Saturated but Excited in Vietnam!!!!

Singapore, Indonesia,Vietnam, Haiti, financial system, capital market, economy, democracy, communism, real estate bubble, stability... My head is about to explode and we are only 16 days into GIE.
We arrived in Vietnam last sunday. Many of us, even though tired, went out for dinner and did a quick tour of Ho Chi Minh City. Thankfully, the temperature is cooler here and thus bearable to many. During our tour, we passed by people just sitting outside of their houses or in front of small shops, young girls trying to sell gum, women cooking or preparing juice in the street, and a group of people praying to the Virgin Mary in front of the Catholic Church close to the hotel. The whole atmosphere made me home sick as this is exactly what it would be like back home in Haiti on a Sunday night.
Our first day in Vietnam was spent in the Opera Room of the Caravelle Hotel, learning about the financial climate,and the policital and economic stability of the country. Surprisingly, my almost saturated head registered and understood the strenghts, weaknesses and challenges Vietnam has to face to prosper in the future global economy. Obvioulsy Vietnam has to come a long way to reach more established economy in the ASEAN region. However, there is a willingness here to get there.
After class, many of us went for a tour of the city again, mainly looking for tailors. From the tailor shop, a small group of us stopped by the local market where we bought paintings, purses, Rolex watches, barrettes etc.. We were all pretty excited about our purchases and hope to explore Ho Chi Minh City some more during our week stay here. I look forward to the rest of the week, getting a better sense of the Vietnamese economy while visiting well established companies in the country and experiencing more Vietnamese food and pleasure.