We had yet another Vietnamese language class to start our day today. We learned the alphabet and how to pronounce the letters, which was so much harder than expected because of the 6 different tones. We also learned a few phrases to use at the market that we would be going to later in the…
Author: ayc65
Day 9: A Look Into a Complex Past
I think it is fair to say that today was certainly one of the more emotionally engaging days of the program, especially given the content that we viewed in the second half of the day. I started the morning by grabbing breakfast with my friends Olivia, Reva, and Rachel at Merci Bakery, which I know…
Day 8: Straight Heat
Today started with a tour of the Tan Cang Cat Lai shipping port, where we had to wear extremely fashionable fluorescent safety vests and hard hats. Seeing the port in all of its glory and magnitude was certainly not something that you see everyday, especially such a popular global port; the company focuses on efficiency…
Days 6+7: Sticky Rice!
Our short weekend getaway to the Mekong River/Delta region started with a 3 hour bus ride at 7:45 AM to get to our resort in Can Tho city. On our way there and on our way back, we stopped at a large and busy rest stop so we could get drinks, snacks, and go to…
Day 5: Glass Egg and Boxing???
Today we were given a tour of Glass Egg, a rather popular digital media drawing studio. They’ve done the animation for games like Lego Fortnite, Forza, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, and more! The tour began with an information and Q/A session, where we learned that they have partnerships with some games/companies for over 20…
Day 4: A Day in the Tunnels
I think that today was definitely one of the most memorable days of the trip so far (evidenced by the fact that I took over 100 photos). We first visited a factory where those affected by the Agent Orange used in the Vietnam/American War are employed to make art with duck eggshells, mother of pearl,…
Day 3: I Cannot Handle Heat
Whew! I know that everyone else is also talking about this, but today was one of those days where I missed air conditioning more than anything; I was constantly sweating because of the heat and humidity. I think it’s safe to say that we’ve been spoiled with the indoor A/C for the past couple of…
Day 2: A Humble Day with Park Hyatt
Xin chao! Tên tôi là Ally! We learned a few Vietnamese words and phrases to start our day, as well as made 3-minute proposals for services that are successful in America that we think could be successful in Vietnam as well. My group did food delivery robots and we won a UEF notebook! I also…
Day 1 in Vietnam: Just the Beginning
Today was our first day in Vietnam, and I think that, despite our struggles with the sweltering heat (97°F💔), everything went very well! We started the day with getting fitted for áo dài (traditional Vietnamese clothing) and tailored suits – the tailors were very quick and knowledgeable. Then later, when we arrived at the University…
An Introduction: Ally Chen
Hi, I’m Ally! I am a freshman at the University of Pittsburgh, studying Marketing with a minor in German. On campus, I am involved in the Fashion Business Association, where we aim to grow both artistically and professionally. Our main event is our annual spring fashion show(it’s coming up – April 18th!), where I will…