I learned about the work that goes into making cities function and how cities benefit the people living in them. What do you all think about cities? Do you have a favorite city? What makes it your favorite?
In taking classes and doing research with a professor, I came to learn a lot about public transportation and how people get around. I studied trains and buses, and how Covid-19 was making everyone’s experiences with transportation very different. Living in Los Angeles, I also saw how poorly designed public transportation could make people’s lives challenging. I met people who took the bus for three hours just to access the printer at the organization I worked with and people who had lost their jobs when their bus line was cut due to Covid-19. It was from these experiences that I found myself passionate about the world of public transportation and eventually came to study public transport in Vietnam.
In Vietnam, almost everyone drives a motorbike. They are cheap, can weave between heavily congested streets,and can sneak down the small alleys that make up the city. They are a central part of what makes Ho Chi Minh City special. However, they are not always the safest, most environmentally friendly or most efficient means of transporting families, large amounts of stuff or people over long distances. That is why Ho Chi Minh City is working to open an urban metro train, and it is exactly what I’m here to learn about.
I’m very excited to share more with you about my experiences in Vietnam!
