Re: Phong tha'i VN (Was: Re: Ga(.p Ngu+o+`i ...)

[AnHai Doan <anhai@cs.washington.edu>]

Hi ba'c Frank, 

Ca'ch no'i chuye^.n cu?a ba'c, du` co`n kha' nhie^`u "ddoa'n
ra(`ng" va` n` y' ho+i "ngo^. nghi~nh" ve^` DHS, nhu+ng i't
ra la` cu~ng de` da(.t trong ke^'t lua^.n chu? quan ho+n n`
ng` kha'c, ne^n to^i muo^'n tra? lo+`i dde^? ba'c hie^?u
the^m.

Ho^m ddo' to^i ddi cho+. Safeway ngay ca.nh nha` (chi? 3
blocks) cu`ng vo+. to^i, lu'c khoa?ng 10:30 to^'i. Ba` xa~
nha` to^i cho.n nho, quay le^n no'i nho? vo+'i to^i ba(`ng
tie^'ng Vie^.t (Ha` No^.i) la` nho re? va` ngon, co' le~ co^
a^'y mua va`i chu`m. Ngay ca.nh co^ a^'y la` ba` gia` kia,
ba` a^'y cu+o+`i va` ba?o ba(`ng tie^'ng Anh: "This grape is
very good, you should take some". Vo+. to^i cu~ng cu+o+`i
ca?m o+n la.i. 

Sau ddo' ba^'t ngo+` ba` a^'y ho?i ba(`ng tie^'ng Vie^.t:
"Qua khi na`o va^.y", to^i kho^ng nho+' chi'nh xa'c ba` ta
co' ba?o "hai cha'u" hay kho^ng, nhu+ng to^i nghi~ la`
kho^ng. Vo+. to^i ho+i nga.c nhie^n, va` ba?o la` "O^`, te'
ra ba'c la` ng` Vie^.t. Cha'u mo+'i qua chu+`ng 3 tha'ng".
(Vo+. to^i tru+o+'c dda~ ho.c Masters ta.i Columbia 2 na(m,
ve^` VN 1 na(m, va` quay la.i My~ vo+'i to^i ddu+o+.c 3
tha'ng). Ba` ta ho?i tie^'p "qua dda^y la`m gi` va^.y,
ddi.nh cu+ hay ddi ho.c". La^`n na`y tha^'y ca^u ho?i co'
ve? ho+i "tru+.c die^.n" ne^n to^i tra? lo+`i thay vo+. to^i
la` "da. cha'u qua ddi ho.c, vo+. cha'u ddi theo cha'u". Ba`
ta co' ve? ho+i bi. ba^'t ngo+` mo^.t ti', ro^`i ho?i "A`,
the^' ng` cu?a chi'nh phu? gu+?i qua ha?, ddi ho.c ba(`ng
tie^`n cu?a chi'nh phu? hay tie^`n bo^' me.". To^i ba?o
"Kho^ng, cha'u ddi ho.c do tie^`n cu?a tru+o+`ng o+? dda^y
cho."

- "La`m gi` co' chuye^.n ddo'. Tru+o+`ng na`o o+? dda^y
thu+`a tie^`n ma` cho."

- "Da., khoa cha'u mo^~i na(m la^'y mo^.t i't ho.c sinh n'c
ngoa`i. Chu'ng cha'u no^.p ddo+n xin ho.c; ai ho.c ke^'t
qua? to^'t thi` ho. mie^~n cho tie^`n ho.c va` cho mo^.t i't
tie^`n dde^? so^'ng".

- "DDu+`ng co' xa.o (hoa(.c mo^.t ca^u gi` tu+o+ng tu+.,
kho^ng nho+' chi'nh xa'c. To^i dda~ 61 tuo^?i, so^'ng o+?
My~ 20 na(m ro^`i. Cha(?ng co' tru+o+`ng na`o cho tie^`n
ca?. Ma` o+? VN la`m gi` no^.p ddo+n qua dda^y xin ho.c
ddu+o+.c. Chi? co' may tha(`ng Bill Cliton no' ngu no' mo+?
cu+?a ne^n ma^'y ng` mo+'i qua dda^y ddu+o+.c ba^y gio+`
co`n ba xa.o. No^.p tie^`n ho.c che^'t ba` ddi co`n cu+'
gia? bo^. (hoa(.c mo^.t ca^u gi` tu+o+ng tu+.)."

To^i cu~ng ho+i no'ng ma(.t nhu+ng va^~n no'i ra^'t tu+`
to^'n:

- Cha'u no'i tha^.t dda^'y ba'c a. Khoa cha'u co' chi'nh
sa'ch nhu+ va^.y ma`. Ba'c co' the^? va`o kie^?m tra
ddu+o+.c. Ma` qua? tha^.t la` cha'u tu+. ba?n tha^n ddi
ho.c, chu+' kho^ng pha?i ba(`ng tie^`n cu?a chi'nh phu? hay
bo^' me.

