It is honestly crazy to think that our time in Vietnam is already beginning to come to an end. Today felt like a great mix of everything that we experienced throughout the trip. It involved culture, business, history, and food.
The day started off on a much lighter note compared to some of the experiences we have had earlier in the week. First was our language class. I actually love these classes. We started off by finishing the pronunciation of the alphabet along with key phrases to use during our visit to the Banh Thanh market after. Painting the hats was also a fun experience. I decided to go with designing mine so that the American flag is on one side and the Vietnamese flag on the other. I drew a connecting dot to them serving as a connection and showing the strength of the relationship that the Vietnamese and America hold.
The U.S. consulate was an extremely informative visit. Before visiting, I was completely unaware of the purpose they served and the role they played in each country that the U.S. had a location in. The woman we met with, who worked for the Economics department, was one of the most knowledgeable speakers that we have had so far on this trip. The questions she was answering gave us so much insight into what they do at the U.S. consulate and the role they play in helping American businesses that want to manufacture here.
What made this visit even cooler for me was being able to connect it directly to my Nike research topic. Hearing how important Vietnam has become for manufacturing and global business made everything feel way more real than just reading articles online. Throughout this trip, we have seen factories, shipping ports, and large industrial areas, so hearing the consulate explain trade and American businesses operating here helped everything finally click together in my head. It was interesting realizing how connected companies like Nike are to Vietnam and how much global business depends on keeping a solid relationship between countries.
I personally do think Vietnam’s goal of becoming a high-income country by 2045 is realistic if the country keeps developing at the pace that it currently is. I understand that it takes a lot to become a high income country, but over the past two weeks, it felt like everywhere we went there was construction along with new businesses and large factories. All of these being signs of growth. Even just driving through Ho Chi Minh City, you can feel how fast everything is moving. At the same time, the people here seem incredibly hardworking and motivated. Many of the students we met spoke multiple languages and were highly educated. These are all signs that this is possible to achieve.
Walking into Ben Thanh Market honestly felt insane in the best possible way. The second we stepped inside, it was just nonstop noise, people, and so many vendors all trying to get your attention at once. Everywhere I looked there were colorful stands filled with souvenirs, bags, clothes, food, jewelry, and random things I didn’t even know existed. It felt chaotic, but also really fun and energetic at the same time.
The funniest part was definitely the bargaining. Back home, you walk into a store, look at the price tag, pay, and leave. Here, the first price basically means nothing. Everytime I bought something, it turned into a negotiation, and honestly it became kind of entertaining trying to see how low you could get the price. Some vendors were incredibly persistent and would follow you around trying to convince you to buy something, while others would laugh and joke around while bargaining with you. It made shopping feel very personal and quite interactive!
Looking back on these past two weeks, I think the biggest thing I will remember is how much this trip pushed me outside of my comfort zone in the best way possible. Whether it was navigating through the streets crowded with scooters, trying new foods, meeting and getting to know new Vietnamese friends, crawling through the Cu Chi tunnels, every day felt completely different from life back home.This trip also helped me better understand how connected the global economy really is, especially seeing how much manufacturing and international business flows through Vietnam. Personally, I think it made me more appreciative of different cultures and ways of living. It is simple to learn about economics and trade in a classroom, but actually experiencing it firsthand made everything feel real. This trip was not just educational, but it was something that genuinely changed the way I see the world.
