Due to this condition known as alcohol flush reaction, which some of you may refer to as Asian Flush or Asian Glow, my summer tan turns into a blinding glow all over my body. My face, stomach, and thighs turn bright red, presenting my embarrassing allergic reaction for all partygoers to see. Nausea and dizziness as well as change in color caused by dilation of capillaries present itself as soon as I finish my first drink.

As a result of my explosive redness, I am embarrassed at happy hours and brunches that serve mimosas, making it difficult to keep up with my non-Asian friends when they go out. The sun is definitely not my friend since it exposes and heightens my ALDH2 deficiency for the public to see.

Take a look at the picture below, taken 10 minutes after brunch last Sunday. You have to admit; the sight isn’t pretty.

Heartburn medicine such as Zantac and Pepcid AC are have been found to reduce Asian Glow if taken 30 to 60 minutes prior to drinking alcoholic beverages.² However, there is only anecdotal evidence since no research or studies have proved the credibility of this notion.

Fortunately, the discomfort of drinking means the decrease in likelihood that alcoholism will occur among Asian Glowers such as myself. Disulfiram is a drug for the treatment of alcoholism, which inhibits ALDH2, similar to the cause of Asian Glow; hence the connection of decreased alcoholism. ³

Currently, there is no cure to Asian Glow. I would suggest telling people you are sun-burnt, just sprinted to your current location, or hang out with friends who turn redder than you do.

Meeting places for vibrant discussions on topics such as economics, science, politics, and culture have been around since the ancient world.  Recall that the Greeks used agoras, or “place of assembly” to  hear announcements or engage in debates.   The Romans had the forum and the American colonists had towncenter.  While live gatherings still persist in today’s society, many lively and important conversations are occuring in digital forums and webspace.

The of evolution into the digital age gave birth to Web 2.0 and social media.  What exactly do these two things mean? Consider the following two definitions:

What is Social Media:

Social media is media designed to be disseminated through social interaction, created using highly accessible and scalable publishing techniques. .

What is Web 2.0:

The term “Web 2.0″ (2004-present) is commonly associated with web applications that facilitate interactive information sharing, interoperability, user-centered design, and collaboration on the World Wide Web. …

Below is the conversation that took place among James, Quyen, Neil, and Phong about Vietnam’s trade deficit.  Some may argue that deficit is a sign of poor economic growth while others may argue such deficit is a positive economic sign.   What is your position on Vietnam’s trade deficit?  Please share your thoughts below.   Lastly, if you’ve encountered interesting debates elsewhere, please do share them with us!

OneVietnam Network presents the first episode of “Something Something with Jennie Le.” We’re very excited for this release and will let the video speak for it self.  If it made you laugh, leave us a comment and share it with friends!  We’d love to get your feedback.  Enjoy!

Click here to join your network!

I’m a passionate writer – give me something I love and I’ll write you a novel.  Ask me to write about anything else and it’ll be like pulling teeth for me to even compose a sentence.  I can say without question that this article is the easiest one I’ve ever had the pleasure of writing.

I live and die by quotes, no matter how trivial they may seem.  You’ll understand what I mean by trivial when I tell you the phrase that inspired this whole article comes from the movie “Hitch.”

“You can’t know where you’re going until you know where you’ve been.”

Someone recently asked me, “Why OneVietnam, why now?”  Let’s just say that I’m the kind of flustered person that — when asked these types of questions — fall into a state of awkwardness: I stutter, fidget, get slightly red in the face and on occasions, you might just see a drop of sweat stream down my face.  Not this time.  This time, the answer flowed out of me in a way that surprised even me.

Why now?  It’s not something we think about often, but I truly believe that we stand at a pretty monumental time.  In this moment, we have a combination of groups that won’t be together for long.  There are our parents and grandparents who grew up in Vietnam, surrounded by the culture that people my age struggle to understand.  There are people like me, who came here at a young age, grasping on to that part of us as we try to not forget.  And then there were people who weren’t born in Vietnam, who never got to experience first hand the country that defines them.

I look at my grandparents, and as much as it hurts to think about, I know they won’t be around for much longer.  They’re the people where the Vietnamese culture is prominent — the people I look at when I struggle to understand why certain things are the way they are.  The  first hand experience of their generation is something that can’t ever be replaced, when it’s gone – it’s gone.  There have been more times than I can remember where I find myself wishing that there wasn’t a language barrier between us so that I could talk to them, so that they could explain to me the importance of things like a dam hoi or tell me about their lives in Vietnam while they still can.

