2026 Vietnam Study Abroad Blog
Welcome to our Vietnam Study Abroad Blog!
Get ready to follow along as our group takes on Vietnam, one day, one story and one unforgettable experience at a time. From bustling cities and vibrant markets to agricultural sites and cultural landmarks, we鈥檒l be sharing what we鈥檙e seeing, learning and experiencing firsthand.
Each day, a different student will take over the blog to give you a behind the scenes look at our journey, what surprised us, what challenged us and what we鈥檒l never forget. Expect plenty of photos, honest reflections and moments that go beyond the classroom.
We鈥檙e excited to bring you along for the adventure. Let鈥檚 go!
May 23, 2026
Written by Jackson Griffin
The day started lost in Saigon. Well, at least for a few students (they know who they are). Starting out the real day with a breakfast a kin to our past days in Vietnam, we fueled up for another day of adventure.
Hopping on the bus, we had a two-hour drive ahead of us. The first stop was at a wood lacquering shop. This stop showed us how the Vietnamese use sap from the lacquer tree to make beautiful wooden items. Using different techniques they can inlay eggshells, mother of pearl or just use plain paint. These wooden boards, plates and bowls had intricate designs and were very smooth from the lacquering process. Attached to this shop was an iced coffee and smoothie shack, where many students snagged a sweet treat.
Traveling down the road, we reached the Cu Chi tunnels. This was an area where there was a large amount of Viet Cong activity during the Vietnam war. Today was a scorcher, being sunny, hot and humid. Fitting weather for our final day in 鈥楴am. Our tour guide, Tony, took us around and explained many of the tactics and traps of the Cu Chi tunnels. Tony explained that through the entire tunnel system in the area, it equals about 250 kilometers (155 miles). An underground city! This tunnel system was designed to hide the Viet Cong and the villagers from American and South Vietnamese troops and planes during the war and protect them from artillery and bombing runs. These tunnels led to a significant strategical advantage for the Viet Cong, allowing them to travel unseen, and set up ambushes for their enemy. Through our tour, we crawled through a stretch of the tunnels, saw many types of pit falls and booby traps employed by the Viet Cong. We also saw how they lived in the area during the war. Some of the more interesting things we learned about the war was how they used termites and their mounds for air circulation in the tunnels, how Americans used German Shepards to locate entrances to the tunnels and the use of old tires to make sandals to hide the true direction the Viet Cong walked. Near the end of our exploration of Cu Chi, there was a shooting range to try some of the war era weapons. A couple of students, including myself, decided to give it a shot. I shot twenty rounds out of an M60 and a few other students chose an AK47. This range is the only area in the entire country of Vietnam where citizens can shoot firearms and it was a blast.
After our tour of the tunnels, it was off to lunch. We had the usual, where they served us salad, soups, rice, fish, spring roles, pork and ice-cold watermelon. What made this restaurant neat, was that they grew a lot of their own produce on site, directly next to the eating area.
Walking across the street we visited a rubber plantation. This is where rubber trees are planted and then tapped to collect 鈥渞ubber milk鈥 which has been coined white gold by some people. The field was government owned and about 30 years old. Being so old meant it was no longer producing high enough quality rubber milk, so they were no longer collecting the sap.
On the bus once more it was clear everyone was tired. We have been in country for quite a while now. Getting back to the hotel we had some free time to do what we want in Ho Chi Minh City. Most people went to the Ben Thanh market to get gifts and nick knacks, other people went and got spa treatments and then had dinner on our own. I went with a small group to have some 鈥淣ew York鈥 style pizza while in Vietnam. Safe to say it was delicious. Wrapping up the night on the roof top pool, people are getting packed and ready to fly the long trip back home.
May 22, 2026
Written by Kayleen Kulas
We started the day bright and early with a trip to the Ben Thanh wet market. The market mostly features fresh meat, fruit and vegetables. The meat is harvested very early in the morning when it is the coolest temperature and then brought into the city. Each neighborhood had their own market. There was beef, pork, chicken and many fish options to pick from. It was quite the anatomy lesson at each booth, as they do not waste any part of the carcass, from the tendons for soup to the pig tails! They definitely have different food safety protocols than back in the United States. An apron was about as fancy as they get, and many animals were scurrying around looking for scraps. The meat is the highest price early in the morning, because when it is hot, it is seen as the safest to eat. As the day goes on, the meat gets cheaper as most of the booths do not have electric refrigeration. The seafood was so fresh, many of the shellfish and whole fish were still alive and available for purchase.
