Today, our group spent most of our time meeting new people and uncovering new locations, a day filled with new experiences. I started with a breakfast of rice, not something usually incorporated in my breakfasts back home in America, with fresh fruit that you could not find in a grocery store in the US either. That meal set the tone of today: new.
While walking down the cement-tiled streets and riding around in the open-air bus of this new city, I could not help but compare it to the familiar sights I would see in New York. While I am acclimated to busy, dense tropical city life (I visit India regularly and find Ho Chi Minh City to be quite reminiscent of Mumbai), my main comparison is to the city life of America. The buildings in HCMC are skinny and tall, much different from the wide, horizontally-spaced buildings of cities in the West. However, what I did notice was the increasing number of bigger stores, maybe influenced by the format of Western cities, with new lighting, tiles, decor, etc. and wider spaces, perhaps a signal of development. The city was very green, something I don’t see much in cities I am familiar with and was pleasantly surprised with!
In terms of people, there is not anything else to say but amazing! The students at UEF were so welcoming (overwhelmingly so! that opening ceremony was a celebration!) and sweet to us. Getting to know them was so easy, we reciprocated each other’s curiosity, and as much as I love to be introverted, I could not help but become talkative with them. Their hospitality is unimaginable and it felt so good to be the receiver! This meeting was such a great first experience with the students and I am excited to get to know them more on our excursions.
The new foods today were also a highlight. It was my first time trying grilled squid and shrimp pancakes and I thoroughly enjoyed them! Trying new foods is always an important experience in every country I visit, and we are starting off strong with the food I ate today. Alongside the great dishes served in the restaurants we visited, the convenience store food is just as deserving of a mention in my blog. Quick, easy, yummy; what more could you want after a day of travel and sun?
Today was a day for introductions and igniting relationships both with the country, city, and people. I am so grateful for the UEF students and faculty whom treat us with such hospitality and care and am looking forward to the amazing, impactful experiences we will have and knowledge we will gain. I love UEF! I love Plus3!
(P.S. the teddy bears and keychains are adorable!!)