Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Greetings from Vietnam!

We have landed and started our first day. The journey here was long but interesting. As we traveled I noted some of the ways in which the airline attempted to ease our transition into a new country. Food was one crucial way to do this. Our first meal consisted of a choice of a more typically asian dish--terriayke or a classic american dish--meat loaf. Our next meal was "chinese noodles in a bowl."

Another interesting travel note--Vietnam and China both appear to still be concerned about the risk of swine flu. We flew through Hong Kong. In both locations many individuals were wearing masks and health declaration forms were required.

Our first full day in Vietnam begun with a traditional breakfast of pho. We have spent most of our day beginning to explore the city. It is such an interesting mix of diverse elements--very much a city of contrasts. In one distric there are upscale stores such as Coach, while just a street over there are buildings that have seen better days. Furthermore, their is quite the mix of tradition and modernity--Vietnamese women wear traditional hats yet also wear jeans. One of the biggest adjustments so far has been to the traffic. There are traffic lights, yet these seem to be more of a guidline than a rule. The common strategy for crossing a street appears to be to walk forward with confidence when there is a bit of a lull, or simply walk forward and trust that the traffic will avoid you. The drivers are highly skilled at avoiding pedestrians. Most people appear to drive motor bikes, often with up to three people on one bike.

This afternoon most of the group is finding out more about their service placements. I will find out about mine tomorrow.

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