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For Ben Miller, a third-year nursing student at �鶹����Ƶ, studying abroad in Vietnam was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience nursing in a different culture. During his eight weeks in Hanoi, Vietnam, from June 2 to August 6, Miller became the first �鶹����Ƶ State College of Nursing student to participate in the Worldstrides Healthcare Internship in Hanoi, Vietnam, which he discovered while browsing �鶹����Ƶ State’s study abroad website. Drawn by a longstanding interest in Vietnam, Miller found that the experience would shape his approach to nursing and his willingness to step outside his comfort zone.

“I wanted to go to Vietnam because growing up I always saw travel and food videos and TV shows about Vietnam,” said Miller. “It looked really interesting, and I wanted to go there.”

A recipient of the Freeman Fellowship Scholarship, which helped support his experience in Hanoi, Miller chose to find his own housing rather than use the accommodations offered through the study abroad program. He discovered his dream apartment tucked into an alleyway in the middle of the city, surrounded by restaurants and food stands and close to the neighborhood and city life he had hoped to experience.

Miller spent four weeks in neurosurgery followed by four weeks in oncology, gaining his first hands-on experience in a hospital setting. Miller was at the hospital five days a week, typically arriving around 7:30 or 8 a.m. and staying until shortly after lunch, depending on the surgical schedule. He soon had opportunities to shadow surgeons in the operating room during brain and tumor surgeries. During his oncology rotation, Miller gained experience in patient care, including basic wound care, cleaning and caring for ostomy bags, and tending to postsurgical wounds.

Miller recounted watching surgeons remove a tumor weighing approximately 12 kilograms from a very small patient, an experience he says will stay with him forever.

“It was absolutely insane to see up close,” Miller said. “It was a dangerous and rare surgery. Luckily for that patient, it was also successful.”

Miller was surprised by how efficiently patients moved through surgical care and saw the importance of trust and compassion in relationships between nurses and patients.

One of his biggest takeaways was the role communication plays in nursing, particularly when patients and healthcare professionals do not speak the same language. With little English used in his patient interactions, Miller learned to rely on gestures, facial expressions, and other ways of communicating to help patients feel comfortable and understood.

In addition to his time in the hospital shadowing and assisting with patient care, Miller completed a two-week language course to learn helpful Vietnamese words and phrases for navigating daily life.

“I learned to talk to patients as much as I could with the language barrier,” said Miller. “Using hand gestures and facial expressions helped me make patients feel comfortable without being able to talk to them in their native language.”

He will carry these lessons into his future nursing career, especially when caring for patients who cannot speak or who communicate in a language different from his own.

Before arriving in Vietnam, Miller was unsure what to expect from the hospital environment. Seeing it firsthand challenged his assumptions and showed him that, despite differences in healthcare practices, patient care remains a shared priority.

“I wasn’t sure how nice the hospital system would be,” said Miller. “But once I got there, I realized that it was more high-tech than I imagined. And it honestly was not that much different from a U.S. hospital.”

Growing up in a more rural area of Ohio, Miller had never lived in a big city prior to this opportunity. Arriving in Hanoi, Vietnam’s capital, brought an immediate culture shock.

“The moment I realized this was going to be different than anything I’ve ever experienced was right when I stepped out of the airport,” said Miller. “Just watching all the buildings go by and seeing all the people on the streets, it was instantly a huge culture shock. It took a little bit to get used to; it was extremely different, and I loved it.”

The busy streets, constant movement of motorcycles and cars, and abundance of things to see and do were a significant change from life back home. Although the unfamiliar surroundings initially intimidated him, Miller gradually embraced city life. Motorbikes were an especially important part of getting around Hanoi. Although Miller was initially nervous about riding on the back of one, he came to love this mode of transportation for exploring the city.

Safety was another concern he had considered before traveling. However, he felt comfortable exploring the city and appreciated the welcoming attitudes of the people he encountered.

“Everywhere I went, there were always streetlights on late at night,” said Miller. “There was a police presence all the time, but not in an intimidating way. They’d smile and wave at you. I never felt threatened by anybody around me.”

“I always thought of myself as somebody who loves to travel and try new things, but this was a very big leap for me,” said Miller. “Once I actually got there, I kind of shut down for a second, and it took a little bit to pick myself back up and really push myself to go out alone and try all those new things.”

Pushing himself to explore led to new friendships, adventures, and everyday experiences.Miller formed friendships with fellow study abroad participants from across the United States and Australia. Together, they explored Hanoi, tried new restaurants, traveled to other cities, and enjoyed activities around their temporary home.

Food was a particularly memorable part of Miller’s cultural immersion. His favorite dish was phở gà, a Vietnamese chicken noodle soup that became a standout among the many foods he tried. He also traveled beyond Hanoi, including a visit to Hạ Long Bay, known for its spectacular limestone islands and scenic waters. The islands, houseboats, swimming, and welcoming people were highlights of the trip. Another favorite destination was Da Nang, a coastal city known for its beaches.

Living on the other side of the world, Miller had to adjust to an 11-hour time difference from his family and friends. By arranging calls early in the morning or late in the evening in Vietnam, he was able to remain connected to his support system in the United States.

The kindness of the Vietnamese people was one of the things that surprised Miller most. Even when he struggled to communicate, people tried to help him understand.

“I heard about how kind Vietnamese people were, but when I got there, everybody was super welcoming and super happy to have you there,” he said.

Being the first �鶹����Ƶ State nursing student to participate made the opportunity especially meaningful. Miller shared that his academic advisor helped him feel comfortable about traveling to and around Asia by sharing her own experiences abroad and encouraging his excitement about the upcoming experience.

Miller hopes to continue traveling and pursuing additional education abroad opportunities. His time in Vietnam broadened his perspective and showed him the value of experiencing another culture firsthand.

“If I could convince a nursing student to study abroad using one sentence,” he said, “I would tell them this experience is absolutely life changing.