My spring break started with 5 days in Bali, Indonesia with around 15 other students in my program. Where you can draw some similarities between life in the US and Australia, Indonesia was completely different. We got to visit the rice fields, ride ATVs in the jungle, explore one of the most famous temples, and go to a monkey forest. When we weren’t out on an excursion, we would walk around Seminyak or visit the local market. The weather was gorgeous and we were fortunate enough to get a beautiful house where we could enjoy our time. 

We flew from Bali straight to Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam for another 5 days. Here, the city is a lot more lively, modernized and developed, and crowded. I stayed in a hotel in the heart of the city so that I could be as close and immersed in culture as possible. We visited some of their biggest markets and the walking street quite often, which allowed us to interact with a lot of locals. And enjoying a new, local restaurant every night. I explored a lot of the city by either walking or sight-seeing on a Grab bike. Ho Chi Minh was a beautiful city and the weather was just as good as Bali, allowing us to do anything and everything we wanted in our time there. 

Being able to experience life and culture so drastically different from The US or Australia has changed not only my perspective, but my goals and interests as well. I am more grateful and fortunate for what I have and the opportunities in my life, as I have now seen first hand that that is not the case everywhere in the world. Visiting these countries was such a privilege and I am so thankful that the cities and locals welcomed us with such open arms. I would love to travel internationally more and to experience hundreds of different cultures and ways of life. Reading and research does not do the unique and beautiful countries justice. I will forever be grateful for the lessons learned, memories made, and cultural knowledge I gained.