Vietnam Tech Startups Seek Next Step Forward

  Vietnam’s technology startups face a complex question: Now what? The country did not ignore the startup trend of the 21st century. But in the trend’s early days, Vietnam was spending more time and energy talking about technology and its promise. Now, Vietnam hopes to move to the next step – getting entrepreneurs to meet their economic goals. Startup leaders hope to make a profit, expand internationally or combine their companies with other businesses. Vietnam has a high literacy rate. Its people, generally, have strong math ability. Both are critical tools for building a technology economy. The country also has a large consumer market, similar to Thailand and the Philippines. And, Vietnam has the potential for high growth rates, similar to Laos and Cambodia. Low wages and the low cost of internet service help make Vietnam a good place to build a small business. It might be the perfect environment for technology startups. But, Vietnam needs to act. “Vietnam usually does copy-paste,” said Lam Tran, leader of the startup WisePass. He says the Vietnamese need to move beyond copying a foreign business and recreating it in the Vietnamese market. Now, he says, it needs to create inside Vietnam and spread the businesses internationally. WisePass is an app that connects monthly subscribers to restaurant and bar deals. It began in Ho Chi Minh City and Lam Tran plans to expand to seven other countries. Using good relationships with border countries is a smart plan, say technology business experts. Vietnamese make up large communities in other countries. These communities can help connect the Southeast Asian country to investors, advisers and developers in those countries. Also, technology in Vietnam is increasingly sophisticated. The Vietnamese Innovative Startup Accelerator, or VIISA, is one example. For a second year, it has invested in 11 startups.These new businesses have partners operating in countries such as Ukraine, South Korea and France. Sangyeop Kang is an investment officer at VIISA partner Hanwha Investment. He said he is pleased with the international reach of this year’s group. “The foreign teams were able to expand their business in Vietnam, while helping Vietnamese companies with global insights,” Kang said. He added this was a strong move forward for tech startups in Vietnam. The government of Vietnam is supporting such growth. On January 1, a new law for startups, called Law on Supporting Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, will begin. The law offers new companies financial assistance for office space, equipment and training. It also provides low interest rate loans. To do more than copy and paste, new businesses must consider how to appeal to Vietnamese people. For example, the startup But Chi Mau makes games that are directed toward Vietnam’s endless drive for education.  Another, Market Oi uses motorbike drivers to deliver customized food orders. MarketOi founder Germain Blanchet said the question is how to be different from others. The answer, he believes, is to be flexible. I'm Susan Shand.   Ha Nguyen wrote this story for VOANews. Susan Shand adapted it for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   startup - n. a new business entrepreneur – n. a person who starts a business and is willing to risk loss in order to make money consumer – n. a person who buys goods and services copy-paste – v. to recreate another person’s idea subscribe – v. to pay money to get a publication or service regularly sophisticate – n. a person who has a lot of knowledge about the world and about culture, art, literature, flexible - adj. willing to change or to try different things

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Everyday Grammar: Commas

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Lesson 9: Pets Are Family, Too!

