Our first day in Vietnam was absolutely amazing. The afternoon began with a warm welcome at UEF, which was greatly exciting for my peers and I. The UEF students were lovely and so happy to greet us and host our university. On the bus tour, I talked extensively with a senior student at UEF named Lucas about life in Vietnam and my life back home. We compared the city life in Ho Chi Minh and New York and learned much about our differences. Lucas was incredibly passionate about Ho Chi Minh City and provided interesting facts about local monuments and buildings. He also commented on the rush hour traffic, which was a huge culture shock for me and my peers. Ever since the morning, we had seen trails of motorbikes and cars passing us by on the streets of Ho Chi Minh. The traffic during the rush hour was incredible to see and totally different from what I typically see back home.

Additionally, I spoke with another woman about family relations in Vietnam and America. She had asked me if I had called my parents and if they were worried about my travels, in which I said that I had not and that they were excited I have the privilege of experiencing this trip. She was surprised as she said Vietnamese parents tend to be more strict. For example, she said her father and mother would need to know every little detail about the program to consider allowing her to travel so far from home. I enjoyed hearing a different perspective on this opportunity in Vietnam and am glad to have learned more about Vietnamese culture at home. Overall, the first day was a great success and I am very excited to continue our travels in Vietnam!