In March, 2011, I was in Vietnam as a student foreign correspondent, my first story is about a wonderful woman who dedicates some time out of her very busy schedule to assist in the efforts given by Project Vietnam. This story is just a taste of the amazing personality that Christine Armstrong has to offer.

The Vietnamese position of comfort is squatting. Vietnamese people hang out in groups talking and squatting. They squat on top of walls or by their fruit at the marketplace. Wherever you go, you will see men, women and children all “squatting around.”  I had heard about this before I came to Vietnam, but I didn’t [...]

One of my former geology professors said the best examples of geology existed in California and in the Western United States. Death Valley, with its mysterious sliding rocks, Mojave Desert offers “rock jocks” the chance to study all three rock types, and lastly, the Colorado Plateau contains three geological wonders – now national parks – [...]

If you believe your loyal, intelligent family dog is “man’s best friend,” you may not want to read this. In the United States alone, 45.6 percent of households own at least one dog as a pet.  The total number of domestic canines in America is over 77 million, according to a 2009-2010 survey conducted by [...]

We were packed into another bus, this time sans medical team. Our class was bound for HaLong Bay, our last hurrah. I was riding shotgun this time. I sat next to our silent driver. Shaved head, sunglasses on, he never took his eyes off the road. He moved only to shift gears and steer around [...]

The saying “large and in charge” never played a significant role in the life of Philip Cabrera until he traveled to Vietnam. Philip is a Cal State Fullerton communications student determined to become the next big travel journalist. Kind and curious are two words some use to describe Philip, Phil or “Philly,” as we call [...]

Flipping the middle finger in America can often lead to a black eye. Pointing a thumb in the Middle East is equivalent to the American one finger salute. In some cultures, leg crossing, maintaining eye contact and chewing gum also portray signs of disrespect. It is believed that non-verbal communication speaks louder than words, but [...]