We started off today with our Vietnamese language class and a business class, in which we learned about monetary policy in Vietnam. After lunch at the school, we had some time to wander around District 12, where the school is located. Walking around there was much different from walking around here. The Vietnamese have the same kinds of shops set up as they do here in District 1, but they were all very much nicer about selling things. In the Ben Thanh Market, for example, the people come up to you and try very hard to get you to buy their things, but in District 12, they were just happy to say hello to us. Even people passing by on scooters waved and said hello, which I thought was really neat. I guess that in that section of Ho Chi Minh City they don't normally see a lot of tourists. The side streets were also much less busy there.
After our exploring, we went on a company visit to Ascenx Technologies, which is a new engineering firm. Although they focused a lot on the engineering terms and things, I still feel like I got a lot out of this site visit. There were maybe 25 people in the office, and every single one of them were really nice to us. After we learned about the company, we all just kind of hung around the office talking to the Vietnamese employees. The founder of the company, Thun, is one of the thousands of Vietnamese who fled Vietnam on a boat after the fall of Saigon. His story was incredible, I am very glad I got to hear an account such as his.
We just got back from a homestay dinner. Basically, we went to this Vietnamese home where they made a business out of cooking traditional Vietnamese meals for foreigners and welcome you in for a few hours. There were three generations living in this beautiful home on the Saigon River, and they fed us this wonderful food. We ate outside, and it was drizzling a little, which was really refreshing. The mango we had for dessert was delicious.
Tomorrow, we are leaving at 7am for a day trip to the Mekong Delta. It will take us three hours to get there, and then we will be there in the afternoon for a boat ride and for lunch. I am very excited to see the floating villages and markets. Hopefully I will get some good pictures.
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I'll be studying abroad in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam for two weeks starting May 2nd with the Plus 3 program of The University of Pittsburgh. Throughout the trip, I'll be doing a little blogging. Feel free to keep track of me :)
So, their District numbers, is that like our different Cities and Towns here in the US?
ReplyDeleteYeah, I guess because HCMC is so big, they divided the city up into sections or something like that.
ReplyDeleteSounds like food has been pretty good. Hungry for pizza and five guys yet. Goodnight Love Dad
ReplyDeleteWe were talking about fast food at dinner last night...I am definitely hungry for some McDonalds or Wendy's. I can't wait until we get to the Chicago airport! They do have KFC here, though, which is pretty funny.
ReplyDeleteSo did you buy anything from the people yet I bet I bet they get the mango off the trees in their backyard.Sare there houses much different from ours?
ReplyDeleteDiane
I've bought some things from street vendors, souveniers and food. There houses are very much different from ours. I can't even describe it haha
ReplyDelete