Today, May 15th 2018 was very eventful and covered a wide variety of topics. To start, we went to UEF and listened to a Buddhism lecture which talked about the history, components, and influence of the religion. I thought the philosophical ideas behind it were very interesting, and I think the cool thing about it is that I can still practice my religion as a catholic and also incorporate some of the principles of Buddhism to make for a happier, more peaceful life. After the lecture, we visited a Buddhist temple which I thought was very interesting. The architecture and style behind it was very unique, and I really enjoyed seeing the monument where the Buddhist monk set himself on fire during the Vietnam War. After the site visit and eating lunch, we had another company visit where we attended VinaCapital. They spoke to us both about their company and also about their foundation (VCF). VinaCapital represents development and globalization in Vietnam through many different aspects as an investment firm. The foundation helps poor families around Vietnam who have children with serious heart problems. The children are able to get open heart surgery so that they can live healthier childhoods. As a result, the women (typically mothers who stayed home to take care of their sick child) can go back to work and make a better living for their families. This ultimately helps to create a middle class in Vietnam which is what drives Vietnam’s economy. When Vietnam’s economy grows and does well, VinaCapital makes more money which they can use to make more investments globally and use towards their foundation. VinaCapital is able to work with the Vietnamese government to help save many lives while also developing the country. After the company visit, we went to the Ben Thanh Market in Ho Chi Minh City which sold a lot of different souvenirs, clothing, food, and various merchandise. I wanted to buy a Liverpool soccer jersey to support them in the European club championship against Real Madrid (who I highly dislike). After a lot of confusion with who I was negotiating a price with, I ended up paying 400,000 dong for it… 50 dong over market price!!! After buying a puma snapback in which I saved 20 dong on that deal, I concluded that my negotiating skills are awful and that I am too nice of a person. I end this day in a very good mood because I have been able to stay healthy and this study abroad trip continues to mesmerize me in so many awesome ways.
My Negotiating Skills Are Nonexistent
