Days 1 & 2

We spent our first two days exploring the beautiful city of Ho Chi Minh - most commonly still referred to as "Saigon" by the locals. A tour on rickshaws led us to some of the more famous landmarks of the city, including the Notre Dame Cathedral, the colonial-style post office, and the Ho Chi Minh statue. In the afternoon we traveled to the town of Cu Chi by bus, about an hour and half outside of Saigon. Here we visited the Cu Chi tunnels, which were used by the communist guerillas during the Vietnam War to seek shelter underground during air raids. We had a chance to crawl through the cramped tunnels and see replicas of the kitchens, bunkers, and intricate traps throughout the underground system. After dinner on our first night we ventured to the nearby night market where students had their first dose of shopping and bartering with locals. Our second day provided us with time to enjoy a leisurely morning and recover from any remaining jet lag. After breakfast we visited another bustling market before catching our bus to the airport to depart for Hanoi. Students have fully immersed themselves in this new culture by trying new foods, learning key Vietnamese phrases, and calculating exchange rates; already they have proven to be an enthusiastic group! We will continue to post photos as often as possible. Although they are not always in order, hopefully they paint a good picture of our experiences.