"A butterfly goes wherever it pleases, and pleases wherever it goes."

Monday, March 26, 2007

How to Get to Vietnam

If you're an American citizen (which means you were born in the United States) you cannot enter Vietnam without first obtaining a Visa (which is not the same as the credit card in your parents' wallets).

A Visa is a document that states that I have permission to enter a particular country. Many countries with a form of government called Communism require foreigners to first obtain Visas (you'll need one if you travel to Russia or China, for example). Have you ever been to a country that required you to first obtain a Visa?

To get my Vietnam Visa, I first had to fill out paperwork that asked for my name, address, and phone number. I had to write down where I will be traveling and who I will be staying with, and I also had to send money ($60.00) to cover the cost of processing my paperwork. The scariest part was that I had to send them my passport. If this was lost in the mail I wouldn't be able to get another one in time to make the trip. However, I received my passport back and Visa in less than two weeks. I'm not sure, but I believe the main purpose of the Visa is to make sure the Vietnam government knows who's traveling in their country. Perhaps they did a background check on me to make sure I wasn't a criminal or someone who might cause trouble.

My Visa is good for one month. I wonder what would happen to me if I stayed longer. Probably a lot of paperwork!

2 comments:

bleckb said...

Sometimes you need a visa if you want to work in a country where you are not a citizen. That's one way countries do their best to provide jobs for their citizens. You also need a visa if you are a college student studying in a foreign country, the United States included.

Anonymous said...

it is o.k. to do the butterfly project because it teatches kids more about butterflies.

Three Teachers--Jeff, Rachel and Beth

Three Teachers--Jeff, Rachel and Beth

Red and Yellow

Red and Yellow
This one is beautiful and also quite common

Rare Green Butterfly

Rare Green Butterfly
This one is drinking water from a waterfall we hiked to

Tam Dao Classroom

Tam Dao Classroom
Yes, this is an actual classroom being used

Rachel at a Classroom Teacher's Desk in Tam Dao Primary and Secondary School

Rachel at a Classroom Teacher's Desk in Tam Dao Primary and Secondary School
Yes, this is an actual teacher desk

Tam Dao was once a summer retreat for wealthy French families when France occupied Vietnam

Tam Dao was once a summer retreat for wealthy French families when France occupied Vietnam
This is what's left of one French villa--there were over 400 here at one time, but were destroyed by the Vietnamese people in the 1950s

Hanoi Time

Hanoi