OVERVIEW

Food is more than sustenance—it carries memory, embodies heritage, reflects resilience, and expresses identity. This course invites students to explore big questions: How does food preserve memory across generations? What can cuisine reveal about resilience amid war, migration, and cultural change? How does Vietnamese food bridge tradition and modernity and connect Vietnam to the broader world?  Through these inquiries, students will engage with cuisine as both a form of storytelling and a means of cultural preservation.

Program Highlights:

• This six-week hybrid course begins online, covering the foundations of Vietnamese culinary history, local foods, farming traditions, and essential food vocabulary.
• It then transitions to a three-week in-country immersion in Hà Nội, Huế, Sài Gòn, and the Mekong Delta, where students will taste, cook, and study how food intersects with Vietnam’s history, religions, ethnic diversity, and resilience.
• Field experiences—including visits to family kitchens, local markets, street vendors, and specialty producers such as nước mắm makers and bánh tráng villages—are complemented by lectures, guest talks, and reflective journaling.
• The course concludes with digital storytelling, culminating in a final portfolio documenting each student’s culinary journey and personal discoveries.

FACULTY MEMBERS

Trang Tran (East Asian Studies)

COURSEWORK

• Course Title: EAST 0655  Savoring History: The Story of Vietnamese Food Across Regions and Time. A Culinary Journey through Vietnam
• Credit: Participants will earn one unit of credit, equivalent to four semester hours.
• Prerequisites: None. However, a strong interest in Vietnamese culinary history is recommended. A basic understanding of the Vietnamese language and culture will also be helpful.
• Language of instruction: All classes are delivered in English.

TENTATIVE PROGRAM DATES*

• Full Course Dates: June 15 - July 24, 2026
• In-country travel dates: June 20 - July 13, 2026

 *Please note that program dates and itinerary are tentative and will be finalized in Spring 2026.

ITINERARY

HOUSING

Students will be housed in multiple occupancy rooms with ensuite bathrooms in each room. Housing arrangements are subject to change as the program is finalized.

Please note that all participants are required to stay in program-arranged housing. Independently arranged housing will not be permitted.

Some meals will be provided as part of program activities. Otherwise, students should budget accordingly to provide for the remaining cost of their meals.

Students with specific accommodation requests and needs (granted and registered with  Student Accessibility Services) should consult with us as early as possible.

PROGRAM COST

Brown Global Summer Program participants are billed for Brown Summer Session Tuition and a Global Housing, Meal & Activity Fee that covers housing, program activities, and some meals while in-country.  The tuition and fees for Summer Session 2026 will be published on the Student Financial Services website between January and early February 2026. The estimated Global Housing, Meal & Activity Fee for this program is $2,900.

SUMMER GRANTS

Brown undergraduates who receive financial aid during the academic year may be eligible for a Summer Grant towards their Summer Session charges. Eligible students will be contacted by the Office of Financial aid in late February/early March with information about their eligibility.

TIMELINES 

Please make note of the following deadlines for Summer 2026 programs.  Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

• Sunday, February 1: Preferred Application Deadline
• Sunday, March 1: Final Application Deadline
• Friday, March 6:  Admissions Decision
• Sunday, March 15:  Commitment Deadline

VISITING STUDENTS 

Visiting students from other (i.e., non-Brown) colleges and universities are welcome and encouraged to submit a visiting student application to any Brown Global Summer Program.  

As part of the application process, visiting students must also submit an official academic transcript to demonstrate that they meet the following two eligibility criteria:

• Active enrollment as a degree-seeking, undergraduate student at the time of program delivery (i.e., graduating seniors are not eligible)
• Good academic standing

Instructions for submitting an official transcript as a visiting student are provided in the online application for each program.

CONTACTS

Chris Van Booven, Assistant Director of Global Programs