Program for 6 May 2012

YOUR PERFECT HONEYMOON

People often say that where you go or what you do on your travel matters less than who you travel with, but if you're travelling with your sweetheart on your honeymoon then you've already found the perfect companion! :-)

Imagine that you're just married (or about to get married), and you're discussing with your partner about where to go on your honeymoon. You start the discussion by listing all the things you expect or would like to have on this trip. And once you've got all the expectations/requirements/wishes down, you can begin to decide on the destinations of your dream trip.

Group Discussion

1. Share with your group two lists. The first contains all the things you expect that the trip must offer (the must-haves). The second list comprises of the things that you would like to have/to do on the trip but are not deal-breakers (the nice-to-haves).
2. Questions to ask yourself for the two lists: What are the physical requirements for the destination(s) of your dream trip (tropical beach/moderate highland/modern facilities)? What social or cultural settings do you prefer (third world country/Asian/European/ethnic minority)? What kind of activities do you like to do with your partner on the trip (reading/shopping/exploring/relaxing)?
3. After understanding the requirements for the dream trip of each person in the group, the rest of the group will try to design the perfect honeymoon for that person. Explain why you choose the destination(s), and share with the person your travel experience for that destination.

Program for 15 April 2012

IMPROVING AIR QUALITY IN HANOI

In recent years, poor air quality in major urban centers in Vietnam, such as Hanoi or Hochiminh City, has been a major concern. Polluted air adversely affects our health, leading to increased public spending on healthcare, which otherwise could be invested in more productive economic activities. Poor air quality also makes it less attractive for foreigners to visit or work in Vietnam, and this has many negative economic consequences as well.

Not contenting to wait for the government to provide an easy answer, many for-profit and non-profit organizations have taken the initiative to reduce air pollution in Vietnam.

One example is a business that buys excess straws from farmers to produce electricity. The excess straws will not need to be burned and therefore will not be a major source of air pollution (which is the case every summer in Hanoi). Some other non-profit organizations are trying to educate people about the need to choose clean energy sources, reduce wastage, and only buy products and services from businesses that don’t pollute the air.

Group Discussion

1. What sources of air pollution can you identify? Among those sources, which ones are the worst, which ones are the easiest/the most difficult to eliminate?
2. Imagine that your group is an organization trying to fight air pollution. Please choose a single source of air pollution and try to get the whole group to come up with a solution to eliminate or reduce air pollution coming from that source.
3. Each group will prepare a detailed plan to implement the solution.
4. Try to predict all possible difficulties in the implementation of the plan so you can defend it better in your presentation.

Presentation

Each group will present their detailed plan. The audience will ask questions, and the group will try to defend their plan.

Program for 1 April 2012

SHOULD WE GIVE FREE CONDOMS TO YOUNG ADULTS?

by Đào Bích Ngọc

Recently, Thai government has made a free delivery of condoms to young adults in this country. In Vietnam, many newspapers and magazines have published this news and raised the idea of doing the same in our country. Take a glance at a number of comments following those articles, and see that readers reacted in some different ways. Some of them totally agreed with this idea; others disagreed or still hesitated and worried about it. What is your opinion on this issue?

Discussion questions:

1. How much do you know about business of condom in Vietnam?
2. As far as you know, what are the differences between social attitudes towards sex in Thailand and this attitude in Vietnam?
3. What are the differences between making free delivery of condom as a government reaction and doing so but not as an action of government?
4. In your opinion, who have the highest possibilities to disagree with this idea? What may be the reasons?
5. Who may agree with this idea? And why may they do like that?

Program for 25 March 2012

MAID SERVICE: PROS AND CONS

In Vietnam's major cities, sustaining a middle-class income often requires both spouses to work full time with long working hours under great pressure. It is therefore difficult for the middle-class family to maintain their household and take care of their children with their limited off-work hours. A common solution nowadays is for them to hire a maid, often a young girl from a poorer part of the country, to help them with their housekeeping tasks.

