My Vietnam Experience
January 13, 2020
10 days was not enough time to do the beautiful country of Vietnam, the justice it deserves. But with many planes, people, rivers, and noodles later...I am finally back in the United States to start my last semester of college!
I did a lot of city-hopping over 10 days, but here are just a few of my favorite experiences. A full video of all my excursions is attached in a link below!
Mekong Delta River, South Vietnam
On our first day in the country, we went to the Mekong Delta River. We had the opportunity to go on sampan rides along the canal to get to a restaurant that was further down the river.
At the restaurant, we listened to traditional Vietnamese music and ate local fruits (my favorite was definitely dragon fruit!) This was a great way to get introduced to the country and the culture right off the bat.
However, even though we were on the water, the area was scorching! So, of course, I got a fan to help cool off. Throughout my trip, I ended up buying 5 fans because they were so beautiful!
Finally, one of my favorite parts of the day was drinking coconut water out of a real Vietnamese coconut! It was definitely better coming from the country of origin itself!
Ho Chi Minh City, South Vietnam
Ho Chi Minh city was more beautiful than I expected, which made it one of my favorite places.
We also went to the Cu Chi Tunnels that day. These tunnels were used by the Viet Cong to carry out military operations during the Vietnam War. These tunnels expended through most of the southern part of the country. We had the opportunity to go inside tunnels too (which if you are claustrophobic, I would not recommend you do.)
As a history geek, it was an excellent way for me to experience the time period in a way that was only described in books.
After our morning at the tunnels, we went back to the city for a walking tour. During the visit, we saw the infamous Town Hall and Post Office.
Ha Long Bay, North Vietnam
One of the most popular places to travel in Vietnam is Ha Long Bay, which is considered to be a UNESCO World Heritage site. Most of the karsts in the bay are made from limestone and contain many caves.
We took a 4-hour junk boat tour around the area where we had the opportunity to kayak and have lunch. Even though I was getting over a stomach bug, I got the last two days of the trip (Unfortunate right...) I still had a great time looking at God's beautiful creations. I would definitely say you haven't really been to Vietnam if you didn't go to Ha Long Bay.
Marble Mountain and the My Son Temple Ruins, Central Vietnam
My beyond favorite day of the trip was when we visited Marble Mountain and the My Son Temple ruins. I had no idea what to expect when our guide said we were going to a Buddhist temple on the top of a mountain, but it completely blew me away.
The mountain itself is actually a cluster of 5 separate mountains that represented 5 elements: water, fire, wood, metal, and earth. The mountain had many caves and temples to explore. My favorite part was the beautiful views overlooking the city of Da Nang.
That evening, our guide took us to the My Son Temple ruins. The Hindu temples were created by the Cham of Vietnam people in the 14th century. I was blown away by the jungle surrounding the temple sites and the amount of war destruction that still remains today.
After running around the country for 10 days, I had a lot of time to reflect on my experiences. Before this trip, I would have never thought I would have had the opportunity to go to Vietnam. I am so thankful to Loyola University Maryland for giving me yet another experience to study abroad (third time's a charm!) Now that I am in my last semester of college, I keep thinking about all of the experiences and friendships I have been apart of since I joined the Loyola family.
Experiences and traveling and taking risks to shape us all into better people all around. To be a good person, you have to meet good people and surround yourself with people who you aspire to be like. It's okay to let go and focus on yourself. Go out and see beautiful places and meet people different from you. One thing is for sure, you won't return home the person you were before.
"The world is a vast place, but the soul is infinite."
If you want to view the video I created of my Vietnam experience, check out the link below!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nu6tUjPQZ_M
Countdown to Asia!
December 27, 2019
Surprise! I'm going to Vietnam in a little less than a week!
As a lot of you know, I have been to Europe plenty of times! However, those were times I went to study abroad. This time is different! Even though it is through the school, it is just a 12 day study tour with some of my best friends!
This trip will be so nice because I don't have to focus on getting school work done. Instead, we are starting from the south of the country and making our way all the way up through the main cities!
I have never been to Asia before, so this will be a complete culture shock to me. Even though we will be going in January, it will be Vietnam's summer...so it's going to be HOT and HUMID! This is going to be my first 24 hour plane ride too. My longest plane ride to date would probably be around 9 hours. However, I will be flying from Baltimore to Texas to Tokyo, then finally to Vietnam.
To prepare, I have asked for a lot of travel accessories as a part of my 2019 Christmas list! Here are some of my favorite picks below:
AirPods Pro
With complete noise cancelation, the new AirPods are perfect for those long plane rides! They have an all new design, so they are very comfortable for sleeping on the plane with. ($249.00)
Tempur-Pedic Sleep Mask
I've always had trouble sleeping, and ever since freshman year of college, I've been sleeping with an eye mask! However, it was time for an upgrade! To stay comfortable on the long plane ride, I a got new Tempur-Pedic eye mask! ($23.26)
A Super Cozy Cardigan
On every girl's Christmas list, cozy socks and cardigans are a must! Especially when you are preparing to travel! I asked for mine from Target because they have a super comfortable collection in their new loungewear! ($24.99)
A Cute Backpack to put it all in!
