Many people on my program have been saying that they can’t believe our time in Vietnam is almost over and that we’re headed to Morocco in less than a week. Although time does fly when you’re having fun, my Vietnam experience has been so jam-packed with different activities and places that I also sometimes feel like a whole semester has passed already! One of the most important parts of my time in Hoi An has been my homestay. I had…
When I heard that I had a window seat for my 14-hour flight from San Francisco to Taipei on my way to Vietnam, I could barely contain my excitement. I was going to get to see the sun reflect off the beautiful Pacific Ocean as I left the continent for the first time, maybe even spot Hawaii! My excitement wasn’t dimmed by darkness as we left San Francisco; the moon was beautiful, and a 14-hour flight would surely involve some…
I can picture you reading this back at home, wrapped up in a sweater or scarf, sipping on a cup of hot apple cider, as red and yellow leaves slowly waft down outside the window. Ah, fall in New England! It’s still hot and humid back here in Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh, and I am even sunburned from our weekend trip to Mũi Né. But all is well, and the time is flying by. After our trip in the…
Life in Vietnam transpires in the streets. Families and shopkeepers enjoy people watching from their stoops, while men and women sell produce or consumer goods from baskets balanced on their heads or makeshift markets laid out on the sidewalk. There appears to be a general disregard for traffic laws, and most people get around by motorbikes that can hold one or two passengers – or an entire family with a child balanced on a parent’s shoulders. I will be the…
When I tell people that I will be leaving to study in Vietnam for a semester, I am usually met with disbelief. “Oh my goodness, why?” everyone asks. “Will it be safe?” one says skeptically. If someone is feeling particularly diplomatic, she might say, “Well, at least the food will be good.” My response is just as terrible. I give a cowardly shrug, put on a fake grin and say apologetically, “I know, crazy right?” I usually top it off…