However, this solution is not without its limitations. First of all, most maids do not have any formal training to help them perform their tasks up to the standards expected by an average middle-class family. Additionally, putting a child under the care of an untrained and inexperience maid can be very risky and dangerous. There is also a damaging possibility of an extra-marital relationship between a maid and her married male employer. Even without any of the above problems, many people simply feel uncomfortable by the presence of a stranger intruding into the privacy of their family life and preventing the intimate bonding between family members.

Discussion Questions

1. The Cons: What problems do you think hiring a maid (who lives with your family) may create?
   • Do you think that it is more difficult for a family to develop intimate bonding between family members?
   • Can the children feel attached to their mother if she doesn't cook and take care of them?
   • How do you trust a stranger living with your family?
2. The Pros: What are the advantages of having a maid in your family?
3. Do you think that the trend of hiring a maid is inevitable in our current economic and social environment?
4. Where is this trend heading to? Do you think a more professional housekeeping service is needed? What are the characteristics of an ideal housekeeping service?

Program for 11 March 2012

THE INFLUENCE OF INTERNET ON OUR LIVES

by Ton Huyen

We’re all familiar with the myriad benefits of the Internet, a tool which has undeniably changed the way we communicate, learn and use entertainment. But how much of a good thing is too much? For a small fraction of kids, the Internet’s draw may prove too enticing, as Internet addiction (loosely defined as excessive use of the Internet that negatively impacts academic, social and family life) appears to be on the rise in much of the industrialized world.

That’s important to do, as a national survey recently found that the amount of time young people spend with entertainment media has raised dramatically: Today, 8 to 18 year olds spend an average of almost eight hours a day using digital media. And because they are often “media-multitasking” (like instant messaging on the computer while watching TV and texting friends on their cell phones) they actually manage to cram a total of 10 hours and 45 minutes worth of media content into those eight hours.

So, is it bad for kids and adults alike to spend so much time using digital media? The answer isn’t straightforward, as the article makes clear, and much more research needs to be done.

In conclusion, do you still strongly believe that Internet has giving us a bad influence to our lives. So what is your view?

Questions

• Television and Internet is dangerous because it has destroyed living and communication among friends and family. Some people said that it absorb people’s time too much that they have no time to talk to each other. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
• Modern day social networking is disabling people from having real interpersonal relationships?
• There has other statement that: “Television and Internet are causes leading to violence in the today’s society?”
• When an individual is addicted to drugs and the drugs are taken away, that individual will experience withdrawal as his body adapts to living without drugs. The same is true with the Internet and Internet addiction?

Program for 4 March 2012

THE MODERN DEFINITION OF FEMININITY

In Charlotte Bronte’s classic Jane Eyre, our protagonist had to overcome many obstacles to develop into a smart and independent, but kind-hearted woman. Her struggle symbolizes a constant balancing act between the need to be independent and the ability to let go so she can fall in love. Many people see her successful struggle as a symbol of modern femininity.

In today’s world, girls growing up with constant pressure from parents and peers to do well at school, to be competitive so they can get into good university, and then go on to have a good career. On top of that, some people still expect them to look beautiful and to be soft and gentle.

Discussion Questions

1. Do you think that being a woman in today’s world is too hard?
2. Do you think that it’s difficult to be independent and feminine at the same time?
3. If you’re a man: What characteristics do you like to see most in a woman?
4. If you’re a woman: What should an ideal modern woman be like?

Program for 26 February 2012

SHOWBIZ MONEY: HOW MUCH IS TOO MUCH?

by Lina Lê

In our modern life, with the boom of media in recent years, the entertainment industry has risen up rapidly, both in commercial terms and in its influence on society. It means that entertainers (e.g. film stars, pop musicians or sport stars) are so highly paid. Some people feel that it is unreasonable to pay too much money for those jobs while other occupations, which require high-level knowledge and great contributions to society (such as in education, healthcare, medicine, etc.), are paid far lower. In an often-quoted example, a doctor’s monthly salary may not even reach one-tenth of what a singer gets for just one performance.