Summary Anna goes to the D.C. State Fair and wins first place in a pet contest even though she doesn’t have a pet. Or does she?   Conversation Anna: Hi Ashley! Ashley: Hey, Anna! How was your weekend? Anna: It was great! I went to the D.C. State Fair. Ashley: I would have gone, but I was busy. How was it? Anna: It was awesome! I won first place in a pet contest! Ashley: But, you don’t have a pet, do you? Anna: Yes and no. What do you mean by “pet”? Prof. Bot: A pet is an animal that lives with you. People love their pets. "Ashley said, you don’t have a pet, do you? She used a tag question, a small question at the end of a sentence. Let's look for more of them! Anna: Look, a pet! Who’s this cute little dog? Ashley: Oh, right. You haven’t met my dog, have you? This is Dublin. Anna: Hi, Dublin! Nice to meet you. He’s so cute! Ashley: Thanks! So, tell me about the fair. Anna: Oh, there were the usual things -- fair food, cute babies, music. But there must have been a dozen different contests! And some were pretty strange. Anna: There was a contest to see who could spit a watermelon seed the farthest. You should have seen all the people who wanted to spit a watermelon seed! And, it was pretty fun to watch. But Ashley, the pet contests were the best. There was a pet parade. Lots of people walked with their dogs. Ashley: That sounds so fun. But Anna, tell me, how did you win a pet contest without a pet? Anna: Okay, the closest thing I have is my pet rock. Anna: I know it’s silly, but I’ve had it since I was a little girl. So, for a joke, I brought it to the fair. But then I was invited to enter the “One-of-Kind Pet” contest. And I won!  (holds up first place ribbon) Ashley: Anna, only you could have won first place in a pet contest with a pet rock. I should have brought Dublin. He would’ve won a contest! Anna: It’s not very easy to win one of these. (shows her the blue ribbon) Does he have a costume? Anna: They had a costume contest. You should have seen this little girl. She and her dog wore matching princess costumes! Ashley: Dublin doesn’t wear costumes. Anna: Does he know any tricks? Ashley: Come this way. Now, watch this. (Dublin chases a toy) Anna: You caught it, Dublin! And you killed it! Good dog! Ashley, he could have won the Best Catch contest! Aw, good boy! Ashley, pets are fun, aren’t they? Ashley: Yes. And they become part of your family. (she drinks from her Dublin mug) Anna: Ashley, I think I want a dog. No. I know I want a dog! Ashley: It’s a big responsibility. You may want to spend time with a dog first. Anna: That is a great idea. But where can I find a dog? Ashley: You know, Anna, I have some shopping to do. Do you want to watch Dublin for a couple of hours? Anna: Yes! I would! I will take very good care of him! Ashley: I know you will. Here’s his leash. Anna: Thank you. Ashley: (to Dublin) Okay, I'll miss you! Anna: Aw. I don’t want you to be lonely. Here, Rocky can stay with you. (puts pet rock on wall) Ashley: Anna, I really don’t need … Okay.  Thanks, Anna. Anna: Sure. Bye, Ashley. (to Dublin) Come on, Dublin! Bye, Rocky! Ashley: Bye! Prof. Bot: Anna’s rock is cute, isn’t it? Oh, there is another tag question! You found some more, didn’t you?  You haven’t met my dog, have you? Go to the VOA Learning English website to learn more.   New Words contest - n.  an event in which people try to win by doing something better than others fair - n.  a large public event at which there are various kinds of competitions, games, rides, and entertainment leash - n.  a long, thin piece of rope or chain that is used for holding a dog or other animal matching - adj. having the same pattern, color, or design owner - n.  a person or group that owns something or a pet's human companion parade - n.  a public celebration of a special day or event that usually includes many people and groups moving down a street by marching or riding in cars or on special vehicles princess - n.  a female member of a royal family responsibility - n.  a duty or task that you are required or expected to do seed - n.  a small object produced by a plant from which a new plant can grow spit - v. to force (something, such as food or liquid) from your mouth watermelon - n. a large, round fruit that has hard, green skin, sweet, red, juicy flesh, and black seeds   Learning Strategy The learning strategy for this lesson is  Cooperate. When we are learning anything, we can cooperate, or work together, with others who help us learn. One of our website readers wrote to say she works on learning English every morning with her sister-in-law. They are cooperating to help each other practice speaking English. Anna wants to get a pet dog. Ashley wants Anna to learn about the responsibility of being a pet owner. She says, "You may want to spend time with a dog first." Then, Ashley cooperates with Anna by letting her take care of Dublin for a short time. Ashley hopes that Anna will learn about taking care of a dog before she gets her own dog. How about you? How do you cooperate? When you are learning English, do you act out conversations with a friend? Do you quiz a friend who needs to review for a test? Write to us in the Comments section or send us an email.    Listening Quiz See how well you understand this lesson by taking a listening quiz. Play each short video, then choose the best answer.​ ​ Free Materials Download the VOA Learning English Word Book for a dictionary of the words we use on this website. For Teachers Send us an email if you have comments on this course or questions. Grammar focus:  Modals: Could Have, May Have, Must Have Topics: Tag Questions; Pets; State Fairs Learning Strategy: Cooperate   Comments Now it's your turn. Send us an email or write to us in the Comments section below or on our Facebook page to let us know what you think of this lesson.

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Lesson 9: Is It Cold?

