Category: Language
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Ridvan – and a Hanoi Tamale(?)
May 2, 2012 (Wednesday) – Still Wednesday: After our visit to the Ho Chi Minh Memorial, Zabine and I were taken to the home of a Vietnamese National Spiritual Assembly member (Duyen). Other Baha’is were gathering, and only after some time did we realize that the purpose was to pray in celebration of a Baha’i…
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Vietnam Wednesday
May 1-2, 2012 (Tuesday and Wednesday) – Tuesday, for me, was a blur. Part of the day I felt weak from what may have been heat exhaustion, or some bug, or adrenaline overdose. Who knows? I stayed home and slept it off while Zabine ran around Vietnam having adventures. Felt great to unwind. But Wednesday…
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Vietnam Villages, Hanoi Hospitality
April 30, 2012 (Monday) — Today we traveled to two neighboring villages in the Vietnamese countryside, conducting home visits with the believers who live there. Lunch, served at the home of a Baha’i friend, consisted of delicacies I didn’t even try to identify. All I know is that it was lavish and delicious. As we…
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Hanoi: Baha’i 20th Anniversary
April 29, 2012 (Sunday) – For Zabine Maryam (Linkins) Van Ness, this has been a journey of 20 years. For me, it only felt like one. We arrived Sunday morning at the hotel in Hanoi where the Baha’i community was gathering to celebrate the 20th anniversary of its founding. Stunning floral arrangements were everywhere. Many of…
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Vietnam Day Three
April 28, 2012 (Saturday) – This morning, Zabine had a wonderful and completely unexpected encounter with Rosalie Huibonhua, a Baha’i Continental Counselor. Her areas of responsibility include China, Hong Kong, Vietnam and other Asian countries. She is here, of course, to attend the celebration of the Hanoi Baha’i community’s 20th anniversary. We met her at…
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Vietnam Tech Notes
If you contemplate travel to Vietnam, you may want to brush up on how to stay connected with home. It is a lot easier than I expected. You can make free phone calls to home. You can keep your smart-phone, computer, camera, and everything else fully charged. You can plug in. First step, plugging in: Most modern…
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Eat, Pray, Love, Shop (Vietnam Style)
April 27, 2012 (Friday) – Having enjoyed our motorcycle ride, we were set for a busy day. First, we sat in on a committee meeting at the home of a Baha’i friend, met many members of the Baha’i community, along with a visiting Counselor, George Saroya, from Indonesia. Lunch at an outdoor noodle cafe. Delicious…
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What is an Astonished Tamale?
Just what is an “astonished tamale”, anyway? Several people have asked me what the name means and why I chose it for this blog (AstonishedTamale.com). There are several answers. The first two were promptly pegged by my friend Patricia Visser, in her thoughtful comments on the first article: 1. I love to be astonished! It’s…