpse into life and culture Saigon) and his wife, Chau, clued me in on another method to getting a permit stamp, one that wouldn't require me to spend time and money leaving the country.
Wednesday, July 2, 2014
Life in a Homogenous Country: White = Native Speaker
A boss to his employee, an English teacher from the UK: "Well, you look a little young to be teaching [English to] adults. But, you're Caucasian, so that's good."
Having spent eight months in HCMC, I thought I'd share a few of the more unique and potentially awkward experiences that come with being a non-white foreigner living in a homogeneous country such as Vietnam. Many of these experiences revolve around the racial dynamics, divides, and biases among locals, white foreigners, and non-white foreigners.
These types of issues aren't easy to discuss. However, I strongly feel that they are worth bringing up, as each discussion helps us inch closer towards a better and more mutual understanding of one another beyond the biases and stereotypes we've accumulated since childhood.
In this particular instance, I'm exploring the automatic relationship drawn between being a white foreigner and being a native English speaker.
Having spent eight months in HCMC, I thought I'd share a few of the more unique and potentially awkward experiences that come with being a non-white foreigner living in a homogeneous country such as Vietnam. Many of these experiences revolve around the racial dynamics, divides, and biases among locals, white foreigners, and non-white foreigners.
These types of issues aren't easy to discuss. However, I strongly feel that they are worth bringing up, as each discussion helps us inch closer towards a better and more mutual understanding of one another beyond the biases and stereotypes we've accumulated since childhood.
In this particular instance, I'm exploring the automatic relationship drawn between being a white foreigner and being a native English speaker.
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