Citizen44 with Mark Arinsberg

Dan Potter - A short film by Mark Arinsberg

"My inspiration to come to Hanoi was that I had a dream in which I saw someone who looked a little like Jane Fonda, but wasn't, saying, Dan, Hanoi, Dan, Hanoi, repeatedly." – Dan Potter

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Looking at the final cut of my first short film project here in Hanoi, it really hits home how much of a fixture Dan has become here in Truc Bach. He is 79 now, and for the last twenty years, he’s made this annual three-month pilgrimage to our neighborhood. If you’ve spent any time at the Fu Hoo coffee shop, you’ve likely seen him—tucked into a corner with his brushes, totally locked into his Sumi ink paintings of the people enjoying their favorite drinks.

What I love about Dan is that he doesn’t just paint the city and its people; he lives and breathes it. We’ve sat together through plenty of coffee, talking about daily life and how much we both love being in Hanoi. But we always seem to circle back to the “why.” For Dan, art is his way of connecting. He’s got this beautiful perspective on Vietnamese ancestor worship, too—seeing his own work as a way of honoring the lineage of his painter parents.

Welcome to Citizen Forty-Four Vietnam!

I’m Mark Arinsberg — a Southern California native who found a second life in Vietnam. I began my journey in Ho Chi Minh City in January 2020, eventually finding my way to Hanoi in March of 2024 to focus on community and storytelling. I’m here to share the stories of Vietnam’s unsung heroes: the remarkable individuals quietly transforming their communities while adding value to the lives of others. Raw, unscripted conversations drive the Citizen Forty-Four Vietnam podcast while exploring the resilience of the human spirit. But we’re doing more than just storytelling; we’re looking for real solutions to alleviate avoidable suffering in our interconnected world. Join me as we shine a light on the people making a genuine difference.

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Mark's connection to Vietnam is deeply personal and widely traveled. After living with a local family in Quang Ngai for six months and spending three years in Saigon, Mark made a definitive 1,000-kilometer motorbike trek north to Hanoi. He chose the capital specifically to be closer to the Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation, where he remains an active volunteer. A professional photographer and designer for over 30 years, Mark now uses his "second life" in Hanoi to capture more than just images. Through this podcast project, he combines his creative eye with a devotion to community service, seeking out the unscripted stories of resilience that define the human spirit in Vietnam.