The Vietnam Education Foundation 2011 Annual Report

Page 26 Annual Report 2011
Vietnam. Furthermore, while differences in age and professional position typically exist between the Visiting
Scholars and Fellows, both groups learn about the multitude of issues that an international student/scholar
encounters when living in the United States and about how American academia works. Prior to the PDO in June
2011, a press release provided the public with brief details on the ninth group (cohort) of VEF Fellows and the
fifth group (cohort) of Visiting Scholars (Appendix 27: Press Release: New Group of VEF Fellows and Visiting
Scholars of Cohort 2011).
The PDO is an important step in facilitating the new Fellows’ and Visiting Scholars' transition to American
culture and to U.S. campus life. VEF organizes the intensive PDO in two sections:
1. A team-building event focusing on challenging, outdoor experiential activities; and
2. Formal interactive presentations focusing on cultural and academic issues.
For the 2011 cohort, VEF organized the PDO in Hoi An, Quang Nam, Vietnam, from June 9-14, 2011 (Appendix
28: Pre-Departure Orientation: Outdoor Team-Building and Interactive Presentations). Starting with the teambuilding
event held at Marble Mountain in Hoi An, the first two days consisted of outdoor games and activities
organized by Phat Tire Ventures, an American company contracted by VEF, with extensive experience providing
outdoor and experiential training in Vietnam. Through physical activities, the Fellows and Visiting Scholars were
able to experience in a non-intellectual way the following challenges, preparing them better for real-life situations
in the United States:
How to achieve success consistently;
How to engage quickly in new experiences;
How to manage time effectively; and
How to work together cooperatively.
The PDO experiential activities were organized to give the Fellows and Visiting Scholars self-confidence in
situations that imitate issues encountered in the transition to a new culture and environment and that mirror
conditions in the highly competitive American academic environment. Team-building exercises break down
perceived differences in age, gender, and socio-economic position, so that everyone can learn how to work as a
team and contribute to the good of the group.
The final two days of the PDO were held at the River Beach Resort, Hoi An. VEF invited select VEF Alumni to
participate in this part of the PDO to share their experiences. In addition, representatives from the U.S. Consulate
General in Ho Chi Minh City were invited to provide advice on cultural adjustment matters. This dynamic
cultural and academic portion of the orientation consisted of interactive presentations, lectures, and discussions,
which included the following topics:
• Academic life (i.e., advisers, campus orientations, course choices, grading, graduate assistantships,
language assistance, and planning toward a thesis/dissertation);
• Campus life (i.e., bank accounts, health and well-being, housing, social life, and travel);
• Cultural differences;
• Funding;
• Regulations for J-visa holders; and
• VEF policies.
On the occasion of the PDO, for the first time, VEF called for participation of all 2011 Fellows and Visiting
Scholars in a story contest entitled “My Journey to VEF.” This served as an opportunity for Fellows and Scholars
to share memorable stories of their journey so far and their success in receiving the VEF Fellowship or VEF