This was my second visit to Vietnam. Compared to two years ago, the first time I went to Ho Chi Minh City, there were more expensive shops and restaurants and mobile phones looked obvious now.

During this journey I could visit other regions and towns, besides HCM City, and I understood the real meaning of what "economic zones" mean. Those are barren regions far from crowded cities where the unemployed and slum dwellers are compulsory sent by the government to open new agricultural land. People there live very poorly. I heard that those lands are unfit for agriculture or fishing and unless official policies are changed, the suffering of people will be endless.

Street children, slums and increasing numbers of AIDS victims are serious problems in cities like HCM, but in the rural areas water facilities, roads, bridges and the whole infrastructure are lacking, jobs are scarce and people do not have access to sources of income. School buildings are also lacking and as a result many children cannot get good education.

The tour of Vietnam together with Japa Vietnam's team was fruitful and interesting. I was able to know many Vietnamese realities that ordinary tourist courses cannot offer to their clients. I like Vietnam and hope to know much more about the country. I would like to know what could I do to better the lives of the Vietnamese.