Only 315€ per week!
Cultural Exchange
Mekong Delta - Vietnam
Cultural Exchange
Mekong Delta - Vietnam
Teach. Engage. Learn. Make your trip to Vietnam even more memorable, as you immerse yourself in the culture and make new friends at the same time!
There are local students and families eager to make your acquaintance! You will teach English, team up with local university students on class presentations, and even learn to prepare typical Vietnamese meals with host families during your homestay. Together you will bridge cultural gaps in a fun and exciting way.
Program
Living
Mekong Delta
Vietnam
Program Description
You are about to embark on an exciting cultural adventure outside of your comfort zone. You will use your own unique communication skills, as you engage with local university students who are interested in getting a glimpse of what your life is like in your home country. At the same time, they will be glad to share their own experiences with you, as you join their efforts to research and complete a presentation on chosen topics, all in English. The students might be a bit shy at first, but with your help they will be able to share all that they have learned with their classmates.
At the same time, you will be enjoying your own cultural immersion, during your homestay with a local family who can provide you with insight into their daily life. You will even have opportunities to shop in local markets and prepare meals with your hosts. This experience will give you a broader perspective about life in Vietnam and allow you to learn firsthand and up close.
Your homestay will be in close proximity to your program and you will be able to use bikes that will be provided for daily transportation. You might even want to venture out and explore the neighborhood or other local places of interest with others in the program and/or local students, as you get to know the community where you will be spending your time.
Aims & Objectives
- Gain invaluable and practical experience in teaching
- Develop your teamwork skills through hands on presentations and activities
- Broaden your knowledge of the local customs, history and culture of Vietnam
Schedule
Monday
- Travel from Ho Chi Minh City to Can Tho via bus
- Lunch and free time
- Meet the students and get English teaching topics
- Introduction to host family and learn homestay rules
- Cook dinner, eat with family and get to know them better
- Free time
Tuesday
- Head to your program at the university
- Have breakfast
- Receive Teamwork presentation topics and pair with students in that class
- Lunch break
- Receive Teamwork presentation topics and pair with students in that class
- Return to homestay to assist with meal preparation.
- Enjoy dinner with host family
- Free time
Wednesday
- Early morning visit to the Floating Market
- Breakfast
- Visit Fruit Garden
- Lunch
- Tour around the village on a bicycle and see more of the local area or enjoy a nice coffee and/or coconut water while relaxing in a hammock.
- Return to homestay to assist with meal preparation
- Enjoy dinner with host family
Thursday
- Head to the school for breakfast
- Teamwork Presentations for each group
- Lunch break
- Teamwork Presentations for each group
- Return to homestay to assist with meal preparation
- Enjoy dinner with host family
- Free time
Friday
- Enjoy breakfast at the school
- Teach English with your personally designed lesson plan, based on topic provided on 1st day
- Lunch
- Teach English with your personally designed lesson plan, based on topic provided on 1st day
- Relax and have some snacks as you prepare for the Gala Dinner
- Gala Dinner and Performance: A night of Cultural Exchange with Singing, Traditional Dances, Storytelling and Community Engagement
- Back to Homestay
Saturday
- Farewell to Host family
- Breakfast at the school
- Receive certificate from FPT University
- Departure
Note: This schedule can be changed and/or amended depending on weather conditions, local conditions and unforeseen circumstances.
Participant Criteria & Requirements
Standard Requirements
Minimum age: 16
Maximum age: –
Minimum English level: Advanced
CRB required: On Signup
Passport copy required: No
Resume copy required: No
Required qualification: None
Additional Requirements
There are no further requirements for this program.
Additional Equipment
There are no further requirements for this program.
Required
- Modest clothing, nothing short or sheer. Pants or skirts (covering the knees) and collared shirts (covering shoulders) required while on school grounds
Optional
- Ball
- You are more than welcome to bring teaching materials/resources for your class such as:
- Interesting board games
- Books/Comics
- Musical instruments
- Worksheets
- Cultural items of interest
- And anything else you think will help!
