[Vnbiz] Building the American-Vietnamese friendship and understanding

Sun Jun 10 12:59:28 PDT 2007

Anh Hoanh,
  Great idea.  This is completely my personal experience. I don't meet many Americans who hate me...I met some Vietnamese-Americans here who seem to be more sensitive to me more than Americans and I can understand the reason well enough for not feeling bad about it.  

  Americans appear to be ignorant rather than hateful people in my opinion. Vietnam is not the only country ignored by the American public. Why? look at the content covered by media here: they talk entire day about Paris Hilton or Anna Smith, but less than 30' of news around the world (I am not sure about other paid channels, but I do have basic channels like CNN, MSNBC...the best is BBC, 30's ABC world news with Charlie Gibson).  I feel I get more news about the world in VN rather than in the US even VN is known for media control and sensorship.  U.S free press in wrapped up in domestic issues or international issues that relate directly to domestic politics. The entertainment industry here is too big that they can produce enough domestic program for their audience.  They don't have time to show other countries to their people and audience (oh, maybe travel channel). However, domestic politics play a big part in American lifestyle b/c they take their voting right "too"
 seriously. That's why nothing else matters. And media will broadcast what its people want to hear.

  I like the idea of working/volunteering with NGOs (association of doctors, EL teaching...) to bring more Americans to VN to help...I support the Peace Corp (but not approved yet for political reasons), alumni networks, 

  I don' have a big idea to contribute...but I humbly ask CACC on this forum who are executives, business managers in different sectors to consider if we can coordinate with universities in the US to bring their students to VN for internships, field trips (with our assisance in the U.S)... I met a lot of students at SAIS and asked them why they chose SEA studies or China studies..simply the decision comes from their first experience overseas.  If more students hear about VN, they will be interested in the country and the region.
  If CACC have intership opportunities in VN, please let me or CACC like anh Hoanh and others here know, we can post in university websites, I am sure american students will be interested in going to VN as  adventures.

  EL teaching mission in VN might be helpful.  We can advertise in universities that we need EL teachers in VN during summer breaks, winter breaks with hosting family programs.  

  I also like the programs of the OPERATION Smile in VN by bringing volunteering doctors/dentists to VN to treat children. This kind of activities enhance the mutual understanding/ love of both sides.  I met some doctors and talked with them...it turned out many of them frustrated for not being picked by Operation Smile to go to VN even they are willing to pay for the trip and pay fees if required. I start thinking if we can promote this kind of activities b/t two countries...it would be great.

  and last but not least, TOURISM, tourism and tourism....i personally advocate VN tourism with not only Vietnamese-American here, but with any American I run into on streets, in restaurants...as soon as they know I am from VN. And of course, I used many friends of mine as "not-so-volunteering" guides when they are there :))

  Any other ideas?
  Huong

Tran Dinh Hoanh <tdhoanh at gmail.com> wrote:
  [ Vietnam Business Forum ]

  Dear CACC,

  I have been thinking about this issue for a while, but I am reluctant about writing this down, because every time I come up with an idea for action, I am afraid that I will have to run the project (I have tons of projects already on my hands).  Anyway, I have always felt that the US-VN understanding should be increased, especially from the US side.  The Vietnamese in general know the US well, but the American don't know Vietnam well.  Most of them, including the politicos in Washington, still think of Vietnam more as a war than as a beautiful country with a wonderful people. 

  So how do we help improve the mutual understand between the two countries?  In this family alone, we have Vietnamese American, we have Vietnamese students in the US, we have many Vietnamese with superb English.  Over the years, Vietnam has many US alumni, i.e. graduates of US universities. So can we come up with simple mechanism to do that?

  I know that there is government-run US-Vietnam Society (Hoi Viet My)  in Hanoi and its leaders (anh Vu Xuan Hong, anh Hoang Cong Thuy, anh Pham Khac Lam ,etc..) are actually my personal friends.  But I am talking about a people-based mechanism ( i.e., non-government).  And I don't like the idea of a typical 503(c) organization with all kinds of fund raising activities and reports, because you spend most of your daily life doing fundraising and writing reports!!!  (But if you like the idea of 503(c), fine with me!).  I am thinking about a network of friends focusing on things that make the American and the Vietnamese love each other more. 

  Any idea?

  Hoanh 

-- 
Tran Dinh Hoanh, LLB, JD
Washington DC 
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