Discussion Questions:

1. To what extent do you agree that the entertainers are paid too much money? In your personal opinion, which types of jobs should be highly paid? What criteria should we use to determine a job's salary?
2. There is a fact that more and more young people do not want to become a teacher, a doctor, or a scientist, and they just want to be a “celebrity” quickly at all cost. Do you think that the possibility to earn an enormous amount of money in showbiz encourages young people to have less respect for jobs outside of the entertainment industry?
3. If you were the person who has the power to correct income inequality between jobs that are not entertainment related and those in showbiz , would you want to change this issue? If yes, what would you do? How realistic do you think your proposed changes are?

Program for 19 February 2012

DATING: REJECTIONS AND BREAK-UPS

In dating and relationships, rejections and break-ups are as common as happy endings. When approaching someone with whom you like to start a relationship, you run a risk of being rejected. Even when you have successfully established a relationship, nothing can be taken for granted because the relationship may very well end up in a break-up. These rejections and break-ups are disappointing to say the least, but we all have to learn to deal with them at one time or another to be able to find what we really want in a relationship. Today, we're discussing how to handle them at both ends of the equation.

Discussion Questions

1. At the receiving end (the person who has been rejected), it is often very sad and even soul-crushing. Why do you think we feel sad in such a situation? Inferiority? Disappointment? Is it possible not to feel sad? How do we get over it?
2. At the giving end (the person who initiates the break-up or rejection), what would be the proper etiquettes? How do we initiate the break-up or rejection so the other party can leave with dignity? How should we handle clingy ex-partners who would not let go?
3. Do you think that having been at both ends of the breaking-up process (and rejections) helps us grow as a person? Do you think that it's possible to go through life without having to deal with failures and disappointments? Do you think that having experienced all the ups and downs and the in-betweens helps us learn how to appreciate life more?

Program for 12 February 2012

DATING: BEING YOURSELF VS. SHOWING YOUR BEST SIDE

by Đào Bích Ngọc

Vietnamese people are so familiar with the phrase “Tốt khoe, xấu che”. In fact, this is usually what happens when two people start dating. However, it can be argued that doing so just makes our partners over-evaluate us, and therefore, expect more than what we can deliver. Instead of showing only our best side, we can choose to be ourselves from the beginning. If our partners can accept even our worst side, then the relationship can only go up and up. What is your opinion on these two options?

Discussion Questions

1. Can you give some typical examples of “tốt khoe xấu che” in practice?
2. In your opinion, why do people tend to do so when they start dating?
3. There is an idea that people have both good side and bad side in the eyes of their partners. If a couple are not naturally compatible, showing the best side only serves to make these two people waste their time. Instead of doing that, they can be themselves from the beginning, and they can decide much earlier whether to keep the relationship going or to cut their loss and move onto a better choice. What do you think about this?
4. There is another idea that when people are in love, everything is rosy — even a bad habit can be considered lovely. As a result, we are more comfortable showing our true selves. What is your opinion on this?

Program for 18th December, 2011

DEBATE: AFFIRMATIVE ACTION IN EDUCATION

“Affirmative Action” is a term originated in the United States in the 1960’s, when President J. F. Kennedy issued a policy giving people with disadvantaged backgrounds a more “affirmative” priority in employment. This type of policy has been implemented in many countries and in many areas such as: health care, social welfare and education. In the UK and many other countries, this type of policy is more often referred to as “Positive Discrimination”.

In Vietnam, Affirmative Action is very popular. In university entrance exams, the exam scores of students with disadvantaged backgrounds (ethnic minorities, students from poor remote regions, etc.) are often boosted with additional “affirmative” points. Many education experts do not agree with this policy, but many government officials say that the policy is necessary for the social-economic development of Vietnam.

Below are some starting points to help your team brainstorm your debate. You shouldn’t limit yourself to the suggested points, and you’re encouraged to try to find many more supporting ideas.

