We started the day with a fun Vietnamese class that taught us the alphabet, numbers, and specific market sayings. Roy already showed me these in the last language class so it was great to see it again. We then moved into a Vietnamese history and culture class where we got to paint farmers’ hats. We also got our Ao Dai, which is traditional Vietnamese clothing that we will wear for our closing ceremony. To end the first half, we ate lunch at an American restaurant which had a really interesting bathroom situation. The owner was even from San Antonio.

We moved to the Ben Thanh Market to practice our Vietnamese and buy souvenirs. I was unsure of what the actual price of everything should be, so I ended up getting fleeced on the first deal. I made sure to correct my mistakes and bargain correctly for the second deal. It was interesting to see how that is the way of life for some people. The place was hot and humid and you could see kids in every stall behind boxes or under something. The sellers love to try and talk to you about things they do not care about just to make you stay. You need a different kind of attitude to be successful in the market. I was not very confrontational going in, but I realized that I needed to be to make sure I did not get scammed. Every shop had the same 20 items but in different colors. To get a good deal, you had to find the right vendor. I was not a fan of how different it was from a normal shopping experience.

At the US Consulate, we learned that Vietnam wants to be a high income country by 2045. I absolutely believe this is an achievable target. They have done so much rebuilding since the war and have been tirelessly working to make their country a better place. All of the citizens love the country and would love to help make it a global superpower. The only problem is that the government cannot focus their efforts on one region or area of Vietnam. If only the income of Saigon is high, then the average income in Hanoi or Da Nang wouild bring it down. You have to think about the whole country, not just the major cities.

We ended the day with a nice water bus ride, which lasted a lot longer than I had anticipated. It was super cool to see the city we’ve spent the last two weeks in at night and on the river. While talking to Hannah, our guide for this trip, I told her that I may be interested in working here. I looked it up and Deloitte and EY have a Vietnam office, so that may be in my future. As the final day starts, I know that it will be a sad one. We will have to say goodbye to the friends we made on the trip, and start packing up to head home. I may try to get to the mall one last time before we have to go.