Summary Anna wants to know about the weather in Washington, D.C. She asks her phone. The phone tells her about the weather - but is the phone right?   Speaking In this video, learn to say the new words. Learn to talk about weather and how to make your voice go up or down to show feelings with the word, "oh." You can also download the Activity Sheet and practice talking about weather with a friend. Pronunciation ​In this video, you ​learn how Americans say short answers with no break between the words.  Conversation   Anna: Oh, hi, everyone! Here in Washington, DC, the weather changes often. One day is cold and windy. But the next day is warm and sunny!  So, every day I check the forecast. Hello, Phone? What is today’s temperature? Phone: Today it is 18 degrees ... Anna: Eighteen degrees! That is cold! Phone: … eighteen degrees Celsius. Anna: Oh, Celsius. That is 65 degrees Fahrenheit. That’s warm. Phone: Yes, Anna. It is warm. Anna: Excuse me, Phone. Is it windy today? Phone: No, it is not windy today. Anna: Is it sunny today? Phone: Yes, Anna. It is sunny. Anna: Excuse me, Phone? Phone: Yes, Anna. Anna: Is it snowy today? Phone: No, Anna. It is not snowy. Anna: Thank you, Phone! Anna: Today the weather is warm and sunny -- great for seeing Washington, D.C. Anna: Phone! It is not warm and sunny! It is cold and windy and snowy! Phone: Anna, it is not cold, windy, or snowy. It is warm and sunny … in Mexico City, Mexico. Anna: Oh. I see. Mexico. Anna: Washington weather changes often. Remember to check the forecast -- the right forecast. Phone: Yes, Anna. Next time remember to check the right fore… Anna: Okay, thank you Phone. Goodbye, Phone. Anna: Until next time!   Writing What is the weather where you are? You can see some examples in the Activity Sheet. Click on the image below to download it. Send us an email or write to us about your town's weather in the Comments section. Learning Strategy Learning Strategies are the thoughts and actions that help make learning easier or more effective. The learning strategy for this lesson is Look for Ways to Practice. We learn to speak by practicing often. Here is an example. Nina sits on the bus next to a friendly American woman. Looking for a way to practice English, Nina asks, "What is the weather in your city?" The woman tells her about her home town, Tampa, Florida. "It's very warm and sunny." Nina can now practice speaking English with the woman until her bus stop.  How do you find ways to practice English? Write to us in the Comments section or send us an email. Teachers, see the Lesson Plan for more details on teaching this strategy. Listening Quiz Test your understanding by taking this listening quiz. Play the video, then choose the best answer. ​ New Words Celsius - adj. relating to or having a scale for measuring temperature on which the boiling point of water is at 100 degrees and the freezing point of water is at 0 degrees change - v. to become different check -v. to get information by looking at something, asking about something, etc. cold - adj. having a very low temperature​ degree - n. a unit for measuring temperature Fahrenheit - adj. relating to or having a scale for measuring temperature on which the boiling point of water is at 212 degrees above zero and the freezing point is at 32 degrees above zero forecast - n. a statement about what you think is going to happen in the future​ phone - n. a device that is connected to a telephone system and that you use to listen or speak to someone who is somewhere else​ snowy - adj. having falling snow or covered with snow​ sunny - adj. having plenty of bright sunlight​ temperature - n. a measurement that indicates how hot or cold something is; a measurement in degrees showing the heat of something (such as air or water)​ warm - adj. somewhat hot; not cool or cold​ weather - n. the temperature and other outside conditions (such as rain, cloudiness, etc.) at a particular time and place windy - adj. having a lot of wind ______________________________________________________________ Free Materials Download the VOA Learning English Word Book for a dictionary of the words we use on this website. Each Let's Learn English lesson has an Activity Sheet for extra practice on your own or in the classroom. In this lesson, you can use it to practice a conversation about weather in different places. For Teachers See the Lesson Plan for this lesson for ideas and more teaching resources. Send us an email if you have comments on this course or questions. Grammar focus: Short answers;  Topics: Talk about weather; agree and disagree; use Fahrenheit or Celsius Speaking & Pronunciation Focus: Intonation of 'oh;' reduced form of short affirmative answers

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America's Presidents - Lyndon B. Johnson

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Laboratory in Netherlands to Help Find Missing People Worldwide