Pros (For):

• Affirmative Action (AA) is needed to address inequality in our society. We should help students from poor regions acquire good education so they can contribute to the development of their homelands.
• Affirmative Action (AA) makes sure that everyone has equal opportunities to employment. Rich parents can afford to send their children to better schools and tutoring classes. Their children will do better in universities and will have better chance to get good jobs. Without AA, the children of the rich will get richer, and the children of the poor will get poorer.
• AA leads to a more diversified environment in universities. Students with many different backgrounds studying together can learn from one another. University graduates will have a broader perspective in life, which will lead to a more open and dynamic society.

Cons (Against):

• AA discriminates against talented students. Disadvantaged students with lower scores will get in university and take the place of more talented students.
• AA itself is a kind of discrimination. Rich people (provided that they get rich legally) are entitled to a more secured future for their children because they’ve worked hard to earn money.
• Giving places to students from remote regions with lesser academic capacity will lead to lower teaching standards in universities. The whole society will suffer as a result.

Program for December 4, 2011

GENDER EQUALITY

“Women who seek to be equal with men lack ambition.” —Dr. Timothy Leary

Gender equality is a hot issue in our modern society. Different cultures look at this issue differently, but it must be addressed properly in each and every context/culture/country in order for us to have a stable and harmonious society.

The most important context of gender equality is the family. Like any organization, the family must decide how to fairly and sensibly partition the workload between different family members. Breadwinning, housekeeping, education and taking care of the children, and many other household tasks must be handled cooperatively if the family is to thrive.

Discussion Questions:

1. Which household tasks do you think are more suitable for men? Which ones are more suitable for women? Or do you think that there shouldn’t be any distinction at all?
2. Do you think that men (or women) should at least try to be acceptably competent in one of their “weak domains”? Why is that important? Is it because they can sympathize and appreciate the labor of their partners? Or is it because they should prepare a “plan B”, just in case their partner somehow must be “out of action” for a while?
3. What notions about gender roles in our society today that you’re most frustrated with? (In other words, what should be fixed in our society’s thinking about gender roles?)
4. What do you think Dr. Leary wanted to say in the above quote? Do you agree with him? Why?

Program for November 27, 2011

NOSTALGIA & LEARNING FROM THE PAST

Sometimes, for no particular reason, our minds drift back to the past. Some people try to relive and revive the happy moments they had, while others play what-ifs with unhappy experiences. And most of us encounter some kind of nostalgic feelings whenever we think about our old times.

Discussion Questions

1. Do you think that what happened in the past can serve as lessons for us in what we do in the present? Can these "lessons" sometimes deceive us? Should we try to not let the past influence our decisions?
2. Do you think that we have the tendency to over-dramatize the recent experiences and desensitize the more distant ones?
3. In what ways do we usually over-dramatize recent experiences (e.g. being too pessimistic with bad outcomes, being too excited with happy outcomes, etc.)?
4. Do you think that learning about our own feelings and how we react to circumstances is as important as learning about how to solve difficult problems in our lives?
5. How often do you have nostalgic feelings? Can you share some of your stories?

Program for November 20, 2011

SUPPORTS FOR SINGLE PARENTS

Nowadays, single parents are quite a common sight. For various reasons — either by their own choice or by circumstances — these men and women decide to raise their children alone. They obviously face many challenges as single parents, and without support from family and friends, it's very tough for them to do a good job in raising their children.

So what kind of supports can we give to these men and women? Do we need a financial and legal framework to help them? Or do you think that social support is more important?

Discussion Questions

1. What difficulties do single parents face in raising their children? What disadvantages do children in single-parent families have compared to those in dual-parent families?
2. Can the difficulties and disadvantages discussed in previous questions be offset by supports from outside of the nuclear family (e.g. from friends or from the extended family)?
3. Can the supports come from official financial and/or legal frameworks from the state?
4. Do you think it's hard for a single parent to remarry? How can we help them in this regard?

