Reflections on Vietnam: Growth, Grit, and Adaptation

Sarah Abogabir (EMBA ’26) is a Customer Success Account Manager at Microsoft, where she partners with financial services organizations to drive digital transformation and maximize the value of their technology investments. She is passionate about building meaningful client relationships, fostering innovation, and leveraging technology to create impactful, business-driven outcomes. This past spring, Abogabir participated in Darden’s Global Residency in Vietnam and shares reflections from her experience. 

In my latest adventure, I traveled to Vietnam as part of my Executive MBA program at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business. 

I’ve been eager to come back to Southeast Asia. The last time I found myself in this part of the world was in 2016, when I visited Thailand and Cambodia. I remember thinking then that some of the most inspirational stories of resilience and pragmatism come from Southeast Asia. I’m happy to report that, almost ten years later, my feelings haven’t changed. When reflecting on the common threads among all the places I’ve traveled, I realize that we are more similar than different. 

Immersing myself in other cultures is important to me because it helps me pick up problem-solving, self-improvement, and lifestyle habits at an accelerated pace that’s just not possible in my normal day-to-day life. In Vietnam, you can truly get lost in these paradigm shifts. And often, these lessons are found in the most unexpected ways: a conversation with a stranger, a small-business owner, or a cultural experience.  

It also helps that Vietnam is incredibly photogenic in every possible way. This essay is both a reflection and a photo journal. 

From the red chilis with Thai basil in your morning pho to the vivid colors and striking silhouettes, Vietnam makes it far too easy to fall in love with, not just with its beauty, but even more so with its people, who have worked tirelessly together to bring the country to where it is today. 

Business & Commerce (Hanoi & Ho Chi Minh) 

One of the clearest takeaways from the course is that Vietnam is on an upward economic trajectory. Despite current global headwinds, its economy is experiencing a strong export-driven boom, fueled by a strong manufacturing industry, foreign investment, and robust domestic consumption. However, the growth story is not without challenges, including rising energy costs, global trade volatility, and ever-shifting tariff impacts.  

But how did Vietnam get here? If we want to understand a country’s future, we first need to understand its history and how that history shapes its economic prospects.  

Vietnam is often described as the next “Tiger Economy” of Asia, expected to grow similarly to how Taiwan and South Korea once did. What makes Vietnam especially interesting is that, structurally, it is in an unusually strong position for an emerging market. In many ways, the country does not feel as risky as other emerging markets. It reminds me of how Japan organized itself after the Second World War to become an economic superpower. 

In just 100 years, Vietnam experienced conflict with China, France, Japan, and the United States. This history has motivated people to turn the page and “get working,” creating a deep sense of national pride and a remarkable ability to endure. The Vietnam War ended 50 years ago, and with the average age in Vietnam at around 32, much of the population belongs to a younger generation shaped more by growth, development, and globalization. When I was there, I got the sense from the younger generation that there was very little direct memory of the then brutal war with the United States. During my time there, I got the sense that the younger generations were more forward focused, with little direct memory of that past. 

During one of our company visits to VinaCapital, we were given one of the most insightful economic overviews, addressing a few important misconceptions: 

First, while Vietnam is geographically located in Southeast Asia, elements of its culture feel closer to Northeast Asia: post-war grit, social organization, and strong cultural patterns that shape daily life, with influences from China and France. 

Second, there is a misconception that the country is unplanned or unstructured. In reality, Vietnam’s growth playbook feels far more intentional than many outsiders assume. The ingredients for economic development are there: local and foreign capital, a strong labor force, manufacturing infrastructure, export volumes, rising household educational attainment, and improving standards of living. Perhaps most impressive is that Vietnam has achieved remarkable success in poverty reduction, reducing its extreme poverty rate to less than 1% as of 2025, down from over 50% in the early 1990s. 