  Millions of people worldwide have been reported missing. Many of them went missing as a result of armed conflicts, such as the war in Syria, or in other places of violence. Large numbers of people disappear after natural disasters. A new laboratory equipped with the latest technology seeks to help the families and friends of the missing. In late October, the International Commission on Missing Persons, or ICMP in The Hague opened a laboratory to help identify missing individuals. The lab is the latest effort for an organization that was established after the Srebrenica massacre. More than 8,000 Bosnian men and boys were killed after Bosnian Serb forces captured the town of Srebrenica in 1995. It is the only incident in the Bosnian conflict to be defined by two United Nations courts as genocide. Since its creation, the International Commission on Missing Persons has identified 20,000 human remains and provided evidence in 30 criminal trials. It now helps to identify people who have been reporting missing during conflicts, natural disasters, or migration. The group recently helped Ingrid Gudmundsson confirm that her pregnant daughter and her one-year-old granddaughter were killed in the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami. They went missing after the huge wave struck the coast of Thailand, where they were staying. Gudmundsson said it was important to know for sure what happened to them. "You know, when you don't know where they are, when they are just missing, you - in your head – you always have some kind of hope even if your intellect tells you that it's impossible." Scientists working at the laboratory say the new technology can identify people with a very small amount of DNA from a piece of bone. DNA carries genetic information in the cells of people, animals and plants. Rene Huel is a scientist at the lab. "What we do is cross-compare against the family samples in these massive databases. So we do this large-scale kinship comparison." Human Rights activists hope the laboratory will help bring to justice to those guilty of war crimes. Muhamad Abulhusun is a refugee and rights Activist. "Any future settlement, it has to bring justice and it has to clear the destiny of the missing people because the families of those missing people are the stake holders in any future settlement." The commission's director general, Kathryne Bomberger, noted that the group is also active in helping victims of abuse and violence. I'm John Russell.   Zlatica Hoke reported on this story for VOA News. John Russell adapted her report for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   migration – n. the act or processing from place to place tsunami – n. a very high, large wave in the ocean that is usually caused by an earthquake under the sea and that can cause great destruction when it reaches land  sample – n. a small amount of something that gives you information about the thing it was taken from database – n. a collection of pieces of information that is organized and used on a computer kinship – n. the state of being related to the people in your family

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College Admissions: Learning from the Process

  For most college students, the main goal of higher education is earning a degree that will lead to a successful and satisfying career. The years spent working on a program of study can be fun and include life-changing experiences. And many college classes provide students with interesting information that they may not have even thought about before. Still, the most important thing for most students is what those years of hard work and studying can bring them once they graduate. But Jennifer Simons argues that there are many valuable things people can learn before they even attend their first college class. Simons is the director of undergraduate admissions and recruitment at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts. Simons says the college application process can teach young people a lot about supporting themselves and making connections with others. In the United States, the process starts in the final two years of high school, when students are about 16 or 17 years old. This is the time when young people are forced to consider what happens after they leave high school. They face questions like, ‘Where do you want to go to college?’ and ‘What will you study?’ There are so many choices available to students that these questions can seem very difficult to answer, Simons says. So she suggests that young people try to get a better understanding of themselves before making any decisions. Simons says that young people should start keeping a journal, or written record, of their ideas well before they start thinking about college. They should ask themselves questions, like ‘Who am I?’, ‘What do I want out of life?’, and ‘What are my strengths and weaknesses?’ Students should then try to write down answers to these and other questions once a day, or even weekly. Also, Simons adds, they should try to take note of meaningful events that teach them something about the world or themselves. The answers to these general questions, she says, will likely give students a better understanding of how to answer more specific questions. They will have a better idea about where they might want to spend four years of their lives while working toward a college degree, for example. It can also give young people ideas of what to talk about in writing samples that most college applications require. In addition, she says, students who know their own strengths will better understand how to ask people they know to write letters of recommendation for them. Simons says the more young people know about themselves, they more likely they are to make decisions that will make them happy. This includes more than just decisions about college. "If you understand who you are," she told VOA, "you are less likely to fall prey to somebody else’s vision for what you should be or where you should go." Something else students can take from the application process, Simons notes, relates to how busy the process makes them. High schoolers already have their studies, personal relationships and possibly jobs to worry about. The application process requires them to find schools that interest them, find out how to request admission and prepare application materials. Simons argues that balancing responsibilities is one of the most important skills anyone can learn. She said, "I think that you really are laying the groundwork for becoming an adult by learning how to prioritize your time." However, Simons admits that learning time management can be very difficult for young people. So learning to ask for help when you need it is another equally important lesson. School counselors, older students, and friends and family members who have attended college can all be important resources. But with asking for help also comes thanking people once you have received it, Simons says. A simple thing young people can learn to do is sending a letter or an email thanking those who helped them get into their school of choice. Relationship-building like this is important outside the college application process. Simons suggests that students should make such efforts with teachers, classmates and anyone they meet. This can help them in the future as they look for jobs or continue their education. One final lesson students can take from the application process is accepting that their control of the situation is limited, Simons says. She points out that every college and university in the United States receives hundreds, if not thousands of applications every year. Competition is fierce, so not everyone is going to get into their first or even second choice of school.  "There are many places where you could be happy," she said. "I think that is human to … feel like, ‘Oh, this is the perfect fit.’ And that happens in relationships, too. But, there’s more than one place where you could be satisfied … and that’s a good thing to know, that nothing is the only option." Simons says that accepting defeat and learning how to move past it is probably the most important lesson of all. I’m Pete Musto. And I’m Dorothy Gundy.   Pete Musto reported this for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. If you are a current or former college student, what did you learn from the process of applying to your school? Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   degree – n. an official document and title that is given to someone who has successfully completed a series of classes at a college or university graduate – v. to earn a degree or diploma from a school, college, or university application – n. a formal and usually written request for something (such as a job, admission to a school, or a loan specific – adj. special or particular recommendation – n. the act of saying that someone or something is good and deserves to be chosen fall prey to – idm. to be harmed or affected in a bad way by (someone or something vision – n. something that you imagine prioritize – v. to organize things so that the most important thing is done or dealt with first time management – n. the act or process of deciding how to best use one’s time counselor(s) – n. a person who provides advice as a job

