Review of "Catfish and Mandala": A boring and self-absorbed journey

After reading the novel Catfish and Mandala by Andrew X. Pham, I honestly will not be recommending it to anyone. I thought it terribly boring and racially stereotypical. I found myself struggling to pick it up and read when normally I am quite an active reader (I often wanted to read another book instead). Although I agree with certain values found in the novel, I struggled with others. I felt as though the only refreshing message was that your past doesn't dictate your identity, you do.

I really struggled to latch on to this story on an emotional level as Pham's writing did not pull me in thus making me feel unattached to the characters I so desperately wanted to feel for. Maybe I'm just a lazy reader, but I feel as though it is the author’s job to make me a part of the book, not my own. It was hard to feel sad about his sister Chi's death when all he kept talking about was how sore his muscles were from riding his bycicle and how sorry he felt for himself and the rest of Vietnam while he drank himself silly.

When He described the Vietnamese as a sad and wanting people, it made me think about his point of view. In this moment he feels as though he has the right to say these things about the Vietnamese because it is not a stereotype since it is of his own people. The truth is, is that he did not live in Vietnam the way these people did and how even though he feels connected to them he will never be one of them and cannot find himself with them. I did not enjoy this read and most of what it said. I just found it sad and boring.

Conner's reflection

Over the course of a couple months I have learned a lot about Vietnam. This all started because I read the book Catfish and Mandala by Andrew x Pham. I thought that the book was good for many reasons. The first reason was because it was about finding your self. Andrew biked through the Mexican desert and he biked around all of Vietnam. This is not something that any one can do and I find it amazing that he did that to find him self. Most people wouldn't go out of there way to do this. I also enjoyed the book because Andrew had to accept who he was and who everyone else was. It was sad on what happened to his sister and how they got driven apart because he couldn't accept who she wanted to be and this led to Andrew biking around Vietnam. I thought that over all the book was very good. And reading a book that took place in Vietnam I started to research more about Vietnam. In researching about Vietnam I learned that they are in a big fight with China. I didn't know that there were riots in Vietnam about factories and how there were people dying because of this. There is also a debate about China putting an oil rig in Vietnamese water. I wouldn't of learned about any of this if I didn't read this book. I thought that the book was very good and that everyone should read it and I also think that people should read the news now and then because most people don't know about whats going on in other countries.

Catfish and Mandala Review

The fantastic novel, Catfish and Mandala, is about the journey of Andrew X. Pham and his search for his cultural identity. This novel is a true story of the author's life.  His actual Journey initiated when he was in Phan Thiet, Vietnam. He spent most of his life in the United States but never could forget about where he really came from and memories he had from his real home town. So Andrew chooses to go back to Vietnam to search for his lost memoirs, and his cultural identity.

 This was a moving and engaging memoir. Andrew Pham is very skilled at vivid description and is careful not to over-sentimentalize the often deeply personal subject matter. He is honest about his family and about his own feelings in a way that is highly admirable. His quest to explore his own identity is something that many people can relate to. Although his situation is rather specific, the book deals with themes that are fairly universal. I would strongly recommend this title to anyone that enjoys being entertained while having your own judgments logically challenged. On a scale of 1-10, I would give this novel a 8.5. Seriously, check this book out!

Its Sushi Time!

This sushi recipe represents Andrews travel in Japan. He talks about how he always wanted to visit Japan as a child. During his time in this colorful country, Andrew finds it hard to thrive in the culture and language and ends up following an old man through the streets on his bike in search for a place to stay. When the man eventually loses Andrew, he can't find his way out of the airport and sets up his tent on the ground. He wakes up to find he has crashed on a construction site parking lot! As Andrew struggles to manuever Japan, we thought this would be the perfect Japanese classic to enjoy. Its super fun to make and eat!! 

