Norwegian college join cultural program in Hoi An

When Ellen Swedenmark completed her university studies and was asked by her professor what she would do, she wasn't sure.

She found the answer when she became the assistant manager of the Cultural Studies Program of the University of Oslo in Hoi An.

Ellen first came to Vietnam with her family in 1996. She said that she immediately fell in love with the country.

Later Ellen studied growth economics and international relations at university.

Those studies took her to India two years ago, and when she received the opportunity to come back to Vietnam she jumped at it.

The University of Oslo Cultural Studies Program in Hoi An gives university students the chance to study Vietnamese culture while being immersed in it.

Students study in a thatched hoin a trade village rather than a classroom.

As Ellen explained it, “We want the students to get involved in the culture of the local people, which is the goal of our course. We didn't come to Vietnam to enjoy ourselves like a group of tourists.”

The program consists of seminars and expeditions to learn about the life of the local people.

It is intended to supplement their studies in growth economics, culture, and local politics by being able to evaluate challenges to the community first-hand.

Ellen concedes that she loves Hoi An and that many students feel the same.

However, not everything is good.

Ellen said, “When I worked in India, I began to understand problems caused by globalization.”

That is why one of the focuses of the program is to find ways to assist Hoi An with latent consequences concerning development, widening income gaps, and the strain of increased tourism on the local infrastructure.

Source ThanhnienNews