I've looked for Google Maps satellite views of Vietnam. Since it's a communist country that continues to remain paranoid that such views would give away military secrets--I have always come up with a blank page on Google Maps for Vietnam. Alas, the internet pushes past censorship; and I have found Wikimapia.org satellite views of Ho Chi Minh City! So now you can see a real life space photo of my guesthouse and neighborhood in this fabulous city. My place is the small square around the pink rooftop near the lower-left-of-center in the satellite photo, which is labled as "Duc's Guesthouse" when you hold your mouse over the square. The other square labels are places that other people on the internet have marked/labeled themselves.
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
Sunday, June 18, 2006
Weekend Trip to Cat Tien National Park
Cat Tien National Park is located around 150 km (2-4 hours) away from HCMC. It is a protected area, its conservation project is operated by the World Wildlife Fund. Some of the species that live in the park (though I didn't get to see them) include the Javan Rhinoceros, Siamese crocodile, and many different types of monkeys. The main functions of the park includes: conserve and rehabilitate nature, provide research opportunities for national and international scientists, act as a tourist destination, and preserve the watershed of Tri An Reservoir.
A very interesting question was asked during my visit: Species vs. Poverty - space for people to live, or for animals to live? As a result of its conservation project, ethnic minority groups that once resided within the park have been moved as part of a resettlement project.
There are now facilities set up for visitors including lodges, campsites, a restaurant. There are also trails available to walk around in the rainforest.
A very interesting question was asked during my visit: Species vs. Poverty - space for people to live, or for animals to live? As a result of its conservation project, ethnic minority groups that once resided within the park have been moved as part of a resettlement project.
There are now facilities set up for visitors including lodges, campsites, a restaurant. There are also trails available to walk around in the rainforest.
Thursday, June 08, 2006
Vietnam News article about the Central Highlands Charity
A group of doctors and nurses from Ho Chi Minh city, in collaboration with the Embassy of Israel in Vietnam together with the Vietnam Fatherland Front, visited Kon Ray District in late May to conduct free health checks and treatments.
The medical team consisted of nine doctors, seven nurses and twenty-one other logistics staff members. They offered medical treatment in the five communes of Dac Rve, Dac Tre, Dac To Lung, Dac Ruong and Tan Lap in Kon Ray District, Kon Tum Province.
A total of 2,531 people received dental and medical examinations and treatments. One child suffering from an inguinal hernia will be taken to HCM City for an operation free of charge. Two more children suspected of suffering from heart related diseases will be further examined at Kon Tum General Hospital. If the team's initial diagnoses are correct, they will also be taken to HCM City for operations. The Vietnam Family Medical Practice will cover all related costs.
The team delivered a large amount of general supplies and foodstuffs directly to local people at health checks and treatment points in two more communes of Kon Ray District known as Dac Koi and Dac Pne.
Each commune or town received 350kg of rice and 30kg of salt together with other provisions like toys, soap, shampoo, clothes, learning materials and condoms.
Based on the initial response, there is a good likelihood that co-operation between the Israeli Embassy, the Vietnam Fatherland Front and the Vietnam Family Medical Practice will continue in the future.
The Kon Tum health department is also working on a project funded by the Sweden International Development Agency to present similar public health checks and treatments every six months in Kon Tum villages up to 2009.
Dong, director of the project, said they were also working on another health project with the European Commission.
The medical team consisted of nine doctors, seven nurses and twenty-one other logistics staff members. They offered medical treatment in the five communes of Dac Rve, Dac Tre, Dac To Lung, Dac Ruong and Tan Lap in Kon Ray District, Kon Tum Province.
A total of 2,531 people received dental and medical examinations and treatments. One child suffering from an inguinal hernia will be taken to HCM City for an operation free of charge. Two more children suspected of suffering from heart related diseases will be further examined at Kon Tum General Hospital. If the team's initial diagnoses are correct, they will also be taken to HCM City for operations. The Vietnam Family Medical Practice will cover all related costs.
The team delivered a large amount of general supplies and foodstuffs directly to local people at health checks and treatment points in two more communes of Kon Ray District known as Dac Koi and Dac Pne.
Each commune or town received 350kg of rice and 30kg of salt together with other provisions like toys, soap, shampoo, clothes, learning materials and condoms.
Based on the initial response, there is a good likelihood that co-operation between the Israeli Embassy, the Vietnam Fatherland Front and the Vietnam Family Medical Practice will continue in the future.
The Kon Tum health department is also working on a project funded by the Sweden International Development Agency to present similar public health checks and treatments every six months in Kon Tum villages up to 2009.
Dong, director of the project, said they were also working on another health project with the European Commission.