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It's the Season to Squirrel Something Away!

  Now, it's time for Words and Their Stories from VOA Learning English. In many parts of the United States, temperatures are falling. This change of season, from summer to autumn, gives Americans many things to watch. Many people travel to areas of the U.S. that are famous for autumn leaves that change into brilliant shades of red, gold and orange. Something else to watch is the antics of squirrels! Squirrels provide some of the most interesting and entertaining behavior in the natural world. Now, I use the word "antics," meaning silly or funny games, because that’s what it looks like. But I am not being fair to squirrels. They are actually doing something most important -- gathering and storing food for the winter months. The fact that squirrels are doing an important activity, however, makes them no less entertaining to watch. The animals hurry across the ground, digging holes to find food or to find where they buried food. They chase each other around trees. They jump from one tree limb to another, higher and higher up in the tree, looking for nuts and seeds. Sometimes, squirrels drop this food to the ground below, and sometimes they hit people passing by. As I said earlier, this behavior is very entertaining to watch! These woodland creatures do not stay still for very long. And they are good at collecting things. So, it is not surprising that American English has a couple of expressions with the word “squirrel.” First, there is the adjective squirrelly. Now, "squirrelly" has several definitions. The most common one describes someone who is unusually active and unable to sit still -- much like a squirrel. Another word with the same meaning is restless. When talking about word choice, "restless" may be more common in everyday speech, but "squirrelly" is much more fun! Let's hear it used in an example. "At the end of a school year, students may get a little squirrelly (restless) sitting in a classroom. It's best to let them run around outside during the day." In this example, you can almost imagine a classroom of children suddenly turning into a group of squirrels running around and unable to sit in their seats! So, the word you use depends on the feeling you want to create in your sentence.   "Squirrelly" can also describe someone who is acting very strange or crazy -- again, like a squirrel. A word that means close to that is eccentric.  This meaning of squirrelly may come from the fact that the main food in a squirrel’s diet is nuts. In American English, "nuts" is a slang expression for crazy. "At the party, she behaved squirrelly (eccentric) the whole night -- walking quickly between rooms, hiding in corners and interrupting conversations with high-pitched laughter. She gave everyone a very odd impression."  Finally, the adjective "squirrelly" can describe someone or something that seems to be dishonest. A more commonly used word that means the same thing is shady. Let's hear an example. "That business deal sounds squirrelly (shady) to me. If something sounds too good to be true -- it probably is." So, that is the adjective. We also have a very useful expression from the world of squirrels -- to squirrel something away. Okay, so we know that squirrels collect nuts, seeds and other things to eat. Then they hide them away to survive winter weather, when food is hard to find. People can do the same thing. When we squirrel something away, we put something in a safe or secret place so that we can use it in the future. When we collect or save things in an unusual, or even unhealthy way, you could use the word hoard. Here's another example. "She has squirreled away (hoarded) magazines for years. There are stacks and stacks in her attic. I'm not sure what she is saving them for but she won't get rid of them!" The things people squirrel away usually aren't nuts and seeds. We most often squirrel away money for the future. "When he retired he was able to live quite comfortably. He squirreled away over $400,000 in the bank!" But we can squirrel away anything that is important to us and that we want to use later. "She squirreled away her favorite color of wool yarn as if they weren't going to make it any more. She has more than 30 rolls of it in her closet!" And that's Words and Their Stories for today. But we'll be back next week. It's my custom to squirrel away story ideas for this program. So we'll have a new one then! I'm Anna Matteo.   Are there squirrels where you live? If yes, have they inspired any expressions in your language? Let us know in the Comments Section or simply practice with these squirrelly expressions! The day the squirrel went berserk, In the First Self-Righteous Church in that sleepy little town of Pascagoula. It was a fight for survival, that broke out in revival. They were jumpin pews and shouting Hallelujah! Anna Matteo wrote this story. George Grow was the editor. The song at the end is Ray Stevens singing "Mississippi Squirrel Revival." ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   brilliant – adj. very bright antic – n. an attention-drawing, often wildly playful or funny act or action -- usually plural childish antics scurry – v. to move in or as if in a brisk pace silly – adj. exhibiting or indicative of a lack of common sense or sound judgment shady – adj. seeming to be dishonest hoard – v. a supply or fund stored up and often hidden away synonym – n. one of two or more words or expressions of the same language that have the same or nearly the same meaning in some or all senses berserk – adj.  to become very excited

