Vietnam (My Favorite Port)

Vietnam ended up being my favorite port out of all eleven countries we visited on Semester at Sea, and I didn’t expect that going in.

The food was unreal. From street food to McDonald’s, every single meal was good. There was never a moment where I felt disappointed by what I was eating. Food became something I looked forward to every day, and it somehow always delivered.

At night, the streets felt electric. The lights were so bright it barely felt like nighttime. Everything stayed loud, crowded, and alive, and walking through the city felt like being in the middle of something constantly moving. It made me want to stay out longer, even when I was exhausted.

Vietnam was also where I finally found my people. Traveling through the country with my SAS friends brought us closer than anywhere else on the trip. Somewhere along the way, those friendships stopped feeling temporary and started feeling real.

One night, we went to my first Michelin-star restaurant. We all wore suits, and some of my homies even got theirs tailored in Vietnam. The experience felt surreal. The food was phenomenal, beautifully plated, intentional in every way. And yet, I left still hungry. It was funny in a way, because it reminded me that sometimes the experience matters more than being full.

The Vietnam War Museum brought everything back down to earth. The photos were far more graphic than I expected, and walking through it forced me to confront just how brutal that war was. It was heavy and sobering, and it stayed with me long after we left.

Vietnam gave me some of my best memories from the entire voyage. It wasn’t just fun or exciting. It felt meaningful. The people I was with, the moments we shared, and the contrast between joy and reflection all came together.

Out of all the places I went, Vietnam is the one that stayed with me the most.