The traffic light and global integration (posted on Saigontimes weekly

Thanks to my network of friends, I often travel along the country. Hanoi is a historic capital city, but it is small, especially for roads. Recently, Hanoi has established the traffic light system. It seems that this is an automatic control system, because I do not see anyone to operate it. When I visit Nha Trang (my home city ten year ago,) I am surprised because it is a small city, which has about 300,000 people, but the city also established traffic signal on some main roads downtown. A friend, who is working at the Communication and Transportation Department, told me the reasons, "Our city is small, it does not need a traffic signal system indeed. However, we need to train people to get acquaintance to the modern system." In Ho Chi Minh City, where I am living, the traffic signal system has many forms, high and low, old and new. Interestingly, in some main roads, policemen still operate the flows of traffic manually. They use an operational box etablished next to the traffic light to control the flows of traffic. To my knowledge, in order to establish the city traffic system, we need to collect data on the flows of transportation in the city. The interval of red or green lights will be decided depending on the time period of a day and the flows of vehicles. The police, who stands in a corner of a street, can not see the whole system. He can make decision at his cross road but he damages the traffic flows in other points of the city. We can draw the lessons of operating traffic system in Vietnam and view them under the light of the regional, global integration process of the country: Ho Chi Minh City, a big city, but it is still struggle with old and new ways of doing things. Nha Trang is learning to adapt the new life and Ha Noi is courage moving forward! Besides, when the country gradually integrates into an interdependence economic trading system, you can not make decisions without thinking about the others!

An MC at entry level

The first time in my life, today I do the job of an MC for my former employer. I am not satisfied with my performance. I need to practice and learn more to become a professional. Am I too old to do so?

Working harder or working smarter

"What do you think about Vietnamese?" "Well, your people are hard working and very determined." I have never heard about "working smart" when foreigners perceive about Vietnamese in general. For a long time, I did not recognize the difference between "working hard and working smart." Studying "work planning and time management" I believe Vietnamese must start learning working smart to transform their destiny.

Kid is kid

Calista visited our home. According to her Dad, she is five years old and that was the first time she stayed out of her family. Probably, she is a typical American kid. She said, "I don't need you to ask my Dad for the permission." She got permission of course, took her back bag and rode with me and my daughter on motorcycle to my house. "Your house is far away! Your house is small and hot! (My daughter turned the air conditioner to the lowest range but our side her room it was still hot.) At 9pm, my wife was anxious looking an American kid eating. 1030pm, my wife started worried because she saw Calista still wanted to play with my kids. 11:30pm, Quyen was tired and felt sleep. Ngoc came back her room to prepare for her study. Calista took her back bag and knocked Ngoc's bed room asking to take her home. Ngoc woke me up and I saw Calista in front of my bed room. She looked like a tiny soldier. I recalled an old story, "The Small Prince." All my family members surrounded her and were laugh when she said, "Because nobody wants to play with me, I must go home now!" She started to cry. My wife and Ngoc took her home. On the way, she felt asleep because it's cool and Saigon was quiet. However, she did wake up and say "Good night" when she was in her Mom's arms.

Writing from Hong Kong International Airport

It is interesting! I am standing and writing from an internet corner at HK International Airport. This is the world's best airport! There is no sense of terrorism! I do not see any police. I spent one day at the airport and got an Asian and an American meal. Burger King makes me remember my old time when I was a graduate student in the U.S. I look forward seeing my home city, HCMC. Thinking about TSN Airport I am sad. Thirty years have passed today, April 30, but my country is still strugling with poverty!

Human deficiency- stories in an elevator

Have you ever met a situation like this? My friend asked suddenly when he met me in the elevator led to our office on the 14th floor. He was not wait for my words but continued to tell his problem. "You know, I love my mom so much and take her from my home province to HCMC. However, my mom and my wife can not live with each other peacefuly. Mom gets angry when I tell her what is wrong and right from the story occured between two beloved folks. Mom says that now I have a young and beautiful woman and I do not pay much attention to her. She says she needs not to stay in HCMC and insists me to send her home. Another friend, who was with us in the elevator, followed my friend's foot steps. He added, "I have something in common. I probably get a good job compared to other members in my family. However, it appears that my brothers and sister do not like me as they did when I was a student. They feel a complex when they see gifts I buy for my mom. I said goodbye to my friends but I was thinking much about a story that another friend told me yesterday. He said, this year he was a star at his office. The sales volume, he earned, was highest among his colleagues in his company. Bosses call him for every meeting and some consultations. However, the more connections he gets from the bosses, the less friendship he receives from friends and colleagues. Is there any correlation among three stories? I much do a research and tell you later.

A positive sum game

My family went to Dalat for vacation. We went to Dalat market for lunches everyday. The first day, we went to a very crowded restaurant. Waiting for the available seats, another restaurant's owner, who was selling soft-drinks, waved and offered us the seats. We got lunch and did not forget to reward her some drinks. We went to another restaurant the next day. The owner was so busy with many customers while her neighbor did not have anyone. The neighbor went to the busy one. She washed dishes, cleaned tables and delivered meals. When I asked, "why do you work for your competitor?" With a smile, she said, "Tomorrow, if I am busy, my neighbor may help me."