I never thought it was important to know where I came from; the past is the past, right?  Maybe not so much.  While working on a project for OneVietnam a few months ago, I was faced with a shocking revelation.  While looking through pictures of Vietnam, I was shocked when I realized that I couldn’t even recognize my own country.  I know it seems inconsequential, but to not know where you’re from and not understand the culture that has a huge part in making you who you are – you feel a disconnect, a little bit like you don’t understand yourself.

So why OneVietnam?  The knowledge is there, experiences abound, but barriers come in all form. I truly believe that each person on this network can act as a bridge for someone else and help connect them to whatever it is they’re looking for – whatever it is they’re trying to understand. We’re Vietnamese.  We see that every day when we look in the mirror — and while your nationality doesn’t define you, your culture connects you.

(source: EU Trade Commission – click for large size)

Also, GDP per capita has been growing and is currently at its highest level of $1051 (as of 2008). Note that the spike around 1987 is due to a major economic policy renovation “Doi Moi”  and the major jump started in 1992 is due the US lifting the trade embargo with Vietnam.

Vietnamese people are producing more ever year. They are also getting richer and have been consuming much more than ever. But have you ever wonder what is Vietnam selling and buying in the international market?

According to the EU Trade Commission, Vietnam’s exports to the EU comprises of 7.77 billion euros worth of goods. Among those, 24% are primary goods such as agricultural, fuels, & mining products. Of the others, 74% are manufactured goods including clothing (15.4%) and personal & household goods (34.5%).

Let’s take a look at Vietnam’s major trading partners:

(source: EU Trade Commission)

and also Vietnam’s account balance:

(source: EU Trade Commission)

As observed from the account balance graph, Vietnam’s is currently running a trade deficit (-7.8% of GDP in 2009). However, we can also see that Vietnam’s total volume of trade is growing consistently over the past 5 years, despite the major world wide recession in 2008. There is a minor drop in exports of 2009, however, due to the drop in the global demand for goods and services.

The future is hopeful for Vietnam and it is still among the fastest growing economies with projected GDP growth of 6% in 2010.

credit: Wong Fu Productions http://areyouaniceguy.com

In 2007, Wong Fu Productions released the short film “Just a Nice Guy” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrnK-qPARYI) to play on the phenomenon of being considered no more than “nice guy” and therefore undate-able.  Since then, “nice guy/girl” and “nice is never out of style” T-shirts and more have become available for fans to order online at http://areyouaniceguy.com. Because Wong Fu’s short films and music videos are free to view online, these merchandise sales and appearances are the company’s source of income. Wong Fu also donates a portion of the proceeds to charity at the end of each month.

So who are these three nice guys?

Philip Wang, Wesley Chan, and Ted Fu started creating on videos while attending UC San Diego. Starting with small projects, the three originally did not intend to become filmmakers, but the buzz about their work encouraged them to continue. Today, their independent production company keeps growing. They make online media, run the above mentioned T-shirt brand, speak at college campuses, and often collaborate with up-and-coming artists. In 2006, they released a feature-length movie A Moment With You. Following the success of this film, they were on their way to making it into the big industry with Sleep Shift, but production came to a halt when producers would not carry on with an Asian lead.

credit Wong Fu Productions http://www.wongfuproductions.com

Wong Fu’s distinct style of storytelling and use of creative media have caught the eye of a twenty-first century audience. The advent of Youtube has made video-sharing a breeze and popularized their work. Wong Fu has a following of millions from the US and across the globe. And the three each have over 10,000 fans following their updates on twitter. CNN describes this as composed of “young Asian-Americans who often can’t find accurate depictions of themselves in mainstream media.” Really, Wong Fu aims to show that Asians go through the same experiences as everyone else.

On the Wong Fu Productions Youtube channel, their most viewed web hits are music videos that they have made with Asian artists. Both “I Won’t Even Start” and “That Girl” by singer/songwriter David Choi have over 1 million views. Also with 1 million plus views, is the video “Dance Like Michael Jackson” by Far East Movement. Not only does Wong Fu promote Asians in the media through such music videos, they have also started a web series called FunEmployed with Youtube star Kevin Wu, aka KevJumba.

Since 2008, Wong Fu has also put on an annual International Secret Agents (ISA) concert with Far East Movement.  Currently sponsored by J C Penny, ISA concerts seeks to showcase talented Asian-Americans. Acts range from singing, to urban dancing, to DJing. The ISA concerts of 2010 will be held in New York on August 28^th and Los Angeles on September 5^th. Tickets go on sale the end of this month. Stay tuned for more from Wong Fu!

The Wong Fu motto: If at the end of the day there’s someone out there who has a better day because of us, then we’ve succeeded.

So, we are going to be upgrading to a new, massive server so we can serve everyone.  That means we will be down for just a bit.

