Our first day in Vietnam was full of great food, welcoming people, and cool sights. We went on a bus tour of the city which was really interesting because of the mix of different buildings that balance tourism and daily needs for the Vietnamese people. On the bus tour it was very apparent that the city had begun a big phase of development because a few taller and more modern buildings would rise above smaller and more traditional buildings all within the same condensed area. The biggest thing that stood out to me during our excursions was the way that the Vietnamese people drive. The roads are very congested and the motorbikes cut in and out of lanes really abruptly. There were also some instances where we would see people walking in the busy streets while the cars sped alongside them which seemed very unique and dangerous to me. Despite this, all of the drivers seemed very respectful of each other and everyone was safe which made the different transportation styles even more interesting to observe. All of the food we had today was very good and it was mostly dishes that I had never really eaten before. At the welcome dinner they served a beef dish that was on a Citronella stick. The beef was very tender and it fell right off the stick when we held it up. I learned that the Citronella stick is grown from the ground and used with the beef for its citrus smell. This was very interesting to me because at first I thought the stick was some sort of bone so it was a little confusing. Overall the first day in Vietnam was a success and I am excited for the rest of the program.