Pollution from Dairy Farm in Vietnam Forces Families to Relocate

http://vietnamnews.vn/environment/255023/pollution-from-dairy-farm-forces-families-to-relocate.html

             In the past year, about 700 families in central Nghe An Province, Vietnam, have been evacuated from their homes due to pollution. These poor families have been neighboring a dairy farm that has been polluting heavily. A resident living near the farm sent a letter to the CEO of the dairy company accusing them of polluting the local water source. The letter also claimed that a horrible smell emanated from the factory, which affected local residents. This pollution also resulted in central Nghe An Province being infested with flies and mosquito. 
            If I were in this situation, I would stand up and confront the company-rather than righting a letter explaining the problems. What this dairy company is doing is obviously not just and must be acted upon. If you were in the same situation as these 700 families, what would you do? Please leave a comment!

Image of a local resident in front of cow sewage

If your craving something creamy, and warm, then this is something to invest your time in. Yes, it takes a while to make, but it is totally worth your time. Let us know what you think of this French Onion Soup recipe!

Mexican Rice!

The first place Andrew visits is the Mexican desert. During his travels, he encounters a lonely man named Tyle. Tyle feels remorse for the time he had spent fighting in the Vietnam war. Andrew feels nothing from this confession because he doesnt feel atatched to his home town. This is when he decides to journey to Vietnam. This is a quick and easy dish that is great for beginners and includes delicious flavors that bring life to the culture of Mexico!!

The Riot in Vietnam

 

http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/vietnam/index.html\http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhPdGvrSXKE ( check this video) do you think the Chinese had the right to cross the border without the Vietnamese knowing, and killing people?

Cooking is fun!

This is the link to my favorite culturally diverse cooking blog. Why not give it a shot your self?http://whatscookinginyourworld.blogspot.com/?m=1 

Vietnam facts

• Politically, Vietnam is a one Communist state. As in China, however, the economy is increasingly capitalistic.
• Some of the largest groups are the Tay, 1.9%; Tai, 1.7%; Muong, 1.5%; Khmer Krom, 1.4%; Hoa and Nung, 1.1% each; and Hmong, at 1%.
• Vietnam is a non- religious, because of the communist government.
•  Vietnam's economic growth remains hampered by the government's control of many factories as state-owned enterprises
• Vietnam is the largest exporter of cashews in the world, and the second largest exporter of rice.
• Among all developing countries, Vietnam has one of the lowest unemployment rates.

 

 

 

 

 

Western facts

• The Government of the United States of America is the federal government of the republic. 
• Only Congress can declare war

Although English is the most commonly spoken language used in the U.S. and is the language used in government, the country has no official language.

 

 What are interesting facts about where you are living?
What is  different in your country or town from Vietnamese  or American ways?

Vietnam War

                The Vietnam war took place from 1946 to 1975. The main countries involved in the Vietnam War were South Vietnam and North Vietnam. South Vietnam was backed by anti-communist countries which included the United States, South Korea, Australia and the Philippines. North Vietnam was backed by communist forces which included the People’s Republic of China, the Soviet Union and North Korea.

1946: France tries to regain control of Vietnam. 

1954:The Vietminh defeats the French. Vietnam is divided into two zones: the Communist

ruled north and a republic in the south.

1959:Communists supported by North Vietnam cause conflict in South Vietnam. 

between the two halves of Vietnam marks the beginning of the Vietnam War.

1965: In order to stop the spread of communism, the United States sends troops to Vietnam. 60,000 Americans are killed, including Vietnamese. 

1973: U.S. signs peace accord with North Vietnam

1975: South Vietnam surrenders to communist North

1976: North and South Vietnam united

It was ignorant of the United States to be apart of this war in my opinion. The spread of communism was not prevented, and that was their main goal. This war caused nothing but deaths. I believe that the U.S. should remain independent, unless a future matter affects us.

Four US soldiers carry a wounded comrade through swampy terrain in Vietnam

How do you get around?