In retrospect, co' le~ ca^u na`y la` "tha^'t sa'ch". Vi`
ngay sau ddo' ba` na`y lu loa le^n, ba('t dda^`u chu+?i
bo+'i Clinton, down with communists, ro^`i cho ca^u ba^'t
hu?: "n'c My~ thie^'u gi` nha^n ta`i ... " :-). Ba` vo+.
to^i so+. qua', ke'o a'o to^i muo^'n chuo^`n. Nhu+ng to^i
va^~n co^' bi`nh ti~nh dde^'n dde^? thu+? xem co' no'i cho
cu. na`y hie^?u ddu+o+.c kho^ng. Gi` thi` gi`, dde^? ng` ta
hie^?u nha^`m mi`nh cu~ng kho^ng hay. To^i dde^'n ba?o "Ba'c
no'ng ti'nh vo+'i cha'u la`m gi`. Cha'u sinh sau dde?
muo^.n. Tu+` be' chi? ddi ho.c chu+' bie^'t gi` ve^`
communist vo+'i capitalist dda^u. Ma` ba'c khoan ha(~ng
no^?i ca'u, dde^? cha'u no'i dda~". Nhu+ng cu. na`y ba?o
"Leave me alone, chu'ng ma`y la` the^' na`y, chu'ng ma`y la`
the^' kia... ", va` no'i ra^'t to, ca? ba(`ng tie^'ng Vie^.t
va` tie^'ng Anh, chu+?i bo+'i a^`m a^`m. DDe^'n lu'c ddo'
thi` to^i dda`nh la('c dda^`u ddi ra cho^~ kha'c cu`ng vo+.
to^i.

Ba` xa~ nha` to^i sau lu'c ddo' ra^'t so+., vi` cu+' so+.
ra(`ng se~ co' the^? bi. ddo'n ddu+o+`ng ha`nh hung, ne^n
ddo.c ddu+o+`ng ve^` run nhu+ de~. :-)

Co`n chuye^.n ba'c ddo^` ra(`ng bo.n to^i co' n~ ta'c phong
VN thi` to^i nghi~ ra(`ng ba'c sai. Lu'c na`o ba'c ga(.p ca?
to^i va` vo+. to^i trong ddo+`i thu+o+`ng thi` ba'c se~
hie^?u. To^i dda~ o+? cha^u A^u 6 na(m tu+` ho^`i co`n tre?,
ba` xa~ nha` to^i dda~ ddi va` so^'ng o+? ra^'t n` no+i
tre^n the^' gio+'i. Kho^ng cu+' ddi n` no+i nghi~a la` ta'c
phong bo+'t n~ kie^?u VN ddi, nhu+ng no' co' ta'c ddo^.ng
pha^`n na`o. To^i co' the^? kha(?ng ddi.nh vo+'i ba'c la`
bi`nh thu+o+`ng to^i cu+ xu+? ddu'ng ta'c phong ng` My~
(trong giao tie^'p no+i co^ng co^.ng, trong a(n ma(.c), va`
ga(.p ng` VN (nha^'t la` ng` chu+a quen tha^n) thi` to^i cu+
xu+? thu+a gu+?i le^~ phe'p theo nhu+ phong tu.c o+? VN.
Tre^n vnsa to^i vie^'t nghe co' ve? ho+i no'ng va` ca(ng,
nhu+ng ddie^`u ddo' pha^`n na`o cu~ng vi` ta'c ddo^.ng cu?a
thie^'u tho+`i gian. Co`n trong ddo+`i thu+o+`ng, to^i co^'
ga('ng cu+o+ng nhu phu` ho+.p hoa`n ca?nh.

DDie^`u la`m to^i nga.c nhie^n nha^'t la` mi`nh li.ch su+.,
no'i na(ng tu+` to^'n, le^~ phe'p dde^'n he^'t co+~ ma`
va^~n tha`nh va^'n dde^`. Co' the^? dde^'n lu'c xui :-).  
Nhu+ng vi` va^.y to^i mo+'i muo^'n no'i dde^? ca'c ba'c DHS
kha'c dde^` pho`ng, dda(.c bie^.t la` khi vo+. con ca'c ba'c
ddi mo^.t mi`nh. 

Ba'c ddoa'n "khoe khoang" la` sai, vi` nhu+ ba'c tha^'y,
chi? co' mo^.t y' to^i no'i co' the^? hie^?u nhu+ the^', la`
"ai ho.c ke^'t qua? to^'t thi` tru+o+`ng tra? tie^`n ho.c
cho", nhu+ng kho^ng no'i va^.y thi` kho^ng ly' gia?i
ddu+o+.c ta.i sao khoa la.i tra? tie^`n ho.c.

Co`n chuye^.n ba?o "ho. mo+`i cha'u" hay gi` gi` ddo' la`
chuye^.n lo^' bi.ch cu?a mo^.t so^' ba'o chi' VN, va` mo^.t
so^' ng` do+? ho+i. Ba'c ddo.c to^i vie^'t ha`ng na(m nay
tre^n vnsa ma` va^~n co' the^? cho ra(`ng to^i co' the^? cu+
xu+? lo^' bi.ch nhu+ va^.y, hay khoe khoang mo^.t ca'ch tro+
tre~n nhu+ the^' thi` qu?a tha^.t to^i la^'y la`m tha^'t
vo.ng ve^` ca'i nhi`n ng` cu?a ba'c qua'.

