Service Vietnam leaders reflect on the group’s first days in Ho Chi Minh City, where students settled into the country, explored its history and culture, and prepared for the journey ahead.
🇻🇳 Summer Begins in Saigon
Our first steps into Vietnam
Skyline View from the hotel in HCMC
After months of anticipation, airports, and long-haul flights, our Service Vietnam group officially arrived in Vietnam!
Ho Chi Minh City serves as the perfect introduction to Vietnam. Fast-paced, energetic, and endlessly fascinating, it offers students their very first glimpse into the country they’ll soon call home for the next few weeks.
Rather than rushing straight to the village, these first few days are intentionally designed to help everyone settle in, recover from travel, and begin adjusting to a completely new environment together.
🍜 Our First Taste of Vietnam
Our first stop after landing was exactly where it should be—lunch! Sharing our first local meal together gave students the chance to sample Vietnamese cuisine while shaking off the effects of a long journey.
With full stomachs and renewed energy, we explored some of Ho Chi Minh City’s best-known landmarks, strolling down the vibrant Nguyễn Huệ Walking Street before taking on a scavenger hunt through the bustling Bến Thành Market.
From learning how to navigate Vietnamese currency to experiencing the organized chaos of one of the city’s most iconic markets, students quickly discovered that curiosity—and a good sense of humor—are valuable travel companions.
🏛️ Understanding Vietnam
Our second day offered an opportunity for deeper reflection with a visit to the War Remnants Museum.
The museum encourages thoughtful conversations about Vietnam’s history and the lasting impact of conflict. For many students, it was a powerful reminder that understanding a country means engaging not only with its present, but also with the experiences that have shaped it.
These conversations will continue throughout the program as we spend time living and working alongside members of the Tịnh Khê community.
🌇 Seeing the City
After lunch at Secret Garden, we swapped walking shoes for the top deck of Ho Chi Minh City’s city bus.
It proved to be the perfect way to experience the city’s incredible architecture and vibrant streets while escaping the afternoon heat. From historic landmarks to glittering skyscrapers, every turn revealed another layer of this remarkable city.
That evening, students enjoyed exploring a local food court packed with delicious options, giving everyone the freedom to sample new dishes or enjoy familiar favorites.
🚲 Onward to Tịnh Khê
Our final morning in Ho Chi Minh City was intentionally slower to allow for some rest before we boarded the bus for Quảng Ngãi Province.
While Saigon has been an exciting introduction, everyone is eager for what comes next. Soon we’ll swap city streets for village roads as we begin the next chapter of our journey in Tịnh Khê.
📍 A Small Detail
One of our Putney travelers celebrated a birthday during this time! Happy Birthday, Julian! 🥳
The cake was absolutely delicious 🤩
Until the next dispatch from Vietnam…
Rudi and Lauren
Service Vietnam Leaders
To learn more about our high school Service Vietnam program, click here!
