Constant motion

Xin chào from Vietnam! We have been in Vietnam for a little over a week now and I still have to pinch myself to see if this is a dream. My first experience in Asia has been overwhelming to say the least. If New York is the city that never sleeps, then Ho Chi Minh is the city that doesn’t know what sleep is. My first impression of Vietnam came after an exhausting flight and I found myself overwhelmed by all of the different smells, sounds, and sights on the ride to my apartment. After a night of restful sleep and a tour around the city, I settled into my new home. While exploring I could tell that though everything seemed to be in constant motion they still aligned perfectly. Driving through intersections seemed foreign to me while watching videos back in the United States, but when it came time for me to see it in person it happened naturally and effortlessly. It was crazy that such chaos could be almost organized in a way. From the very first day, I knew there was a lot to learn and it just kept getting better from there.

The most culturally informative experience I have had so far has to be the trip we took to the Mekong Delta. While in this region, we visited a few small villages and a floating market. It is apparent to me since arriving in Vietnam that the Vietnamese are very hard working. Our tour guide explained how the market is open every day from four in the morning to ten at night. This market is an important part of the Vietnamese culture because it is where many transactions between vendors happen. On the drive out to the Mekong delta, we passed countless rice Farming is the lifeline of Vietnam and being able to see this the process of farming, from the fields to the fruits and goods being sold at the market, was amazing. While in the Mekong, we were also able to learn how rice paper and rice noodles were manufactured. It was long and grueling work for those who made it, and I am so honored that they allowed us to come in and appreciate the hard work they put in. Being able to get out of the hustle and bustle of the city allowed us to appreciate the hard work that goes into fueling the economy of Vietnam.

One of the things that perplexed me the most was the fact that those from the north and those from the south had very different attitudes and beliefs. It is interesting to view that here because trends like this show up in many countries such as in the US. I am interested to visit north Vietnam and see how it compares to the south. I am curious to know if the dynamic between Vietnam’s north and south is similar to that of the United States. I am excited to travel throughout this amazing country and learn about its geographical and political differences from locals and guides. Another subject I would like to learn about during my travels is how the food in Vietnam differs from food in other Asian countries. I worked in a Thai restaurant growing up, so I am familiar with Thai food. I want to compare and contrast Vietnamese food to Thai food and find what the differences in taste are. Catch me traveling as much as I can in the next two months so I can learn as much as possible.