Pham Ngoc Tuyen

Tour Guide, Musician, Singer, Teacher of Instruments, Translater, Assistant in Exporting.

This is the site of a remarkable young lady Pham Ngoc Tuyen. Tuyen is an educated young lady who can translate Vietnamese, English and French. Tuyen is a tour guide. Tuyen plays zither, monocord, pypa, vietnamese violin, drum, and she sings. She can help you with finding things you want and even in exporting. Tuyen is also a delightful young lady who can be relied on.

Charaties

Anh Linh Free School / Bridges 2 learning

Bridges to learning is a US based charity that gives aid and support to the Anh Linh Free School. The Anh Linh Free School (sometimes called the Anh Linh Love School) is an elementary and middle school in one of the poorest sections of Ho Chi Minh City. The elementary school averages 175 students in grades 1-5 and the middle school averages 25 students per grade. The kids attend Anh Linh because their families cannot pay for the costs of attending a Vietnamese government school.
Pham Thi Chau, the little girl I met selling roses in front of the Rex Hotel in 2001, and her little sister, Nguyen Thi Tham, live there and I am so happy that they are now in school and doing well and enjoying their education. Their future is now much brighter because of the school and the Sisters who care for the children.
While visiting the school I met Le Thi Thao Ly, another student, who came and sat with us. She is so beautiful and happy that I sponsor her now as well. The joy I get from helping a child is beyond words. The cost of sponsorship is $400 per year. An investment which will return so much joy. And when people say you can not change the world you will know the truth. That you have changed the world, at least this small part of it.

Christina Noble Childrens Foundation

I visited the Christina Noble Childrens Foundation while in Saigon, in March of 2006. It is a wonderful organization. I met some of their dedicated staff. The web site has much information about the foundation and it's work in Vietnam. There is information about how you can help as well.
A wonderful book to read is "Bridge across my sorrows", Christina Noble's story. I just finished it and I am so in awe of Christian now that I know the life she had as a child. To see that she rose above that and is doing such loving, caring work with the street children of Saigon and beyond. I recommend this book highly.

Saigon Children's Charity

Saigon Children's Charity helps children in Saigon and around Vietnam. I have not visited here yet but I do sponsor two children. For $75.00 per year, per child, a child receives an education and their family receives rice each month. The rice suppliment helps the family and reinforces their decision to allow their child to be in school. It is a poor country and this will make the difference for a child, and their family.

The Que Huong Charity Center

The Que Huong Charity Center is a place for disadvantaged children many of whom have disabilities.
A family member has worked with the center and my sister visited there and was very impressed with the work they do.
Please go to the “Introduction” link and then to “About Huong Tieu Huynh”, the lady who started the center. It is an inspirational story about a horrific childhood that developed into a beautiful life.

15 May School

We visited this school one day and met the beautiful children who live and study here. We also met the wonderful volunteers, from Saigon and around the world who make the school work. The children are given an education, vocational training, health care, clothing and much support. If you visit the site, I think you will like it and maybe you can help out. I know you will enjoy that.

Education For Development

This is a page sent to me by an American friend who now lives and teaches in Ho Chi Minh City. He and his wife are involved in charity work among children. This site gives information about EFD and also has a link page with a lot of information about other charities which help children.

United Nations Childrens Fund - Vietnam The United Nations Childrens Fund has been working in Vietnam for 20 years. English Vietnamese

Pearl S Buck International The Pearl S Buck Foundation helps children in Vietnam and around the world.

HCWF Ho Chi Minh City Child Welfare Foundation

Vietnam then and now

Frank Ford's Youtube Videos Frank spent 6 years in Vietnam during the American War. He has assembled a lot of Google Earth, Military Archive Film, home movies, and film of his recent travels in Vietnam and created some wonderful films overlaying the past and present. My favorite is a film of the National Military Cemetery.

Heyward H. Macdonald's site Heywood was in Vietnam in 1966 - 67 and returned in 1999. His site has a lot of wonderful narrative about the trip and his time there in the service.

Dan Anderson's New site Dan was stationed in Phu Lam at the Western edge of Saigon in 1967 - 68. He has returned from a trip to Vietnam and has visited Phu Lam and other places. The site has his journal and many nice photos

Dan Anderson's Old site Dan was stationed in Phu Lam at the Western edge of Saigon in 1967 - 68. He will be in Vietnam from 11 Oct - 6 Nov 2007. There are photos from 1967 - 68 and he will update, with this trip, when he gets home.

Tom Pilsch's site Tom was a Forward Air Controler (FAC), stationed in Hue in 1968. His site has some wonderful photos of Hue and the Imperial city. Also lot of history of the Batle of Hue.

Another Tom Pilsch site Tom Pilsch, who has the link above, also has an extensive site of Vietnam resources.

Lloyd Trimble's site Lloyds return to Vietnam, some beautiful photos and stories of the wonderful people he met there including a beautiful little girl who you will recognize from my site and my travels. You might say that Lloyd and I were introduced by Miss Nguyen Thi Chau.

Greg Stern's site Greg went to Vietnam to retrace the foot steps of his Father who served in Vietnam in 1969. He has many nice photos of his recent trip.

Dennis Mansker's site Some wonderful photos of TC Hill, Thu Duc, Saigon and other places

Allan Furtado's site Photos contributed by many from Newport, Long Binh, Camp Camelot and some other places

Herb Evans site Herb was with the 46th Eng (Condtruction) on Long Binh and has a lot of photos

ATAV Army Transportation Association Vietnam

Embasy of Vietnam Embasy of Vietnam in the United States

Socialist Republic of Vietnam Socialist Republic of Vietnam CIA Vietnam United States Central Intelligence Agency Vietnam Fact Page. Information about Vietnam.

Research

The Virtual Vietnam Archive

The Virtual Vietnam Archive is a project of Texas Tech University. They have many maps. Not only L7014 but many others like a selection of Saigon maps from various times. The Virtual Vietnam Archive Search Page

Google Earth

Google Earth is a free download that gives you access to satalite photos of the earth. I have spent a lot of time looking at the areas of Long Binh that I can not get into since they are under the control of the Military/Police. I have looked at Saigon and Tan Son Nhut and found many buildings from the American era and, of course, from the time of the French. A really great site.

Very interesting book

A long way from Saigon

This book has a flow to it that is so beautiful. As I read it I could hear her accent. I could see the buildings and the people. I could hear the sounds of the city and smell all the wonderful smells.

The book is a wonderful story on several levels. First it is an inspirational story of a girl born into circumstances more difficult than most of us could ever know. A dysfunctional family, a national economy in shambles and a nation in the darkest days of a losing war. Still what ever is placed in her way can not stop her. She not only survives, she flourishes. As each hardship is thrown at her she rises to it, and above it, and with all that has happened there is not one word of bitterness or self pity in this book.

On another level it is a love story, but not a warm and fuzzy one. It is a solid love that, like our heroine, takes the pressures of life and, instead of being weakened, grows stronger.

And still on another level it tells of life as a bar girl in Saigon, during the war. This is an important story since these girls were often dismissed as having no value. Now we find that, at least this one, had hopes, dreams, strengths and a spirit that would take her from the emptiness of the Saigon bars to a full and exciting life.

She once asked would her friends still be her friends when they had read the book. As I read it I gained more respect and admiration for her with each chapter. I feel like I know her. I feel like I have always known her.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.