The last day in-country was the closing ceremony. The day started by heading to UEF to finish making and practicing our company presentations. After we were done, we headed to lunch and then came back and changed into our Áo dàis.
Just like the welcoming ceremony, the closing ceremony was unforgettable. The five different groups of Pitt students kicked off the ceremony by giving presentations. Then several different speeches were given which was followed by a well put together video highlighting all the different things we did during the past two weeks. Then we were all presented with a certificate for completion of the program and a beautiful bouquet of flowers.
After all the traditional closing ceremony things were done, the UEF students showered us with the most thoughtful gifts. From pictures with handwritten notes on the back to handmade bookmarks, you could feel the love in the room. We also brought gifts for all of them, such as Pitt and hometown merch so they could always have a piece of us and this program with them. It was hard not to be moved to tears during the closing ceremony. The past two weeks flew by, and we all wished we could have spent a little more time together. The bus ride home after the closing ceremony was quieter than usual as the emotions of leaving felt heavy on our hearts.
I am writing this blog having been back home for two days and I can confidently say that the past two weeks I spent in Vietnam exceeded all my expectations in the absolute best way possible. From being thrown into a real basketball game 5 minutes after waking up on the bus to overcoming language barriers, I am so deeply grateful I had this opportunity. I made new lifelong friends from both Pitt and UEF. I got to be a part of another culture and realize that despite all of our differences, at the end of the day humans are humans. We all have crushes, bad days at work, friend/family issues, insecurities, and etc. I think if more people could understand that the world would be a kinder and better place.
Lastly, thank you to everyone who followed my blog throughout the past two weeks. I truly believe that this trip will stay close to my heart forever and I hope through my blog posts that you were able to see a glimpse of why.