Monday, January 12, 2015

Exploring Vietnam

The TDTU hosts have provided many opportunities for the ILR student to explore and learn about Vietnamese history, culture and food.  Here are a few examples.


Traditional Vietnamese water puppetry dates back to 11th Century.  The ILR and TDTU students attended a show at the Golden Dragon Water Puppet Theater in Ho Chi Minh City.

 Dinner after the show.


Visiting the French Catholic Church in District One.  



 Weekend excursion to the monkey island biosphere.

  

 

 





Visiting the local war hero museum at Ap Bac. 


Friday, January 9, 2015

TDTU Campus Activities

When the ILR students are not in class or working on class assignments, they are enjoying campus and students life at TDTU. 

 Kristen and Lowell playing piano in the dorm lobby
ILR students volunteering at "English Zone", a place where TDTU students can practice their English-language skills with native speakers. 

Enjoying the hospitality at a classmate's  home.  The ILR students are grateful for the warm welcome by the entire TDTU community!

Thursday, January 8, 2015

VN Labor Relations Class at TDTU

The ILR students are attending the first 2-weeks of Dick Fincher's course on Labor Relations and Arbitration in Vietnam.  


 Here are a few photos from the first week of class at TDTU.
 Gideon and Ms. Neigh


Gideon and Lowell holding discussion with classmates.

Role-playing exercise. 

A highlight for the ILR students was meeting Dean Hoa, who heads the Labor Relations School at TDTU. 

Monday, January 5, 2015

ILR and TDTU Students Meet

One important goal of the winter break program is to provide an engaged learning opportunity for the US and Vietnamese students to cross-learn and share ideas about labor relations and arbitration.  Here are some ways that the students are getting to know each other outside the classroom. 
 The students sharing meals. 
 Kristen sampling fresh coconut water.
 Evening picnic celebrating the end of the TDTU semester.
Lowell and Nicole performing a skit.
 Enjoying the entertainment!
 A game of shuttlecock in evening when the temperature is a bit cooler. 

Saturday, January 3, 2015

The ILR Students Arrive in Vietnam!

After months of preparation, on Sat, Jan 3, the first ILR students arrived at Vietnam's largest airport Tan Son Nhat International in Ho Chi Minh City.
 TDTU students welcoming Nicole at the airport.
Kristen and Nicole finally in Vietnam. 

 First Vietnamese lunch.
 Local specialty. 
 Too spicy! 

Friday, January 2, 2015

The Ton Duc Thang University Campus in HCMC

In 1997 the public university of TDTU was established, with the main campus inaugurated in 2011 in Tan Phong Ward, District 7, in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC).  This beautiful and spacious campus is where the ILR students will stay for the duration of the program. 

The student dorms.
 
The comfortable rooms.  Much nicer than a US dorm!
 The soccer stadium.
 Student pool.
 Campus stadium.
Entrance to the stadium.