One thing that has continuously been on my mind throughout our time in Hanoi is the lack of care for quality. On the streets, people drink water they know is polluted and contaminated, cook food without a way to store and preserve the ingredients, yet it doesn’t bother them. It doesn’t quite make sense why Vietnam wants to expedite their development and recognition on a global basis, but they ignore the simple things that go a long way in increasing quality. When traveling out to the temples and tours, it became even more evident that Vietnam simply lacks quality standards across the board. One instance where this was displayed was when I was looking out the window on the bus and saw a rice paddy field or some sort of cultivation area next to a dump with tons of trash on one side, and a graveyard on the other. Not only is that not sanitary, but it diminishes the quality of those agricultural products, which eventually is sold on the street to local citizens. I was shocked because Vietnam is a developing country, but I don’t think space is the issue, so is it that hard to use a piece of property for proper disposal methods where it won’t pollute the water and crops surrounding it? Most developed countries, regardless of their geographical location and climates, are able to have a stable and clean water supply, which increases the quality of their living standards.

Another instance where this was very clear was at the actual temples housing the massive Buddha and Confucius statues. The entire place is and can be a major tourist attraction that would bring in significant income, yet there was just a ton of buildings, fields, and fountains under construction, but nowhere near completion. The best way to describe it is a magnificent view and knowledgeable experience of the history and culture of Vietnam plagued with abandoned Catapillar trucks and piles of workers lunch trash. Although it was mildly overcast, I have seen buildings be built in harsh conditions so why aren’t the Vietnamese itching to complete these projects? It is only beneficial to all of them.

The reason I found both of these instances quite astounding was because Vietnam is a developing country with profound potential, as they possess all of the pieces of the puzzle. In an economic sense, people associate high quality with a high marginal benefit, meaning their experience was enhanced because of the quality. I think it’s fair to assume that if the temples had precious green fields with glistening fountains and completed the buildings with an elegance raising the “wow” factor of a tourist, then one can reasonably assume the temples would get more tourists, and income would dramatically increase. If the amount of trash was limited and trash disposal procedures could be restructured to where they don’t overflow and pollute into agricultural fields, then the quality of those crops increase, meaning their “street value” increases, putting more money into vendors pockets. It could also increase the overall appearance of the countryside, yet again increasing the “wow” factor, making it more attractive. I am looking forward to seeing if this is a common thing throughout all of Vietnam or if it is just in Hanoi.

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Throughout this past week I have felt astonished, moved and inspired by the incredible city of Hanoi and it’s surrounding villages. Whether its the time we paid respect to Vietnam’s leader Ho Chi Minh, or visited the economic capital at the Hanoi Stock Exchange, it’s amazing to experience a culture that blends tradition with modernization.

Some of the most eye-opening experiences are the ones that I have found just exploring the streets of Hanoi and observing the daily lives of the natives. Everything that the Vietnamese people do serves a purpose. Whether it’s for trade, or just to support their own family. Every individual has a skill, an interest or a talent that adds value to their community. For example, when we traveled through the weekend local market in Hanoi each vendor offered something unique to keep up with the demand of the people. Colorful arrays of fruits, vegetables and spices lined the streets, while fisherman served the freshest of seafood that would remain swimming up until it was purchased.

However, even if you are not a farmer, every individual has a trade that they can offer to the rest of the community. For example, when we visited a local pottery village we learned how each piece of art was made, painted and designed to be sold to the market. Having the opportunity to see the workers begin a project from beginning to end was incredibly inspiring. The amount of patience, dedication and skill gave me a deeper appreciation for their work and the products that I have in my own home.

A similar experience happened when we visited a local ink dying shop where workers hand sew, dye and create clothing from scratch every day. As we learned how we would make our own scarves, we watched the rows of seamstresses put together shirts, pants, dresses and scarves all by hand. Once the sewing is complete, the shop creates homemade indigo ink that is used to color and design the clothing. Most people can remember making a tie-dye shirt throughout their childhood, but learning how to create this scarf was one of the most difficult arts and crafts projects I have ever participated in. Similar to the pottery village, the project made me realize how much time and effort goes in to the creation of something as simple as a scarf.

However, no matter what the trade, people are proud to share their skills with the rest of the community. Their dedication to quality and their strong traditional ties creates a sense of honor and unity throughout Hanoi that I haven’t seen anywhere else in the world.

