After a long journey through three different airports and 30 hours of flying, we finally made it to Vietnam. We arrived to our hotel around midnight, exhausted from a long day of travel. Soon after, I was fast asleep excited for our first day in Vietnam. The next morning I woke up to the hustling sound of countless motorcycles zooming through the streets of Ho Chi Minh City. It was truly amazing to see how many bikes could fit in one lane of the road. After eating fried eggs and pho for breakfast, a couple of friends and I took a stroll around to see what there was to see. As we walked a block away from the hotel, we really realized how hot Vietnam really is. The hot and humid air really feels like a steam room. Despite the heat, the main thing that stood out to me while walking around was the urgency all of the bikers had. There were always at least two in one lane, and the were constantly swerving around each other. We even saw a few hop up on the sidewalk to get around traffic.
After our walk, we headed back to the hotel to meet up with the rest of our class for the tailor visit. After we all gout our measurements, we got on the bus to head to lunch. During lunch, we were served an amazing spread of spring rolls, beef with peppers and onions, ginger chicken, and other delicious traditional Vietnamese foods. All of the food was really good, but the best part was that everything tasted so fresh. For dessert, we were served surprise fruits that I had never seen before, including toad fruit, a fruit with green exterior and a pink interior. It kind of tasted like a mild, crunchy apple.
After lunch, we headed to UEF, the University of Economics and Finance for reception. As we got of the bus, we were greeted with such friendly faces, and the placed necklaces of red and yellow flowers over our heads as we walked towards the steps for a group picture. All of the people at UEF were so friendly, and it was so great to meet all of them. The kind attitudes of the UEF students was similar to what I read in the culture smart book for Vietnam. After reception, we got on a tour bus for a ride around the city with some of the UEF students. During this ride, I noticed that most of the buildings in Ho Chi Minh city looked brand new. In addition to the modern architecture, there was also a lot of construction being done around the city. This made the fact that Vietnam is a rapidly growing country very apparent.
Overall, my first day in Vietnam was very fun, and I enjoyed trying new food, meeting the UEF students, and seeing the sights of Vietnam, and I am excited for what day 2 had to offer!