Column: Abroad in Vietnam, conversations and karaoke

Before I dive into the details of this installment, I would like to preface by stating how overwhelmed with gratitude I am after a week of so many wonderful conversations and connections. Mehdi Heravi, founder of the Heravi Peace Institute, joined us this week at the American University of Vietnam to speak with us about the program. We also had the opportunity to attend a friend’s wedding and join our dormmates for a bit of karaoke. It was an incredible way to spend our fourth week here in Da Nang, and I can’t wait to share it with you.

First off, Heravi joined us on Tuesday in class to talk about our coursework and our experience so far. As the founder of the HPI, which is the institute that made this trip possible, he was interested to hear how the trip has impacted our learning and what we have been able to gain through a semester abroad. We had a long discussion about our purpose in being here and the ultimate goal of the HPI going forward.

The HPI study abroad group poses with Mehdi Heravi and Justin Barton.

For me, being here has been about getting out and doing something worthwhile. As I mentioned in my first blog post, traveling to Vietnam was not my first choice for the spring semester, but it became the only choice that made sense to me and my goals. I expressed this to Heravi, and I was moved by his response.

Heravi has a saying that goes along the lines of, “It’s a crime to have a low aim.” He told us about his experience moving to Logan and the influence that path has had on him and his life. He is so inspiring in his passion for Utah State, and he urged us to aim high and to work hard toward our goals. He also expressed his excitement about the possibility of more study abroad trips in Vietnam in the future, thanking us for the small role we have played as experiential guinea pigs in this endeavor.

All of us are grateful and excited to be here, and it was a joy to share that gratitude and joy with Heravi and hear about the possibilities arising in the world of peacebuilding. In a world filled with a lot of uncertainty, it was nice to have a day focused on what hope we can see in the future. We were also able to share a meal, a few stories and some memories together before he departed.

At the end of the week, we were invited to attend our friend My y’s wedding, which was a beautiful reception full of lots of incredible food, flowers and karaoke. My y has been such a wonderful friend in our time here, so we were excited to share a little bit of this important day with her and her husband. Sitting at a table surrounded by good friends with the thrilling sound of karaoke around us was just what we needed.

The HPI group attends My y’s wedding.

We continued the party after the reception by partaking in our own karaoke. We went with a bunch of our friends from our dorm to a small karaoke place and blasted music loud enough my ears were ringing afterward. Let me tell you, it was so very worth it! We sang and somewhat yelled for hours before our voices gave out to a point where we thought it was a good idea to head out. After that, we went to dinner together, and I had Korean BBQ for the first time. Overall, it was a day filled with many new experiences for me, and I am thankful for the friends I got to share it with.

We eat Korean BBQ with our friends from the AUV.

It is crazy to think our time here is now over halfway over. Time has moved so fast, and yet, I feel I have been gone for ages. As always, thank you for joining me on my journey here in Vietnam, and I will catch you next week. Only a few more blogs to go before we are in Hanoi!

Until then, tạm biet!