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Being in Vietnam has allowed me to gain a strong perspective on the difference in our two cultures. I have never been out of the States before, so I haven’t had the opportunity to be immersed in a completely different culture, other than my own. After only being here for a week, I have seen many different things that have opened my eyes to how different life is here. I was worried that when I got here I was going to be overwhelmed and not enjoy myself. I’ve lived in a “bubble” my whole life and have only been able to judge other lifestyles based off of what I hear or what I see on TV. Now that I am actually here, it has changed my whole outlook. Whether it is the craziness of driving on the roads, eating the delicious, abstract food that Vietnam has to offer, or seeing how happy people are with such little material goods, I have gained a deep appreciation for the little things that are in my life.
Coming into this peculiar country and fearing the unknown forced me to step out of my comfort zone for the first time in my life. This country has already been so good to me, which has allowed me to feel comfortable again and feel at home. When I walk around the streets and see people squatting over little tables and eating with their family/friends, laughing and enjoying life, it made me realize there is much more to happiness than luxury goods and money.
Another moment that caught me off guard was when we were at the mausoleum and all the little Vietnamese children walked by us and waved and said hello. Just that simple gesture of the children saying hello made me feel more welcomed and showed me there is nothing to be scared of in this country. I am very excited to see what else Vietnam has to offer and how it will help me develop as a person.

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The past few days in Hanoi have been amazing. I love traveling and visiting Vietnam has let me look into and experience a whole other country, its people and their culture. There is a completely different feel here. From the bustling streets with thousands of motorcycles and vendors to the vast farmland, Vietnam has it all. It is truly an experience to walk down the streets of Hanoi. There are people cooking and eating in the middle of the sidewalks at low tables, dogs and chickens running around, and the rows upon rows of parked motorcycles. When you look up, the architecture is very unique. The faces of the buildings are very narrow and tall, but go back very far. There are multiple balconies and houses on top of each other. People could jump from one balcony to another for miles along the roads. It’s seems that the top floors are homes while the bottom floors are the shops that they own. I think that the architecture of the buildings here is one of the things that makes Vietnam stand out from other countries.

The food in Vietnam has been spectacular as well and is another reason why people come to visit. Their food is world famous and nobody else can make it as good. I eat a lot of vietnamese food at home and it is vastly different. I thought I knew kind of what to expect, but I learned that you can never really know fully until you experience it yourself.

The first day in Hanoi I ate at a place called Pho 10 and got beef pho (chìn). It was prepared differently than I usually eat it at home. At home I just receive a bowl of pho with the beef already in it cooked. In Hanoi they prepare really thin slices of raw beef that cook in the soup when they put it in. I found this really interesting. I found that cooking the meat in the broth with the noodles, scallions and onions gave it more flavor and made it a better dish overall. Bùn is also another dish I eat at home regularly and I think the way they present it here is more fun and makes the visual appearance more interesting. At home bùn is usually a bowl of vermicelli noodles top with carrots, cucumber, cilantro, grilled pork, lettuce, and a spring roll. Then fish sauce on the side that is meant to be poured over the dish. At a restaurant I ate in a couple of nights ago I ordered bùn and the noodles came separately in a basket on a piece of lettuce. The grilled pork was already in the fish sauce with onions and spices. There was mint and cilantro in a pile on the other side of the weaved plate. I didn’t really know how to go about the dish because I have never seen bùn deconstructed like that. Once I had a plan of attack on how to eat it I noticed that the fish sauce and meat was really spicy, unlike the fish sauce at home that was sweeter and lighter in color. The bùn here didn’t have the cucumber or carrots either which surprised me because they are all about fresh vegetables and herbs. The food here is so fresh and light that I am never really full.

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Upon visiting the pottery and ceramic workshop, I found it absolutely mind-boggling that these men and women work hard, long, labor-intensive hours hand-making such incredible pieces of artwork, when in return, they sell these pieces at such a low cost. As our guide was walking us through the steps it takes in order to complete a piece, starting with transporting the clay and keeping it moist in the factory to adding the finishing glaze and firing it in the kilm making it showroom ready, I was intrigued as to how much they sold each finished product for. In addition, watching the level of precision the women painted with, I assumed that even the simplest looking mug or teacup would be sold at somewhat similar prices as to those we see in the US, or at least more expensive than the equivalent of $2.

Therefore, when we came to the last stop of the factory tour, the showroom, I was intrigued, and somewhat saddened for the workers, to see that a vase the height of me, painted in such extreme detail, was less than 2 million dong, which is equivalent to less than $100. These craftsmen bend over backwards on the detail and precision they put into their art and yet their hard work barely seems worth the $2 reward. Therefore, I can honestly say that I walked out of that factory and showroom completely shocked that such intricate ceramic and pottery pieces are sold for nearly nothing after seeing with my own eyes how much labor it took to complete each and every piece.

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