I used to believe that reminding others to be more considerate could help make our streets a better place. But one afternoon in Hanoi made me question that belief, and left me feeling shaken and powerless.

Hanoi is choking on traffic and smog. A simple, low-cost fix could save billions: two work-from-home days each week.

Everyone around me seemed to know what they loved. My classmates had clear hobbies: football, painting, playing music. But I didn't know what I liked, or what I wanted to become. I felt lost and empty.

Many people buy cars without first considering an important question: "Do I have a place to park?"

Whenever traffic comes to a standstill in Vietnam, people point fingers at the vehicles.

As I commute to work through central Ho Chi Minh City streets, I regularly see motorcyclists riding the wrong way, mounting sidewalks, and blatantly ignoring traffic rules.

From around 6:30 p.m. until late every night, I am tormented by the noise coming from the apartment opposite mine, where karaoke music blasts at high volume with their door wide open.

Many travelers will hesitate to fly from the new Long Thanh airport if it takes several hours to get there from Ho Chi Minh City center, according to reader comments.

At 35, I thought I had life figured out. With nearly VND3 billion (US$120,000) saved and a fully paid apartment, I walked away from my high-paying tech job. But the joy of idleness faded eventually.

Many children today chase IELTS scores - 6.5, 7.0, or 8.0 - as if these numbers define their language ability, forgetting the true purpose of learning English: communication, understanding, and self-expression.

Spend an hour in Bangkok traffic and you will notice something strange. The cars are barely crawling. Motorbikes are threading through narrow gaps. But the noise? Almost nonexistent.

Major cities around the world have developed their night economies to generate big revenues and creating millions of jobs while Ho Chi Minh City still struggles with limited activities due to lack of planning, according to readers.

"If I could go back, I'd sleep more, eat properly, and stop drinking soda," the 20-year-old said softly.

When registering for a recent short-term tour, I was required to provide sensitive personal information: full name, date of birth, address, and ID/citizen identification card number.

Many Vietnamese parents are sending their children to international schools where English becomes their dominant language, often at the expense of maintaining their Vietnamese language skills.

The U.K.'s financial comparison site HelloSafe recently ranked the Philippines the most dangerous country to travel, but many VnExpress International readers strongly disagree.

I once commuted by the Ben Thanh - Suoi Tien metro line. Every morning, I'd park my motorbike at the National University station and take the train into the city center. But after just a few weeks, I switched back to my motorbike.

More Vietnamese are going abroad than ever, but some are leaving behind the wrong impression.

As an educator, I have the privilege of meeting hundreds of students and many fellow educators each week. In the days leading up to the summer break, one question kept coming up in our staffroom chats over coffee. How can we keep our children meaningfully engaged over the summer?