Herbert graduate student reflects on her experience as a USDA Foreign Agricultural Service trade intern in Vietnam.

By Kortni Blalock

Kortni Blalock is a second-year graduate student at the Herbert College of Agriculture majoring in agricultural and resource economics. Originally from Conyers, Georgia, she began working for USDA Foreign Agricultural Service in the summer of 2022 as a part of the USDA 1890 National Scholar program, where she was an intern in the Trade and Economic Analysis Division. In December 2022, through a partnership between Howard University and FAS, she was selected to join the first cohort of the FAS International Agricultural Fellowship Program. The fellowship includes development opportunities and mentorship throughout her internships and graduate semesters. She has spent this summer working as an agricultural trade intern for the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) in Hanoi, Vietnam. Read more about her summer in Hanoi below!

During the middle of summer, I had the amazing opportunity to attend the US-Hanoi July 4 Independence Day event. This event hosted over 700 attendees, including US staff and some invited partners and cooperators. I arrived early and volunteered to help set up the US and Vietnam flags in the foyer and on the stage. I learned about flag etiquette, which is the proper way to display the US and Vietnam flags. My supervisor introduced me to FAS’s invited cooperators as they entered the ballroom. I welcomed them and talked to them about their respective commodities. I enjoyed the night’s speakers, the festivities, and US-themed catered food. At the end of the night, I had the fortunate opportunity to meet and talk to the ambassador to Hanoi, Marc Knapper. It was a great event that was a highlight of my summer internship.

Even though I worked full-time during the week, I still found time to explore the areas beyond Hanoi on the weekends. I traveled to Ninh Binh and Ha Long Bay, two of the most popular tourist destinations in Vietnam. Ninh Binh is known for its beautiful mountains and winding rivers. I visited Ninh Binh on a one-day tour. Despite the rain, it was a beautiful area. First, the tour group started with a bike ride to a few temples, then we took a 1 ½ hour boat ride through the rivers between the mountains. We even floated underneath some of the mountain formations. After the boat ride, we hiked up 500 steps to get to a higher view of the mountains and the city in the distance.

I also visited Ha Long Bay which was amazing! During that weekend, the weather did not cooperate as there was rain during the day and a storm during the night, but it did not ruin the experience. The trip was very convenient since it included travel between Hanoi and Ha Long Bay, along with the cruise ship. It was nice to sit on the cruise balcony and see the rain coming down. I went with another summer intern from the office, and our room on the ship was very spacious. The activities we participated in were kayaking, a boat ride, a cooking class, and squid fishing (although I did not catch anything). Overall, it was one of the most relaxing weekends during the summer.

I also had the opportunity to try another favorite original Hanoi dish, cha ca. It is a grilled fish dish typically made using hemibragus fish, which are native to Hanoi. The dish is combined with dill, peanuts, fresh cut vegetables, and rice vermicelli noodles. I usually ate the dish with rice paper, where I would take all the ingredients and mix them into one spring roll then dip it into fish sauce. It was my favorite dish so far! It is a light, flavorful meal that I will miss when I leave Hanoi and try to recreate when I return to the US.

Sadly, my time in Vietnam was coming to an end. During my last weekend in Hanoi, I decided to spend time with the other interns I had befriended sightseeing in Hanoi. Alongside a cha ca lunch, we visited St. Joseph’s Cathedral, a historical landmark in the center of Old Quarter, Hanoi near Hanoi’s famous Hoàn Kiếm Lake. The tall, gray cathedral’s architecture was striking from a distance. When taking a closer look, the infrastructure and stained-glass windows were well-preserved and reminiscent of the French colonial period. We also visited the Temple of Literature, originally Vietnam’s first national university. The complex, made up of five courtyards and several reflection ponds, is now a site for current students to pray for academic success, take graduation photos, and reflect on their upcoming school years. As I walked through each courtyard, I imagined the determination of the past students. As I prepared to leave Hanoi to return to the US to complete the last year in my master’s degree program, I hoped I brought some of the temple’s academic good fortune back with me.

I was sad to leave Hanoi as I felt I was just truly becoming immersed in the language, culture, and community. I spent time with my coworkers, learning about their agricultural projects, joining lunches with them to try new foods, and gaining a better understanding of how the office operates. I enjoyed befriending other interns, learning about their positions, and exploring Hanoi with them. I made the most of my short time in Hanoi by trying new foods whenever I could, joining cuisine tours to learn to make traditional coffee, and exploring popular tourist areas beyond Hanoi. Overall, I had a great experience that solidified my desire to continue working in the foreign agricultural industry and experience new countries. If you have the opportunity to visit Vietnam, I highly recommend it! It is an amazing place with a kind community that I will reminisce on for the rest of my life. I am hopeful that I can visit again soon!

Interested in learning more about opportunities like Kortni’s? Join us to learn more about the global engagement taking place across the Institute at the 2024 UTIA International Showcase on Friday, September 13 from 12:30 – 3:00 pm on the first floor of the new Agriculture and Natural Resources Building. This event will include lunch from international food trucks, vote for the winners of our 2024 International Photo Contest, bid on silent auction items from around the world, and explore tables highlighting the global engagement taking place across the Institute, including several Herbert College of Agriculture study abroad programs. We will also be hosting a poster session that highlights international teaching, research, extension activities amongst Herbert and UTCVM students, and UTIA faculty and staff. Stop by to celebrate another year working to #GrowGlobal at UTIA!