Vietnam, like Malaysia, was so much more than I expected.

The ship taxied up the Saigon River to a dock outside of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Ho Chi Minh City is also known as Saigon. A group of Vietnamese women dressed in traditional clothes were holding a sign titled “Semester at Sea, Welcome to Vietnam.” It was a very warm welcoming. Many parents boarded the ship after we arrived because this port is the Semester at Sea Parent Trip. It felt comforting to see parents and definitely made me miss mine. With no plans the first day, Lauren and I decided to explore Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC). Destination Asia, the tour company that sponsored all of our trips funded a 30 minute shuttle from downtown HCMC to the ship. It was nice not having to bargain with taxi drivers and to also have a guaranteed ride to and from the city. The bus dropped us of a Le Loi Street where we walked ten minutes to Ben Then Market. The streets of Vietnam are like India minus the roaming cows, dirt, and old-fashioned means of transportation. Everyone and their dog ride a motorized scooter. The streets are decorated with helmets and motorscooters. The security liaison at the US Embassy said the most dangerous thing we would encounter in Vietnam was crossing the street. The first time we took the bold risk of stepping off the curb my heart was in my throat. Most crosswalks have pedestrian signs but are sometimes ignored. So Lauren and I followed a local’s lead as scooters dodged in and around us. It was very loud but we soon learned that if we walked one constant speed the driver of the scooter could easily dodge us. The difference between the streets in Vietnam and India is that in India the drivers do not stop and the streets involve much more activity by various kinds of transportation. In Vietnam there are millions of scooters and the occasional bus or car. The Market is also like nothing I have ever seen. Imagine tons of small Vietnamese ladies trying to sell their counterfeit Lacotse, Gucci, Chanel, Ralph Lauren shirts, purses, bags, shoes backpacks, suitcases, sunglasses, shoes, jewelry, wallets, shoes, pants, dresses and did I mention shoes? There was also an occasional DVD stand or handi-craft stand. Lauren and met a nice lady that spoke very limited English who led us to her wall of fabrics. It is a very popular thing to get clothes made here in Vietnam like dresses and suits. After a difficult fabric selection, measurements and picture drawing, all done with very limited English, the small lady took my measurements and rushed out of sight to the tailors. I was to come back the next day to pick up my pants, and dress all for $40 US dollars. Exciting. After the ‘marketed out’ we returned to the ship so Lauren could grab something she’d forgotten and to pick up Kristin. We embarked on another walk to find a restaurant that supposibly was called “Texas BBQ.” This Texas BBQ was recommended by a lovely Arizona couple who we met at a Juice café who have been in Vietnam for two weeks adopting a 9 month old baby girl, they said this place made you feel like you were in Texas. Texas= United States= comforting food= home! Well after a unsuccessful search of this BBQ restaurant we settled on Jaspas. Dinner had to be one of the best Hawaii Pizzas that I’ve ever had.

Friday, March 28^th- Woke up bright and early to go on a Service Visit to a local disabled school. Every semester students from SAS visit this school and give them a small donation that goes a long way! The school had 12 classrooms with students ranging from 4 to 14. All the students are either “dumb or deaf” as the principal described them. Robyn and I visited in the four year old classroom where we were greeted with six curious and eager faces. All the children wore hearing aids lacked communication. Some of the students at the school show long lasting affects of Agent Orange, the chemicals that were dropped on the dense jungles of Vietnam to kill the foliage so that the enemy could be seen. The children loved the stickers and bubbles that wer brought. The visit was very fun and eye-opening. After the early morning, Robyn and I took the shuttle into the city to pickup my clothes and go to the War Reminisce Museum. We were told by a local that the museum was not in walk able distance and that we must take a cab. Four of us took the cab ride that ended up being about 5 minutes. People will do anything to make a dollar! The Museum displayed various tanks, airplanes, jets, ammunition, gruesome photographs and memorabilia. It was interesting having every display in someway point blame to the US. This is a trend throughout Vietnam on the subject of the war. After a visit we walked back to the market and picked up my PANTS and DRESS!!! They fit perfectly and were made beautifully. My pants are made out of light weight brown linen and my dress is a summer dress, very light with embroidered flowers and blue polk-a-dots. I love them! Robyn and I decided that it would be neat to the see the water puppet performance that began at 6:30pm. We bought our $ 4USD tickets and enjoyed a very cultural water puppet performance. The music, set and puppets were gorgeous- bright red and gold. After a long day we headed back to the ship where I treated myself to a $2.00 hamburger on the 7^th deck pool bar. It was an awesome day!