After slowly weaving through the morning rush of motorbike traffic, we arrived at Dan On Foods. This a a large nut processing and food innovation facility. We toured both buildings 鈥 one only processes nuts while the other is for cooking ingredients. The company is working on advancing its technology, sustainability and large-scale production. Founded over 35 years ago in Vancouver, Canada, with over eight factories and 800 employees, the whole facility was extremely clean and kept strict allergen protocol. It also smelled amazing! We also visited the innovation center that is on site. It looks similar to a master chef kitchen! One of the highlights was seeing the innovation throughout the factory. Robotic systems handled much of the shipping and handling of pallets. We got the chance to sample roasted cashews, coconut almonds and trail mixes. The full production process from start to finish for a cashew is about two months total. This tour was a fan favorite so far!
JANBEE corporation uses U.S. soybeans to refine into further product. Their extraction process goes to human grade. From soybean, they refine oil, soy sauce and many different snacks. They are very proud of only using U.S. certified soybeans. They process 3,000 metric tons of soybeans per day, bottling 60,000 bottles per hour. They export about 50% of their product. To make soy sauce, they boil and ferment the bean. After about one year of fermentation, the core ingredient is ready for soy sauce. The company is proud to be apart of the sustainability program from U.S soybeans.
We enjoyed a late-night dinner cruise on the Saigon River. Enjoy all our fancy outfits!
May 21, 2026
Written by Madi Von Eye
This morning, we woke up to the bustling city of Saigon, also known as Ho Chi Minh City. The sights and sounds surrounding our hotel made for a busy and bright morning. After a nice breakfast, we boarded the bus and headed to the Mekong Delta. Tony shared some information about the delta and the fruit and aquaculture in the surrounding area. The delta is full of brackish water during monsoon season, so the people who farm there are starting to move away from rice and toward commodities that do well with this water type, like shrimp.
As we drove, the sky darkened with rain clouds, and soon the sky was pouring down. The rain did not stop us as we stopped at a bamboo factory. There, they process the bamboo plant and turn it into a fiber utilizing a process of enzyme breakdown and drying. Bamboo is super water absorbent, making it an ideal material for towels. The demonstration we were given was like a real-life infomercial.
After a bit of shopping for new bamboo towels, we continued our drive to the Mekong Delta. By the time we arrived, the rain had pretty much stopped. We boarded a small boat and headed to the first island: Unicorn Island. On this island, we sampled five tropical fruits that are grown in this region: papaya, mango, jackfruit, lady finger bananas and sapodilla. While we tried these new fruits, we also listened to traditional music.
We walked along the paths on the island to the next stop. We were served honey tea. The tea was served with juice from a small citrus called kumquat and honey from the local bees. The bees use pollen from Longan flowers and create a unique honey. The farmers can harvest the honey from the bees and sell it, but they also harvest royal jelly, whole honeycomb and bee pollen. The bee farm was also located to a large orchid farm. They had over 100 varieties of orchids. While some students looked at the orchids, a few got to hold a large anaconda the farmer owned.
When we finished visiting the farm, we boarded our boat and moved along the river once again. We were shown a fish farm that was floating in the river. At this farm, they raise tilapia fish. We were given the opportunity to feed the fish as well.
Our next island stop was Phoenix Island. On this island, we boarded smaller boats and headed off around a small, tranquil river. We stayed entertained talking about what we had experienced so far and pointing out the mudskippers that make their homes in the muddy banks of the river. This island was also home to a coconut candy factory. They use the flesh of the coconut and process it into sweet, fun-flavored candy. However, that鈥檚 not the only part of the fruit that is used. The fibers from the husk can be used to make mats. The hard shells can either be polished into souvenirs or dried and burned as fuel. The coconut pulp can be turned into fish food. No part of the coconut goes to waste.
After sampling coconut candies, we got back to our boat and enjoyed a refreshing drink of coconut water. We headed back to the station and said goodbye to the Mekong Delta. We arrived at the station and boarded our bus to start the drive back to Ho Chi Minh City.
The rest of our day was spent wandering the streets of the city and exploring the marketplace. All before heading to supper and enjoying the rest of the evening.