> ho?i chuye^.n la`m quen hay la` ba` kia ho?i tru+o+'c\.  Theo to^i ddo'an
> thi` ba` kia ho?i tru+o+'c, co' le~ vi` nghe hai ba'c no'i chuye^.n
> hoa(.c ca'i <<phong tha'i VN>> ma` hai ba'c va^~n co`n quye^'n luye^'n
> kho^ng no+~ dde^? no' la.i que^ nha`\. 

Bo.n to^i a(n ma(.c va` cu+ xu+? ddu'ng ca'ch thanh nie^n
My~. Gu cu?a to^i la` co^ na`o bie^'t a(n ma(.c ho+.p
tho+`i ho+.p ca?nh va` cu+ xu+? ddi ddu+'ng mang ta'c
phong tre? trung du+'t khoa't cu?a thanh nie^n A^u My~,
nhu+ng va^~n co' n~ ca'i te^' nhi. va` duye^n nga^`m
cu?a con ga'i A' Cha^u va` VN. :-) Bo.n to^i no'i
chuye^.n nho? va` chi? rie^ng cho ng` be^n ca.nh mi`nh nghe.

> Nhu+ng ma` ngu+o+`i ta co' no'i <<kho^ng co' lu+?a, la`m sao co'
> kho'i>>\. 

To^i dda~ ke^? la.i nhu+ tre^n. Ba'c tu+. pha'n xe't la^'y.

> Nhu+ng to^i ddo'an, chi? ddoa'n tho^i nhe', la` hai ba'c
> dda~ <<phe't la'c>> :-) dda.i kha'i ra(`ng no' <<mo+`i>>
> mi`nh sang be^n na`y dde^? ddi ho.c hoa(.c ddi la`m

Ba'c cho ra(`ng to^i co' the^? khoe khoang mo^.t ddie^`u
kho^ng ddu'ng tro+ tre~n va` tho^ bi? nhu+ va^.y u+? DDa^'y
la` chu+a no'i la.i la` tru+o+'c ma(.t vo+. to^i nu+~a.
Ba'c dda'nh gia' ng` kha'c ta^`m thu+o+`ng qua'. 

> co^ng\.  Cho ho.c bo^?ng dde^? dda`o ta.o va` giu+~ la.i la`m vie^.c
> cu~ng la` mo^.t hi`nh thu+'c dda^`u tu+ nha^n co^ng tho^i\.

Ca'i na`y hoa`n toa`n ddo^`ng y' vo+'i ba'c. Chi'nh vi`
the^' no'i ra(`ng "ddu+o+.c mo+`i" thi` qua? tha^.t ca`ng
tro+ tre~n. Ca^`n pha?i hie^?u ddu'ng ra la` bo.n My~ no'
bo'c lo^.t su+'c lao ddo^.ng cu?a mi`nh thi` ddu'ng ho+n.

Ba'c co' ve? dda'nh gia' tri`nh ddo^. DHS ho+i tha^'p ne^n
ddoa.n na`y no'i toa`n chuye^.n elementary. Ba'c no'i the^'
na`y cho ma^'y o^ng to, kho^ng ma^'y khi sang My~ la^u, hay
cho ma^'y tay nha` ba'o phe't la'c o+? nha` thi` nghe co'
ly' ho+n.

> Cuo^'i cu`ng la` y' kie^'n cu?a to^i ve^` va^'n dde^` na`y ra sao?
> To^i cho ra(`ng cu+' vie^.c no'i tha^.t, kho^ng co' gi` pha?i e de` ca?\,

To^i co' the^? va^~n cu+ xu+? the^', tuy ra(`ng se~ de`
da(.t ho+n. Nhu+ng to^i se~ tuye^.t ddo^'i khuye^n vo+. to^i
kho^ng no'i tha^.t khi co^ a^'y ddi mo^.t mi`nh, va` to^i
cu~ng khuye^n ca'c ba'c kha'c nhu+ the^'.

> PS:  A`, ba'c AnHai cho ho?i mo^.t ca^u nhe'!  Ho.c gi` ma` la^u va^.y,
> tu+` na(m 93 cho to+'i gio+` va^~n chu+a xong a`?  Hay la` ba'c ho.c la.i
> tu+` na(m dda^`u freshman cu?a undergraduate dda^'y ho+?? :-) 

To^i ho.c PhD in CS. Ne^'u o+? la.i tru+o+`ng cu~
(Wisconsin) thi` xong la^u ro^`i. Nhu+ng xong Masters thi`
chuye^?n sang tru+o+`ng na`y, la.i chuye^?n subarea ne^n
cu~ng bi. cha^.m ma^'t khoa?ng 2 na(m. Anyway, la`m PhD ve^`
experimental research trong CS o+? My~ thu+o+`ng ma^'t
khoa?ng 5-7 na(m. Cho^~ to^i trung bi`nh la` 6 na(m.

Ha?i.