In the morning, we visited Cat Lai Terminal, Vietnams largest shipping port, located in District 9 of Saigon.  Cat Lai specializes in loading exports onto mid size cargo ships that carry 20 foot, 40 foot, and 45 foot long containers.  Usually the smaller containers carry goods that are heavy but do not take up a…

We started today with shopping at the Ben Than market.  I had to bargain heavily with the merchants, usually by cutting the original cost they tell me in half before slowly raising my willingness to pay.  My Vietnamese friend bunny told me when I was getting a good deal or not, although I did all…

We slept in until 9 this morning, a pleasant break from the early days we have had so far.        When we arrived at VinaCapital, we had time for a quick 15 minute coffee break.  The coffee in Vietnam is extremely strong and has a certain thickness to it, different from our water…

Today, we visited the Chu Chi Tunnels, a series of tunnels located Northwest of Saigon, where war raged between the Viet Cong and the American Army.  The Viet Cong dug these sets of tunnels so that they would be protected from American aircraft above the surface.  In them they built sleeping quarters, kitchens, hospitals, meeting…

Today we travelled southwest from Saigon to the Mekong Delta, a region known for its rice production, fishing, and numerous rivers.  The river was vast and had many islands, 3 of which we visited today.  One piece of rapid development was a giant, brand new suspension bridge stretching across the Mekong, about 50 kilometers upstream…

Some of the duties carried out by the US consulate in Ho Chi Minh are conducting visa interviews, helping Americans or expatriates who have lost important documents or are in trouble with local laws, and mainly keeping a relationship with the government and people of Saigon and the whole southern half of the country.  They…

Today, we traveled to Vung Tao, a beach resort east of Ho Chi Minh City.  Along the way, I saw many small huts alongside the road, as well as tolls, street merchants, and yes, motorbikes. We started the day by climbing to the top of a hill overlooking Vung Tao, where a giant statue of…

After eating bowl of Pho at one of Saigon’s best restaurants that specializes in the famous national dish, we headed to Glass Egg Digital Media, a technology company that specializes in building 3D models for objects, such as cars, in video games.  There most famous contracts include all the “Forza” games, “Call of Duty: Black…

Today at UEF, we were provided a lecture by an academic professor that described the history of Vietnam, as well as the implications that came with the transition of power after the fall of Saigon in 1975.  Two things that stood out, involving economic stability in Vietnam, were the low wages that the majority of…

Today at UEF, we were provided a lecture by an academic professor that described the history of Vietnam, as well as the implications that came with the transition of power after the fall of Saigon in 1975.  Two things that stood out, involving economic stability in Vietnam, were the low wages that the majority of…

Hi, my name is Colin and I am excited to join you all for our Plus 3 program in Vietnam. Traveling around the globe is one of the best ways to meet new people, empathize with other cultures, and be pushed out of your personal comfort zone.  Naturally,  I was psyched to be accepted for…