When you look around it looks like most everyone is driving. I think about how much gas is being used and how people think that they need the best cars just so they can drive to a friends house or to the store. Some people take the bus. Yes it might be slower but it can be better for the environment but at the cost of being slower and you have to be with other people. And there are the people who don't drive. I would be in that category. I think that walking is good for you , It might suck at times but you don't have to dive to the store that is less than a mile away. People think that they need to drive to get places. But what is better four cars to a road or twenty plus mopeds. In Vietnam this is a major problem at the moment. Most people in Vietnam own a moped and that is how they will get around. Close or far that is the way to go. Only the rich can afford cars. And buses take a long time if you are trying to ride it during normal times. This is very bad for everyone in Vietnam because these mopes are causing more and more pollution to be made. Now people are wearing masks because its bad to just breath in the air. And not only is this bad for pollution but the way people ride the mopes its not safe at all. Crashes are the leading causes of deaths in Vietnam as of now. In 2010 there was a count of over 11K deaths because of car accidents. This is also shown in the book Catfish and Mandala By Andrew X Pham. Andrew talks about how there are really no rules to the road. What people are thinking is don't get hit and that's it. If you can make it through the intersection the great do it again at the next. This is a huge problem and there needs to be more rules to the road and more people need to enforce them. This can really go for every where. People need to pay attention to the road, not talk or txt on the phone or even put make up on when driving. So my final thing to you all is think about how you get around, if its a short distance just walk it will be good. And comment down below on how you get around and what you think should be different about the rules of the road.

What would you do to get to school?

If there was a flood where you live, would you call it a day and stay home and try to help? During the flood here in Boulder Colorado all of the schools were closed for safety. People would try to fix their houses and try to stay safe. It was very dangerous to go to the stores but if you had to you would drive there and that was still risky. But that was here, In Vietnam there was a flood that washed away roads and all of the paths that would lead to the schools. But the students would still go to school. It didn't matter that it was not safe at all. These kids got in to plastic bags and were taken across the river just so there school uniforms wouldn't get too wet. This flood was so bad that if a car were to cross it would get stuck under the water and people would have to retrieve it at another time. The river was also way too big for anyone to make a bridge over it. If you were to have a flood this big would you even think about going to school. Because I know that I wouldn't think about school at all. Would you go out of your way to get to school? Because I know that most of the students here would take any chance they could get to skip school. I find that people don't care about school enough. We think of it as something we have to go to and we don't really have a choice if we want to or not. But people in other countries will do whatever it takes to get a good education. Like crossing a river in a plastic bad. If someone told me to do that to get to school I would think that there crazy.

So I ask you, What would you do to get to work or school?

TOP 10 FUN FACTS ABOUT VIETNAM!

In case you didn't know...
Here are some interesting facts about Vietnam!
1.The length of Vietnam from North to south is about the same as the length of New York to Miami.
2.Vietnam's highest mountain is Fan Si Pan. It is 10,300 feet high!
3.Vietnam has 30 national parks!
4.The country is divided into 58 provinces and 5 centrally governed cities.
5.The population of Vietnam is 87 million making it the third most populated country in southeast Asia.
6.The Vietnamese language uses and alphabet of 29 characters, most of which are almost identical to those used in English!
7. Also, the Vietnamese language is not related to any other languages and is entirely unique.
8. About 40% of people living in Vietnam share the same family name, Nguyen! 
9. Ho Chi Minh City, also known as Saigon, is the largest city in Vietnam.
10. Halong Bay is the most visited natural attraction in Vietnam and has been said to be carved by a magical sea dragon that to this day people claim to have seen. A southeast Asian Nessi!!


To learn more facts about Vietnam, visit: http://vietnamgoodtravelguide.com/vietnam-interesting-facts.html 

Vietnamese Food

Following Andrew

Reading through "Catfish and Mandala" I can't help but think, where would I go? Andrew is searching for identity, self, life meaning. He wants to find his roots where he belongs and what he is destin to do. So if it were you what four places would you find your fate? Where would you look for your self the way Andrew seeks to? 

Gay Marriage Legalized in Vietnam?!?

