Vietnam: Impacts of the War

Arrive into Noi Bai International Airport (HAN) and meet your Program Leaders who will be with you for the duration of the program. Head to the hotel and settle in, relaxing after your long flight. Join the group for an orientation discussion about the week ahead, expectations for your adventure, and an introduction to the local culture.

Acclimate to life in Vietnam and exploring the city of Hanoi. Hanoi was the political capital of the Viet Cong during the wars against the French and the United States. Hanoi celebrated its 1000th birthday in October 2010 and is one of the most beautiful cities in Southeast Asia. Explore the vibrant mixture of colonial French and traditional Vietnamese architecture and enjoy the tree-lined streets and many beautiful lakes.

Our day will start off with a visit to Ho Chi Minh’s mausoleum and the National Museum. We will then visit Truc Bach Lake where Senator John McCain was captured, visit his and the famous Hoa Lo prison (AKA “the Hanoi Hilton”) where he and many other POWs were interned during the war. In the afternoon we will visit the Military Museum to learn how Vietnamese soldiers fought and thrived during French Colonization and the Vietnam War. Afterwards, we will take a walk around Hoan Kiem Lake, the center of Hanoi’s urban life.

Board a flight to the city that bears the name of Vietnam’s hero and symbol: Ho Chi Minh. Heading through the streets of Ho Chi Minh city, you will immediately notice a major difference between Northern and Southern Vietnam. The disparate culture and economies of the two regions was a source of discord during the war. We will spend the afternoon exploring the city by foot and enjoying delicious Southern Vietnamese street food before retiring for the night.

Tour the Reunification Palace where communist tanks crashed into the gates and Saigon surrendered to North Vietnam in 1975. In the afternoon, you’ll visit the War Remnants Museum and end your day winding through the Ben Thanh market, the largest wholesale market in Ho Chi Minh City.

Today we will head to the Cu Chi tunnels, an intricate network of underground tunnels, rooms, field hospitals, and booby traps that the Vietcong used to wage an insurgency against the US backed South Vietnamese government. In the afternoon, return to Ho Chi Minh city for a traditional water puppet show.

Visit the Mekong Delta on your last day in Vietnam. The massive region of braided streams and canals is a geographic marvel and an important source of food and trade for Southern Vietnam. Consequently it was the scene of fierce fighting between the Viet Cong and Americans who patrolled the waterways. We will spend the day exploring the semi-aqueous environment and the communities living on it. Meet with villagers who still live a largely traditional way of life and hear their stories from the war. Back in the city we will have a farewell dinner and a reflection on the week’s events and your understanding of the Vietnam War.

At the end of each program, students reflect on their experiences and the issues they engaged with, and talk about how to apply this new understanding to their own worlds. During or after their closing discussion, groups participate in Rustic Ties, a unique and powerful activity that allows students to capture the memories and learning moments of their program to process and share with their communities back home.

The Vietnam War was a defining event in modern American history with reverberations felt around the world. After a firsthand exploration of Vietnam, you will have a much greater understanding of the causes, consequences, and solutions for conflict resolution. Though Vietnam is still affected by the war and its lingering impacts, the nation has largely recovered and has changed dramatically since. Your Program Leaders will take you to the airport for your departure as you say goodbyes and reflect on your adventure.