The first thing I noticed immediately when we arrived last night was just how hot it was. Dr. Burman was not exaggerating at all when he told us it would be a little warm outside. Not only is it ridiculously hot, but it also is humid, which makes things a million times worse. Luckily, we are staying in the lovely Victory Hotel, which just so happens to have air conditioning. So even though it is really really hot, the weather is bearable. Another thing that was immediately noticeable were the extreme amount of motorbikes on the roads. That is the main form of transportation in Vietnam, and it is basically a mad free for all on the highways. Seeing all of the drivers was cool, but kind of scary because there are really no safety laws on the roads, which makes for an interesting sight.
Some of the motorbikes on the roads in Vietnam
We woke up this morning at about 8 and went to get breakfast. But instead of your typical American breakfast, we were served a variety of rice, fruits, and lots of seafood. It was definitely a little bit of a culture shock at first, but the food was delicious, so it was okay. After breakfast we headed over to the University of Economics and finance, where the English Club and many faculty members greeted us. When we were getting off of our bus, a camera crew from the local news station was there to film our arrival. They filmed us throughout the entire day at the university, and it kind of made me feel like a celebrity. It was weird to be getting so much attention but I guess Americans are a bit of a rare sight in Vietnam.
When we got inside of the university, they had a welcome ceremony for us. Many of the faculty members spoke to us and the students performed a few shows for us, including a puppet show and a few singing acts (loved the One Direction shout out, by the way). Everyone was so welcoming and friendly, and I was surprised to see how well everyone spoke English. During the opening ceremony, we had to get to know a Vietnamese student and ask them questions. I talked to a girl named Anh, who is a junior majoring in finance. She is very sweet and offered to show us around Ho Chi Minh either Saturday or Sunday, which would be awesome!
After the welcoming ceremony we had our first language class. The teacher was very theatrical and funny, and it made learning the language so much easier. We learned how to say a few basic phrases in Vietnamese, such as thank you (cam on), I'm sorry (xin loi), and hello (xin chao). It seems like it is a really difficult language to learn, but I'm looking forward to learning more. After that, we had lunch at the school, and once again the food was different, but great. It was our first experience with chop sticks in Vietnam, so it was quite interesting. Anh ate with us and attempted to show us how to use them properly, but it didn't always work out so well. The camera crews were filming this, and I'm sure it made it on to the news and we looked like foolish Americans. I wouldn't be surprised if that footage ended up on a Vietnamese comedy show, because we looked pretty ridiculous.
After taking a nice break, we headed to the US Consulate, the location of the old US embassy during the Vietnam War. However, in order to get to the consulate, we had to cross the street, which was an experience in itself. It's kind of like human frogger, but with many more motorbikes. You kind of just have to walk out in traffic and hope that no one hit you. Luckily, we made it through the traffic alive and got to enter the consulate. Seeing the consulate close up was a cool experience. It was interesting to learn more about the Vietnam War through both the American and Vietnamese perspective (fun fact: In Vietnam its not the Vietnam War. Its the American War). It was also nice to see how relationships between the two countries have changed for the better. Most Vietnamese really like Americans and want better relationships with us, which is good for everyone.
Then we headed to dinner and a Vietnamese restaurant called Wrap & Roll. It was authentic Vietnamese food, so it was a bit confusing for us because we weren't quite sure how to eat half of it. Thankfully, our helpful guide Tran was there along with some of the staff from UEF, and they were happy to help us. There was SO MUCH food, and it got to the point where the food kept coming long after we were all full. After dinner we headed back to the hotel for the night.
The outside of Wrap & Roll
Some of the food we were served. Yum!
After dinner we headed back to the hotel for the night. We had a very interesting and fun group bonding session. It makes me happy to be in Vietnam with the people I'm with (YOLO). Its getting late now, but I am looking forward to the day tomorrow! Goodnight from Vietnam!
-Hailee
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