Vietnam: Day 3

Today, we did not go to UEF like we had the past two days.  Instead, we had 3 separate company visits, two of which we did in the morning when we are normally at UEF and in our Vietnamese language class.  I woke up around 7 and showered before going down to breakfast, as usual.  After breakfast we headed out to VSIP, or Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Park, our first of three company visits.

At VSIP, we were given a presentation in which we learned all about VSIP’s goals and aspirations as a company, as well as took a few pretty cool photos of their two models of their industrial parks (one displaying VSIP I, the other portraying VSIP II).

Model of VSIP I in Binh Duong

Following VSIP, we went right two II-VI Vietnam Corporation, a company that deals in laser optics and thermoelectric cooling.  We split into two groups (one for each of the company’s two focuses) and were given tours.  Although photos were not allowed to be taken in the workplace, we did see a lot of cool and interesting things on both tours, from the making of laser lenses to the construction of thermoelectric cooling components.

Outside of II-VI 

After II-VI, we came back to the hotel for lunch and nap time (or at least that’s what Austin and I used it for) before heading back out to our third and final company visit of the day, one to Vietnam Eximbank, the third largest banking company in all of Vietnam.  The staff at Eximbank was extremely happy to have us and were delighted to answer our questions and show us around the bank.

Currency exchange rates at Eximbank

Free time commenced once we returned to the hotel around 4:00 pm.  After changing into shorts and a t-shirt, I joined Austin, Ben, Stephen, Steven, and Eric and we headed down towards the
Bến Thành Market to walk around, explore, and kill some time before going to dinner at 7.

For dinner, we went to Phở 24.  I ordered phở with chicken and a guava juice, both of which were extremely delicious.  The meal (phở, two orders of spring rolls for the table, and a drink) cost everyone about 100,000 dong, or a little less than 5 US dollars.  I love this country.