Hi everyone! Welcome to my blog, also known as my digital diary. I'm majoring in Asian Studies modified with Business, a new program here at Dartmouth, so feel free to ask me anything related to that. Beyond the classroom, I love the Dartmouth sunsets, the traditions, the classes, the merch, and the people, of course. Come along with me as I explore the ins and outs of life in the woods.
A course that definitely surprised me, I did not know what to expect and had very little philosophical knowledge before taking this course. It was a mixture of current and past readings, with the final project to make a group video, testing my technological ability. Professor Bumpus was amazing, and I got to know her more when I took her to breakfast at Pine through the Take Your Professor to Lunch Program.
I was recommended to take a history course, specifically a history course with Professor Lu, and it has not disappointed! This course is cross listed with Asian Studies, my major, but it has made me consider a history minor... We start every class off with a song relating to the topic of that class, and then we move on to discussion based activities.
So far, the Dartmouth classes I have taken have been all based around discussion and essay writing. As an Asian Studies and Government major, I expected that the rest of my time at Dartmouth would follow a similar pattern, but in fact a pre-requisite for the Government major is a Political Analysis class. This class involves coding, analyzing survey samples, and other quantitative methods. The professor is amazing—a friend and I got to know him better by taking him out to breakfast at Pine through the 'Take Your Professor to Lunch' program. The final group project involves making projections for the 2024 elections using past data. Although, obviously, this election already happened, some of our predictions were more accurate than the polls! It is super interesting to take a class that I can see the themes in real world news outlets.
My favorite class this term had to be Developing Vietnam, which is a ten-week course taken in Hanover, in preparation for three weeks in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam during the winter break. The goal of this class was to plan and carry out a research project pertaining to development in Vietnam. During our time at Dartmouth, we collaborated with Fulbright University Vietnam students to come up with a shared research topic, research brief, and agenda. The interdisciplinary nature of this class meant that we had the opportunity to explore Vietnam through different angles/themes spanning religion, history, political economy, and environmental governance.
An amazing opportunity that I participated in over the winter break—"winterim" in Dartmouth lingo—was a mini study abroad to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, called 'Developing Vietnam.' Lasting three weeks rather than the regular ten, this gave me the chance to experience Dartmouth abroad without replacing a term in Hanover. Come with me on the first of a three-part series, corresponding to the three weeks I spent in Vietnam.
Saigon from above
I arrived early on a Sunday morning, and luckily, the Dartmouth-organized transport was waiting to take me to the hotel. We were staying around a 45-minute drive from the airport, and crucially, a 5-minute walk to Fulbright University, the college that we are in partnership with.
Our study abroad officially started on Monday with a welcome ceremony at Fulbright, where we saw our Vietnamese teammates, having not seen them for two months (seehere for their trip to Hanover). We spent the day getting to know the city, and ended with a Dartmouth group dinner at a nearby restaurant, traditional Vietnamese cuisine and great conversation—what more could one ask for?
A unique aspect of this program is the research focus. Rather than attending classes, our goal is to produce a research project on a topic of our choosing, regarding development in Vietnam. Therefore, we pretty much structured our own days, usually with an evening activity organized by our professor.
Coconuts at the Independence Palace
One such event was the Chao Show. Over dinner, we experienced an amazing musical performance that spanned different musical eras and regions of Vietnam. Other group excursions included a trip to Independence Palace and the museum attached to it. What made this experience truly special was that our Dartmouth professor, Edward Miller, was in fact one of the key curators of this exhibit, making it incredibly valuable to be able to ask him specific questions about the process of putting together the museum.
The Chao Show
We were also able to utilize the resources and events provided by Fulbright University. This included a speaker series on the Vietnam War, co-hosted by Professor Miller and Professor Hoang from Fulbright.
This first week, the one lecture-like class we attended was in preparation for our weekend trip to the Mekong Delta. Over banh mi, a popular Vietnamese sandwich prepared on a light, crispy baguette, we discussed the ecology, history, and importance of the region, as well as logistics for the trip.
Our adventure started early Saturday morning, where we hopped onto a coach waiting for us outside of our hotel. Our first stop: a Cao Dai temple. Cao Dai is a uniquely Vietnamese religion, combining elements from Buddhism, Christianity, and Confucianism, in an effort to promote harmony and unity. In our religion unit back in Hanover, we covered the basics of Cao Dai, but actually being able to talk to the temple's residents, albeit through a translator, was a completely different experience—one that made the religion feel lived-in rather than theoretical.
Our professors and the monks of Cao Dai
On our way to our camp for the night, we stopped at Vietcoco, a coconut processing plant, for lunch and a tour of the facilities. Safe to say, I have had enough coconut for a while!
Over the past four years that this program has run, the group has stayed at Vam Ho Bird Sanctuary, and this time was no exception. A welcome break from the bustle and noise of Saigon, it was amazing to connect with nature. Ambling through the coconut trees, crossing wooden bridges, sitting on the banks of the Mekong River… After getting settled into our cabins, complete with bug nets, we went on a boat ride to see the fireflies!
Going for a night boat ride
A hearty meal later and a karaoke night later, we returned to our cabins for the night. We didn't sleep long, however, before we woke up for the sunrise over the Mekong Delta. There we perched, comfortable in the morning breeze, watching the bloody oranges and reds and pinks spread across the sky.
Where we watched the sunrise
We ended our time in the Mekong Delta with another wonderful breakfast, and then attempted to cross a body of water via a rope. The instructors promised a reward for anyone who could complete it, comfortable in the fact that over the last four years, no one had succeeded. Anyway, the challenge stands, as many ended up soaking wet, unable to cross.
Attempts at crossing
After a quiet two hour coach ride, we arrived back in District 7 of Ho Chi Minh City, tired but content. And so ends our first week on Developing Vietnam. After all of my wonderful experiences in the first week, it is tough to believe that anything will top this, but stay tuned for more adventures.
Someone recently reframed my thinking about "surviving" in the winter to thriving, and I have really taken that to heart. Read to find out how I (try to) thrive in a winter climate!
If you're a prospective geology, mining, or resources student, this post is for you. "The Stretch" is Dartmouth's field geology program, and it covers exactly those areas!
This winter break, I went on tour with the Dartmouth Decibelles to Charleston and Atlanta, performing throughout local communities and making lasting memories together!
Paris is often hailed as the center of the (European) art world. Through an Art History Fall Plus program, I explored Parisian art in person and up close!
