Một Hai Ba, Yo!

           Today we played a basketball and soccer game against the UEF students. We took a bus over to their gym (which was ungodly hot as it was open to the outside) and started warming up. Little did we know, we were going to be playing the UEF boys’ basketball team and boys’ soccer team in our games. We thought that we would be playing the students rather than actual, organized teams. Oh well.

Snowball and Evan needed a pre-game nap to get in the

right mindset. Their enthusiasm was spectacular.

            We played the basketball game first. Let’s just say, we are NOT the Dream Team. Nor will be confused with them anytime, ever. In fact, I am 90 percent sure that we could have been beaten by my 8^th grade basketball team. At any rate, the UEF team beat us (unsurprisingly). It was a lot of fun, but almost immediately, everybody was dripping with sweat.

            Once the basketball game ended, the soccer game began. That game was much more in our favor. In fact, we outscored the UEF kids by quite a bit. In fairness, it was 5v5 and there were only two soccer players from the boys’ team on the field/court at one time. The UEF students filled in the other positions. We ended up scoring multiple goals and I even had a nice upper 90 goal, but let’s be real, we knew I was going to score.  ;)

            After the game we exchanged gifts with our Vietnamese friends and took a whole bunch of disgustingly sweaty pictures. We then went to get lunch at some pho restaurant. It was alright. After we ate, we went back to the hotel where I immediately jumped in the pool. (Immediately is a figure of speech. I actually changed into a bathing suit pre-jump.) I then got out and went to the Ben Thanh Market one last time to get rid of some of my excess Vietnamese dong. Looks like everybody is getting a present back home. Hooray!

            Before dinner, we got dressed up and took pictures in the lobby with our Vietnamese professor and some UEF students. We then took a bus ride over to dinner. Our dinner was on a boat on the Saigon River.

           

This was not our boat. (Actually a 6-star hotel under

construction currently)

This was. Still pretty decent I'd say.

We ate dinner and cruised along the river with pretty spectacular light displays and buildings. The city is very pretty at night!

The Stark Tower on the left (not really) and the 

Vietnamese flag on the building to the right. (Part of

the building's light show)

I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to meet all of these great people and to have these experiences, but that will be a separate post. Tonight was a lot of fun. It was definitely a great finish to this amazing journey! Now it’s time to pack and avoid sleeping until we catch the plane at 3AM. Cheers Vietnam!

Team Tests, Pagodas, and Gummies

           Today was our last day of classes while in Vietnam. We started with the Vietnamese Culture class and learned about Vietnam’s version of Yin-Yang. It is very similar to the Chinese version dealing with balance. The only difference is the symbols used to describe them. The whole philosophy of Yin and Yang relates to the balance of life. When there are ups, there must be equal downs to balance the world. It was quite interesting how Vietnamese culture relates it to everyday life.

            After culture class, we had our last language class where we did a lot of speaking. We gathered into groups and had an oral exam. Surprisingly, when you put five American students together in a group to speak Vietnamese, it still takes three Vietnamese students to help them through it.

            We finished our last language class and headed over to the cantina to eat our last lunch there. It was mainly shrimp and I was happy about that. Sadly, I probably won’t ever eat there again. Here’s a picture of Snowball to cheer you up:

Zoom in on his tongue. I did.

            Once we ate our lunch, we then walked over to the Xa Loi Pagoda. This pagoda is important to our history because it was made famous by the Vietnam War. A monk from this pagoda set himself ablaze in protest of the South Vietnamese government’s treatment of the people. This was mainly because they were discriminating against the Buddhists in South Vietnam. We then walked over to the memorial statue of Thich Quang Duc (the monk). The memorial was beautiful, but I cannot imagine how the people felt about their procession to his self-immolation during wartime.

Buddha shrine inside the pagoda.

Thich Quang Duc memorial statue.

Carving of famous scene of Thich Quang Duc's self-immolation.

            After the memorial, we walked to the War Remnants Museum. This felt very weird going into as an American. The way that Americans were portrayed in the museum was quite insulting. I understand that war is not pretty, but the museum seemed to only show pieces that painted a terrible image for Americans. One of the rooms was dedicated to the effects of Agent Orange. I didn’t stay in that room long because the images were very graphic and disturbing. I didn’t really like the museum and left rather quickly.

            After we left the museum, some of us headed back to the hotel and went swimming. I later went to the co-op (a store) and got a bunch of gummies. I like gummies. I’m saving some for the plane ride home.

Iron Chef Vietnam

           Today we got to wake up late and it was phenomenal! I had Oreos and peanut butter for breakfast because I slept through the breakfast bar. Honestly, I’m not mad. We got on the bus to go over to a cooking class. Little did I know, the class was being held at a 5-star Vietnamese hotel. We rolled up in the bus and walked into the lobby and said, “Woah!” (Yanno, like how you would react when walking into a 5-star hotel.)

