Melissa Genovese, 25, of Howell, attends a wedding with some of the students she taught during her time in Vietnam. Rowan University graduate Melissa Genovese was the first American the people of Nam Dinh, Vietnam, had ever met when she taught English and American culture at the local college.
Genovese, 25, of Howell, was a member of the class of 2010 at Rowan, where she had a dual major in history and subject-matter education.
She lived in Vietnam from August 2011 to July 2012 on a trip that was funded by the Fulbright program.
Within the program, American scholars travel abroad to teach English and, more importantly, learn about foreign cultures while teaching American culture to improve perceptions of different cultures between nations.
On July 27, Genovese gave a presentation titled “Modern Vietnam: A Fulbright Scholar’s Perspective” at the New Jersey Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial Foundation’s Vietnam Era Museum and Educational Center, Holmdel.
Her presentation included information about modern Vietnam, the nation’s government, its relations with America, the country’s economy and Genovese’s experiences.
“People usually have a negative view of Vietnam, and I wanted to come back and share what I learned to maybe change that,” she said. “Vietnam is a rapidly developing, young, beautiful country that has moved on from [the Vietnam War] and really looks forward to its development.
“Every day in Vietnam, there is change. Just riding my bike through [Nam Dinh], there would be something different every day, like new trees or a cemented sidewalk. It is a little sad, though, because I know that when I return there some day, it will be completely different. But it’s a positive change.”
Genovese was assigned to the Nam Dinh University of Technology Education, just outside the nation’s capital city of Hanoi. The study of English is mandatory for students at the university for three semesters, where it is taught up to the pre-intermediate level, according to Genovese.
“There were a lot of kids at the university who wanted to learn [English],” she said. “I created an English-speaking club at the university for anyone who wanted to learn, play games, and even talk to me or learn about me some more. We had a lot of fun together.”
Genovese said that while the club was an excellent way for students to learn a new language, it was tough in the beginning due to the way the Vietnamese students were used to learning.
“It was culture shock,” she said. “The Vietnamese students are used to learning by memorization, so when I introduced them to a fun way of learning, it took them a little bit of time to get used to that.”
Genovese said that once she got over the initial culture shock of being in a different country, she began to enjoy the experience of being in a new place.
“I became a little bit of a foodie in Vietnam,” she said. “Before the trip I was a picky eater, but now I am openminded about things.” Some of the foods Genovese tried in Vietnam included field mice and goat’s blood. “I started making myself more available to go out and learn about the culture,” Genovese said. “I even attended some wedding ceremonies. I really learned to love and understand the Vietnamese culture. It was interesting and a lot of fun to dig in and find out what makes them tick as a culture.”
As the only American living in Nam Dinh, Genovese took her role as an American cultural ambassador very seriously. She said her presence marked the first time the people of the city would have met an American, and the impression she gave was very important to her.
“There were other Americans in the country at the same time I was there, on Fulbright program trips as well,” she said. “They were spread throughout the provinces of Vietnam, though — some as far as nine hours from me.”
Genovese said some of the Fulbright ambassadors would meet in Hanoi on the weekend to “hang out and get some Western food,” as well as experience the Vietnamese culture.
“In the end, my role as an English teacher was not as important as my role of being a cultural ambassador and understanding their culture,” she said.
“My students loved me and I loved them. I will never forget that before I left, one of my students took a picture with me, holding my hand, and he said, ‘This picture and our hands represent our relationship, and I hope our countries have as good a relationship as I do with you.’ ”
Genovese said that during her time in Vietnam, she was accepted as “one of their own.”
“Never in my life did I think I would sit down for a meal with a former Viet Cong member in peace,” she said.