May 20, 2026
Written by Hailey Kizer
Our day started with a relaxing breakfast before packing up and checking out of the hotel in Da Nang. With another busy day ahead, we made our way to the airport for our late morning flight to Ho Chi Minh City. The short flight gave us a chance to rest and look out over Vietnam鈥檚 beautiful landscape one last time before arriving in the country鈥檚 bustling southern city.
After landing, we stopped for lunch before heading to our afternoon鈥檚 main event: the ILDEX/HortiAgri Agricultural Trade Show. The restaurant had a fun and memorable atmosphere, and one unique highlight was getting the chance to sign our names on the walls alongside countless other visitors from across the world. While looking through past signatures on the wall, we even found a few names of students who had attended this trip two years ago! After lunch, we made our way to the conference. This event brought international people together from across the agricultural and livestock industries to showcase innovations, technology and new ideas shaping the future of agriculture.
From 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., we explored the conference exhibits, connected with industry representatives and learned about new developments in agricultural technology and sustainable farming practices from across the world. One memorable moment for me was when I visited with representatives at Farmrob, a poultry equipment manufacturer. Farmrob is dedicated to the research, design, manufacturing, consulting and servicing of advanced poultry farming equipment. They offer a range of rearing systems for layers, pullets, breeders, broilers, laying ducks and quails. While visiting with them I learned about their H-type cage systems along with their cage-free systems.
After a busy and productive afternoon, we enjoyed a relaxing supper and then had some free time to unwind and explore the city before heading to bed. Dinner included shrimp and pumpkin soup, crab meat salad, grilled spring rolls, fried fish, steamed chicken and fried rice with beef and fish. For dessert, we enjoyed a refreshing fruit yogurt. Between the travel, the trade show and the memorable meals, it was a full day filled with new experiences and meaningful conversations. Although our time in Vietnam is winding down, we are looking forward to our days ahead and the adventures still to come.
May 19, 2026
Written by Lilly Blume
Greetings from Da Nang! A small percentage of us were early risers today and headed to the beach at approximately 4:45 a.m. to see the majestic sunrise. The rest of us were sound asleep and met for breakfast at 7:30 a.m. When grazing through the extravagant breakfast spread, we were shocked to see donuts for the very first time since leaving America. Safe to say most of us grabbed them fast. We then embarked on our first adventure of the day to the vibrant colored coconut boats. When arriving we were greeted by motor bikes and a large golf cart to transport us to the coconut boats. Students went in groups of two with a rower through a thin stream covered in large coconut trees. It seemed too beautiful to be real. After exiting the small stream, we rowed into what seemed to be a rave playing 鈥淕angnam Style鈥 all before 9:30 a.m. Students had the option to get into a boat in the middle that spun like a Tilt-A-Whirl. Our group floated to another cluster with a floating DJ on a boat platform. Jaxon and I lived out our karaoke dreams and performed for strangers and our peers singing 鈥淏aby鈥 by Justin Bieber. We then made our way to the shore as the rowers yelled 鈥淎merica No. 1,鈥 which we thought was interesting.
The entire experience was very joyous, and smiles were seen all around.
We then meandered to a silk factory where they raise the silkworms from baby to adult to cocoon to finally soaking the cocoon shell into hot water, causing it to become string when pulled apart. We then were led to the machine that created the silk fabric and shown rooms where a majority of us bought scarves and pillowcases.
After the silk factory, we were let go to wander through the shops and saw on the better half of 50 seamstress stores. The group reconvened at 12:30 p.m. to head to lunch, where there was an abundance of authentic foods.
After lunch, we all headed to a marble factory where we watched two workers carve the stones into interesting shapes. We then wandered through the factory and admired the impressive carved details on all the statues and shapes they had. All of the workers in Vietnam have a strong hustle that would put most to shame and follow your every step.
We have now finally arrived at the most anticipated part of the trip: the beach. Students were given the afternoon off to explore the city, but we could not resist the urge to jump into the waves and play in the sand. Our collective favorite memory of the beach today was when our 83-year-old professor (Dick Nicolai) decided to join Jaxon in his paragliding excursions. We can all learn a lesson from Nicolai. He has not let his age slow him down and has lived life to the absolute fullest one human can. (And he bought us ice cream last night so bonus points!)
We ended the day with a group supper, and all had a great time!