-VNA/VNS
Monday, June 05, 2006
To All Staff for this Charity Medical Project
Thank you all for your important contributions to making our Kon Tum Central Highlands trip the huge success that it was.
The trip was a compilation of help and work from everyone. Great planning and preparation was essential to making this trip run so smoothly both for those who went and those who stayed. Firstly thank you to the cleaners and staff members who sorted and packed the many towels, sheets, clothes, donations, food and medicines. This was a timely job that took a lot of effort. Thank you to those who organized the medication and supplies, this gave us a great base to start with and allowed us the task of handing all these goodies out.
Also a big thanks to those who stayed behind in the clinic. Your workload was doubled and without your efforts, the clinic would have closed for the week. To all the doctors, nurses, front desk staff, accountants, etc., a big THANK YOU.
Finally to the staff members that made the journey to Kon Tum, I'm sure you will all agree it was an amazing trip, which took us from the beauty of the beach to the poverty of the provinces. The dedication and teamwork from everyone was fantastic. We managed to see hundreds of people and gave the many donations out to the very needy people.
Thank you all so much for your efforts; I am very proud of the way we all came together to help the people of the Kon Tum Central Highlands.
Great teamwork--excellent team spirit!
The trip was a compilation of help and work from everyone. Great planning and preparation was essential to making this trip run so smoothly both for those who went and those who stayed. Firstly thank you to the cleaners and staff members who sorted and packed the many towels, sheets, clothes, donations, food and medicines. This was a timely job that took a lot of effort. Thank you to those who organized the medication and supplies, this gave us a great base to start with and allowed us the task of handing all these goodies out.
Also a big thanks to those who stayed behind in the clinic. Your workload was doubled and without your efforts, the clinic would have closed for the week. To all the doctors, nurses, front desk staff, accountants, etc., a big THANK YOU.
Finally to the staff members that made the journey to Kon Tum, I'm sure you will all agree it was an amazing trip, which took us from the beauty of the beach to the poverty of the provinces. The dedication and teamwork from everyone was fantastic. We managed to see hundreds of people and gave the many donations out to the very needy people.
Thank you all so much for your efforts; I am very proud of the way we all came together to help the people of the Kon Tum Central Highlands.
Great teamwork--excellent team spirit!
The land.
The land.
The land.
How to get there.
How to get there.
How to get there
Real men.
Real men.
Real men.
Real men.
She's a lady.
She's a lady.
She's a lady.
Life.
Life.
Life.
Life.
Life.
Cutaneous larva migrans from swimming in the local river.
Toe crush injury by a cow, with secondary cellulitis.
Dental team.
Dental team.
Looking in on the dental team.
In action; teaching the basics of dental care.
In action; teaching the basics of dental care.
Friday, June 02, 2006
Back from the Central Highlands Charity!
The Healthcare Relief Project in the central highlands added to the connection that I have with my mother country. I left Vietnam in 1975 to the USA. I grew up learning about my native culture only through my household in the USA. So when I first came back for holiday in Vietnam in 1997, hearing Vietnamese spoken, smelling the Vietnamese food, hearing the Vietnamese music, and seeing the Vietnamese fashions--all made me feel like I was right at home; in a household made up of millions of Vietnamese people! Now in 2006, after having lived in Vietnam for 2 years, the nostalgia has worn off a bit. Providing care to the most needy and deserving peoples of Vietnam fueled my passion for my native country. The financial backbone of Vietnam to this day remains with agriculture. The millions working to keep Vietnam viable get lost in the statistics. This project let me cut through the statistics; where I found the individuals who are the everyday, unsung heroes of Vietnam.
Saturday, May 20, 2006
Healthcare Relief Project in Central Highlands
Some Background
My clinic has been asked to run a Healthcare relief effort in Kon Tum Province, specifically in Kon Ray district--through the World Health Organization. Kon Ray district lies near Highway #24, which connects the two provinces of Kon Tum and Quang Ngai. Kon Ray district consists of 7 towns (name and populations as follows: Dak Rve pop 5,161; Dak Koi pop 2,013; Dak To Lung pop 1,642; Dak Ruong pop 3,277; Dak Tre pop 3,960; Tan Lap pop 3,243; Dak Pne pop 1,490). Cumulative population in the Kon Ray district totals 20,786, in which 63% of them are minority peoples. The district is 890.77 square kilometers. The main economic activity there is...you guessed it, agriculture.
The health care system there consists of 1 hospital with 50 beds, 1 clinic with 10 beds, 7 health care centers with 5 beds each, 1 epidemic team consisting of 1 doctor and 8 medical staff. None of these are at the national healthcare standard for Vietnam.
