Vietnam: Ecology & Conservation

This summer, I spent 4 weeks in Vietnam where I profoundly changed the person I am today. It all began in the LAX airport where I was introduced to 15 teens from all across the country. It wasn't easy opening up about myself with people I had never met before; fortunately, once we landed in Ho Chi Minh City, our jet lag and exquisite new taste for food was enough for us to truly connect as a group over the next few days. By talking about our diverse backgrounds, I learned each other’s mannerisms and predispositions, and created lasting friendships that I shall forever cherish. Venturing into the exotic buzz of Ho Chi Minh traffic, bargaining in the night markets, and playing sports with locals I learned to resist hesitation and adapt independently. I saw myself evolve as a more culturally aware person, and become intrinsically adventurous especially with the support from those around me. I saw the mix of Asian architecture blended with French remnants that took years to build at the Reunification palace and Saigon Opera house as well as the ridiculous circumstances the government took to preserve and rebuild its ecosystem during times of war. I learned how amazing Vietnam is, how Vietnam has shaped the world, and how it has shaped me. I learned that Vietnam will always be apart of me and my outlook on life. I was beyond blessed to have the opportunity to find myself in Vietnam’s enchanted environment, and I could not pick anyone better to share my experiences with.

This was honestly the best experience I ever had. I got to learn about things I never knew about. The most exciting thing was that I got to see animals in there natural habitat. This experience really opened my mind to think about how much we are damaging the environment. It changed the way I am. I am a more open person. At certain points it was really tough for me because we did things that I would never do. For example we would go trekking and hiking. I’m from the city so I never did those things. But I appreciated every moment of the trip! Overall it was an amazing experience I definitely would recommended this trip to anyone thinking of applying.

This trip showed me what really matters to me and what I need things I truly value. It changed how I see myself; I now see myself as a leader. I know that I can push through any challenge put in my way and I know that with people at your back, no challenge is too big. Weather the challenge is eating a meal to make your homestay mother happy or if it’s solving the world’s climate issues I am confident in our ability to do it as long as we do it together. Nothing will ever compare to the friendships and memories that I made on this trip. The worst part about the whole thing is that it's over and that I'll never have that exact experience again.

My experience was amazing as I was able to be in a great amazing country where I learned the different culture of other people. I explored many different places all around Vietnam that were amazing. I also got to stay with the best host family in Ho Chi Minh City where they were treated me great and took me out to learn more about the culture and life in Vietnam. You might experience a bit of culture shock at first but later you will meet great people to interact with and that was something great for me as I was able to connect and create amazing bonds and friendships that will forever stick in my heart.

I have been to Vietnam before when I was a little girl, but going into this program I have experience the ecology and conservation part of Vietnam. I felt connected with my culture and I felt proud of having some knowledge about it. I was kind of a translator in my group when the Vietnamese leader was not around, and it was cool to speak 2 languages going back and forth. I would say that this experience in Vietnam has change the way I think about life and that is you should take care of your environment and also take care of yourself. As a Vietnamese American I am proud that I have a culture to be a part of. What I realize is that I need to work on my skills in the Vietnamese Language and expand on more knowledge about Vietnam. Some of the favorite places that I have visited was Da Lat because I love how the agriculture is so engraved into the local community, also Con Dao island because it is beautiful and I had the chance to go canoe for the first time, which is funny because I live in Minnesota :) Another part of the program that I enjoyed was being able to visit the indigenous people of Vietnam and having a short wild party with them. SOME TIPS - please bring a hoodie just in case, MOSQUITO REPELLENT!!, try new things, bring at least 2-3 pairs of longer pants because you gotta watch out for leaches.. they suck literally, at first you would feel crappy from the flight/culture shock but that's part of the experience and that is to challenge yourself to this cool adventure. FAVORITE kinda memory of mine was when 2 of my friends was walking in Cat Tien park and we walked far and it started to drizzle rain so we went back and it was a waterfall. I could not see anything and it was scary, my friend was screaming and complaining and I was scared but also laughing about how she was complaining. Another memory was when the group is going back home. My friend had lost her passport for about 30 minutes I think and I suddenly had her passport and then It was my turn to look for mine. At that time it was time for boarding and I was freaking out. I did eventually find it after like 15-20 minutes and I started to cry because it was the scariest thing I have ever experience. TIP - please keep your valuables safe. Okay this is long so.. Lastly I would like to say that if you are interested in learning about the environment or learning about Vietnam's culture, you should join and learn more in this program. Good Luck.

The trip does a fantastic job of making you feel like you're actually living in the country and not just visiting. It's focus on ecology and conservation fits perfectly with the area and the different excursions that we went on during the trip. Leaders and staff based within Vietnam were extremely accomadating and were a wealth of information during our stay. I would definitely recommend this experience to others and I hope one day I can go back.

This program has been the most amazing thing I have ever done. I made so many friends, not only with the group I went there with, but with the Vietnamese students we did activities with and with my homestay families. The homestay experience of this program is one of its most important features and for me it was a super positive experience. I loved both of the families I stayed with, I did so many awesome things with them and felt like I was really part of their family. I am still in contact with them now, and my first homestay family even invited themselves to my college graduation! The trip overall was fabulous in every way, the people, the scenery, the community service, and everything else. This trip was super meaningful to me and I would 100 percent recommend it.

I had a truly amazing time on this trip. I think about it everyday, wishing to be back in such a beautiful place surrounded by a great group of people.
I met many new people: my groupmates, Vietnamese high school and college students, families and friends through my homestays, and many more.
Everyday was an adventure, whether we were exploring the city, hiking, snorkeling or swimming on the beach, or doing some form of community service. There was a great blend of scheduled activities (such as listed above), free time to bond and explore, and time that focused on the thematic focus (ecology and conservation), which generally consisted of talks from professionals and visiting environments and other educational places.

I would highly recommend this program!