I finally caved in and bought a Kånken bag from Fjällräven! I've wanted one since I went abroad to Berlin, now I'm excited to have one for Asia (and a few other trips scheduled for next year...stay tuned!) I wanted a cute backpack to fit all of my necessities in, plus my camera! Of course, I had to get pink! ($80.00)
I can't wait to write about all of my endeavors while I am in Vietnam!
Summer 2019 Reflection and Future Endeavors
August 19, 2019
It's hard for me to believe that summer 2019 is coming to a close and my senior year of college is about to begin! Choosing to stay in Baltimore this summer was probably one of the best decisions I could have made. I made so many new friends and indulged in new activities!
However, this summer had also brought me many learning experiences. I went through I tough break up towards the beginning of the vacation. This was something that had been coming for a while, but it soon became reality. I realized I finally had to do what was best for me in the long run. I had to surround myself with people who were going to make a positive impact on my life. I really try my best to see the light in the small things everyday, and I felt as though I was not getting that in this relationship. This was an impactful learning experience for me since it was my first break up with a guy I actually considered spending the rest of my life with. Some people just aren't meant to be together, but as much as the heartbreak hurt, I am grateful that I finally realized what I needed for myself and that is to concentrate on me first. In order to love someone, you need to love yourself first.
Next, I took a lot of time to get close with new people at my school. Even though Loyola is only 4,000 undergraduate students, I never really realized how many people I don't actually know. This summer, I surrounded myself with new people who had many different interests from me. This got me out of my comfort zone and I did activities with them I wouldn't normally do on my own. Even though the summer is ending, these are people I know I will maintain long lasting relationships with.
Finally, I moved into my senior year apartment! This means becoming a college senior is finally starting to feel real! Even though I am normally super excited to start school, this year I am feeling a little different. I realize I'm almost done with my undergraduate degree and I will be moving on to bigger, better things...which means it's time for adulting. On top of that, I will be taking some of the hardest classes I have ever taken (including one graduate course). This school year, I will be writing a lot about my senior year experiences (the good and the stressful!). We all know senior year is an exciting time with many different celebrations, but it could also be one of the most bittersweet times in your life.
Overall, I want to conclude this post on a positive note. I have been going through different quotes to signify how I want to live out my senior year after the lessons I had learned this summer. There were 3 quotes in particular that stood out to me:
“At the end of the day, we can endure much more than we think we can.” - Frida Kahlo
"Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out." - John Wooden
"You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step." - Martin Luther King
I'm looking forward for you all to follow me during my journey of senior year adventures!
-Jenna
The Meaning Behind My First Tattoo
April 30, 2019
Recently, I just got my first tattoo. I was always the person who told myself that I would never get a tattoo, nor would I ever want one. However, I had been thinking about this for a while and I finally decided that I was ready.
I got a small Harry Potter tattoo on my ankle. I want to discuss why I got the tattoo and what the symbol means to me.
Harry Potter has been such a huge part of my life since I was 5 years old. I remember when the first movie came out, my parents surprised me with little Harry Potter dolls for Christmas 2001. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone was the movie I always had on repeat in my living room. I fell in love with the magic right away and I never turned back.
I remember in 8th grade I used to lug my big Harry Potter Page to Screen book to school everyday and I would read it during Independent Reading...and trust me, dragging that huge book around wasn't easy. I even found ways to include Harry Potter into my school assignments. For example, I wrote a whole science report on the magic behind Harry Potter (I got an A by the way).
Harry Potter was always my escape during the hardest times in my life. Middle school was such a tough time for me and I would always come home and emerge myself in the Wizarding World.
Now that I'm 21, the magic has only grown stronger. In high school, people can be very cliquey and judge you for your image, so I was always nervous to show my true self. Sometimes, people would chuckle when they heard I still loved a "children's book", and they even thought it was a phase (pft muggles).
But in college, I realized there are so many people that have the same interests as me, and it has made me flourish. Harry Potter means more to my life than ever.
So, I decided to get a tattoo of the 3 little stars at the top of each Harry Potter page in the books. It is small, but it has a very symbolic meaning for me. I connected my tattoo to one of my favorite J.K. Rowling quotes that inspires me:
“We do not need magic to transform the world. We carry all the power we need inside ourselves already.”
As a future teacher, I want to have an opportunity to transform the world one step at a time. This tattoo is a reminder to me that I already have the power to do that. This tattoo will always be there to remind me the strength Harry Potter has given me throughout my whole life. It will remind me how far I have come, and I have the power to keep pushing through hard times.
Every time I look at my ankle, I will be reminded that Hogwarts will always be there to welcome me home.
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