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Blockchain to Fight Corruption in Southeast Asia

  What if you could wave your phone over a piece of fish at a store and immediately see a record of its path through the supply chain? This may soon be possible. Current experiments are testing technology that can show how the fish was caught, when it was shipped and how it was processed at a factory. This technology, called Blockchain, is being tested for its potential to bring light to secretive industries in Southeast Asia. Same technology, new uses Blockchain was first developed to confirm dealings in bitcoin, a digital money. In that case, the technology creates a public financial record. In Southeast Asia important records, including those of identity information and property ownership, are often not carefully kept. Erin Murphy is the founder and leader of Inle Advisory Group, a business advisory company working in Myanmar and other countries with developing markets. She said Blockchain technology helps make business operations in such countries safer and easier. "Ideally, we would want to see adoption of Blockchain at an official level all across the region. But perhaps not surprisingly, the governments that are leading Blockchain adoption are those that are already low-corruption," she told VOA. In some countries like Singapore, Murphy said Blockchain is being used to improve customer service processes. However in other countries, like the Philippines, Blockchain helps citizens safely send money home from foreign countries. Murphy said the technology will help development, lower poverty, and increase foreign investment. ​Observing the flow Right now, there are many programs in Southeast Asia experimenting with Blockchain technology. In June, the United Nations presented a Blockchain-based system built in partnership with the technology company Microsoft and professional services company Accenture.  The system gives stateless refugees a permanent identity record based on biometric data. The technology is also being explored in connection with efforts to improve voting system security. A Blockchain based app developed to observe the supply chain of fish from Indonesia is now being used with other industries, including clothing. Results from a pilot project can be found on the internet. Viewers can observe the movement of a piece of clothing from an alpaca farm in Dulverton, Britain, through every step of production to its final stop at a shop in London. Alisa DiCaprio is the head of research at R3, a banking software company that uses technology similar to Blockchain. She said getting the technology and being able to use it are separate issues. Most countries have engineers who can rightly code the technology, she said.  However, they do not always understand how to make it work for businesses and industries. DiCaprio predicts it will take about five years before we actually see Blockchain used widely. She said she believes the most important effects of the technology will be seen on a macro-economic level.  Division in the community However, the Blockchain community is divided on how the technology should be used. Some see Blockchain as a tool that can interfere with a global financial system they believe is corrupt. "There is a serious opportunity for us here to remove money out of government," said a Southeast Asia based bitcoin trader. He said billions of people who are unable to use an official banking system will be able to move money with just a phone. Another group wants to see Blockchain technology used by states, such as Canada, Singapore, China and Germany.  All of these countries are exploring or experimenting with digital money using Blockchain. Michael Hsieh is with the Center for International Security and Cooperation at Stanford University. He suggested that Blockchain creates a threat for governments only if they ignore the technology. Countries that use it to establish safe and honest systems for money exchange will appeal to business and investment interests, he said. I’m Phil Dierking.   This story was originally written for VOANews by David Boyle. Phil Dierking adapted the story for VOA Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. Do you think digital money services like bitcoin and Blockchain are safe?  Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   code - v.  to change information into a set of letters, numbers, or symbols that can be read by a computer​. customer - n. someone who buys goods or services from a business​. potential - n. a chance or possibility that something will happen or exist in the future. biometric data - n. computer information including samples, models, fingerprints, similarity scores and all verification of a person excluding the individual's name and demographics.​ macro - adj. large supply chain - n. the sequence of processes involved in the production and distribution of a commodity.​ transaction - n. an occurrence in which goods, services, or money are passed from one person, account, etc., to another​.

