The morning to start the day was easy which is great because the whole group definitely needed sleep after the long 31+ hours of total travel time. This was a crazy experience because I had never been on a plane before but overall did not hate any part of it. The breakfast was great and the fresh orange juice was even better. Then we were fitted for the traditional Vietnamese suites that we will receive and wear at the end of the trip along with another custom suit that comes from the tailor. After, we walked to the coop which was a supermarket with anything you could possibly need. 

The restaurant we ate at for lunch was Cơm Gà Thượng Hải. We were seated with the food served family style and our stomachs were blessed with the taste of delicious food. Whether it was honey roasted char siu or shanghai-styled grilled pork we could not hold back from eating seconds or thirds. Then we realized there was a dessert too, but there’s always room for dessert which was a lychee and jelly dish. 

We then went to the University of Economics and Finance for the welcome ceremony where the experience was mind-blowing. The hospitality that all the students and staff showed during this arrival was incredible. With handmade leis for everyone and our gifts it was great to get to know some of the students we will be spending time abroad with. We even had games during the ceremony, one of which was a freeze dance game. My team, which consisted of 3 Pitt students and 3 UEF students crushed the competition while showing off the comradery of our team, even though we just met and live on opposite sides of the world. The theme for our trip revolves around sustainability and globalization which was expressed during the ceremony. One of the facts was that with the trade agreement with the US, it is 400 times larger than when we started 30 years ago. This just shows rapid growth that Vietnam has taken to heart and should be proud of. 

During the city tour we saw the many different areas of Ho Chi Minh. One thing that stood out was the amounts of motor bikes/ scooters were on the streets. However, the surprising part is the how carelessly most of the drivers are driving. It seems like they cut each other off and all bunch together really close. The bus that we were riding in would always force its way into traffic and turns and would bully all the scooters. Another difference was all the foliage along the streets, even the largest and busiest ones. This was very scenic and made the beautiful city seem even better and fresh.

We ate dinner with our new UEF friends and some of the faculty at Bếp Nhà Lục Tỉnh where the pressure got to me and my chopstick skills were much worse then ever before. Again, the food was delicious, but the lack of sleep was catching up to me quick. One thing that I found interesting was when we went to take a photo at the end there was a table that was set up like a traditional area. Some of the students tried to sit but were not allowed too. This was related to part of the reading in the Culture Smart book that we read which had the elderly/adults sit at home tables before any of the younger family members do. 

This day has overall just gotten me even more excited than I was for the rest of the trip.