Vietnam has recently taken a big step towards legalizing gay marriage. Although it is not the step needed to actually pass the bill, Vietnam has made same-sex weddings legal (not to be confused with same-sex marriage), and is now allowing Same-sex couples to live together. Last March People all throughout Vietnam (LGBT or Ally) came together and biked through the streets to show their support of the LGBT community of Vietnam. Although the support wasn't enough to legalize gay marriage, the laws that have been past have set up a precedent for the legalization of gay marriage.

"The best day 

will be when we no

longer talk about being

gay or straight.

Its not a 

'Gay Wedding'

-Its just a 'Wedding.'
Its not a 'Gay

Marriage'-Its just 

a 'Marriage.'"

-PINK

Photos and Videos from Viet Pride 2013

♪♬The Evolution of Vietnamese Music♬♪

^Contrasting pop and classical music in Vietnam^

Find To Lam's Vpop Video Here

     Music, something internationally enjoyed in countless variations, by undoubtedly different cultures, but how dose music change from generation to generation? What makes some music popular and another masterful piece underground? Last of all why is each generation’s music so shockingly different?

 For 20 years Vietnamese pop music, also known as Vpop, was suppressed by the government to raise patriotism by limiting music to classical and folk songs centered on the war movement. By 1995 Vpop made a difficult come back, with virtually no industry backing, and little fallowing.

    Early in the 21st century with new found artists, producers and more Vpop had formed an industry and gained strong, and currently growing, support from the youth of Nam. However with popularity comes opposition and disdain from another party. Speculations consist of "They can’t dance", "No Style", or "They just copied Kpop or Jpop!" Others argue "Tradition is good yet it still needs to be modernized and keep up with the time!" What do you think? Is this just another copy of pop in other country, just a fad, or perhaps quickly going downhill?

The One and Only Film Review

In the documentary, Ultimate Journeys Vietnam, produced by the Discovery Channel, displays a strong sense of culture that is found throughout Vietnam. Being cut off and isolated from western influence, has allowed the Vietnamese people to develop a strong independent culture, with Great influences from Thailand and France. Isolation from other countries has also resulted in Vietnam being one of the poorest countries in the world.

Vietnamese woman drinking snake blood

Snake Wine

The Vietnamese people subscribe to a number of superstitions. Among them, many foods are believed to be good luck. In North Vietnam it is common to eat dog, whereas in the United States, that would be considered a crime. This highlights the differences between western and Vietnamese civilizations. Snakes blood is considered a delicacy and another good luck ritual throughout this proud country. Vietnam not only uses the snake for its blood, they also ferment the snakes for the use of snake wine(pinyin), which women will sell at the market. Seafood and rice is also very common at these markets.

The market is where the women have an opportunity to be a part of the community and interact, it is their responsibility to sell merchandise. The men of the family will harvest and hunt for goods and are in charge of money. After the market women hand all the profit over to the man of the house. However it is not unheard of for a women to run a business, and handle her own finances. This is an example of the spread of capitalism currently enriching Vietnam.

70% of the population in ‘Nam contributes in the harvesting and growing of rice. When kids are not in school many of them do not get breaks like we do, they will be helping their families with the rice harvest instead. This causes families to grow very close, another admirable value of the culture. Vietnamese children shown to be raised with good work ethic, strong family bonds and the utmost respect for their elders.

Partially because of it's poverty, but mostly because of massive population most people get around the seemingly chaotic streets on various types of mopeds. Many Adults and kids wear masks because the pollution in the major cities is so bad people have trouble breathing. This is because of the massive amount of mopeds there. Only the rich are able to afford motorcycles but there are people who can get cars. And when you  drive a car you are much safer when on the roads.

So we thought that the movie was good. Although there were some parts that we thought didn't have to be in the movie but those parts still added to the movie and showed some of the culture in Vietnam and if they took those parts out then we wouldn't know about them and we wouldn't know the effects that they have on Vietnam. The movie was very interesting and we liked how the movie showed different events in different order, At the start they showed the outside of the major cities and how there is just rice farms but when they go in to the cities they talk about the culture in the cities and how people are in them.

So the movie had a good overview on everything that Vietnam is like then they go in depth on those things so I would recommend watching this if you would like to learn about Vietnam and how the culture is there.