May 18, 2026
Written by Andrea Phillips
Hello from Hue! Today was another day full of activities. On the bus ride to our first stop, a coffee plantation, Tony gave us a lesson on the history of Hue. We also learned that Hue is a lot smaller of a city than Hanoi, with only about 40,000 people living within it. As we passed some tombs, Tony explained that they are considered "home forever" after you die, so they are a very sacred spot in Vietnamese culture. So important, in fact, that vandalizing another family's tombs can get you put in jail. Additionally, building a tomb is very expensive, costing 3 billion Vietnamese dong, or $120,000.
Three hours later, after naps and journaling, we arrived at the coffee plantation. We were able to tour the area where coffee beans are processed for sale and learn about each step of the process along the way. We were then taken inside the owner's house, where he made a pot of coffee for us to try. We were also served plums and melon, both of which were delicious. After we were done touring, we drove over to a coffee field so we could see how the coffee plants grow. We learned that avocado trees are planted around Arabica coffee fields for protection and shade, as the Arabica plants need more of that than Robusta plants. The plants also need a lot of space in between the rows, so corn and peanuts are planted between each row of coffee plants to maximize the space.
Our next stop was a restaurant. Tony said that traditionally only the Vietnamese visit that restaurant, so we were served food that was authentic Vietnamese food 鈥 not a Westernized version of it. The meal included fish, a banana and eel dish, pork, rice, chicken, greens, soup and watermelon for dessert.
The rest of our afternoon was spent on the bus heading south from Hue to Da Nang. That was a long six-hour bus ride. Tonight, we stay in Da Nang, and we are looking forward to another busy day tomorrow!
May 17, 2026
Written by Katrina Thon
Today was our final day staying at Ha Noi! We said goodbye to the city by exploring the streets and discovering the deep history behind it. Tony actually let us sleep in today before we loaded on to our bus and started at the Hanoi Hilton prison.
While at the prison, we had essentially an audiobook leading us through the small section of the prison that's left. The Vietnamese government decided to destroy three quarters for new developments. The last quarter was left to commemorate the Vietnamese people who were imprisoned, tortured and killed during the French colonialism rule since 1896. Throughout the tour, we were shown living conditions, escape attempts, torture methods and how the prisoners were still fighting for the freedom of Vietnam from behind bars. The tour also included a section from the American War (the Vietnam War). This included a small section of how some American pilots were captured and the kind of living conditions they received. One interesting story was the letters sent to the warden of the prison from the only female prisoner. It was her asking to keep a cat in her cell and if she could take it home with her when she was released!
After we left the Hanoi Hilton, we visited a Christian church, built by the French when they controlled Hanoi in 1887. All the building materials were shipped in from France and the building is still standing tall! Unfortunately, we were not allowed inside the building because it was closed but even standing outside was impressive. It looked straight out of European streets, dropped into the center of Vietnam.
From the church, we continued on foot to "Tony's Food Extravaganza!" Tony took us to the streets of Hanoi to try many different kinds of street food. It ranged from spicy, sweet, strange and new! We visited: B煤nh mi mama, Ph貌 h脿, Banh kh煤c qu芒n and Caf茅 Dinh. In order it was a spicy sandwich with pork and a lot of cilantro; ph貌 chicken, noodles, nuts and mixed vegetables; sugar cane juice; sticky rice cake and pork and egg coffee!
To wrap it all up, we had an hour to spend around Ho脿n Ki锚m Lake. Each of us spent it a little differently with shopping or getting a message before heading to the airport to catch our flight to Hue. Goodbye to Hanoi, the city that never slept.
May 16, 2026
Written by Allison Phillips
Xin ch脿o! We started out the day on the bus heading to Halong Bay. The bus ride started out with a geography and agricultural lesson from Tony, our tour guide. He told us about different commodities that are popular in each region of Vietnam. The north is famous for coffee, cassava and cinnamon. Central Vietnam grows one crop of rice and then peanuts. It also uses a lot of wind turbines so the country can produce its own electricity. The southern region does more large-scale farming and produces a lot of seafood. He ended his lesson by telling us that there are 1.3 billion people living in the small country of Vietnam.
Our first stop on the way to Halong Bay was a market selling all kinds of different things. It was filled with hand-embroidered pictures of all sizes, jewelry, candy, coffee, clothes and other souvenir items. Right inside the shop there were ladies working on embroidered portraits. As we progressed farther into the store, several employees gathered and tried to sell us everything in the store. We left after about 45 minutes.
