Vietnam study abroad 2015

Upon arriving in Vietnam I quickly realized that the Vietnam I had been picturing was very different from what it actually is. Drawing from Paradise of the Blind I had pictured a very underdeveloped country, with dirt roads, villages with very crowded housing and little shops. I did not expect Hanoi to have a city atmosphere flooded with mopeds, cars, buses, and people everywhere. I am continually shocked seeing the amount of people spending their days on the streets, either cooking, trying to shine tourists shoes, or selling various items. Although, the chaos that the combination of these factors creates in Hanoi is the exact opposite of what I expected, the characteristics observed in the communities along the highways did in fact depict my previous expectations. These expectations were merely surface level, I did not know what I would see in terms of people, specifically in the work place. While visiting the pottery shop, I was shocked to see the conditions of the shop as well as the way the people were working. The patience and hardwork of all the workers was something, I think, would be rare to see in the US. Without a complaint the workers sat on the floor, breathing fumes, while doing their assigned task over and over again until the quota was met. An example of this is a group of women tediously painting the pottery, once they were done with one they immediatly put it down and picked up another. This patience can be seen in the Vietnamese people doing all types of work. Another example of this is the people selling goods on the side of the highway. Their income is based mainly off of purchases made by tourists who choose to stop and buy their things. No matter how many tourists decide to stop, the people must sit in their shops all day and wait patiently for a customer. I am excited to see if this trait continues to be so prominent throughout the country as we travel further south.

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I have always been a person fascinated by culture. The lifestyles and perspectives of the Vietnamese population are not only interesting, but eye opening as well. Although I have traveled numerous times to diverse places, nothing has taken me by surprise as much as Vietnam has. The people, the food, the atmosphere, the work ethic and the everyday social norms of Hanoi all contribute to the country’s uniqueness. As I stepped outside the hotel, I was immediately struck by the overwhelming activity taking place. Hundreds of motorbikes covered the road as vendors engulfed the sidewalks. There was so much to take in at once, that I needed a minute to collect my thoughts. While collecting my thoughts, I was bombarded by a persistent street vendor selling a random assortment of souvenirs. It wasn’t her persistence that struck me, but rather how she carried her souvenirs. All of the weight was put on her shoulders from a bamboo piece that held two weaved baskets. The two baskets must have weighed at least twenty pounds. It was then that I realized how hard it is to make a living. The expression “breaking backs” has never rang more true. These individuals’ livelihoods are dependent upon tourists like us. I was taken back by the large population of women who earned their living this way.

After being shocked by the grueling lifestyle of street vendors, my attention immediately turned to these tiny plastic tables and chairs. They seemed so random, but as I watched numerous locals gather with friends or family chowing down on pho, a staple noodle soup in Hanoi, I became so intrigued. Who would have ever thought that child size plastic seating would be the place to be as a Hanoi local.

Nothing was as overwhelming as crossing the street though. Safety is not something that is prioritized here. Motorcyclists do not stop for pedestrians. They ride until they are a nerve-wracking inch or two away from pedestrians or fellow motorcyclists. Cars are not as common and the speed limit is quite low. Motorbikes crowd the streets and even the shopping alleyways. There is no respect for walkers. Although many might find this bike population to be overwhelming and chaotic, I find it to be a fascinating whirlwind. It adds to Hanoi’s pulsating energy.

The thrill of crossing the street is calmed by the friendliness of the people. Despite the language barrier, the Hanoi locals make you feel welcomed and appreciated. Their smiles and eagerness to communicate prove Vietnam’s uniqueness. Majority of locals spend their entire day trying to make a sale. According to the Women’s Museum, some wake up as early as four in the morning to go to the markets to have the freshest supplies ready for the day. They usually do not return home until everything is sold. You would expect them to be miserable, but they are nothing less than happy, optimistic individuals. The Hanoi locals are just as fascinated by us as we are them. They love practicing their English and getting to know the American culture, just as much as we want to learn theirs.

Life in Hanoi is unlike anything I have ever experienced. From visiting Ho Chi Minh’s mausoleum to exploring the ceramic factory, it is clear to see that Vietnam has a rich history. Hanoi is chaotic, fun, and breathtaking all at once. To say it is eye opening would be an understatement.