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'Experience' Tourism Brings New Travelers to Africa

  Travel industry leaders say African tourism is moving away from traditional safaris and group tours and closer to the idea of "experiences." Internet-based home-sharing service Airbnb is just one of several businesses competing for the African tourism market. Chris Lehane is head of global policy at Airbnb. He says the service has grown in the past year. It sold two million bookings in Africa this year. Lehane says the new area of growth is travel experiences. In Nairobi, Kenya, for example, people can pay $65 to make a short film with a local director.  South Africa's Western Cape area is popular with tourists. For about $100, someone going there can take a guided bicycle tour, go to a wine-tasting event, or attend a class in jewelry-making.  Lehane says this suggests what is to come. "Fifty-six percent of travelers are millennials. They're looking for real, authentic experiences."  World traveler Cherae Robinson had that same hunger for true-to-life travel experiences. In 2014, at age 30, she launched a travel website called Tastemakers Africa. Her website offers many experiences for tourists. There are $3,000 ‘all-in’ tour programs, with a number of experiences included. And, there are shorter experiences that last a few hours and cost an average of $77. "People don't want cookie cutter.... Nobody wants to be crammed into a tour bus. People are looking for authenticity in their lives in general." Lehane has high hopes for African tourism. For example, in the past two years, Mexico City has grown quickly as a popular stop for travelers after not being one for years. "And, by the way, after not being one for some of the same questions that people will raise about places in Africa. But it exploded because of the art scene, food scene, history…" He adds that visitors can easily walk around at least 10 African cities with a nice mix of artwork, good food and history. He says such attractions will likely make them huge travel destinations. Robinson says her favorite city is Accra, Ghana's lively capital. "We see Accra as the perfect marriage of, sort of, what we think of a sort of traditional West African culture with very modern vibes attached to it," she said. "And so, from art to entertainment to music to fashion, it all can be found in Accra." In many ways, Accra is the center of these things, she says. Lehane and Robinson say their goal is to provide travel that will not grow outdated and that supports local people. They want to avoid "poverty tourism" – travelers visiting poor neighborhoods --as this rarely helps communities.  Lehane says Airbnb is investing $1 million to build tourism projects in poorer neighborhoods, beginning in Cape Town, South Africa. The local communities will lead the projects. Tastemakers Africa tour hosts are already all local people. Heather Mason is a travel writer and photographer who lives in South Africa. She says while tourists cannot avoid the economic inequity in parts of Africa, they can treat these places with respect.  "I think every place, in every city, can be a tourist attraction and it should not matter whether the people living there are rich or poor." Mason says there is value in the decisions tour operates make. "I think you can definitely get that wrong really easily. If there's people are on tours through townships or what people might call a slum, and you do not have local guides, and you don't brief participants in the tour how to be respectful, then you can run into problems." Mason's heart, she says, is in Johannesburg – South Africa's large economic center. Some tourists avoid the city, however, because they think crime will be a problem. But Mason says go a little deeper and you will find wonderful choices for things to see, do, taste and hear. And these things are an example of the colorful experiences that are life and the new face of travel in Africa.    I'm Alice Bryant.   Anita Powell reported this story for VOA News. Alice Bryant adapted it for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   booking – n. an arrangement to have something, such as a reservation, held for your use at a later time millennial – n. a person who was born in the 1980s or 1990s cookie cutter – adj. lacking individuality cram – v. to push or force someone or something into a space that is tight or crowded vibe – n. a feeling that a person or place gives you slum – n. an area of a city where poor people live and the buildings are in bad condition  

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English in a Minute: Bend Over Backwards

Bending over backwards is physically difficult. But what does this idiom mean?

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