The ISHCMC Advantage: Instilling Leadership, Academic Excellence, and Global Mindsets in Each Student
“These years of my life are very important, they shape the person I'm going to be in the future,” said Danko, a student who just finished Grade 9 at International School Ho Chi Minh City (ISHCMC).
The ISHCMC Advantage: Lifelong Learning Begins in Early Years
“Each morning, the gates open to the joyful rhythm of footsteps and confident smiles. Students independently stroll in, waving to friends and familiar adults, ready to begin the day. With great enthusiasm, they engage in conversations, unpack their bags, tuck away their belongings, and proudly ‘check in’ before eagerly venturing off to discover what learning awaits them. This sense of confidence, independence, and joy isn’t an accident; it’s the result of a thoughtfully designed environment and an intentional approach to learning that nurtures essential life skills through meaningful play.”
Paul Christiansen in Saigon
The Simple Pleasures of Having Your Hair Washed at the Hairdresser’s
I get my face shaved by sidewalk barbers; stop at every roving laminator I pass to have ticket stubs, photos, and doodles ...
Khôi Phạm in Saigon
Letter to the People I Met as We Hid From the Rain Under a Bridge Together
“Do not be angry with the rain; it simply does not know how to fall upwards.”— Vladimir Nabokov.
Hanoi's Bát Tràng Ceramic Village Turns Historic Craft Into Global Fame
Bát Tràng has been producing ceramics for over 700 years, but it’s the recent decades that interest me most: a period in which this small village has mirrored Vietnam’s rapid economic growth.
Final Merging Plan Brings Vietnam's Locality Number From 63 to 34
After extended working sessions to gather insights from experts and locals, Vietnam’s state government has announced the final version of the country’s administrative map.
Múa Lân Is Officially Recognized as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage
In Chợ Lớn, every Tết, amid the aroma of burning joss sticks and an onslaught of red-color decorations is the echoing beats of lion dance instruments. For generations of Saigoneer, the presence of múa lân, or lion dance, is a sign of festivity and celebration.
Uyên Đỗ in Saigon
How Saigon's Free Water Coolers Quench Thirst and Spread Kindness
In recent years, stories about climate change's impacts on the lives of Vietnamese people have been increasingly making the news.
Uyên Đỗ in Saigon
Into Saigon's Charming Hidden Third Spaces in the Shade of Bridges
Third place (noun): A space outside of one's home and workplace, where people meet and interact socially.
Century-Old Historic Villa in Đồng Nai Faces Demolition Due to Road Project
It’s yet another case of new infrastructure versus old heritage building — one of Vietnam’s most common urban planning clashes in recent years.
Food, Art, Heritage and Everything of the Essence in My #SaigonSummer
“In summer, the song sings itself.”― William Carlos Williams
With Thriving Coffee Culture, Vietnam Has Half a Million Cafes, Data Shows
Taking into account global and national chains, small brands, independent cafes and street vendors, a recent report estimates that Vietnam is home to more than 500,000 coffee shops that generate US$1....
Vietnamese Staff Member Wins 7-Eleven Japan's Annual Customer Care Contest
A Vietnamese national recently surpassed over 2,000 other contenders to claim the top spot in a customer service contest in Japan.
Into the Infernal Heat of One of Saigon's Last Remaining Forges
It's no exaggeration to say that working in a forge is akin to being in a fiery sauna.
Huế Becomes 1st City With Dedicated Lanes on Pavements for Bicycles
The growing popularity of biking as a recreational activity in Vietnam has been acknowledged officially by urban planners in Huế.
From 'Freeze' to 'Avcngcrs': Inside the Wacky World of Vietnam's Bootleg Toys
In Vietnam, you can find a Lego set in official Lego stores or any big toy shops at high prices; but if you take a different route, you can find Lego sets being sold by small vendors for much cheaper....
Xuân Phương in Hanoi
In Suburban Hanoi, With Summer Comes the Red-Purple Cascade of Mulberries
In suburban Hanoi, this is the season when mulberry branches heavy with bright red fruits dangle in the summer wind.
New Renderings Show Saigon's Plans to Revamp Quách Thị Trang Square
At an estimated cost of VND157 billion (US$6.17 million), the controversial renovation work on the square in front of Bến Thành Market is set to begin this fall and be completed by April 2025.
Brian Letwin in Saigon
Every Morning, I'm Grateful for My Carless Ride to Work on Hoàng Sa Street
In the decade-plus of Saigoneer’s existence, we’ve had six offices strewn across different parts of Districts 1 and 3. Over that period, my homes have been located in Bình Thạnh and Thảo Điền, requiri...
Paul Christiansen in Saigon
The Nhiêu Lộc-Thị Nghè Canal's Comeback Story
Water has no hometown.
Paul Christiansen in Saigon
Our Toxic Relationship With Saigon Traffic: A Diagnosis
There is no way to describe Saigon traffic literally and have it understood by someone who has not experienced it.
Elise Luong in Hanoi
Sweating for a Good Cause at the Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation Walk in Hanoi
I learnt of the Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation in my first year living in Hanoi, through friends that had worked for the fantastic organization, or that were regular donors supporting it. This year...
Morgan Ommer in Vietnam
In the Mekong Delta, Ferries Are Childhood Friends and Daily Companions
The Mekong Delta is called Đồng bằng Sông Cửu Long in Vietnamese — the Nine Dragons River, for the way the mighty Mekong splits into multiple strands as it nears its final destination, the East Sea.
Glide Over Hanoi in the Calmness of the Cát Linh-Hà Đông Metro Line
In many countries, urban metros are a mundane convenience — so ordinary that their users often take them for granted. But until the birth of Hanoi’s Cát Linh-Hà Đông Metro Line, residents of Vietnam h...
'Engaging With Vietnam' Conference Ruminates on Heritage in Huế
“Living with Heritage, (Re)Creating Heritage: Vietnam and the World” is the title of the 14th Engaging with Vietnam conference, a series of activities including academic panel discussions, keynote tal...
Vietnam Reports First-Ever Test-Taker Attaining 9.0 for All 4 IELTS Skills
As more institutions and enterprises in Vietnam adopt IELTS results as an official assessment of students' and employees’ grasp of the English language, high IELTS scores have gradually become a sough...
Pride Fest, Cambodia's Most Ambitious LGBT Event to Date, Is Coming This Week
On a steamy evening in downtown Phnom Penh, Rebecca Chan takes the stage. The crowd — mostly Cambodian millennials and Gen Z's — is riled up from previous performances, but Chan’s composure tames thei...
Paul Christiansen in Saigon
The Simple Pleasures of Kite-Flying in Thủ Thiêm
One of the most elegant means to observe the textured heft and untethered strength of otherwise-invisible wind — there is plenty one could say about the poetry of flying kites.