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After my first few days in Vietmam, it’s safe to say culture shock is definitely real. Although I have traveled before, nothing can compare to the things I have seen here. The streets are overwhelming, the sky is constantly hazy and the food is totally unique yet it’s the people I have encountered that have really blown me away. The attitudes and work ethic of the Vietnamese people has opened my eyes to the comittment and strength humans are capable of. On multiple occasions I have seen people working endlessly in their shops or on the street in hopes making just one sale or having one customer. When I visted the Indigo Dying Factory, there was a room of deaf and mute workers doing back breaking work for the entire day. The conditions were subpar and the hours long. When it was our turn to try completing their daily work, we lasted no more than 10 minutes until we were complaining about our backs hurting or arms getting tired. What struck me the most was the constant smile on the workers faces. They seemed thrilled not only to have a set job with steady pay. They were even more excited to see us, teach their trade and show off their products. In the United States, individuals would never go though their labor with this thankful and cheery attitude. In Vietnam, complaining is unheard of and skimping out on work is a foreign idea. This was a polar opposite to the stereotypical lazy American I am used to. I was utterly impressed with their work ethic but also felt a tinge of guilt because I would never want to be in their position. This epririence has made me more thankful when I reflect on all of the material goods I purchase. A scaf is no longer a scarf but a beautiful piece of art someone far away toiled over for hours. I have profound respect for the people of Vietnam I have encountered and can only hope that some of their positive attributes will rub off on me in the future.

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I cannot believe that I am in Vietnam. It has been a dream of mine to travel here. Growing up, I used to watch the history channel daily and would watch specials on the Vietnam War. The programs sparked my interest about this foreign country, specifically the geography. Now that I can finally experience the terrain in person I am absolutely blown away. I have never seen such extreme rock formations with such thick vegetation juxtaposed by marshy fields. When I went on the excursion to the Bai Dinh Pagoda, I thought it was the most beautiful place I had ever seen. The complex was ornate and enormous, spreading over several square miles in the mountains and overlooked lakes and rivers. I found myself thinking I was taking the best picture I have ever taken. Then two minutes later I found myself thinking the same thing again. It has become a repeated process ever since because just when I thought nothing could be more beautiful than the Bai Dinh, we visited Ha Long Bay. Ha Long Bay was equally as beautiful as Bai Dinh in its own unique way. With the hundreds of mountain-like islands towering over and all around our boat I felt like I was in another world, like in the movie avatar or in Jurassic park, especially with the mood that the cloudy and foggy weather set. Yet again I found myself stopping with my jaw dropped trying to soak the beauty of it all in. Then when I thought Ha Long Bay could not have gotten any better, we visited the Sung Sot Cave. It was the largest cave I have ever been in and once again the rock formations, with all the stalagmites and stalactites, blew me away. I have already taken over 400 photos of this stunning country. The longer I stay in Vietnam everything seems to only get better. Its beauty continuously blows me away. I cannot wait for what Vietnam will continue to surprise me with when we are in Hoi An, Ho Chi Minh, and the Mekong Delta.

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The moment I took my first steps outside of the hotel in Hanoi I have been provided me with an opportunity to explore a completely different culture and society than what I am accustomed to back home. Prior to my Vietnam departure, I considered myself fairly prepared for what I was about to encounter. However, after spending time in Hanoi I have been taken about by what I was exposed to in their culture such as the complexity of crossing chaotic streets to the amount of street food vendors.

I also found it fascinating how the gender roles in the work force. During our time at the CET classroom, the guest speaker discussed how women predominately worked in fields, such as accounting, finance, and banking. I found this especially astonishing in contrast to the United States. In the United States it is surprising to find females dominating the business work force. As a woman pursuing a career in finance, I have observed from my internships how male dominance is prominent in most finance jobs. This difference has allowed for a deeper insight not only on Vietnamese employment but also their culture.

