May 11

Today we returned to our normal schedule, starting our day with Vietnamese language class. In class today, we reviewed our numbers by playing a game in order to prepare for our trip to the market. After class we went to the famous Ben Thanh Market for a few hours. I tried my hand at some negotiation in Vietnamese but had much more success with English. Vendors would grab you and pull you into their shop to try to sell you things. It was a hectic place in close quarters and very cool. We picked up some souvenirs and lunch at classical low Vietnamese prices. Following our market trip, we had a meeting downtown with the VinaCapital Foundation. We learned about the work that is done by the VinaCapital Group, one of the largest investment firms based in Vietnam, and specifically at the VinaCapital Foundation, a NGO that donates to help Vietnamese healthcare and education. Talking about the great work that they do at the foundation, we heard of the poverty that is experienced in some of the more rural regions of Vietnam and how $1000 is able to provide a life-saving heart surgery for a child if they can get access to appropriate medical care. After a few hours to relax after VinaCapital, we went out with our Vietnamese friends for some dinner and fun again for the evening.