morning: Intel Vietnam visit.
We visited a plant that Intel just built in Vietnam that hasn't even started producing yet (they will sunday). It wasn't very interesting to see the production lines since they were empty, but it was cool to see the facilities and learn about what went into planning to build the new site, actually contracting local workers, and setting up the factory so that it could begin producing.
we had lunch at the hotel which had an interesting assortment of foods to say the least.
afternoon: Success Alliance and ACDI/VOCA
We visited a nonprofit organization that works with farmers in the Mekong Delta who are CoCoa farmers, by teaching them the best/most efficient ways to grow the plants. It was interesting because I had no idea how much work went into getting fermented cocoa beans...or that they even needed to ferment and dry before they were even chocolate-y.
nighttimmmeee:
fridayy night :) one of the vietnamese students and one of our guides took us shopping, to dinner, and to a "rock show" after. shopping was fun, they were really intense about bargaining and i got a cute shirt for going out. We went to this really cute place for dinner which was fun, and then to the show afterwards. there was a vietnamese band who did covers of american songs, which was cool. later that night we went to a small club frequented by the Vietnamese, so it was all in a all a very cultural night.
Saturdayy.
Saturday we went to teh Mekong Delta, which was one of the longest car rides we've had since we've been here! At the delta we visited a Cocoa farm, which tied back in the presentation we had on friday. It was weird to taste the beans at different stages of production, they definitely do NOT taste like chocolate until the very end, and then its still very bitter and not sweet at all. For lunch we went to this beautiful outdoor restaurant. The food was good and the fruit in the detlta was fresh and wonderful. After eating, there were hammocks set up so everyone laid down and relaxed before finishing up the day at a nearby cocoa farm. After the delta we all went to KFC and napped, the guys went out for a little I think, but I opted for a night full of sleep instead.
sundayy.
On sunday we went to the beach! we took a boat--a hydrofoil--it was about an hour and a half ride. Once we got to the province where the beach was, we stopped for a short break before hiking up this hugeeeeeee hill to see a Jesus statue. I actually wasn't very impressed with the staute up close, but the view from the top was AMAZING. i have tons of pictures. The hike was full of benches donated by different states, so it was great to find ones from philly & other places i have friends from.
The actual beach wasn't too impressive, it a lot dirtier than i expected, the water wasnt clear and we kept finding random things like plastic bags floating in it. Nonetheless it was really fun, we had a pretty exciting game of catch in the water which was fun and refreshing.
On the way back, our hydrofoil got a bamboo root stuck in the engine. we were going upstream so it was already a longer trip, and then we had to stop so they could dive and get it out, so the ride seemed to take forever. When we got back we all went to barbecue garden for dinner. I can't even remember how to turn on the grill at home but grilling our food at dinner was actually really fun! after we ate everyone came back to the hotel and slept, I was exhausted by such a busy weekend out in the heat.
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