Another aspect of Hanoi that I found fascinating was the preservation of Ho Chi Minh’s body. When visiting the mausoleum, I had my hands in my pocket without thought, and was asked to remove them. This request demonstrated not only how revered Ho Chi Minh was and respected, but how all visitors should show respect him as well. Additionally, it was incredible to discover what amazing condition the body was in, despite his preservation being against his will. I was in awe to discover that no one knows what is keeping him preserved as well. This preservation displays the high level of respect that the Vietnamese have towards Ho Chi Minh and his modest character. Despite the United States having rememberable presidents and leaders, none of their body’s have been preserved or have been viewed the same level of respect by the entire US population as Ho Chi Minh.

Even though we were were in Hanoi approximately one week the difference in our cultures has become extremely evident. Thus far, I have formed a deep appreciation for Vietnam and its culture and have enjoyed the beauty that the country has to offer. I am looking forward to the remaining part of my trip and more of what I will experience. I feel privileged to be apart of the trip and have learned more than I could have imagined.

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Coming to vietnam was my first time traveling out of the country so I had very few expectations for the culture shock of traveling to a foreign country. From the very first time we stepped out of the hotel onto the busy Hanoi street I felt immersed in the Vietnamese culture. The fast paced and loud environment of the country’s capital was very new to me and was at first very overwhelming. The streets in Hanoi were the first thing that took me by surprise. The racing motorbikes and cars made crossing the street a near death experience each time. To foreigners this somewhat lawless driving and street traffic seems dangerous and unimaginable. I was amazed at how despite the chaos on each street I did not see a single traffic accident while in Hanoi. It’s as if there is a pattern or rhythm amongst the craziness that the locals are used to that tourists can’t even begin to comprehend.

If I wasn’t trying to avoid being hit while crossing the street I was busy observing the hundreds of street vendors and small shops. In a way the small stores reminded me of New York City and how similar to pizza shops in that American city, there are an immeasurable amount of street shops selling pho and other Vietnamese dishes. These small shops that line the street seem to be organized by the product they are selling. From a line of shoe stores to even multiple shops dedicated to selling buttons, the city seems to have specific streets or sections dedicated to the same product. This observation was especially interesting to me as the set up of stores is much different than in America. Back home competing stores that sell similar if not identical products will want to be spread out through out an area. It is very interesting and kind of awkward to see competing stores placed only inches away from each other on the streets of hanoi. I wonder if the employees of these shops ever feel weird about trying to sell the exact same thing as their neighbor. I can only imagine that this close proximity can make competition for customers even more intense.

The experience that impacted me the most during our time in Hanoi was outside of the busy city at the Bai Dinh pagoda. This day trip was the perfect break from the craziness of the city and was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. My grandma practices Buddhism and I have recently been considering converting to the Buddhist religion so seeing this massive series of temples was really special to me. Photos can not do it justice as this massive structure just seemed to keep on going up the mountain. I was left speechless by the amount of detail put into each temple and Buddha statue. Our time spent at the pagoda was perfect for some self reflection and thought as our stay in Hanoi was coming to an end. I loved the city of Hanoi and all of the culture and amazing food it had to offer, but the breathtaking view from the top of the Bai Dinh pagoda was like nothing I had ever seen before.

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When I stepped out of the hotel the first morning in Hanoi I found myself immediately immersed in the Vietnamese culture. The hustle and bustle of the streets was an overwhelming but exhilarating sight. I had to take a moment to step back and take it all in. This first moment in Vietnam has made me think about the differences in city life between Hanoi and Boston.

As I walked into the center of Hanoi, I found myself surrounded by lots of people, traffic and commotion; the sounds and smells were all so new to me. Here I was really able to get a taste of what Hanoi was like. You can learn so much about a city by just standing on the streets and observing what is going on around you. The streets in Hanoi are chaotic, there are hundreds of people speeding by on motorbikes. I quickly noticed that motorbikes were definitely the most popular mode of transportation. People of all different ages were driving them. Both men and women and even young kids were riding on the back with their parents. I also noticed that many of the women that drove motorbikes were even wearing heals!! This is something that really took me by surprise.

