Last week, UEL Department of Cooperation and Development (DCD) successfully organized two cultural exchange sessions for students from the University of San Diego (USD), California, USA, and Boston University (BU), Massachusetts, USA. Through this remarkable Cultural Exchange event, the students had the opportunity to experience 2 main cultural exchange activities, which were outstanding and memorable. .
Students from University of San Diego and Boston University get to learn about the development of Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City (VNU-HCM) and the University of Economics and Law (UEL). They received a warm welcome with a heartfelt Vietnamese melody and were introduced to Vietnam’s diverse cuisine by UEL students. The USD and BU students were particularly astonished by the fascinating differences between two globally well-known Vietnamese dishes: pho and bun bo. Beyond that, UEL students enthusiastically recommended various culinary delights that their international friends could experience while exploring Vietnam, such as bun cha, goi cuon, banh xeo, and more.
When exploring a new country, good food always comes with great adventures! The students from USD and BU didn’t just get to know Vietnam’s scrumptious cuisine—they also went on a virtual tour of some of the country's most breathtaking sights. From the majestic Ha Long Bay in Quang Ninh to the fire-breathing Dragon Bridge in Da Nang, they got a sneak peek at the must-visit destinations in Vietnam.
Coming to the grand highlight, the UEL Department of Development and Cooperation gave the students from USD and BU an unforgettable deep dive into local culture with a performance of the traditional Nhảy sạp dance from Vietnam’s Northwest region!
The flowing elegance of áo dài, the sweet smiles of Vietnamese students throughout the performance—it all left a lasting impression on their American friends. Although Nhảy sạp can be quite tricky for beginners, thanks to the devoted guidance of UEL students and the American students’ own determination, they managed to dance to the rhythmic Nhảy sạp on their first attempts, beautifully enjoying the beat of Vietnam’s highland melodies!
After the traditional dance session, there is another exciting activity awaiting the USD and BU students—decorating nón lá, Vietnam’s iconic conical hats, with their own creativity! With many generated ideas and colored paint brushes in their hands, they crafted one-of-a-kind masterpieces, turning the nón lá into unique souvenirs to remember their visit to Vietnam.
Alex, a student from the University of San Diego, shared: "I am truly honored to be here and experience this wonderful cultural exchange today. I painted a lot of flowers on my nón lá because I was impressed by the beautiful flowers I saw on campus. I also included ‘UEL,’ ‘USD,’ and today’s date to remember this special memory. Thank you all so much!"
Along with other sharings of the American students about their cultural exchange experience and the decoration’s meaning on their nón lá, the two Vietnam-USA Student Cultural Exchange sessions left a lasting and beautiful impression on the visiting delegations from the University of San Diego and Boston University.
Though the events did not last for long, it came to an end with a campus tour of the University of Economics and Law, VNU-HCM, allowing the American students to relax and explore the vibrant, green learning environment of UEL. This experience not only deepened cultural understanding but also strengthened the bonds between students from both countries, carved the wonderful image of Vietnam– in general and UEL, VNUHCM– in particular into the hearts of the American friends.
