西贡鼠 SAIGONNEZUMI

Perused, Opinionated Expat Living in Saigon

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Archives for 2011

Real Poverty in Kyrgyzstan

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I was working as a Program Recruiter for ACCELS in Kyrgyzstan late 1999.  On one of our trips, my driver took us from Kochkor to Naryn.  We had to pass Dolan's Pass to get to Naryn.  The pass was very cold but made for some good pictures. When we stopped I saw a Kyrgyz family near another car.  They were from Naryn, one of the poorest cities in the entire country.  I saw these … [Read more...] about Real Poverty in Kyrgyzstan

Nguyen Trai Street (2004)

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What Nguyen Trai Street in District 5 of Saigon used to look like.  Notice people not wearing helmets, the streets were not as congested.  This was a peaceful time to live in Saigon. Ascension to the WTO and the development that followed has made Saigon a dusty, polluted city.  Many Saigonese miss the old Saigon now. … [Read more...] about Nguyen Trai Street (2004)

Riskul

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This picture was one that surprised me when I saw it in the US.  It nearly brought tears to my eyes. If you look at the photo below, look at the girl to the farthest right.  Her name is Riskul, she was my 6th Former , Class 6B, student at the Karatau Lyceum when I took this photo in 1997.  Riskul never smiles well at least when I am around.  She seemed like a serious student … [Read more...] about Riskul

A Cold Christmas (1997)

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Winter, 1997, in Karatau, Kazakhstan, was the coldest I ever experienced in my life.  I was at my Peace Corps site for just a little over two months when winter struck with a fury.  Even the local Kazakhs and Russians were surprised at the harsh winter.  It got down to -40 C which was not normal for my southern Kazakhstan town.  Around Christmas I remember that the walk to take … [Read more...] about A Cold Christmas (1997)