What resonated with me most from the economic discussion was the point that the Vietnamese government can and will revisit its strategy as needed. This immediately reminded me of the deliberate versus emergent strategy framework from our recent Disruptive Strategy class. While Vietnam has a clear top-down vision for growth, it also appears willing to incorporate feedback, adjust priorities, and reallocate resources when results call for it. In today’s environment, strategy is less about sustaining a fixed competitive advantage and more about building adaptive capabilities and fostering innovation in dynamic markets (credit to my classmate Jonathan Sharr for this observation).  

Equally striking was the role of the Vietnamese workforce in making that possible. There is a clear sense of resilience, discipline, and willingness to adapt, qualities that seem essential to supporting the country’s rapid development and broader economic transformation. Vietnam is not simply following a plan. It is actively learning, adjusting, and building for the future. As with any emerging economy, there are also downside concerns, including environmental strain and pollution in major cities. But even with those challenges, Vietnam feels young, ambitious, and ready to take center stage.  

In today’s environment, strategy is less about sustaining a fixed competitive advantage and more about building adaptive capabilities and fostering innovation in dynamic markets. The Vietnamese workforce plays a critical role in making that possible. There is a clear sense of resilience, discipline, and willingness to adapt, qualities that seem essential to supporting the country’s rapid development and broader economic transformation. Vietnam is not simply following a plan. It is actively learning, adjusting, and building for the future.

Vietnamese Culture 

One particular afternoon while exploring the bustling Old Quarter of Hanoi, my classmate and I encountered a Silk Shop renowned for traditional textile products. Upon entering, we were met with a warm welcome, and a beautiful array of colors. As I spoke with the owner, I found myself far more drawn to her story than shopping for a garment. She shared that the silk shop was owned by three sisters who had left their corporate jobs to pursue their dream of owning a silk shop. When I asked about their design process and the type of silk they used, she eagerly walked me through the back of the shop and offered a glimpse into how they fulfill customer orders. I could not help but be absolutely enamored by the vivid colors and the thought and craftsmanship behind each garment. I saw the deep relationship this family has with silk and how it fuels their commitment to preserving traditional practices while sharing their culture with customers around the world. When my classmate and I mentioned that we were visiting from the United States, she shared that one of her daughters had married an American and, with pride, brought out her grandchild. The image below might be my second favorite shot, a heartfelt moment I feel lucky to have captured.  

Final Thoughts 

Throughout the global course, it felt as though many Vietnamese had moved forward from the tragedy of war with a kind of pragmatism and humility that I found striking. Visiting the War Remnants Museum in Ho Chi Minh, was one of the most difficult museum experiences I have had. It forced me to confront how much more there was for me to learn and how incomplete my own understanding had been. 

I found myself returning to the same question: how do these countries endure so much devastation and still move forward? 

What can look like forgiveness from the outside is often something more layered: pragmatism, survival, cultural restraint, and a collective focus on building forward rather than full emotional reconciliation. I do not think I am imagining the pattern, but I do think saying “they forgave” is far too simple. For me, one of the most striking common threads across Vietnam, Thailand, and Cambodia is this remarkable orientation toward moving forward, even when the past remains unresolved. 

I have seen versions of this same pattern across Southeast Asia, in countries marked by war, conflict, and genocide. The damage is lasting and irreversible, yet there is still a humility, pragmatism, and determination that continue to shape daily life. I do not pretend to have a complete answer, and frankly, I’m still making sense of it, but that spirit left a lasting impression on me. 

This experience also deepened something I already believe strongly: working in a global company requires real cross-cultural fluency. The more we understand a country’s history and culture, the better we understand people’s stories, what shapes them, what motivates them, and how business is done locally. That understanding makes us better colleagues, stronger partners, and better people. I will definitely be bringing that understanding with me to Microsoft. 

If you asked me how optimistic I am about Vietnam’s trajectory, I would tell you I am extremely confident. The signs are there, and it is a country I will be thinking about for a long time. 

Below are additional shots taken with my camera.  

Another unforgettable global residency. Grateful for the shared learning, the thoughtful conversations, and the opportunity to experience this journey alongside such remarkable classmates.