Social Entrepreneurship Project in Vietnam - Goldie Miller's Story

My senses are awakened! Traveling to an Asian country woke me up in ways that I did not think possible until I traveled to Vietnam in June 2022.

My eyes absorbed the luscious greenery, the colorful flowers that I never saw before, amazed at the number of motorcycles on the streets, and to see Vietnamese people laying on hammocks due to the intense heat.

My ears where shocked with the constant sounds of honking on the roads telling the motorcycles and pedestrians to move out of the way. But peacefulness surrounded me when I stepped onto the campus of Tra Vinh University as the sounds became quieter. Frogs chirped happily as I walked to our guest house accommodations and the geckos chatted to one another while I fell asleep.

My Vicks stick, so thankful to have packed it, protected my nose from garbage smells that wafted from some side walks and yet those same streets had amazing aromas from a food cart where a rotisserie duck or chicken cooked.

Two items stand out when I think of touch, the prickly spiked item that I discovered was a tasty piece of fruit, and the opportunity to create spring rolls which is not as easy as it appears to make.

The most challenging of the senses was taste. The new foods presented to us were beautifully designed as a piece of art on the table for our meals. My food adventures led me to try most Vietnamese food, but my true enjoyment was eating the fresh shrimp. The one item I never thought I would ever eat in my life was RAT, and yes, I tried it, being pleasantly surprised that it tasted like a crispy piece of chicken.

Now that I am back home, I am thankful for the amazing experience that NSCC International gave me. Forever grateful!

Goldie Miller
Faculty, NSCC School of Business & Creative Industries
NSCC Pictou Campus