After spending my first day out of the United States, Vietnam has surprised me in many different ways culturally. The first thing I noticed when getting up this morning was the abundance of motorcycles and scooters that seemed to take up the entire road in fleets. They dodged and weaved between cars and beside the bus all day. While exploring around the hotel, motorcycles partially blocked entrances into convenience stores and restaurants, making it difficult to maneuver in and out of the buildings. Motorcycles seem to play a huge role in Vietnam’s culture due to their handling, size, and gas efficiency. But the most important part of Vietnam’s culture that I have experienced so far has been the people.

The Vietnamese people are incredibly friendly, polite, and caring. The entire UEF is very accommodating and wants you to have fun. During the welcome lunch and dinner, we were checked on multiple times to make sure everything was in order and to our liking. We were encouraged to try the abundance of great food and were even taught how to make each part of the meal and eat it. From what I have experienced so far, the food culture involves giving lots of food and making smaller meals after each round of food was given out. That was the biggest shock to me culturally and surprised me quite a bit. I was not expecting to have to make smaller meals out of food served.

Vietnam seems to be always growing and developing. During the UEF’s heartwarming welcome ceremony, we were informed that Vietnam’s economy is tightly associated with the United States’. From what we were told, Vietnam is the United States #1 supplier of cotton and is highly ranked among other of their exports. While on the city tour, I was told that the current tallest building in Vietnam, which is in Ho Chi Minh, will no longer be the tallest when the new building is finished in Hanoi, demonstrating their drive for growth. The people make the place and Vietnam is no exception. The culture shock may have surprised me, but the Vietnamese students that I met are incredibly understanding and kind. From what I have witnessed from my first day in the city, I firmly believe that Vietnam is on the fast track of development and globalization.