It's always the most difficult to begin something, I find. Whether it's a paper for class, a new chore around the house, or, as the case may be, a travel blog for my adventures and misadventures in Vietnam. As my first attempt at blogging, it's taken me ages to get this first, physical step established. There are so many options to choose from, and I hope that I've found a theme that matches the excitement and apprehension over this, my newest and most exciting endeavor.
With less than a month before my departure, the process of getting everything ready is already seeming overwhelming. I've already started my regimen of vaccinations (typhoid, Japanese Encephalitis, polio), sent in my materials to SIT, secured my flights, and begun some Vietnamese lessons with the help of Rosetta Stone and Scott, a really nice kid I met at his family's local Vietnamese restaurant. He's been coming over to teach me the basics. Still to come: figuring out my method of communication (i.e. cell phone, since I know the internet will be spotty at times), my pre-arrival reading list, gifts for my host families, packing very lightly! It's almost got both Mom and me in a panic!
My goal for this blog is multifaceted. First is to keep you all informed with my life and experiences in this place that many of you (including, at this point, myself) probably have little knowledge of. Of course we all know about Vietnam from the perspective of a country at war. The Vietnam War, (known as the American War in Vietnam) is a sorry lens to examine an entire people, culture, and way of life. The program that I will be participating in is called Globalization and National Development. From my experiences in DC as well as the international travel I have already done, I know that the entire wold is becoming more and more globalized, connected, and interdependent. If my experiences, imparted to my friends, family, and community through these blog posts, are able to enhance and deepen a cultural understanding and respect for the Vietnamese people, then I will have succeeded in another one of my goals for my blog: to act as a kind of ambassador between my home and theirs. Positive communications and interactions as well as mutual understanding are vital for our future. As Thomas Friedman has said, "If you don't go, you don't know," and I think that is an important statement to take to heart. Finally, I want to have this blog serve as my journal and as a memory of my experiences abroad.
Thus my plan as of now is to update as much as possible. I'm not sure how much internet access I will have over there, so I plan to try to write my thoughts down everyday in a journal, so that I can remember the important details even if I don't get to update online every day or every week. I already miss all of my friends both in Atlanta and Lincoln, and my family wherever you may be! Here's to a semester that I can truly get lost in--one that will challenge me, teach me, and help me to gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for the human condition itself. Many of you have asked me, "Why Vietnam?" I hope this entry and my future posts "in country" will explain just that.
With less than a month before my departure, the process of getting everything ready is already seeming overwhelming. I've already started my regimen of vaccinations (typhoid, Japanese Encephalitis, polio), sent in my materials to SIT, secured my flights, and begun some Vietnamese lessons with the help of Rosetta Stone and Scott, a really nice kid I met at his family's local Vietnamese restaurant. He's been coming over to teach me the basics. Still to come: figuring out my method of communication (i.e. cell phone, since I know the internet will be spotty at times), my pre-arrival reading list, gifts for my host families, packing very lightly! It's almost got both Mom and me in a panic!
My goal for this blog is multifaceted. First is to keep you all informed with my life and experiences in this place that many of you (including, at this point, myself) probably have little knowledge of. Of course we all know about Vietnam from the perspective of a country at war. The Vietnam War, (known as the American War in Vietnam) is a sorry lens to examine an entire people, culture, and way of life. The program that I will be participating in is called Globalization and National Development. From my experiences in DC as well as the international travel I have already done, I know that the entire wold is becoming more and more globalized, connected, and interdependent. If my experiences, imparted to my friends, family, and community through these blog posts, are able to enhance and deepen a cultural understanding and respect for the Vietnamese people, then I will have succeeded in another one of my goals for my blog: to act as a kind of ambassador between my home and theirs. Positive communications and interactions as well as mutual understanding are vital for our future. As Thomas Friedman has said, "If you don't go, you don't know," and I think that is an important statement to take to heart. Finally, I want to have this blog serve as my journal and as a memory of my experiences abroad.
Thus my plan as of now is to update as much as possible. I'm not sure how much internet access I will have over there, so I plan to try to write my thoughts down everyday in a journal, so that I can remember the important details even if I don't get to update online every day or every week. I already miss all of my friends both in Atlanta and Lincoln, and my family wherever you may be! Here's to a semester that I can truly get lost in--one that will challenge me, teach me, and help me to gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for the human condition itself. Many of you have asked me, "Why Vietnam?" I hope this entry and my future posts "in country" will explain just that.
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