It’s Wednesday! Every time I think Saigon can’t get any more beautiful, I end up being blown away by another view. C’mon, Saigon, if you keep being this incredible I’ll never want to leave. Our lecture on the urbanization and economic development of Saigon really gave context to the city’s skyline. The professor was extremely charismatic! I thought his explanation of Vietnam’s “soft” approach rather than “hard” approach to the global economy was useful to better understanding the direction Vietnam’s economy is moving. Instead of focusing on agricultural exports such as rice, Vietnam is currently moving towards technology such as A.I. to gain a leg up over global giants such as China. It was fortunate that the day our lecture touched on the importance of technology to Vietnam’s future was the same day we visited Glass Egg Digital Media.

Seeing actual video game animation in action was so cool. I’ve played some of the games that Glass Egg has worked on and I’ve never thought about the outsourcing behind the title. I loved being able to directly connect what the presenter was saying to my own experience! When he mentioned how video games were changing from a “buy a game, play it, buy a new one” to “buy a game, play it, get updated content, play it” I could instantly think of multiple games that fit that criteria. 

It’s incredible how long Glass Egg has lasted in such a competitive and fast-paced industry. When I think of outsourcing video game development, my first thought is usually China, not Vietnam. There’s a benefit to the lack of notoriety, however. The presenter mentioned how one benefit to being located in Vietnam is the lack of competition. 

Lunch today was McDonald’s. If that’s not an example of globalization, I don’t know what is! The menu and ordering system was a lot different than back in the U.S. I’m a little jealous – if the fast food at home had the same level of desserts as I saw in the cafe section, I might actually get McDonald’s! It’s interesting how companies adapt their business models to fit certain countries. It’s a necessity of doing international business. Since the culture and expectations change, a company must adapt to be successful.

See you tomorrow, Saigon!