Today was our second day in Vietnam! After breakfast #2 with pho #2, we started the day off with classes at UEF. First was the Mekong Delta lecture, where we learned about the features and challenges of the Delta. We then had our first language class! The Vietnamese students’ help was much appreciated, especially with the importance of tone. By the end, we could say a couple of phrases and were given a Vietnamese name.

“Chào bạn. Tên tôi là Minh.”

Minh—a word I was told is similar to wisdom, as “Sophia” in Greek means wisdom.

Then, we had our first site visit to GreenViet, a sustainable development company with about 30-40 employees. As the country becomes more developed, there has been a growing realization that being green is important. More measures are being taken to make that happen, and that is where GreenViet comes in. They are very transparent about implementing their methods, which I think contributes to their success. It’s not about taking away from comfort—they are confident in maintaining their consumers’ way of life. It’s about small changes that can be made without having to sacrifice convenience.

I was also impressed with how enthusiastic Mr. Quang was about expanding. Despite being a relatively small company in terms of workforce, they are able to take on international projects, making a name for themselves. They have a strong loyalty to Vietnam and Vietnamese businesses and projects, but their ability to operate globally will expand their opportunities for success. However, it is worth noting that when they first started, they built their company in Vietnam. Now, it’s their time to grow and become even more profitable. They are in a great position to do so with their knowledge of international relations.

I really enjoyed how Mr. Quang emphasized the importance of passion. He is clearly very passionate about his work, which makes the experience much more enjoyable. Even if the topic isn’t as interesting to some, there is no denying how much better it is when you can tell someone truly cares about what they do. This is something I aspire to, so it was really nice to hear from him.