On our trip to the Mekong Delta, we were able to see a part of Vietnam that is different from Ho Chi Minh city and the area surrounding it. The delta region is obviously far more rural than the massive urban center that it is Ho Chi Minh City but it accounts for much of the country’s agricultural production, especially in regard to rice. At the first stop on our boat tour today we were able to try different fruits that are grown in the Mekong region as well as witness some traditional music and singing. Through this it was evident how important the land is to people in this area and the way in which their culture utilizes and survives off of it. Afterwards, we visited a chocolate company which demonstrated the way in which chocolate is made. I was impressed by the quality of the packaging and the obvious efforts made by the people to improve their business and make it more marketable beyond just the delta region. This demonstrated the effects of globalization and how business ideas have reached even into the more rural areas as people look for more ways to make money and survive. That final leg of the trip brought us to a bee-keeping and honey harvesting company that allowed us to sample their products. This once again demonstrated the importance of the land in the Mekong region both in sustaining people’s livelihoods but also in providing products that can only be gathered from the natural world. It is tragic to think that this land is at risk for environmental changes due to damming and salination and that the products and people in this area will be so negatively affected. I find it interesting that other countries upstream do not necessarily care for the effects that their damming projects will have on the delta and consequently Vietnam as well as possibly even the world. As a developing country, Vietnam has many environmental challenges to face and overcome or otherwise face dire consequences in the future.