The second and final stop before Halong Bay was at a hydroponic farm. The farm is a very high-tech system for Vietnam. The workers start by planting seeds into a specific container, the container gets put in a tube where it has unlimited water, and the plant grows. As the plant gets larger, it is transitioned to a larger container, finishes growing and gets harvested. We saw grapes, bok choy and mustard greens being grown. Tony told us that that company is contracted with a grocery store to sell their vegetables, rather than just selling them to farmers markets.
We finally made it to Halong Bay, but before we went out on the water, we stopped at a pearl factory. Watching the workers prepare oysters for growing pearls was an interesting process. First, they carefully cut the oyster and opened the shell just a little bit. Second, they took an implant and a pearl nucleus and put in the oyster so that it could grow a pearl. Finally, they closed the shell and put it back in the water. Depending on how big they want the pearl to be, they grow for one, three or five years. Once the pearl reaches the desired size, it is taken out of the shell and evaluated. Pearls are sorted by size, shape and color. After watching the pearl growing process, we got to go inside to look at and buy pearls.
Once we finished at the pearl shop everybody applied sunscreen because it was supposed to be very sunny and hot. It ended up being very overcast for the entire day. Then Tony took us to our boat for the afternoon. As soon as we got on (about 1 p.m.), we were served our meal: lots of seafood. There were mussels, squid and shrimp. There were two levels and the view from the top was very pretty. We made a stop at an island to go kayaking and that was a lot of fun for all of us! We got in the kayaks, went through a cave and came out into our very own Microsoft lock screen. There were monkeys, trees and amazing views. We kayaked for about an hour and then got back on the boat. Our next stop was at Ti Top Mountain, where we hiked up 426 steps to the top. Looking down from the top of the mountain was amazing! Then we got back on the boat to head back to land. The boats that were trying to tie up to the dock would take any amount of space, so there were three boats behind us trying to get our spot and we kept banging together. Eventually, we made it back to land and headed to supper.
Tony told us that our supper would be Vietnamese comfort food, so we were pretty excited. We ended up getting fried fish in passionfruit sauce, chicken and vegetables, fried chicken on a bamboo stick and beef with strawberry sauce.
After 30 flights of stairs today and more than five miles yesterday, everyone is ready for bed tonight and a late wake-up call tomorrow morning.
May 15, 2026
Written by Cassidy Strommen
Good morning, Sapa!
I woke up this morning when the town was quiet and before the roosters started crowing to watch the sunrise and take in the mountain view. We then had breakfast at the hotel and the breakfasts here are seriously so amazing. The freshest fruit I have ever had and some of the best coffee!
After breakfast, we hopped onto our short bus and headed to the drop off zone for the 5-mile hike to the rice fields. Tony, our tour guide, joked that we were actually going up and over the mountain, which dropped a few jaws, but when they realized he was joking the group erupted into laughter. We began a steep downhill and uphill journey.
Some farmers wives met us at the drop off to try to sell us woven goods, which is how they make money when they aren鈥檛 planting rice. One lady, named SuSu, and I walked a while together and had some convo. Once we reached the bridge near her farm, she insisted that I buy something from her before she went to plant rice. I hesitated because I didn鈥檛 really need anything she wanted to sell but since she was so nice on the way down, I bought a little purse from her (and practiced a little bargaining). She then gave me a woven bracelet for free and said 鈥渋t鈥檚 pretty like you鈥. She really knew how to put the sell on me! Some of the farmers wives were little more persistent and begging others but that鈥檚 just how they make their income off the farm.
On the hike, we ran into a lot of little kids, most under the age of 5, who greeted us with 鈥淪ien Chao鈥 and high fives and knuckles. They were so cute. We think there was a nearby daycare because kids were running around everywhere, sometimes butt naked. A stark contrast to the United States!
When we arrived at the rice terrace we planted on, we took off our shoes and socks and got one foot deep into watery clay that squished between our toes. We were given handfuls of rice plants and planted each individual plant into the mud. The water was nice and cool.
Dr. Thaler pointed out a 40-pound bag of urea being laid out. Someone will carry a bag on their backs and toss it in by hand. Ingredients included nitrogen, phosphate, potassium, sulfur and herbicide that gets mixed in.
