by Katy Yocom, associate director
In September 2025, members of the Naslund-Mann family will travel to Vietnam.
This cultural trip is designed for students and alumni. As Kathleen Driskell explains, after nearly two decades of summer travel, we’ve shifted our travels to the fall. With the change in season comes another shift: the trip won't serve as a residency but will instead be part of students’ independent study course. This new approach means we'll spend most of our time out exploring the culture rather than convening in classrooms. Instead of workshops and lectures, the trip will include writing enrichment elements such as journaling, reading from our own work, and discussing a book in common—activities that will be expected of students but also available to alums.
Although plans are tentative at this point, we expect to travel in the second half of September (aiming for September 19-28). We're looking into an itinerary that would take us to the bustling metropolises of Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) in the south and Hanoi in the north. (A two-hour flight between the two cities will be included in the ground package price.) A cultural tour by motorcoach will give us an introduction to each city. We’ll have a free day in each location to explore on our own—there are a multitude of private guides and group tours available, and you can choose whatever suits your interests, from museum visits to architectural tours to foodie tours by Vespa. We also plan to include a day trip to the floating markets of the Mekong Delta as well as a cooking demonstration and class in Hanoi. We’ll end our trip on Ha long Bay with a peaceful two-day cruise in an iconic seascape dotted with spectacular karst rock formations.
Southeast Asia is a long way away, and some of us may may choose to spend extra time there after coming all that distance. If you’re interested in sites associated with the Vietnam War (known in Vietnam as the American War), you might visit Hue, Da Nang, and the tunnels at Ky Anh or Vinh Moc. For history, visit Hội An and its Ancient Town, a UNESCO-listed heritage site known for its remarkable sense of timelessness.
Beyond the borders of Vietnam, other destinations await, from Cambodia and Thailand to Hong Kong to Japan and beyond.
Details on pricing and a firm itinerary are forthcoming.
Katy Yocom is associate director of the Naslund-Mann Graduate School of Writing and associate editor of Good River Review. She has been planning travel abroad for the Spalding MFA program since their first trip abroad, to Paris in 2007.