One of our #HogsAbroad student bloggers had this to say about her experience on the Community Development in Vietnam summer program:
Even with some of the challenges I faced, I
still came out of this trip with new ideas and perspectives, and I
believe that is what studying abroad is really all about. Obviously, I
learned a ton about Vietnamese culture that I probably would never have
been exposed to otherwise. However, I also learned a lot about American
history involving the Vietnam War, which I feel not many people from my
generation know much about. In addition to these things, I learned how
to adapt to different situations in both my personal and professional
life. Many things are done differently in Vietnam, especially their
business practices. They have many very formal meetings before any real
work can be done, and all of the students had to adapt to this way of
thinking to be able to effectively do business on our trip.
Through
this, I learned the importance of adapting to whichever culture I am in.
I also learned to take advantage of all the opportunities I have in the
US. One of the professors we met, Dr. Can, was really impressed that
all of our students had a wide range of interests and studied in more
than one area. This is something that I have always previously taken for
granted; however, I now know to truly appreciate little things such as
this. This lesson goes past just academics, though. I appreciate my
house, working toilets, and the food I eat everyday as well. Lastly, I
learned not to think too highly of myself. Vietnam may be a developing
country, but the people we met were smart, kind, and
hardworking—regardless of their living circumstances.
So, in conclusion,
this trip has challenged me and changed me for the better while also
giving me a month of amazing memories for which I am so thankful.
--
Read more from Hailey at https://haileygoestovietnam.wordpress.com
To find out more about the Community Development in Vietnam program, visit http://studyabroad.uark.edu/vietnam