Program for October 30, 2011

SCHOOLGIRL UNIFORM: HOW SHORT IS TOO SHORT?

There is no other piece of clothing that has the power to spark as much imagination and inspire as much debate as the women's skirt. Modern women everywhere love to show off their lovely legs, and men everywhere are very much appreciative! Therefore, it seems natural that the skirt is getting shorter and shorter overtime. ;-)

However, in some context, short skirts are still considered inappropriate. In July 2009, Vietnamese Ministry of Education banned short skirts above the knee in all schoolgirl uniforms in the country. Many parents and educators support the law, saying that it minimizes unnecessary distraction caused by the sexy short skirts.

There has been considerable opposition to the law since it took effect. The strongest opposition, unsurprisingly, comes from the schoolgirls themselves. They say skirts that fall below the knee make them look old, fat, short and ugly. Some parents also think long skirts may interfere with their daughters' movements and are unsafe when riding bicycles.

Discussion Questions

• What do you think is the ideal length for the skirt in schoolgirl uniforms? Why? What happens if the skirt is longer or shorter than the ideal length?
• Do you think short skirts affect students' performance in school? What other negative effects can stem from wearing short skirts to school?
• Stepping back from the uniform issue, do you think the tendency for the modern women to wear revealing clothes is a good development? Who benefits the most from this fashion trend: men or women?

Program for October 23, 2011

HOW TO MAKE HANOI MORE BEAUTIFUL?

To us Hanoians, our beloved city is a special place with a special charm. To many foreign visitors, Hanoi is also a very unique and beautiful city. But it's also commonly agreed that there're many things in Hanoi that are not so beautiful. Traffic congestion and pollution are a few examples.

Among the things that give Hanoi its special charm, some are related to its physical beauty (e.g. parks, lakes and public places), but many are related to cultural activities (e.g. flowers-on-a-bike street vendors, performing arts in public places, trà chanh Nhà Thờ, etc.). These things need to preserved, encouraged, nurtured and further improved to make Hanoi even more beautiful for its residents and visitors.

Group brainstorming

• Each group chooses a project focusing on a single thing that makes Hanoi more beautiful.
• You can improve an already positive characteristic or you can choose to deal with a negative issue.
• Brainstorm a concrete solution.
• Don't try too hard to be realistic or practical. Let's dream big!

Presentation

• Each group has 10 minutes to give a presentation.
• Try to make it clear who your project benefits the most.
• Your presentation should explain how to get enough manpower to carry out the project.

Program for October 16, 2011

STUDYING ABROAD — SHOULD GRADUATES GO BACK TO VIETNAM?

The number of Vietnamese students who go abroad to study in countries with advanced education systems is steadily increasing. Some of these students decide to go back to Vietnam after completing their study. Some others decide to stay in the host country or go to another developed country to work and live. These two options represent the most important decision facing every single Vietnamese student upon receiving their degree.

This important decision is, of course, very personal and depends on each student's circumstances and aspirations. However, the student's decision does have an impact on Vietnam as its development depends on a healthy supply of educated and highly-skilled workers.

Preparation questions:

• What are the personal considerations facing a graduate who has just completed his/her study? (E.g. salary, ease of finding employment, the chance to do what you like, security of employment, possibility to explore oneself, career paths, etc.)
• In each of the above considerations, which represents the best choice: staying or going back to Vietnam?
• What are the national considerations facing policy makers when trying to devise a policy to encourage graduates to come back to Vietnam? (E.g. educated workforce, business connections with host countries, cultural exchange, etc.)
• Again, in each of the above considerations, which represents the best choice: staying or going back to Vietnam?

Program for September 25, 2011

HOW DOES INFLATION AFFECT YOUR LIFE?

When prices of goods and services in an economy rise over time, it is said that we have an inflation. This lowers the purchase power of our hard-earned money. When the inflation rate is too high, salaries cannot catch up with prices of essential consumer goods, and people's standard of living will be adversely affected.

