During the first wave of Vietnamese immigration, highly-skilled and educated Vietnamese migrated to the United States upon the Fall of Saigon. Most of them had intimate ties with Americans and/or the Republic of Vietnam and thus feared communist retaliation. During the second wave, Vietnamese from predominantly rural and uneducated backgrounds fled Vietnam by boats to escape … [Read more...] about Why do Vietnamese want to live in America?
People
Korean Dramas and the Worship of Infantile Women
[The following is the first post of new contributing writer Olivia Hoang. Please look forward to more of her writings in the future!--ed.] Once in a while I like to watch some Korean drama because I like to watch Asian people (I just can’t get enough of them) and because I love Korean fashion. While the PG-rated nature of these dramas is a refreshing break from … [Read more...] about Korean Dramas and the Worship of Infantile Women
Infographic: Vietnamese Last Names – How Many Nguyens Are There, Really?
If you had to guess a Vietnamese person's last name, you'll be right almost half of the time if you say "Nguyen." Yes, the stereotype is true, the majority of Vietnamese people have Nguyen (46%) or Tran (13%) as their last name. About 85% of Vietnamese people have one of the ten last names in the chart above; that's about 75 million of us. A few other things worth noting: … [Read more...] about Infographic: Vietnamese Last Names – How Many Nguyens Are There, Really?
Melodies and Motif
Often times, music is one of the first few aspects of a culture that is embraced by people of other cultures. Moreover, most cultures have a very distinct combination of melody, tempo, meter, harmony, texture, dynamics, timbre, and articulation. So, what better way to celebrate Vietnamese American musicians, including both instrumentalists as well as vocalists, than by … [Read more...] about Melodies and Motif
Video Mondays: She said what now?
Welcome to the second installment of Video Mondays, brought to you today by your humble blogger. First is a clip from a Korean drama I've been watching called "Romance Town." Yup, I'm guilty of being another one of those K-drama addicts, and nope, I don't mind if you judge me for it I hadn't intended to watch this drama--the title "Romance Town" rubs me the wrong way--but I … [Read more...] about Video Mondays: She said what now?