On our first day in Ho Chi Minh City, there was plenty to absorb. For starters, the food, from breakfast to dinner, was extremely unique. As much as globalization has affected the area and brought Western chain restaurants like McDonald’s into the area, it seems that much of the food culture has been preserved. Breakfast consisted of foods such as pork paste, rice buns, and Southeast Asian fruits. More unique was lunch, in which we ate jellyfish salad, chicken heart, liver, and mini prawns. Additionally, the shops that lined the streets seemed to be mostly restaurants and food shops, and street vendors were scattered across the streets to sell their own cooking as well.

                Aside from the food, the general attitude of the local people towards us as foreigners was something I did not expect coming from American culture. As a group, we clearly stood out from the local population, and they took easy notice of us. For the most part, anytime a group of people spotted our bus coming down the street or saw us walking as a group, they smiled and waved, something that would rarely, if ever, happen in the United States. Likewise, each of the Vietnamese staff and students we met with was extremely welcoming and enthusiastically engaged in conversation with us.

                Having listened to the culture presentations we worked on before our trip, many of the obvious culture shocks, such as road traffic and congestion, were not too surprising. However, the unique tastes of the local food, as well as the great friendliness of the Vietnamese people were pleasant surprises. Today was a great introduction to this unique country, and I’m sure the remaining days will bring much more.