About the project

           From 17- 31 May 2018, I was involved in a short-term study abroad program, which entailed traveling to Vietnam. The objective of this project involved strengthening the awareness of human and sex trafficking occurring within the country of Vietnam. A number of students from Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa worked to empower the image of the Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation (Hanoi, Vietnam) with help from our international team members from Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) of Melbourne, Australia, and students from their second campus in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

           Everyone working on this project was a member of one of ten teams, which prepared a communications and marketing document in addition to a presentation to submit to the client. Our task at hand included broadening the topic of human and sex trafficking to the following global regions: the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. Teams also evaluated additional strategies to generate monies for the daily operations of Blue Dragon, such as for: conducting rescue missions, court fees and paperwork, food, housing, clothing, utilities, education material, and so forth. Students who participated in this program were neither involved with nor responsible for conducting or engaging in the operations involved with the trafficking rescue missions. Due to heavy restraints on privacy, we were not able to interact with the rescued children during our visit to the Blue Dragon headquarters in Hanoi.

           Over the duration of time spent within Vietnam, a series of photos were taken. Each photo is published accordingly to the date and time it was captured. The majority of the photos will have a tagged phrase at the bottom of the post to further categorize where in Vietnam they are relevant to. Photos without a tag were either taken in the countryside and/or do not have a significant location attached to them. See the bottom of the page for the complete list of designated phrases. Additional literature collected during the trip has been digitally scanned to provide further insight about the adventure inside Vietnam.

           To view the communications and marketing document my team created, please click this DropBox link.

Vietnamese Dong

           In preparation for Vietnam, I ordered some Vietnamese Dong just in time. Here are 17 notes, amounting to ₫4.7 million. The best exchange rate I was able to locate online was: ₫1 (VND) = $0.00005003 (USD), or $1 (USD) = ₫19,986.6282(VND). Foreign currency exchange rates unfortunately don't equate to the actual market value, so you exchange your money and receive back a bit less than what your money would actually be equal to. Bummer. The actual market rate at the time of exchange is as follows: $1 (USD) = ₫22,767.50 (VND). This amounts to a -12.2% exchange rate. 

           I know there are physical bank locations who also offer currency exchanges, however, the exchange rates will vary from bank to bank, in addition you may face a minimum order amount, non-member fees, or even the dreaded cash-advance fee. By ordering currency online, I avoided many of these fees. I ended up using Travelex. DO NOT go directly to their website to exchange currency: the rate they openly display for each currency on their general website is a ripoff. Upon investigation, I found a link from US Bank which connects you back to Travelex, but at a higher exchange rate. For instance, at the time my order was placed, the offered exchange rate from Travelex for Dong amounted to $1 USD = ₫17,073.75. Through the US Bank link, the exchange rate increased ~17%, whereas $1 USD = ₫19,986.6282. Actual results will vary; the economy is always changing. To evade potential cash advance fees with this type of transaction, I used my debit card to complete the order; you will need to provide identity verification upon checkout, such as with your date of birth and Social Security number according to federal laws regarding this type of exchange service. The absolute U.S. Dollar amount minimum when ordering through Travelex is $250; there is a $10 shipping fee unless $1,000 or more is ordered. Scheduled shipping time was two days; mine arrived UPS Next Day Air.

           Throughout the trip, the exchange rate between the U.S. Dollar and the Vietnamese Dong remained pretty consistent. A general rule I followed was ₫10,000 = 44¢ USD. The following are the U.S. Dollar equivalents, to three decimals, at the time of exchange:

• ₫100,000 = $5.003
• ₫200,000 = $10.006
• ₫500,000 = 25.015

           The Vietnamese also use other denominations in their currency such as: ₫1,000, ₫2,000, ₫5,000, ₫10,000, ₫20,000, and ₫50,000. I actually encountered and used each of these divisions of banknotes while in country. The most practical I found were the ₫20,000 - ₫200,000. You want to carry enough notes where they’re readably usable, but not to the point they become a hassle when change comes back: think of carrying $10, $20, or $50 U.S. bills rather than $100.

           The current Dong are composed of a plastic polymer material, which replaced the former cotton notes. We found you may still use the cotton notes, which were often the ₫1,000 - ₫5,000, but due to their low division they’re not the most practical to carry in bulk. They work best for exact change when the bill did not conclude at ₫XXX,000. As a note on these note, not all vendors/stores may have these notes on hand so you may be short changed ₫1,000 or ₫2,000 if such a situation occurs. While it’s odd to see this happen, ₫1,000 and ₫2,000 amount to about 5¢ and 9¢ respectively.

Some cotton Dong still in circulation.

Cover

Panels 01-03

Panel 04

Reverse

            Upon arrival at the Hong Kong airport, I came across a table of information. Something told me this particular brochure was relevant, so I kept a copy. To my surprise, this airport employs a fleet of Nissan Leafs! Wow! It warmed my heart to see this excellent application of electric mobility used in another country! The next morning while we waited for our noon flight back to Chicago, I was able to see a series of yellow wrapped Leafs out and about on the runway doing whatever they were assigned. As a Leaf driver myself, it was splendid to see these vehicles. =) (To read the text, immediately right click on the image, and then click "Open in new tab," then click the image again to magnify it.)

            Outside of the Ha Long Bay, we almost enjoyed the Ferris Wheel at this local amusement park. Unfortunately due to timing from leaving the Bay, we were too early at arrival; this attraction opened at 14h. Instead of waiting four hours for it to open, our group opted to use the money that would have otherwise been spent on tickets, to go towards purchasing us breakfast in Hong Kong.

            Like a dazy haze, more faux mountains. This is real: there is zero editing or enhancements in this photo.

            This particular photo made the hour on the boat! As seen towards the nose of this cruise ship, there is a woman on her own little boat. Now, this woman is far from casually rowing through the Bay, she is actually selling goods to people from her boat, to those aboard the cruse ship! This was just a gem to witness. The customer on board the ship is leaning out the window in her room. I believe at the time in this photo, the saleswoman was presenting beads to the other woman.

            Due to the natural spacing between the islands, from afar they look as though they are a collective land mass.

            An Evergreen tree may be able to hold up its name, although not all of these islands are green all the way around. For example, we can see here where the majority of daily sunlight illuminates the stone mass.

Throughout the Ha La Bay, there are certain islands where if you look carefully the look like people. This is an excellent example I found, where the resting person is evident. Some will call these "mud fossils," as though they are the remains of former giants, or Titans, who once roamed the Earth. A few times I wondered to myself if these souls are camera shy, for there were moments where I was no longer able to find the person in the photo just a time after it had been taken.

There are more than 1,600 of these limestone islands in the Ha Long Bay, and they're simply a marvel to see in person. These islands are otherwise unsuitable to live on due to their rugged and incredibly steep composition of being a stone mass, however, many of the islands are covered in vegetation. Some of these land masses have tiny beaches, or even caves which may be visited. They are a component of the world that is best left to nature.

            A plant-based dish mimicking fried squid tentacles. What a creative approach! 

            Lunch time! Featured was a multi-course meal, presented in a very culinary style. This meatless dining featured a beginning course of the above. The bowl of soup presented a feeling of November, with a kind texture of potato-pumpkin.