The Best Experience I've Ever Had Abroad - Vietnam Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The best part of this program was the constant opportunity for experiential education. Learning Vietnamese, for example, was not restricted to the classroom. Living with homestay families, interacting with Vietnamese students, and the independence to travel around the city allowed us to practice our language skills in some many contexts. We learned about Vietnamese culture by actively participating in it, traveling to various (beautiful) parts of Vietnam, and interacting with local people and the environment.

On-site administration of your program

Our teachers and Academic Director were some of the most driven and passionate people I have ever met. They were constantly available and ready to support us. Moreover, they handled changes in the schedule very well. In Vietnam, a lot of things can change last minute so it's important to have an easy-going attitude.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The homestay was my favorite part of studying abroad. My family was kind, inviting, and took me on excursions while still giving me my own time and space. We celebrated birthdays together, tried new boba tea shops, and helped each other practice Vietnamese and English. My homestay sister was about my age so we had a lot in common and I spent a lot of time getting to know her friends, too!

Vietnamese food is incredible (and my homestay mother was an amazing chef). Try everything. It's also ridiculously inexpensive. My favorite dish was a yellow noodle/chicken soup called mi quang (Central Vietnamese)

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

The homestay was vital to feeling culturally included. I enjoyed that we were separated from other students and had time to learn about and explore our own neighborhoods.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Local healthcare is definitely accessible. Nobody on my program had an major incidents. Emergency services are a little different (like ambulances) but our Academic Director took us to local doctor offices and urgent care facilities during one of the first few days of the program so we would know where to go.

I never felt unsafe in Vietnam, no matter where we went. You could walk around Ho Chi Minh in the middle of the night and be absolutely fine. I was never harassed. The only tip is to not hold your phone out while on a motorbike or walking along the road as one student had her phone grabbed while taking a selfie...

Vietnam was a wonderful learning opportunity. It is a small country but even in 4 months I feel I've barely scratched the surface of it. It is one of the only countries I've been to where I could see myself returning and living there. The people are unbelievably kind and welcoming, the food in amazing, there is always something to do, and the landscapes are diverse and breath-taking.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

Vietnam is very inexpensive. You can get everything there than you would want/need at a fraction of the cost in the states. Food, especially, is very easy to get on a budget. But bring extra for fun excursions and shopping.

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

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• Host Family

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• Host Family

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• Americans

• Homestay
• Traveling
• Food

• Some students were more interested in getting their hair done than cultural activities.

The Avid Adventurer