For a population of 20,786, there are 102 medical personnel... an average of 5.28 medical staff/town. Of the 102 medical personnel, there are only 8 doctors, the rest of the staff are with a high school and primary school education.
The health care budget for the district hospital is $943usd/bed/year; for the health care centers $723usd/bed/year. With such a low budget, it is very hard to arrange/organize/implement all the needed activites for proper basic healthcare (this budget is just enough to pay for the medical staff and the most urgent activities).
The health status of Kon Ray district during the past 10 years has been relatively stable. There have been no serious epidemics. Small epidemics were discovered and treated in a timely manner. The common diseases for that area are: acute respiratory tract infections, gastroenteritis, amoebic dysentery, hepatobiliary disorders, parasites (malaria/worms), urinary tract infections, Kidney stones, hypertension, and gout. Greater than 30% of children under the age of 5 are malnourished.
Preparation
There will be 29 staff member from my clinic participating in this project (8 foreign physicians, 1 foreign dentist, 5 local nurses, and 15 supporting staff). The project is scheduled to occur from May 26 - June 1, 2006. We have decided to split into 4 teams, that will cover each of the 7 towns. Our clinic has been working in a frenzy the last few days with preparation, with multiple donations pouring in from companies, our past patients, and various individuals in the community.
It's scheduled to be a fantastic trip. I'll report more when it's all over!
Sunday, May 14, 2006
Opening a Company/Business in Vietnam
If you are an overseas Vietnamese and want to establish a company in Vietnam, you will need to submit a certificate of Vietnamese origin.
According to Joint Circular 02/ 2005/ TTLT-BKH-BTP-BNG-BCA dated May 25, 2005, by the ministries of Planning and Investment, Justice, Foreign Affairs and Public Security, which guides Vietnamese abroad and foreign residents wanting to invest in Vietnam under Government Decreee 51/1999/ND-CP, you can contact the Oversease Vietnamese Committee under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the People's Committee of the province or city in Vietnam where your parents or grandparents were born or where you have lived, to apply for the certificate of Vietnamese origin.
The file includes:
1. The application for certification of Vietnamese origin.
2. The legitimate foreign passport or the paper with the same value as the passport.
3. The following papers (including those issued by the regimes before April 30, 1975): a) The paper proving the Vietnamese nationality of your parents or grandparents, though in cases where they have lost Vietnamese nationality papers they must have certificates for the loss, b) the paper proving the applicant is the child or grandchild of those people.
In case you have not kept papers regarding your Vietnamese origin, you can replace them with the following: Your self-made resume stating your history until the time you made the application, the affidavits by at least two Vietnamese citizens in Vietnam with full civil capacity confirming they have blood relationship with the applicant and stating the applicant has or once had Vietnamese nationality. The affidavit must state the names and addresses of both the confirmers and the confirmee and must be made and certified at a competent Vietnamese authority (the People's Committee of the commune or ward).
The overseas Vietnamese who already has a certificate for Vietnamese kinship is not required to obtain the certificate of Vietnamese origin. They can use this paper to supplement the application for business registration.
According to Joint Circular 02/ 2005/ TTLT-BKH-BTP-BNG-BCA dated May 25, 2005, by the ministries of Planning and Investment, Justice, Foreign Affairs and Public Security, which guides Vietnamese abroad and foreign residents wanting to invest in Vietnam under Government Decreee 51/1999/ND-CP, you can contact the Oversease Vietnamese Committee under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the People's Committee of the province or city in Vietnam where your parents or grandparents were born or where you have lived, to apply for the certificate of Vietnamese origin.
The file includes:
1. The application for certification of Vietnamese origin.
2. The legitimate foreign passport or the paper with the same value as the passport.
3. The following papers (including those issued by the regimes before April 30, 1975): a) The paper proving the Vietnamese nationality of your parents or grandparents, though in cases where they have lost Vietnamese nationality papers they must have certificates for the loss, b) the paper proving the applicant is the child or grandchild of those people.
In case you have not kept papers regarding your Vietnamese origin, you can replace them with the following: Your self-made resume stating your history until the time you made the application, the affidavits by at least two Vietnamese citizens in Vietnam with full civil capacity confirming they have blood relationship with the applicant and stating the applicant has or once had Vietnamese nationality. The affidavit must state the names and addresses of both the confirmers and the confirmee and must be made and certified at a competent Vietnamese authority (the People's Committee of the commune or ward).
The overseas Vietnamese who already has a certificate for Vietnamese kinship is not required to obtain the certificate of Vietnamese origin. They can use this paper to supplement the application for business registration.
Information has been provided by Mr. Trinh Thanh, lawyer of Ho Chi Minh City.
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