The water flows from the top of the mountain and excess water drains from terrace to terrace, but there were also many different drainage systems with pipes flowing. It blew my mind how much material was brought up those steep mountain trail by bike, from bags of concrete for roads to bags of urea and pipe, etc. This region is not accessible by car which makes it harder to transport material. They also explained that they have to fix the clay terraces every single year because they eventually fall apart.
On our hike, we saw some indigo plants, which produce dye for clothes. When Tony pointed the plant out, he pointed toward my bracelet from SuSu and said my bracelet was likely dyed by an indigo plant.
We also saw a few water buffalo, a few pigs and lots of chickens and ducks. Water buffalos are used to pull plows in the terraces to level out the clay and turn it over. Since it was planting season, we didn鈥檛 see any buffalo in action, but I was thankful to be able to plant rice. If I had to pick between the two, I鈥檇 plant rice all day. It was so nice out that I could鈥檝e spent the whole day out there.
We then walked back to the bus and stopped in Sapa for lunch, where we had duck, sweet and sour fish, sticky rice (pretty common for every meal) and mixed veggies. This was the very first meal where salt and pepper were at the table for us to use. I also got some pineapple juice which was super refreshing.
We then hopped onto the bus and headed back to Hanoi. As we drove back, my sunburn started developing. It鈥檚 crazy how hot that sun can get even when it鈥檚 behind a bunch of cloud cover.
Upon arrival in Hanoi, we were dropped off in an area with a lot of food options, and we all parted ways for the first meal on our own. My group headed to a place where they served steak on a hot stone for you to cook yourself. I got the garlic steak with pepper sauce and it was pretty delicious!
Overall, today鈥檚 views knocked it out of the ballpark, and I am super excited for tomorrow and the rest of the trip. Thanks for tuning in!
May 14, 2026
Written by Veronica Maus
After a good breakfast with fresh fruit and spring rolls, we are boarding the bus from Hanoi to Sapa. With a five-hour ride to the next destination, where we are excited to learn all about Vietnam's agriculture communities. On our bus ride there, our tour guide Tony taught us how to say hello (xin ch脿o), goodbye (tam Bi岷縯) and how to say too expensive (M岷痗 qu谩!) when we are haggling at the market. Along the way, we stopped at a few smaller farming communities just outside the city central. It is very impressive how our bus driver can squeeze into the very tight corners and streets. On our bus ride, we saw lots of banana, bonsai and small tree farms. As we were driving along the Red River, there were lots of people fishing and small-scale crop farms with a variety of products like bananas, corn and other small grains and fruit.
We saw many people walking through the streets, and they were all so friendly. Every building has a little shop, and they sell lots of things from fresh fruit and meat to clothing and toys and home goods. We got back on the bus and made our way to another farming town, where we walked through another small village and found a duck and fish farm. It was very interesting to see their system at work. The ducks are housed above the water, and their manure feeds the fish in the water while the fish also provide nutrients and fertilize the water for their row crops.
We then went and got lunch and had lots of dishes. Spring rolls, a few different mushroom soups, fish cakes with rice and pork belly soup and dragon fruit and watermelon for dessert. We then got back on the bus and started our five-hour drive to Sapa, a mountainous town in Vietnam. This area differs from the rest of Vietnam because it is home to the Haung people, who are more recently settled people. They have a unique culture, language and way of living. On the bus we have seen many rice fields, mountains, duck farms, water buffalo and lots of vegetation in between.
To occupy our time, we got in a good game of Uno Flip, and I did lots of reading along the way. We got as close as 7 kilometers, or about 5 miles, from the Vietnam and China border. Close to Sapa, we saw lots of mountain jungles and terrace fields with rice or corn. It was a little scary sometimes driving on the curvy roads with a big bus and passing people. Once we got to Sapa, we saw a lot of entertainment, shops and nice hotels with colored lights and neon signs. We went to dinner and had a variety of food, including squash soup and deep-fried sweet potatoes. We had many different sauces like sweet and sour chicken, chili and beef and a fried eggplant sauce, all over rice. For dessert, we had oranges, watermelon and dragon fruit. We ended the night walking the streets of Sapa and did a little bit of shopping in the small shops.
