Life in Vietnam

When I was trying to decide whether or not I wanted to study abroad in Vietnam, I really wanted some information on what daily life would be like for me there. Now that I’m here, I think I understand why previous bloggers hadn’t really written about it. It is extremely difficult for me to convey to my friends and family back home what my life is like here, what it is like to live in a city or country where the lifestyle is so different from our own. I cannot put into words or pictures the things I am experiencing and it is frustrating for me and also a little isolating.

However, I will try to give some idea what our daily life is like for prospective students!

• We live in guesthouse in “the nice part” of Ho Chi Minh City. We each have a Vietnamese roommate which is an invaluable addition to the program. I would be completely lost and hopeless without them. The rooms are nice with two beds a mini fridge and tv.  There is wifi, the maids clean our rooms everyday and there is a private bathroom and shower. It is kind of like living in a hotel. The one thing I was not expecting was the concept of a “wet-bathroom” in which the toilet and shower are just one big room with no divider (trust me, if I can get used to this anyone can).
• We are surrounded by restaurants and coffee shops. These are not restaurants as we would think of them in America, more like the first floor of someone’s house transformed into a place where food is sold. Or even better, a plastic table and tiny chairs on the sidewalk. The food we’ve had here is the best I’ve ever had, even if I do get a little sick of noodles sometimes. Food is inexpensive, you can easy get a full, filling meal for $1-$2.50 on the street. There are of course nice restaurants within walking distance of the guesthouse. Also some of the best food I’ve had, but at more “American” prices. I worried a lot about what I would eat while I was here but quickly found that I can find anything I want to eat.
• If you are proactive about it, you can see a lot of Vietnam in your free time. Travel is extremely easy here, you can hop on a plane bus or train and get anywhere in Vietnam. We have visited Nha Trang and have individual side trips planned to many places on the weekends. Because everything is so much cheaper here than at home, extensive travel is totally doable.

Vietnam is AMAZING, I can’t say it enough. Some days it is challenging, loud and difficult to handle but I never would have had an experience that challenged me like this in any other country. I really, really encourage everyone to look at Vietnam when studying abroad!