From the unforgettable rigid mountain range of Da Lat and the city streets around the country, senior Tommy Nguyen remembers it all. For four weeks, Nguyen stayed with his family in one of the well-known cities that the country has to offer: Ho Chi Minh City or better known to its locals as “Saigon”.

Dat Lat is known to be the highlight of Vietnam and is famous for its beautiful landscapes, such as waterfalls, hills and pine forests. Nguyen found Dat Lat to be a refreshing change of pace due to its distinct cold weather to the otherwise overbearing heat of Vietnam.

Despite the country’s natural beauty, the inner streets of Vietnam are no safe place and Nguyen’s safety was concerned at every turn. The only safety he had was his family and making sure not to stray too far from their presence.

“Vietnam is no happy place to be alone in,” Nguyen said.

He states that it is best to avoid nightlife trouble and it is not an uncommon misfortune to run into robbers, smugglers, kidnappers, and rapists on one’s way home after a night out.

Despite the intimidating and overwhelming first appearance that one may get out of Vietnam, Nguyen fell right in place with its culture, people, and lifestyle due to his own Vietnamese background.

Nguyen further explains about discovering the true levels of poverty and pollution that plague the streets. From this trip to discover his own cultural backgrounds, he found many differences and parallels from living in the United States and the third world country.