Today we had a very fun and interactive Vietnamese language class where we converted our American names into Vietnamese names which was really fun. My name Joshua, meaning God is deliverance, is translated into Đạo (Dow-ooo). I also learned how to greet people and how to introduce myself in Vietnamese language. The students definitely helped me figure out my pronunciation’s and how in the Vietnamese language it goes from high to low tones depending on the word chosen.

In addition to the Vietnamese language class we also had a class on the Mekong Delta and the struggles it faces. As a result of climate change, the floods which used to bring nutrients and prosperity to the soil, now bring destruction. This wipes out homes and makes it harder for the farmers in this region to make a living. We also learned that the three main commodities harvested in the South are fish, rice, and fruit. Over the next 10-20 years the government has established a plan to increase the production of these commodities and make them easier to transport by building roads and processing facilities. Additionally, the professor taught us that this is very different from the industries of the North which heavily rely on manufacturing. This is where most of the electronics and therefore most of the GDP are produced.

After learning about the Vietnamese language and economy, we had a tour of GreenViet which is a company that specializes in sustainable development in Vietnam and is now expanding to other countries in Asia such as Singapore and Japan. However Mr. Quang noted that his first priority will always be Vietnam because he wants to keep foreign investors out of the market. This also forces the company to rely heavily on Vietnamese industries and keep the money in the Vietnam. This will make it harder for outside companies to enter the market, reducing GreenViet’s competition. Furthermore, he went on to say that Vietnamese companies have to be really strong and independent in order to survive the competition of foreign investors. This means that they have to be extremely efficient and cannot rely on international business relationships too much or they will become the shark’s prey. The company GreenViet must become the shark in order to assert its dominance and independence from international competition.

Then when he discussed how he co-founded GreenViet, a very important part of his success was creating a plan and having passion for what he does. He also stressed the importance of leading by example so that companies hiring them can see how their own building’s energy was optimized. On their office they have a lot of windows for natural light and have solar panels on the roof which produce more energy than they consume. Additionally, they pump outside air into the building so that their workers will not breathe in the same stale air all day. This is all part of their five important sustainable categories: indoor air quality, sustainable sites, water saving, energy saving, and materials and waste. Without the efficiency and passion for creating Green buildings he could not have led GreenViet to be as successful as it is today.