Day 2 May 14, 2013

Today we began to get into our daily routine of waking up and getting out the door to class early.  We had a guest lecturer on urban development and then language class.  I'm beginning to catch on to this whole Vietnamese language, but I still find it very difficult.  Tin also gave us a tour UEF.  The school is so small compared to Pitt!  Seeing the school setting in another country was very cool though.  From UEF we went and had lunch and then went to Phu My Hung.  Phu My Hung was incredible.  The immensity of the development that occurred in the past few decades was mind boggling and the view of the city from the twelfth floor was ever more amazing.  After a full day of class and a company visit, the pool was just what I needed.  Who would have ever guessed that I would be chillin on the rooftop of the Victory Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam drinking a beer chatting with my peers and college professors.  I wouldn't mind spending days on that rooftop!  For dinner tonight, the Vietnamese students brought us to a barbecue restaurant.  It was so cool! We would cook our food on our own right at the table!  I cannot believe I ate goat; I will never get over that.  When the waiter brought out a plate of LIVING shrimp I almost lost it.  I can't even eat seafood without getting nauseous, let alone kill it and watch it cook before eating it.  This was definitely a first time experience for me that I enjoyed a lot.  I finally got to ride a motor bike too!!!!!  It was definitely not as scary as I anticipated it to be.  It made me want to drive one on my own, except I would have to do that at night when there was not as many cars and bikes on the road.  Who knows what I'd hit!  Getting off the bike I got an infamous Saigon Kiss...OF COURSE!  I got it from the bike next to me though and it wasn't that bad so it was more of a Saigon Peck.  Tomorrow's a busy day so I'm just going to take it easy for the rest of the night so I'm not this tired again tomorrow.