March 29^th- It is hard to believe that it is already the END of MARCH! CRAZY!! I woke up bright and early for the two hour drive to Cu Chi Tunnels South of HCMC. Rush hour on the streets of the city is insane. Take the amount of people that start a marathon, put them all on motorized scooters with brightly colored helmets and horns and that describes the densely packed streets. The Cu Chi tunnels are just a section of the very intricate large tunnel system that the Vietnamese used during the war. The entrance to the tunnels is camouflaged by leaves and it about 14 inches by 10 inches-very tiny! The soldiers that used these tunnels had to be less than 120 pounds. In the park there is a shooting range where I shot an AK-47! It was so loud that my ears rang for two hour afterwards. I actually hit the target twice. Our entire tour was given the chance to go about 500 yards through one of the tunnels. There are three tunnels all at deeper depths. I made it to the second ‘story’ of tunnels and felt too claustrophobic and hot to continue. The tunnels are A LOT smaller than what I was picturing. Also, the sound of the shooting range was ten times as loud in the tunnels. It is hard to believe that people actually lived down in the Earth all while the enemy was walking above them. There were also large craters from B-52 bombs scattered among the park. It is clear that the Vietnam war affected many lives, even today. Walking around the streets of HCMC there are no old men because they all died- over 4 million Vietnamese! The rare occasion that I found an older man he was either an amputee or badly burned. Reading the Vietnamese account of the war gave me a completely different perspective of the U.S.’s foreign involvements in other countries. It also explains why other countries stereotype Americans.

Once back at the ship, Brittany, Robyn, Kristin and I took the shuttle bus back out to the city to find postage, the internet, buy rail passes for Japan and eat at Phu24. Unfortunately, the office that sold the rail passes closed early. Japan has a weird system where the passes must be purchased in other countries and is used for the bullet trains which travel up to 300km/hour! I’m excited for Japan! Kristin and I are going to try and do the entire thing indy! Anyway, after a disappointing search for the rail passes we decided to go to Highlands which is like a Starbucks but better! I know, hard to believe. Highlands serves sandwiches, sweets, and a variety of drinks. We all met up at Pho24 which we heard was a really good Vietnamese restaurant. We all shared spring rolls, and pho (Vietnamese Noodles) with beef. It was delicious.

Today a group of 30 students and I cruised the Mekong Delta by large boat, medium sized boat, row boat and ox-cart. The delta is so lush and green with large palm trees found everywhere. We visited a local coconut candy factory and a fruit tasting restaurant. The fruit was delicious- coconut, pineapple, jack-fruit, dragon fruit and mango. The local island benefits on tourism where everyone has a job. Our boat led us to a nice restaurant where I was a vegetarian for the day because I had heard sketchy things about the fish that still may be contaminated with agent orange. The fish turned out to be carp.

This ship is in a remote location where it takes a while to get anywhere. It took us two hours to reach the Cu Chi Tunnels and the Mekong Delta. Tomorrow a group of SAS students are taking a deaf student to the local zoo. It should be a fun day. Brittany and I are hoping to buy our Japan Railpasses in the city before it closes at 5pm. It is weird that the railpasses have to be purchased outside of Japan. The rail system in Japan is one of the world’s best. The bullet train travels up to 300 km/hour! Kristin and I are planning on doing Japan indy. It is one of the safest country we will visit and we’re both really excited. We hope to visit Hiroshima and Tokyo.

I’m taking advantage of free internet at Highlands café in downtown HCMC.

Happy 21^st Birthday MAY MAY!!! I miss you!

Happy 21^st Birthday ROOMMATE (on the 6^th, I’ll be on the Great Wall thinking of you)!!! I miss you! Thank you for you letters!

Good Luck against La Verne girls! Go Regals!

23 days until HAWAII!!!

Thanks for the letters. Aunt Kelly- I DID get the heart rock in India! It is on my magnetic wall!!