I don’t think the Mekong Delta is somewhere I would have chosen to go, however, I’m so grateful I did. I feel like I have a deeper understanding of a different area in Vietnam and culture outside the city. Between the market, Can Tho and the hotel itself I found the locals were still connected to community tradition and it seems to be a domestic hotspot. 

One of my favorite parts of the weekend trip was the floating market. Before going I thought it seemed like a cool place to get some local fruit and a tourism experience but afterwards I realized it was tied to the locals’ day-to-day life. Looking around the market there were not only local buyers and sellers but also what seemed to be Vietnamese tourists at the markets. I noticed this around the hotel toon; they spoke mostly Vietnamese and most guests seemed to be from Vietnam, they communicated in Vietnamese and even the hotel website was targeted towards them. This just made me realize how much they appreciate their own country and support the things that keep it operating. I started to think about how it kept going when there might be more modern or convenient ways to sell produce today. However, the market shows how people in the region continue to value tradition and culture while still making a living.

The water games were definitely one of the funniest parts of the trip. Even though the water was a little questionable, it was a good way to cool off after and I honestly felt so much cooler for the rest of the day. I was also very happy to go back to the pool afterward. 

Can Tho also surprised me. Since the UEF professor mentioned that it is one of the main cities in Vietnam, I expected it to feel more like a large international city. While there were definitely tourist activities, like the selling of some souvenirs, it did not feel overly westernized to me. Again, it seemed more centered around domestic tourism and local culture. I really appreciated that because it made the city feel more authentic to the region. It felt like a place that welcomes visitors without changing too much of its own identity for them.