We past Day #9
The past two weeks in Ho Chi Minh City provided a solid introduction to local life, art, and language. We started with a language lesson focused on tone and inflection. Navigating the nuances of Vietnamese vowel sounds is challenging, but the patience of our hosts helped us through the practice. That interaction carried over into a painting workshop where we painted our own rice hats. I painted a red and black line along the bottom of mine, and a UEF student painted a boat on it. Walking away with a collaborative piece of art was a good transition into studying the city’s modern business landscape.
During the economics talk at the Consulate, the focus shifted to the country’s development goals. The briefing detailed Vietnam’s strategic plan to become a high-income economy by the year 2045. Achieving this milestone requires sustaining an average annual per capita growth rate of roughly 6% over the next two decades by shifting away from low-value assembly lines and entering high-tech manufacturing, green infrastructure, and digital services. Honestly, we were lowkey not paying attention to the full presentation, but seeing the operations in the city makes the trajectory clear. Observing local supply chains, manufacturing facilities, and corporate setups over the past two weeks highlighted a workforce that is driven and entrepreneurial. This momentum relevantly connects to global management and emerging market dynamics. Navigating these trade environments makes international business strategy feel tangible, and I believe Vietnam can become a strong global player within the next 30 years.
The day also included some logistical chaos. After the presentation wrapped up, I headed to the restroom inside the building and was singing a song. Meanwhile, the group finished up, walked out, and headed off toward the water bus. It took them a few minutes to notice I was missing. While they were turning around to come back, I emerged from the restroom to find an empty lobby. I walked back and forth across the building a few times trying to spot everyone until the group returned to pick me up, and I finally entered the bus. I was abandoned
We also went to the Bến Thành Market. If the Consulate talk represented institutional goals, Bến Thành represents the city’s direct commercial energy. The atmosphere inside is busy, and the shopkeepers are sharp. They evaluate customers quickly, switch languages fluently, and read body language the moment you pause near a stall. This environment contrasts with the fixed-price shopping structures back home, which are usually quiet, structured, and transactional. At Bến Thành, transactions are direct and conversational. My best deal of the day was a set of chopsticks. The vendor started the pricing at 800k VND, but I negotiated the price down to 150k VND. Getting the set for that amount felt fair, and it wrapped up our two weeks in the country.
Also we were given traditional vietnamese clothing!!
