Though I do not really know what to expect during the trip, I am Sapa excited because it will be my first experience of doing a research project overseas!

I have never been to Vietnam and have the impression of it still being largely underdeveloped (e.g. its cities like Hanoi being filled with slums and squatters) despite its economic progress over the last decades. However, my Vietnamese friend showed strong defensiveness for his country and intrigued me to find out more about it and how it is ever-changing with the world. Also, he showed an interesting aspect about Vietnamese youths which is relevant to my team’s project about their perspectives – it is their love for Vietnam which is not really considered to be patriotism.

This trip will help me to develop myself into an independent learner who thinks critically and solves problems skilfully. As we are given autonomy to carry out our research, everyone in the team has to step up and take charge of different aspects of it. In this way, I believe that this trip will hone my leadership skills. Also, in an unfamiliar environment, there would definitely be opportunities for us to make use of our interdisciplinary knowledge and creativity to respond appropriately to unexpected situations on our feet.

This trip will enhance my college education by honing my research skills. With language barriers, there is a high chance of data inaccuracy due to miscommunication. Hence, we will need to cautiously ensure that our questions are clearly communicated to our interviewees and survey participants. Checking for and ensuring data accuracy is often neglected when we as students do research project in Singapore as the possibility of data inaccuracy is not as obvious to us.

At a personal level, I hope to share with the Vietnamese as much about Singapore as possible and be immersed in the rich Vietnamese culture (especially since my team’s project is about it). During such enriching intercultural exchanges, I will conscientiously reflect upon the new perspectives I would be learning about Vietnam, Singapore, as well as Asia and the world. Also, as I am particularly interested in the natural environment (in love with it, to be exact), I hope to learn more about the amazing landscape of Sapa – the mountains, terraces, valleys, waterfalls!

Food is a very important part of Asian cultures. To better understand the Vietnamese culture and the locals’ interpretations of it as part of my team’s project, we should definitely try the most famous Viet-yum-ese food such as Goi Cuon, Banh Mi and Banh Xeo. Also, since Asian food is hands-down the best not just Pho its variety and unique flavours but also Pho its rich history and vivid development, I wish to find out more about Viet-yum-ese food through interactions with the locals!

I am Viet-ry excited for the trip! YAYYYY