Our planed maintenance will be from 7:30PST to 8:30PST. We’ll be right back, stronger, faster, and better!

For now, enjoy our great articles on Vietnam Talking Points and yell at us on Twitter or Facebook.  It’s okay, we can take it!

Best,

The OneVietnam Team

To start off our event the right way, we would like to dedicate today’s Vietnam Talking Points (VTP) article to you, our wonderful fans.  Your support and encouragement have made our work so meaningful.

I have received messages from some of our super-fans, two of which I will particularly mention in this article:  Stephen Cook and David Regenold have been with OneVietnam from the very beginning and we cannot describe in words how grateful we are for their support.  Here, we want to share their words with you.

Stephen Cook, Founder and Chairman of Enclave. VN & Enclave Partners, sends us very kind words.  Our team is so touched and honored for his continual support, his donation, and his time.

Message from Stephen Cook,

To the Directors, Staff, and Volunteers and Members of OneVietnam

On the Occasion of the your Launch Celebration 18July2010

I remember well, it was love at first site.  Quite unexpectedly, I came upon an organization that was amazingly fresh, full of vitality, sincere in purpose, and forward in vision. It was One Vietnam.

It was so fresh, so unfettered, and so simple. It was hip, and it was impassioned. It was disarming. I knew from that moment, here was an organization, like no other,  that could make a sincere and earnest impact.

Dedication, vision and determination can work wonders, with faith comes miracles. So I am humbled to take pause, and commend you today on the celebration of your public launch. I believe a string of miracles will follow in the wake of all that you have done.  At this time, this place, no one –and no organization – has more promise.

Those who have Vietnam in their blood, or in their heart, are scattered across the heavens like the multitude of stars. Connect them anew. Show them anew. Embrace them anew, to have pride and awe in that which is Vietnam – as a nation, a homeland, a peoples, a culture, a heritage, and more.  Reach out to the corners of the world, to the million points of light, and to a fresh, young, and dynamic Vietnam.

Vietnam is amidst a great renaissance, driven by a young, fresh, and bright-eyed demographic full of heart, hope, vitality, and possibilities. Join these worlds together, as one, and watch the miracles unfold.

We are honored, and thankful, for the opportunity to support OneVietnam.

Stephen Cook

Saigon Vietnam.

17 July 2010.

David Regenold sends us an incredible video from Arizona. The team loved the video and his Tennessee accent! Thank you, David!

From reading and watching them, I hope that you can get an understanding of the sentiments that we feel to see people connected by Vietnamese heritage and culture and dedicated to philanthropy.  We hope you enjoy our public launch today.  Send us comments/questions/concerns.   We read all of them!

The past few years have seen a high increase in dance televisions shows and competitions. America’s Best Dance Crew, So You Think You Can Dance, Dancing with the Stars, and the Legion of Extraordinary Dancers are just a few dance shows that showcase the talents of all types of dancers from all types of backgrounds with all types of skin colors.

Unlike other fields of entertainment such as acting and singing, the art of dancing has enabled Vietnamese-Americans to truly showcase their talents on big networks during primetime. While acting and singing observe race under a microscope and create a difficult situation for actors and singers of color to enter the industry, the dance world is seemingly colorblind.

Take America’s Best Dance Crew for instance. Jabbabockeez, We Are Heros, and Super Cr3w included Asian team members; Poreotix and Quest Crew were all-Asian; 21 out of 29 dancers were Asian; and 4 of those 29 dancers were Vietnamese-American. And these are just the headcounts for winning teams. Many other teams, such as Kaba Modern, included more Asian and Vietnamese members.

I love the fact that the dance community in person or on television is so welcoming to any and every persons. But what I love more is that this universal language of dance is spreading.

At the end of this year, Vietnam is coming out with its first hip-hop movie based in Ho Chi Minh City called “Saigon Electric.” It’s amazing to see the spread of the hip-hop culture back home because it means our international youth has another point of connection. The distance and language barrier between Vietnamese and Vietnamese Hyphen youth mean greater separation and disassociation. The universality of body movement will allow us to break this detachment and hopefully truly create One Vietnam.

Check out the “Saigon Electric” trailer.

This article is written by Steve Jackson at http://ourmaninhanoi.com.  He wanted to share this story with us at Vietnam Talking Points today.  Many stereotypes are associated with a Caucasian man marrying an Asian woman.  Here is a perspective from a Caucasian man and his reflections on the reactions that come with it. 

Although the post below was written in about an hour this morning it’s fair to say it’s the culmination of a lot of thought on the subject. Finally I also asked Loan to read it. I wouldn’t have posted it if she hadn’t been comfortable with every word.

