I met Mr. Hai through his daughter, An Na (she’s a wonderfully talented artist, currently attending University in Australia). An Na and I met on the bus from Cua Lo to Vinh. We struck up a conversation and became quick friends.    I met her family while I was...

    Ah, those Cua Lo mornings. The sun popping up—peeking from the cover of the horizon. Arising in flamboyant flare. Hurling soft hues skyward and spilling them onto a gentle, lulling sea. The ritual of a Cua Lo sunrise…     Photos curtesy of Cua Lo local singer:...

    Nguyen Dam Linh is 26-years-old. He’s spent most of his life in Cua Lo. He’s a dedicated dad and entrepreneur. Linh, is in the process of expanding his business (his family expanded a year ago, with the birth of his second son).     Linh’s wife, Trang, is a few...

    Nguyen Thi Lan is a savvy business woman. Her hotel knowledge and people skills come from real-world experience. Her talents in the kitchen, come from her sheer joy of cooking.     Lan was born in Thanh Hoa, a coastal town about 2.5 hours from Cua Lo (she moved...

I’m a sucker for romantic stories. And when Mai and I met Nguyen Thi Van, she provided a doozy. It seems that Van was working on the same road crew as a guy named Vinh (In Vietnam, women do the heavy-lifting, right alongside the men in construction projects etc.)...