Vietnam- Last night in the states!

As my Christmas break is regrettably coming to an end, I am more excited than ever to be traveling all the way across the world in a little over 24 hours! After reading a few other blog posts about what to expect when arriving in Vietnam, and the do's and don't's of the country, I learned about what I can expect from this new and foreign land. After being informed by a fellow Vietnamese student, I know now what topics are sensitive to discuss, and that apparently many showers do not possess curtains?! Either way, I am ecstatic to experience this new culture. I can't wait to make new friends and form relationships with my host families that hopefully will last for years to come. The hospitality of the Vietnamese people is highly praised, and I hope that through the singing of the choir and our companionship, our host families and the friends we all make along the way will appreciate our visit.

Over the past few weeks, I have been doing my research on Vietnam's past; I attended a showing of Miss Saigon and visited the Vietnam War exhibit in the New-York Historical Society Museum and Library. I now believe I have a much better understanding of the country, and the dark past it has endured. I have researched the culture, and am excited to see the French influence in Vietnam's architecture and cuisine. I especially am excited to try the Pho, a Vietnamese soup, the famous Vietnamese coffee, and maybe even eat some bugs along the way!

I have all of my Vietnamese Dong, the currency of Vietnam, ready to go, and have all my forms and papers printed. I have my anti-diarrheal medication, in case of sickness from the water, and my probiotics too. The typhoid vaccine has hopefully made its way through my system by now, and now all I have to do is pack some more and wait for my adventure to begin! I can't wait to update everyone on my adventures each day and I will try to be as descriptive and include as many pictures as I can!

-ECM