In Boston, motorbikes are popular but not nearly to the extent that they are here. People drive cars but mostly people use the subway and other modes of public transportation. This is definitely a big difference between the two cities. In Hanoi there does not seem to be a lot of options for public transportation. You see many people walking, biking and using motorbikes but I have not seen any trains, subways or busses to travel around the city.
The shops in Hanoi line the streets! But many of these shops are more geared toward the tourists than the local people who live in the city. As you walk down the side streets you pass many stores that are selling rice hats, Buddha statues and t-shirts that say Vietnam on them. These stores are directly depending on the tourists in order for them to make a profit. I was able to see how dependent the city is on tourism to help their economy. Tourism is a great source of income for this city and you can quickly see this just by walking through the streets. Hanoi is a vibrant city that is filled with so much history. I have loved being able to experience the different culture by walking on the streets, eating the food and talking to the locals.

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When we first arrived in Hanoi, I was initially fascinated by the hectic nature of the city. Everywhere I looked, I saw a pack of mopeds, with anywhere from one to four people on the back. It is interesting to compare the street traffic to that of America because we are so used to cross walks and having the right of way as a pedestrian. Meanwhile, in Hanoi, we had to run across the street dodging the vehicles.

I was also intrigued by the amount of shops on the streets and how many people walked around trying to sell things to you, especially fruit. It added to the busyness of the city because everywhere you turned, something was going on. I remember our first time leaving the hotel, a man came up to one of the girls in my group and bent down to try to fix her shoe and get her to pay which took us by surprise because something like that would never happen in America.

Another thing I noticed about Hanoi was that at any hour of the day you would see people sitting on the streets on their little stools in groups of people eating and talking. It was odd to me at first because in America the only people we see sitting on the streets in cities are homeless people, besides that, everyone is just walking to get to where they need to be. Being in this city really made me appreciate the sidewalks in America. Here, you can barely walk on them as they are filled with parked mopeds, trees growing out of them and people sitting around. So because of this, we have done a lot of walking on the streets which then causes us to have to be very aware of our surroundings. It amazes me how I have not seen an accident yet because of how crazy the streets can get. I began to notice that the drivers don’t really pay attention to lanes and communicate much more with their horns. For example, they seem to be used more in an everyday and friendly manner than in America.

I have noticed that wherever we walk, the locals will stare at us which makes me think that it is rare for them to see people of other ethnicities. This is interesting to me because America is known as a melting pot, so if we were to see someone who was from another country, we wouldn’t even think twice about it where as here they stop us and ask where we are from and seem almost stunned to see us walking around.

However after being in the city for almost a week, I am starting to feel more adjusted to the different style of life in Hanoi and have truly been able to appreciate the beauty and excitement that it has to offer.

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One of the most profound things to me in Vietnamese society is the drive people have to work. In the United States many people are complacent with collecting welfare and living off the system. I would never encounter workers doing the things that certain Vietnamese do to make money. This topic struck my interest on our third day in Vietnam. It was raining and I left the hotel looking for something to eat. About a block away from the hotel, a woman was squatting next to a tiny cooker under an umbrella. She was cooking egg to put in a baguette sandwich for a little boy. I walked by this without the intention of having a sandwich for dinner, but the thought of this lady under an umbrella over her tiny cooker in the rain brought a change of heart. I could not walk past this without supporting a woman working in a condition as that, just to make 20,000 dong for a sandwich. The closest I could relate this to would be people in the United States selling water bottles for a dollar, which requires no labor on their part to produce. Seeing a lady huddle under an umbrella selling these sandwiches for less than a dollar in the rain struck me. I stopped and asked for a sandwich, not because I was hungry, but because I had so much respect for someone willing to work as she did just to make 20,000 dong. The sandwich ended up being very tasty but I wouldn’t have cared if it tasted terrible, I was just happy to support someone working as hard as her. I have the utmost respect for those willing to do whatever it takes to support themselves and their families. This drive to work for ever dollar is evident in Vietnamese society and I can’t admire that aspect of their culture enough.

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As soon as we arrived in Hanoi, I knew I was in for an adventure. The city is both vibrant and unique, with people hustling down the street on motor bikes or selling to pedestrians from their shops. What has struck me most  has been the respect of the Vietnamese towards american tourists. I have noticed that all of our interactions with locals and businesspeople have been positive. They are excited to talk to us and teach us about their country, and they thrive off of their interactions with us.

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