From street food to the symphony

Last week we started to work on the research portion of this trip including a couple days of research methodology classes to help us prepare our research question and surveys. As we only have about 4 weeks to survey about 30 parents, it will be pretty basic but I am still looking forward to the information we will get. So far it seems like the major shortcoming of universities here is the complete lack of any sort of practical experience so learning things like communication and interview skills has to be done bythe student, often from the Internet. This morning we had a practice interview with a recent graduate that went well.

Last night some of us went out with some Vietnamese students for dinner and they took us to a street vendor. It was one of the most delicious meals I have had thus far - rice with sweet and sour beef for a buck. The food here is generally good and I have eaten a lot of pho which is a soup with rice noodles and some sort of beef. I am trying to work on my Vietnamese pronunciation so I can order for myself but it is a tonal language meaning the same word means five different things depending on the pitch of the vowels.

Today I did lots if shopping. Things are do cheap here and my haggling skills are improving but still poor. I am probably still paying twice ad much as I should be for things but I can't be too upset as it usually means paying $4 instead of $2. I will get it down by the end of the trip. Tonight I went to a symphony and ballet performance at the nearby opera hall. The symphony and accompanying choir was really good but I don't think Ho Chi Minh City will be known for its ballet any time soon.