Today started off with a visit lesson about Buddhism and a visit to a Buddhist temple. I was intrigued to learn more about Buddhism since I did not really know much about it before. I found the ideas central to the religion to be interesting. I was also fascinated to hear about a religion that does not center itself around the worship of some sort of creator or god-like figure. It is an entirely new perspective on faith for me. When visiting the temple, I admired the intricate details on the statues and throughout the building. It was very obvious that great care had gone into the building.

In the afternoon, we visited the Reunification Palace. This was the former building of the government of South Vietnam during the war. It was really interesting to see both the influence of Vietnamese culture and the influence of US intervention in the government of South Vietnam on the architecture and interior design. The clearest example of this was in the dining room, where there were two separate tables for western food and Vietnamese food. The building was quite striking, and it was really interesting to see what the living quarters and working space of the President had looked like. I also learned a lot about how the war ended. In past history classes, I was only taught up until the point where the US military pulled out, so I did not know very much about how the war really ended.

We finished off the day with a very somber stop at the War Remnants Museum. The museum stands as a witness to the war crimes committed during what we Americans call the Vietnam War (the American War, to the Vietnamese). There were pictures showing the devastation caused by bombings and the use of incendiary weapons like napalm. There was also an entire room dedicated to the impacts of Agent Orange on both the people of Vietnam and the US soldiers who fought in Vietnam. This was very introspective as an American and served as an important reminder that war is always devastating for everyone involved.

The day as a whole was very emotional and powerful, but I am glad to have been able to learn more about the history and culture of Vietnam.