Return to Vietnam

In September 2010, IAU Executive Director, Ryan Doan, and Professor, Dr. Richard Gayer, returned to Vietnam. Dr. Gayer was accompanied by his lovely wife, Jean. The purpose of this trip was for Mr. Ryan to do some business development and for Dr. Gayer to speak at seminars with students through IAU's developed network of schools in Vietnam. Dr. Gayer had not been back to Vietnam since the Vietnam War (Danang and Hue), so there was some anxiety prior to the trip. However, this experience proved to be a great cultural experience for both the Gayer's.

The trip starts off arriving down south in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC). One of the curiosities the Gayer’s noticed when they landed in HCMC was the driving culture. Motorbikes litter the streets as they compose most of the modes of transportation in Vietnam. Crossing the streets is suicidal, reminding me of the old video game "Frogger". Tips to crossing the street - walk slowly in a constant speed while crossing so that the motorists can weave around you. Do not make sudden stops or hesitate. That actually will cause them to mis-steer.

The opportunity to go to Vung Tau City to teach an international business seminar was quite a treat. This beach city is approximately 3 hours from HCMC by car. The road leaving HCMC left a hustle-bustle city and ventured onto less developed roads. Our driver proved to be a master of windy roads, artfully handling potholes, random motorcyclists, and stray pedestrians. Although most of the city was enjoyed at the hotel and instructional room, Vung Tau was a new experience.

The exchange rate was $18,500 Viet Nam Dong (VND) to $1 USD. If you are not accustomed to it, the $97,000 bill for lunch can surpise you, which is only $5USD. You can find people selling just about anything at any time of the day. Beware of the beggars; they will follow you and persistently ask for "charity". Everyone is trying to earn a living and it is easy to spot a tourist and "prey" on them.

There was one evening in HCMC after a dinner, the Gayer’s and Ryan decided to walk back to the hotel. On the way back, they encountered a game of Da Cau (feathered shuttle cock) played by the locals. Dr. Gayer jumped in and kicked the shuttle cock around.

After a week down south (Sept 17-22), the Gayer’s travelled to the northern capital, Hanoi where the Gayer’s spent a week. Old French colonial style buildings lined the streets of Hanoi. Tree-line avenues of Hanoi reminded Dr. Gayer of Paris. Hanoi is crowded, but not as busy as HCMC. The streets "close" around 10pm, whereas HCMC has an active night life.

The Gayer's were very fortunate to be in Hanoi at this time. Hanoi was preparing to celebrate its 1000 year anniversary. Many local Hanoians were in the streets as the traffic and streets were over-packed with people. We caught glimpses of the pre-celebration. Hanoi and Vietnam have so much to be proud of and have come such a long way.

When embracing other cultures, food seems to be the universally enjoyable experience. Many unique food items were presented to the Gayer’s on this trip. There were notable entrees. They enjoyed the traditional noodle soup, pho, but instead of beef, their host treated them to the chicken variation (pho gà). In Vung Tau, they had bánh khot, a “pancake-like” entrée made with a rice crust at the bottom of the pot, shrimp, ground dried shrimp. The bánh khot is wrapped in vegetables and dipped in nuoc mam (fish sauce) for added flavor.

This trip was a wonderful experience for the Gayer’s. When departing to the Hanoi airport to return back to the states, the Gayer’s inquired when the next trip to Vietnam was.