Today, I visited Vietnam Singapore Industrial Park (known as VSIP). The project was started in 1994 by the Prime Ministers of Singapore and Vietnam in an effort to boost the economies of the two countries. Since then, Singapore and Vietnam have been working together to make the industrial park project as successful as possible. This…
Tag: Christian Parker
Plus3 Vietnam 2017 Student
05/17/2017 – Cat Lai Terminal
Today, I visited Cat Lai Terminal, one of the largest shipping ports in Vietnam. It belongs to Saigon Newport Corporation, an operator for container terminals. It manages cargo flow into and out of the port, and the value of the imports and exports it handles accounts for a large portion of Vietnam’s total trade amount….
A Market, a Pagoda, and a Museum
The first place I visited today was the Benh Tanh Market, one of the largest and most famous markets in Ho Chi Minh City. Although I had already visited the market at night once before, this was the first time I have gone during the day (and there are actually differences in the environment between…
05/15/2017 – VinaCapital
Today, I visited VinaCapital, an asset management group. This firm has multiple funds that it uses to manage money for investors. It works a lot with transforming foreign investment into projects for Vietnam’s infrastructure. It also educates Vietnamese citizens about savings and investment, since the idea of someone taking their money with the promise that…
05/14/2017 – Remembering the War
Today, I explored the history of conflict between Vietnam and the U.S., and I gained insight into the Vietnamese perspective on a subject that I otherwise have always talked about from an American point of view. One site I visited today was the Cu Chi Tunnel System, a network of underground operations used by the…
05/13/2017 – The Mekong Delta
Today, I visited the Mekong River Delta and some of the islands therein. The delta is a region of tremendous importance to the economy of Vietnam, and the livelihoods of its inhabitants depend on its health. In recent years, the countries upstream of Vietnam that also have access to the river have been damming the…
05/12/2017 – The U.S. Consulate and American Center
Today, I visited the American Center and learned about it’s and the U.S. Consulate’s role in Vietnam. The Consulate is a branch of the Embassy, and it works to strengthen relations between the U.S. and Vietnam. It also works with Vietnam on issues like the economy and human rights. U.S. workers in Ho Chi Minh…
05/11/2017 – Vung Tau
Today, I took a break from classroom learning and company visits and traveled to Vung Tau, a resort town on the coast of Vietnam. First, I visited a statue of Jesus at the top of a hill, which overlooked the ocean and the town. After this, I took a trip to a nearby resort and…
05/10/2017 – Glass Egg Digital Media
Today, I visited Glass Egg Digital Media, a software development company that focuses mainly on art assets for video games. It was one of the first companies to break into the area of allowing major firms to outsource this kind of work. As might be said about all new companies, it faced many struggles in…
05/09/2017 – The Urbanization of Ho Chi Minh City
For my second day in Ho Chi Minh City, the focus was on urban planning and development. In the morning, I attended a lecture at UEF about the history of Ho Chi Minh City and the modern urbanization that is taking place. In the afternoon, I visited Phu My Hung Development, a corporation that completes…
05/08/2017 – My First Day in Ho Chi Minh City
In my first day experiencing Ho Chi Minh City, I noticed a lot of things that exemplified the developmental progress of Vietnam. The most prominent thing that stood out was the coexistence of modern architecture and traditional structures. This mixing of the two styles is indicative of the gradual replacement of older buildings and systems…
The Other Side of the World
Hello everyone! My name is Chris Parker, and I am a freshman industrial engineering major in the Swanson School of Engineering at the University of Pittsburgh. This summer, from May 6 to May 20, I will travel to Vietnam to explore the “economic, social, and environmental impacts of globalization.” Over these fifteen days, I will…
Meet Plus3 Vietnam 2017!
Welcome to the Vietnam Plus3 Study Abroad Program! During their two weeks in Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam, students will experience a dynamic mix of educational and cultural activities. Plus 3 participants will have the chance to be immersed into Vietnamese culture during the trip. The main academic portion of the Plus 3 program…