The chandelier makes it fancy.

            Our class consisted of learning how to make two types of spring rolls. One was a spring roll that had shrimp and some vegetables on rice paper that did not need to be cooked. I don’t like that kind of spring roll. The rice paper tastes like plastic. The other roll was made on green bean paper and had pork and mushrooms in it. This spring roll needed to be fried. I liked that one.

This is my spring roll. I'm coming for you Ramsay.

            After our cooking class, we were allowed to eat anything at the buffet in the hotel. The chef also cooked our spring rolls for us. In the buffet, there were many classic Vietnamese foods as well as many random foods from all over the world. There was also a dessert bar. Fat Chris showed up in Vietnam today.

This is how I looked down at the dessert bar.

If you look closely there is a sausage on the plate.

This is why we don't take Snowball to nice places.

            After I ate my body weight in every kind of dessert you can think of, we went back to the hotel to change. We then went to the Saigon Newport Corporation, a shipping company. There we were briefed on what they did and whom they shipped their cargo to. We then toured the facility and went home.

The shipping yard had maybe 8 or 9 crates in it. Maybe 10.

            Once we got back to the hotel, some of us went back to Ben Thanh Market. I’ve gotten pretty good at bartering in Vietnamese. I got some good deals for both Aster and me. In all honesty though, I probably got cheated. I guess that shows a good deal. If both people feel they got the better end of the deal then they both win! Hooray! After the market, we went back to the hotel and then swam in the pool. End of story!

Models, Bread, and Naps

           Waking up early has become the norm. Thankfully tomorrow we get to sleep in until almost 9! On today’s agenda, we had two company visits, but otherwise we were free afterwards. We took a bus to the Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Park (VSIP) where both of our visits were to take place. The first company was VSIP itself. We were briefed about what it was and how it operates. Essentially, they purchase land and get contracts from the government, and build factories for companies to purchase and utilize. They also provide residential living areas in another portion of the park. VSIP actually has three locations across Vietnam. One near Hanoi, one in the center of Vietnam, and one near Ho Chi Minh City.

This is a model of the VSIP Phase II Industrial Park

that includes the residential area.

            Our second company visit was to II-VI, a laser and chip manufacturing company that has a location inside the industrial park. The CEO of II-VI is actually a University of Pittsburgh graduate. We learned of the many companies that they make products for which includes many military based businesses. After the presentation, we were taken on a tour of their production facility, which was interesting…probably. Honestly, I don’t really know what I saw.

Part of the assembly process in II-VI

            We then were taken over to a restaurant where the food was similar to food I could find in America. Thank God! I needed a break from Vietnamese food. They even had bread there. I love bread! We finished eating and got on the bus to head back to the hotel. I am pretty sure everybody slept on the ride back. It was wonderful. We have the rest of the day free to ourselves. Some of us swam in the pool and then I took a nap. Glorious day in my book!

MMM Bread

Sleepball

"Excuse me, Handsome Man!"

         Today was a pretty uneventful day. In the morning, we went to language class where we reviewed numbers and how to barter in Vietnamese. This was all done in preparation for our time at the Ben Thanh Market. Once language class was over, we went directly to the market where we had a trial by fire. (Luckily, the UEF students came with us.) We walked around the market looking for gifts and souvenirs while market ladies bombarded us with clothes, trinkets, and sunglasses. Especially sunglasses! It turns out that I am a handsome man. Just ask literally any lady that sells clothes at that market. Apparently, I would also look very good in every shirt in the place! Who knew?

This is the outside of market.

            With the help of my Vietnamese friend, Vy, I was able to barter all of the prices and get pretty good deals on the items that I bought. Vy saved me probably half of my money. I highly recommend her! The only downside to the market was the fact that while Vietnam is quite humid normally, the market is inside and pretty much acts as an oven. I’m alive though.

            After the market, we went back to the hotel where we got ready for a company visit to Vina Capital Foundation. There they talked about how, as an NGO, they help raise money by investing and use that money to help poor children across Vietnam. It was a very interesting business plan that actually spread across two different companies in order to make it work. Regardless, the work that they do is quite helpful to the impoverished people of Vietnam.

            We arrived back at the hotel after the site visit and Akhil, Jeff, Malik, and I decided to go to McDonald’s for some American food. It was the BEST McDonald’s I have EVER had! It also looked like what the pictures look like and that amazed me. Take a look:

Is this not the best looking McDonald's burger 

you've ever seen?

            Around 7:30 we decided to meet the rest of the group at a karaoke place where I saw some things that I may never be able to unsee…

This is Kate, our Vietnamese MC.

Plot twist.

You're welcome for those nightmares.