Southeast Asian Integration

What to expect from ASEAN and the AEC? Dear Marijn, I’m a music teacher from Sweden and have been living in Vietnam for five years now. Lately I’ve been hearing a lot about the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC)—is this something like the EU of Asia? And does it mean that I … Read more

Historic Progress for Vietnam’s LGBT Community

Until recently the LGBT community in Vietnam was marginalized, but changes in attitude in the legal and public spheres are coming. From Vietnam’s first gay parade in Hanoi in 2012 to an openly transgender contestant on Vietnam Idol, the country is becoming more tolerant. Also, it doesn’t hurt that the population is young—more than half … Read more