Today, we embarked on a history tour through the city, visiting many cultural spots and museums. We began the day by touring a pagoda where we learned about Buddhism and explored their place of worship. We were taught many Buddhist customs such as bowing and removing footwear inside the pagoda. While the pagoda was fascinating,…
Tag: Simon Thompson
Coherent and much more
After our long and very hot weekend, the group had to really rally to get ready for the day. Five site visits and 110-degree heat were in store for us today, and we somehow made it back at the end of the day with smiles. Our day started early at Coherent with an in-depth tour…
When it’s hot, go under ground: An unforgettable weekend in Vietnam.
Over our first and only weekend, we embarked on some awesome adventures. We began Saturday with a long bus ride to Vung Tau, where we first climbed a small mountain to see a massive Jesus statue reminiscent of Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro. The ascent consisted of over 800 steps plus some additional…
Learning about sustainability at GreenViet
Today, we toured a sustainability company called Green Viet. Green Viet focuses on optimizing buildings to lower energy costs and decrease carbon emissions. The co-founder, Mr. Quang, spoke mainly about how “network is net worth.” He emphasized the importance of creating a startup and having loyal friends who will endorse both your company and you…
Capitalizing on our time at Vina
Day 4: Today, we switched our schedule around and got to sleep in a bit before embarking on our site visit before lunch. During our visit, Rad Kivette, the CEO, thoroughly explained the many issues that rural Vietnam faces, particularly those affecting girls in these farming areas. In these small villages, girls are often abused…
An imPECCable time in Saigon
On day three in Saigon, we were granted a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get a private tour of one of Vietnam’s largest power producers. The company, PECC2, primarily focuses on renewable energy. In most nations worldwide, the main supplier of power is generated by coal firing, which is not sustainable and emits many harmful emissions into…
Day 2 Saigon
Saigon day 2 Today’s experience differed vastly from our first day. Rather than spending the majority of our time at UEF we ventured off into the industrial district to experience our first site tour. We toured a very popular manufacturing plant known as TTT Corp. While on site I experienced many shocking events and a…
Day 1: Vietnam
Day 1 in Vietnam, For our first day in Country myself and the group experienced a lot of culture shock and this started at breakfast. Rather than pastries and cereal which is normal for a hotel breakfast we were served noodles and braised chicken. This theme continued at our lunch, which was served family style…
Introduction: Simon Thompson
Hi Everyone, my name is Simon Thompson, and I am a freshman here at Pitt, majoring in Supply Chain Management and Marketing. Originally, I am from Westfield, NJ, a small suburb about 30 minutes outside New York City. My sister attended Pitt and graduated last year. Her love for this school was a big reason…