Paul Christiansen

in Natural Selection

An Ode to Lục Bình, Vietnam's Invasive, Destructive, Beautiful Aquatic Jerk

Knotted gnarls of lush stems, leaves, vines; a verdant scrimmage of tangled plant matter kept afloat by buoyant bladders accented by pleats of pink petals that resemble the skirts of ballerinas trapped inside music boxes: the water hyacinth.

in Sports

Saigon Heat Wins Intracity Rivalry Over HCMC Wings, Closing Out VBA Regular Season

Families of fans filed into the “Fire Pan” on September 3, wearing red, white, and black jerseys. The atmosphere hums with anticipation.

Paul Christiansen

in Environment

Vignette: Local Ox Rampages Airport, Stops Flights, Gets Put in Museum in Huế

Name a famous buffalo.

Paul Christiansen

in Environment

Vignette: Behold Vietnam's Oldest Rock, a Memento Mori of Human Insignificance

While lamenting how long it had been since I’d last sent a postcard, a coworker at Saigoneer revealed that she is too young to have ever seen a stamp in person, let alone affixed one to a letter. The fashions I wore in high school have come full circle and are once again in style. New slang terms initially baffle and then enrage me. I read popular music festival fliers without recognizing a single name. 

in Parks & Rec

Tiny Tracks, Big Passion: Inside the Miniature World of Vietnam's Model Train Enthusiasts

“When you turn it on, the train is not only moving, but it can make sounds too. The sounds are so authentic that when I listen to it, I feel like I am sitting on a real train right now,” Minh Tú, a Saigon-based model train aficionado, shares with me the satisfied feeling every time he gets a mini train to run.

in Architecture

A Delta Nest in Cao Lãnh Fit for a Solitary Poet

Who says a single person can't nest?

in Environment

Learning to Coexist in Peace Is the First Step to Protect Vietnam's Last Remaining Elephants

A trail of enormous footprints, criss-crossing slabs of cracked concrete, lead to a battered ranger station in Vietnam’s Pù Mát National Park. Park staff say the wild Asian elephant that left the tracks is as friendly as it is lonely.

in Parks & Rec

In Hanoi, Waacking Is Not Just a Dance, but a Home for Creativity and Gender Fluidity Too

“I get to express my madness.” That is what Trần Khánh Linh, also known as Lyna, says when asked why she has been waacking for the last 10 years. By day, Lyna is a jewelry and gemstone seller, but by night, she joins her friends at the Soul Waackers, a waacking group based in Hanoi, and practices a dance style that allows her a vibrant way to self-express.

Back Society

in Environment

Vietnam Discards 46% More Trash Last Year Compared to 2010: Report

Something smells.

in Architecture

[Photos] An Aerial View of Viettel's Futuristic New Headquarters in Cau Giay

The telecommunication giant's new offices place sustainability at the forefront of its design.

Michael Tatarski

in Health

How a Simple Toilet Improved the Life of a Small Ben Tre Family

Do you ever pause for a second when using the toilet?

in Health

Former Covid-19 Patient in Hanoi Tests Positive Again 2 Months After Discharge

Health authorities are still determining whether the Hanoi patient was infected by an external source or just reinfected.

in Environment

Over 5,000 Solar Systems Were Installed in Saigon This Year

Let there be sun!

in Tech

Vingroup Signs Deal to Produce 2m 4G Smartphones for US Company

Some of the planned two million handsets have already been delivered to the undisclosed client.

in Health

5.3m Vietnamese Citizens Are Prediabetic, Expert Says

About 5.3 million Vietnamese, or 8.6% of the entire population, have prediabetes. 

in Health

Saigon Hospital Resumes Program to Provide Free IVF Treatment for 60 Couples

The Ươm Mầm Hạnh Phúc (Nurturing Happiness) program will cover the costs for in vitro fertilization (IVF) for 60 qualified married couples at My Duc Hospital in Saigon.

in Development

Saigon's Metro Line 2 Acquires 70% of Land Needed for Construction

Construction on the Ben Thanh-Tham Luong metro line is expected to commence in 2021.

in Health

First Covid-19 Vaccine Candidate in Vietnam Moves to Human Trials

Sixty Vietnamese have volunteered to participate in the first human trial of the vaccine to begin this month.

in Tech

Watch This Haunting Trailer for a Brand-New Made-in-Vietnam Horror Game

A simple nhạc vàng song, when put in the right atmosphere, can evoke in us an unfathomable sense of dread.

in Architecture

[Photos] Vinh House Brings a Slice of the Countryside to Its Urban Neighborhood

Instead of a typical tube house, architects turned this lot in urban Vinh into a rustic home reminiscent of the countryside.

in Health

Saigon Quarantines 47 Direct Contacts of Suspected Covid-19 Case in Japan

A rapid test in Japan recently showed that a South Korean national who arrived from Vietnam might have been infected with COVID-19.

in Development

81% of Saigoneers Plan to Use Metro Line 1 When It's Finished, Survey Shows

Do you plan to use the metro lines in these cities?

in Tech

Netflix Asked to Provide Revenue Details Since 2016 for Tax Payments

Guess the tax department wasn't a fan of Emily in Paris.

in Architecture

Saigon Student Culture Center Wins World Architecture Award

The five-story building, which includes a cinema, a 900-seat auditorium, large conference rooms, space for club activities, libraries and free areas, was praised for its eco-friendly design.

in Society

Vietnam Has 3rd-Highest Sex Ratio Imbalance in the World, Report Says

Families are choosing to have more boys than girls, and experts worry this will cause problems in the future.

Michael Tatarski

in Environment

Vietnam's New Nature Reserve, Khe Nuoc Trong, Is a Sign of Hope for Biodiversity

In a move wildlife conservationists are hailing as a victory, Vietnam has established a new nature reserve encompassing critical habitat for numerous species, several of them threatened globally with ...

in Architecture

[Photos] On Phu Quoc Island, Jungle-Tucked Bungalows Bring People Closer to Nature

Concrete jungle < actual jungle.

in Society

Vietnam Ranked 2nd in ASEAN in Efforts to Reduce Inequality: Report

Only Thailand rated higher than Vietnam in the region.