I came to Vietnam to learn about sustainable development, but as I am leaving now I feel that I have learned so much more. I have learned so much about the culture, people, and industry. One example of something I learned is how resilient the Vietnamese people are. They are truly down-to-earth people who do not hold a grudge. I was surprised that the people here were not still upset with me for the Vietnam War. All of the students I talked to, said that it was all in the past and that we now have to create the future together. Additionally, the way that Vietnam was able to skyrocket its GDP in such a short amount of time is very impressive. I am also amazed by how their government sets some pretty high goals in order to motivate its people to progress forward rapidly.

This has made me a more well-rounded person with a diversified perspective on the world. I have learned not to judge a country by what I have heard in the news or form my elders. Going forward I will try to rely less on what I have heard and more on what I have read. This will make me a better person who is able to communicate with people of all nationalities. At Pitt I will take back what I have learned from the Vietnamese people by setting high goals for myself and for when I am leading a group. This will boost my success and force me to work harder to achieve these goals.

Additionally, I have become more open-minded about the world. Before coming to Vietnam I thought it was a country with very little infrastructure and low-tech industries. However, I can now say that Vietnam has a lot of high-tech industries such as laser production and they are currently working to build up their infrastructure. I have also learned a lot about the Vietnam War and the atrocities that the American government committed against the Vietnamese people. Some of the torture methods that were conducted were on par with what the Nazis did in World War 2. It was very hard to see and learn about the heartlessness of the American government and some of the soldiers who committed these acts. It truly demonstrated to me that war is a horrible, horrible thing and that we must avoid it at all costs to protect human rights.

Beyond Pitt, I might end up working for a company that has offices in Vietnam. Therefore, having the study abroad experience will allow me to better interact with the Vietnamese officials. This is because I understand that their core values are employee well-being, sustainability, and rapid economic growth. I will also encourage my friends and family to travel to Vietnam to see how it has changed since the war 50 years ago. I will tell them how phenomenal pho and broken rice are. Additionally, I will tell them how amazing the people are. They are very nice and genuinely care about their job. This is unlike a good portion of the US I feel. Overall, I have learned a lot about how the Vietnamese people conduct business, the food, and has taught me to keep an open mind when visiting a new country.