Note: This topic does not require advanced vocabulary in economics and financial matters. We're only going to discuss very general economic issues in our daily lives. The purpose is to practice English, not to acquire an in-depth understanding of the economic concept of inflation.

Discussion Questions

• In your opinion, in a developing country like Vietnam, what is the normal rate of inflation? How much is too high? Do you think the current inflation rate is too high?
• Can you feel the effects of inflation in your daily life? Give us examples of these effects.
• Do you think high inflation rate is harmful to the economy? Tell us what you know about long-term consequences of inflation on industry, agriculture, and the banking system.
• In your opinion, what cause inflation and what can be done to reduce it?
• Personally, what do you and your family do to prepare yourself for high inflation rate? Is saving a good enough solution? What about investments? What kinds of investment are good in periods of high inflation?

Program for September 18, 2011

DO YOU BELIEVE IN FATE?

Some people believe that a person's life follows a general script, which has already been written up when he or she is born. This script determines whether this person will become a prime minister or a doctor, who he is going to marry, how many children he will have, etc. They call this "Fate".

Other people also believe in Fate, but they define it differently. For them, Fate is not something that is fixed beforehand, but is determined by supernatural forces in day to day situations. That's why they like to consult daily horoscopes in order to better manage their lives. There're also many other different interpretations of Fate.

On the hand, there're many people who don't believe in Fate at all. They think everything that happens to a person is determined by his/her own actions.

What about you? What's your interpretation of Fate, and what do you think of the phrase "doing your best"?

Discussion Questions

• Do you think that everything happens for a reason? Is it always possible for us to know the reason? If yes, does it mean we can try to affect the outcome? Give an example.
• Do you believe that there are many things we cannot control? If yes, does it mean "doing your best" is meaningless?
• Taking an example in love, do you think it is Fate that you and your future husband (or wife) will meet one day, and that this is the person meant for you, and only you?
• Is it always possible to explain what happened in the past, and use this knowledge to affect the future?

Program for September 11, 2011

MODERN RELATIONSHIP STYLES

Modern relationships have evolved far beyond what our parents' generation would consider "proper". Nowadays, when two people are involved romantically, they can choose to be in one of many types of relationship: exclusive relationship, open relationship, "friends with benefits", "no strings attached", or many other types which you may have never heard of.

Today, we're going to familiarize ourselves with some terms in modern dating, and discuss the pros and cons of each relationship style.

Discussion Questions

• Do you know what these terms mean: one night stand, open relationship, no strings attached, friends with benefits, booty call, monogamy, serial monogamy? Please discuss in details what each of the terms entail and contrast them against one another.
• Do you know any other terms in modern dating that are not listed above? Please share with your group the meaning of the terms.
• Please discuss the pros and cons of each of the relationship styles mentioned above.
• Do you think that one couple can move from one relationship style to another? Which transition do you think is the most natural and popular?

Program for September 4, 2011

WHAT MAKE A GOOD WIFE?

Last week, we had a fun session discussing about the traits of a good husband. This week, we'll turn the table and discuss about what make a good wife.

Questions for women to ask men

We'll start the session with our female members asking the men in their group about their ideas of a good wife. Please do not limit yourself to generic open-ended questions such as "What do you want from your girlfriend/wife?". Be specific, detail-oriented and interrogative. Some suggestions:

• How important is appearance to you? What make a girl good-looking in your eyes? Is it her eyes, hair, breast, butt? (Don't be shy, be interrogative!!!)
• Is her earning potential important? Do you like it if she earns more than you do? Do you like it if she earns minimum wage?
• How important is home-making skills? What activities should be the wife's main responsibility?
• Can you share three most important traits in a good wife?

Self-disclosure for men

After answering all the questions posed by our female members, our men can disclose what they're really looking for in a wife. If possible, you should focus on women's common misconceptions about what men want.

• Please share with your group the things you want the most in a wife.
• What are the things that you think are not important, but are highly regarded among women themselves?