Location
Welcome to one of the most famous regions in all of Vietnam. The Mekong River is probably the most well known body of water in Southeast Asia and the way of life along the river is like no other. The Mekong Delta is in southern Vietnam and here you will find floating markets, rice paddies, swamps, and even houses on the water along with plenty of slow boat activity traversing the many canals and tributaries.This is a great location to explore the heart of what is lovingly referred to as the “rice bowl” in Vietnam.
About the Accommodation
Your accommodation in the Mekong Delta will be in one of our selected homestay locations. While here you will get to know a local family and even participate in the shopping and preparation of meals for the family and yourself. You will have full community engagement as you immerse yourself in the culture of Vietnam
Food Arrangements
Three meals a day during the week (breakfast, lunch and dinner), two meals (brunch and dinner) on weekends will be served. The food will be typical Vietnamese dishes cooked by your host family and using local ingredients.
Facilities
Our program location is convenient to local shops, market, ATM, banks, pharmacy and clinics.
Activities & Events
No scheduled activities outside the program.
Sights & Surroundings
Can Tho
You will be in the heart of the Mekong Delta and Can Tho is a great place to begin your exploration of this enchanted area. You will find all of the major attractions and amenities in this bustling city.
Transportation
From this location we provide free transport to your next program at the following location(s):
- Ho Chi Minh
- Phan Thiet
Quick Facts
Name: Socialist Republic of Vietnam
Population: 92 million
Capital: Hanoi
Language: Vietnamese
Currency: Vietnamese dong (VND)
Time zone: UTC +7
Country Information
Vietnam is currently the world’s 13th most populous country and occupies 331,211 square kilometers. Today, although scarred by its past, Vietnam is a fast-growing economy helped by tourism that its interesting history and beautiful sights draw in.
One frequent thing to hear is that it has not yet been subjected to the western influence that Thailand and, to an extent, Cambodia have been. The Vietnamese still tend to prefer their traditional cuisine to the fast food chains that seem to be taking over the world.
Aside from the beautiful countryside of the north, rice fields and beaches, Vietnam is a country that is very much on the move. Roads are being upgraded, new hotels are opening everywhere and its cities are fastly developing.
Climate
Due to the country’s land mass, its climate varies from region to region. On average, temperatures range from 22-27°C year-round with a generally warm and humid climate. Although temperatures don’t vary much in the southern parts of Vietnam, the northern areas can get quite cold during the winter.
Tropical monsoons can be expected between October and April in the centre of Vietnam and from May to September in the north and south. Outside of these rainy seasons it remains almost completely dry.
Culture
Although Vietnamese culture is rooted in the ancient indigenous Dong Son culture with wet rice agriculture as its economic foundation, certain aspects of its culture have Chinese influence. In more recent times, the country has been exposed to Southeast Asian, European and American culture as well as their media.
Having said this, it is safe to say that Vietnam has not yet absorbed as much western culture when compared to some of its neighbours.
Gastronomy
Vietnamese cuisine is heavily influenced by the Asian principle of 5 elements which correspond to the five elements: wood (sour), fire (bitter), earth (sweet), metal (spicy) and water (salty). This yin and yang principle is an art of balance to make food beneficial to the body.
Traditional Vietnamese cooking is known for its fresh ingredients, minimal use of oil, plentiful use of herbs and vegetables and what’s more, it is considered one of the healthiest cuisines worldwide.
Typical dishes might include rice vermicelli noodles, jasmine rice, dried shrimp, fish sauce, hoisin sauce, sesame seeds, and bean sprouts to name a few!
Transportation
There are plenty of transport options in Vietnam and it is, on the whole, fairly cheap to move around.
Air travel
Vietnam has 21 airports. Prices do vary depending on when flights are booked, but it is still a cheap option and the best way to travel quickly over long distances.
Bus
A common way to travel for longer distances (locally, taxis are usually the preferred option). You should try and buy tickets from the bus stations where possible as the price will be fixed and reasonable. If tickets are bought during the journey, you run the risk of being overcharged.
Taxi
Taxis are mostly metered and very cheap. They are the most popular way to get around in the towns/cities especially when carrying luggage!
Rickshaw (Cyclo)
Practical way of getting around but not so effective with luggage. You will need to bargain a price beforehand.
Motorbike taxi (Xe Om)
Similar to the Cyclos. Make sure to set a price beforehand to avoid being overcharged.