***

I’m just back from Thailand and like most people who visit it was hard not to be repulsed by the sight of older western men with young Asian girls.

Of course, this time my thoughts on the matter were influenced by the fact that I too was with an Asian woman. There’s a mere six years between us but I still wondered how other people judged us.

Certainly I can think back to my very early days in Vietnam when I struggled with the whole concept of Western/Asian marriages. It’s now hard for me to remember why. Undoubtedly I had my own prejudices. But how valid were they?

I think there remains a perception that the foreign bride is a make-do. A catalogue order. Or perhaps a better fit for men who’d like to continue to behave badly without having to apologise. I’ve heard the phrase “losers back home” applied to expats generally but especially those married to local women.

Getting married at 39 I suppose, being brutally honest, I could fit into the “making do” category. Although it doesn’t feel like it. When I decided to return to Vietnam there was no plan for marriage. I always maintained you couldn’t plan for such eventualities. At the time getting back to Hanoi was the only thought in my mind.

Is my “Asian bride” a better fit for me? Well yes, of course she is. I wouldn’t have married her otherwise. But, that doesn’t mean that any Asian woman would have been. I met someone and fell in love. Their ethnicity has nothing to do with it.

We clicked. Hearts, flowers, the world seemed wonderful and we couldn’t stop smiling.

Beyond romance, we worked well together. We are a good team. Isn’t that how it is supposed to feel when you meet “the one” regardless of where they are from?

“You’ll just know.”

I did.

About the time we first got together I read this article. A man travelling in Asia with his Asian wife. He is really uptight about pointing out she is US born.

He writes:

There is a lot of subtext crammed into the nine-word question “Where in the Orient did you meet your wife?” even when you exclude the geographical relic of the term “the Orient.” As I explained that even though Aileen’s parents are from Taiwan, she has lived in New York City all her life and that, subtextually, I didn’t rescue her from a pimp in Shanghai, the light in his eyes dimmed. After I finished he sat for a moment, staring at the waves, and then looked up and said, “Huh. Well isn’t that nice.”

That writer, throughout the article seems desperate to distance himself from other Western and Asian couples. I can empathise. But can it be excused?

I’ve suffered similar paranoia. My wife dresses fairly conservatively but on a hot day when we’ve gone for bun cha in the neighbourhood, the little shorts have come out. In the past I’ve been very sensitive about that. I didn’t want her to wear revealing clothes because I didn’t want to look like the kind of guy who would be attracted to a Vietnamese woman because of the way she dresses.

How do you tell a woman that she should cover up, even in her own country where she knows perfectly well what is acceptable?

Truth is you can’t. And you don’t. And you shouldn’t.

I apologised.

But the foreign wife is not often portrayed well. Especially the Asian wife.

The Vietnamese female as “me love you long time” prostitute remains a widespread cliché. I’ve read backpacker blogs detailing the many many prostitutes in Hanoi. It took me a while to realise that for the most part they were just seeing what they expected to.

Any young woman was a possibly a prostitute in their eyes.

It’s hard to feel any kind of kinship with the very old man with the very young Thai girl I saw on Bangkok’s Skytrain last week. It didn’t look good even before you took into account a ludicrous toupee.

So here I could poke fun at him and list the many many ways in which we are different. But I won’t.

Because perhaps we are all on a sliding scale of acceptability.

And it’s not just men. Spend any time in Africa and you won’t have to look too far for older (often larger) white women, with very young, attractive African men friends. Sometimes more than one.

Is an older white woman with a young African man more acceptable? What about if it’s an older white man with a young African bride? Ask yourself why any of these scenarios should be deemed more acceptable than any other.

It confuses the liberal-minded. For: same-sex marriages. For: mixed race marriages. But against marriages of differing backgrounds, age or means?

Marriages. Good marriages. They work on a whole host of levels. In Cameroon I talked long into the night with my boss and he said what “whiteman” didn’t understand was their love came from being made to feel safe and looked after and not from simply looks alone.

And the more I think about it, the western concept of love at first sight (lust at first sight?) is flawed. Simply liking the look of a person is deemed reason enough to fall in love. Yet taking into account all those other qualities it takes to build a relationship can be deemed as suspiciously calculating.

Alongside our love I believe there is also a healthy amount of pragmatism in our relationship and that’s something I’m very happy about.

And I can write of the many ways that a relationship with an Asian woman is different except that – any relationship with any woman is different.

I didn’t marry a region, a country or a city. I married a person.

If other people want to jump to conclusions about why I did that then it’s best just to let them.

Me? I’ve got to be the opposite of the journalist quoted above. I have to realise that I don’t have to explain or justify anything.

I never expected to marry a local woman.

But then again – I also never expected to be this happy.