Frequently Asked Questions

I introduce myself to English classes all the time, and I like to let the students ask questions. Here are some of the questions they usually ask.

How old are you? I was born in 1960.

Where are you from? I’m from the USA. I grew up in Iowa, and then moved far away to Seattle, Washington, after finishing high school, way back in 1979.

Are you married? Kids? Yes, I am very happily married to a wonderful Vietnamese woman. I have two daughters (the youngest is in the photo with me.)

Do you speak Vietnamese? Yes, my Vietnamese is pretty good, and I never “study.” I never took a class, never had a teacher. I learned by listening, just like I talk about on this website. (I also used RosettaStone to learn Vietnamese, but unfortunately there is only one level.)

Did you go to university? I received a B.A. from Western Washington University in 1985. I created and completed a self-designed interdisciplinary major at Fairhaven College, titled “Performing Arts Design and Production.”

How about your family? I have two brothers and two sisters, all older. My father was a University professor with a Ph.D and my mother was an English teacher- so my English is really good!

Since I’m from the middle part of America, I have no regional accent. My accent is considered a standard, “neutral” American accent, and many students have told me that my voice is very easy for them to understand.

If you imitate my English, you will be learning a standard, American, middle-class, educated, easily understood accent.

Why did you move to Vietnam? Ever since I was a small child, I wanted to live abroad. In 1992 I took a trip to Thailand and fell in love with Asia. In 1996 I took a trip to Vietnam and then I knew that Vietnam was where I wanted to go to fulfill my dream of living abroad. I returned to Vietnam a few more times as a tourist and then in 2001 I made the move to live here permanently. I love living in Asia!

What kind of food do you like? I love Asian food, especially Vietnamese and Thai. I don’t like American food as much as Asian.

What are your hobbies? Sports? I’ve never really liked sports. I do exercise at home. I like to do Tai Chi and I play the guitar a little bit. Mostly I play on the internet, building websites and blogs.

What was your job in America? I worked in the performing arts industry as a theater designer and manager. Some of my job titles: Lighting Designer, Stage Designer, Production Manager, Technical Director, Stage Manager. My last job in the USA was Production Manager at On The Boards in Seattle.

That sounds like a great job! Why don’t you do that any more? The job is not really available for foreigners here in Vietnam- different technology, different systems, different language, etc. Living in Asia is more important to me. And it’s boring to only do one job your whole life- teaching English is a great job too!