May 13, 2026
Written by Ayla Young
Good morning, Vietnam! And happy birthday to Russ Daly! After our well-deserved sleep and showers last night, we woke up to start our first full day here in Vietnam. The first thing on our agenda was to visit the U.S. Embassy. There, we listened to two gentlemen tell us about the work that they do at the embassy, as well as the relationship between the U.S. and Vietnam in agriculture and marketing.
Our next stop of the day was to the Vietnam National University of Agriculture, where we met with students and professors. They talked to us about their university and showed us around campus, including their animal and seed genetics labs around campus. We had two groups of students show us around campus and played a game that included getting to introduce students to each other. At the end of our time with the VNUA students, we attended dinner with them and were introduced to more Vietnamese food like sturgeon, banana and tofu soup.
On our way to the last stop of the night, we got to take in more views of different buildings and listen to more traffic music (aka horns on motor bikes and other vehicles). If you think that the roads are crazy in the US, think again! Here in Vietnam, there are motor bikes and other vehicles constantly driving and not stopping very often. They will just keep merging into one another. They also seem to get really close to one another when driving. I think I could have given multiple people high-fives today if I wanted to.
Our last stop of the night was the water puppet show. Here, we enjoyed 17 different stories about the culture of Vietnam and listened to traditional Vietnamese music while the stories were being told.
We enjoyed every part of the day today and look forward to what tomorrow has to offer as we leave Hanoi and head to Sapa.
May 11-12, 2026 鈥 Travel Days
Written by Jordy Van De Stroet
Wheels Up, Jackrabbits! Part of our group woke up early this morning to meet in Brookings to carpool, and the rest met at the Sioux Falls airport. We had backpacks and suitcases in tow, double-checking we had passports and visas. During check-in and boarding we ran in to some speed bumps, but it was smooth flying after that. We got to Chicago and had to wait on the tarmac for 30 minutes before getting to our gate to unload. Having a small layover, some of us went to find food to have our last American meal 鈥 having everything from bagel sandwiches to pizza.
Now, comes the long flight, 12 and a half hours to Tokyo, Japan. Lunch was served on the plane with the options of shrimp or barbecue chicken and then vanilla ice cream for dessert. Also, we got to try some Japanese hard candy and a cream cheese danish. Then, we had nap time after a good, fulfilling meal.
We made it safely to Tokyo, where we had a three-hour layover to explore the airport, looking at the shops and getting sushi.
Now, it was time to board the last flight to Vietnam. After about 30 hours of traveling, we finally arrived in Hanoi, Vietnam, at 10:04 p.m. local time (that would be 10:04 a.m. CST). Walking off the plane, we went through customs and down to baggage claim. We all had our luggage, but I was getting nervous as my luggage was the last to arrive. I almost thought it was lost.
We then went and met our tour guide, Tony, who got us to the hotel before tomorrow's adventures.
May 1, 2026 鈥 Predeparture
Written by Raegan Salgado
Hey all!
This is Raegan Salgado, your first blogger for the SDSU Vietnam trip in 2026! I lost the chopstick race (not a metaphor), and the options were first or last post. I think we will all be a bit tired by the end, so I selected the first post.
This blog will be updated every day by a different student! That means parents will be able to see photos and everything from each day, plus get a peek at the next day鈥檚 plans.
The trip this year is looking incredible! The trip overall is agriculture-focused, of course. Lots of farms, local crafts, cultural interests and war history. We plan to explore pretty much every major city, including Hanoi, Sapa, Hoi An, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Among other things, we plan to visit the Hanoi Hilton and the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Hoi An. We plan to see a traditional water puppet show and sample egg coffee.
We plan to be all over the country, seeing the best that Vietnam has to offer, with a highly experienced tour guide! All locations, hotels and other details are subject to change, but this is 2026. We have international phone plans. The group will keep you updated via the blog every single day!
Our first plane leaves for Chicago at 7:30 a.m. May 11, then we have a layover in Tokyo, and we are off to Hanoi, Vietnam.
Remember, families and friends: It's a 12-hour time change between Vietnam and Central Time, which is convenient, unless you're my mother and must be in bed by 8 p.m. We land May 12 at 10:30 p.m. local time, 10:30 a.m. Central Time. That means we will have been traveling for 27 hours, according to our bodies.
We're looking forward to packing our bags, downloading media to our phones and getting going! Personally, I am going to read a ton of Kindle books. My backlog is looking a little scary. Maybe a little print media if I'm feeling rebellious.
See y'all in the next one!
Raegan
