It has always been a dream of mine to travel around the world. I started to travel to other countries when I turned 11 years old. Almost all of the countries I traveled are Southeast Asian countries, so I plan to travel to nations on other continents.
Cambodia
Cambodia is the first country that I traveled to. I had the chance to visit Cambodia 3 times because this country is a neighboring country of Vietnam. Angkor Wat, a temple complex in northern Cambodia, impressed me most as I could see the whole picture of Cambodia's ancient culture through this place. The temple complex reflected the important religious values of this beautiful country and broadened my knowledge about Khmer Empire. I also paid a visit to the Royal Palace, which is a royal residence of the King of Cambodia as well as a masterpiece of Khmer architecture.
(Cre: Pick Your Day)
Malaysia
Malaysia is the Southeast Asian country that I like to travel to the most. For the first time knowing about Islam, I felt interested in exploring the unique features of this religion. Islam influenced Malaysia in many aspects like society, culture, economy, and politics. I tried to eat Islam food and follow their dietary laws in 1 day. In the opposite to my first expectation, Islam food does taste good.
(Cre: Dulichvietnam)
Singapore
Singapore took me by surprise with its clean and fresh environment thanks to proper sewage systems. For sure, this nation is a small country, but it is a modern country with amazing buildings and contemporary architectural wonders. This country's culture is mainly affected by Chinese and Malay values.
(Cre: Saigontourist)
Thailand
I had a lot of memorable moments in Thailand. Buddhism is the largest religion in Thailand, so it is easy to see Buddhist temples and golden statues. The obvious common thing between Cambodia and Thailand is Tuk Tuk, a popular and iconic vehicle. Traveling by Tuk Tuk is an interesting experience for any foreign tourists. Besides transportation, I fell in love with Thai street food.
The United States
Before studying abroad at Valencia, I had a chance to take part in a summer camp of Culture as a Second Language (CSL) program to visit the US when I was in grade 11. I visited Washington DC, New York, and Boston. Since that was the first time traveling to a country outside Southeast Asia, I believe I learned more about Western culture. I had a chance to study and live in dorms of schools like George Mason University, Manhattan College, and Pine Manor College, which enables me to explore college life in the US. Also, I visited Harvard University and explored their study environment. I like how American students express their own idea confidently and how they use technology to assist their studies. This is an important experience that encourages me to study abroad.
REFLECTION
I traveled because I want to open my mind about the world. Indeed, traveling to other countries got me to think about global citizen knowledge as it expanded my factual world knowledge, including a lot of aspects such as world cultures, politics, economics, and history. This makes me a better global citizen than before because I understand more about different cultures and respect diversity in perspectives, backgrounds, and cultures.
Uyen Le
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