Day 4-- Cám o'n!

This means "thank you", the only two words we ever need and the only two words we can't seem to remember. 

The day started (as usual) with breakfast in the hotel and language class at UEF. We also participated in a lecture on Urban Development in Vietnam and Ho Chi Minh in particular. My favorite part of the discussion was when the professor began explaining what Phu My Hung is. Phu My Hung is an urban development company that has taken uninhabited land/marshland in Ho Chin Minh and has created a sort-of utopian community with schools, hospitals, residencies, and businesses. It's definitely some of the most up-scale living in Ho Chi Minh. The best part of the conversation was just watching the professor as he was speaking. He lit up with joy when explaining Phu My Hung. It was very clear that the community appreciates what PMH is doing. 

Coincidentally, we also visited PMH today as well. It was our first company site visit of the trip and I think it went well. I was slightly nervous for this trip because PMH was the company that my group had researched. We were responsible for the Q&A session and our active participation was going to be graded.

The most interesting part of the day for me was the bus ride to PMH. I was sitting by myself towards the front of the bus when we made a stop before we reached PMH. At this stop a few Vietnamese people boarded the bus. A young man (I think he said he was about 26 years old) sat next to me. I didn’t catch his name but he said he was recently hired by PHM in its human relations department. He was on his way to PMH for his orientation. He also mentioned that he was in the process of completing a master’s degree. He said he was working during the day and taking classes at night. I think this says something about the ambitions of young Vietnamese people and about PHM as an employer. Young Vietnamese people are making themselves as marketable as possible by pursuing higher education and I believe that is what’s going to make the country more productive as a whole. As for PMH, people look for places to work that have some sort of flexibility and can accommodate them as best as possible. Happy employees means better and more business for PMH.

 In the end I think everyone was very interested in the company and the Q&A ended up being something I shouldn't have worried about. The rest of the visit consisted of a short bus tour of the City Center and then my group and I presented the Vice President of the company with gifts from Pittsburgh. 

We got back to the hotel around 6 and Kate (the president of the English club at UEF and the most beautiful person you will ever meet) met us and gave us Bubble Tea drinks (which were yummy). A little later we met other Vietnamese students outside the lobby and went to dinner. We went to a restaurant that specialized in Pho, a traditional Vietnamese soup dish with meat and noodles. It washttp://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RLMNZ6xY6YY

Afterwards we went to a small park/sitting area next to the Notre Dame Cathedral for more food. We sat around a makeshift table of newspapers on the ground and were presented with a variety of street food. Most of the food was very good and I probably shouldn't have eaten as much as I did. 

We then kept walking around being our American selves--loud and confused. We bought little toys to sling shot in the air which was super fun. 

The night officially ended after a fun trip to a night club of sorts (which would probably have been better on a weekend night). Nonetheless it was a fun, eventful day. 

Me and Arielle at Phu My Hung

Model of the Crescent at PMH

PHO

Selfies on selfies

Street food buffet!