Culture shock in Vietnam
Below is reaction of foreign visitors towards issues in daily life of Vietnamese peopleThe need of understanding culture
It is often agreed that cultural understanding is the key to effective communication in context of globalisation. No matter where you go, on Myanmar package tour or Vietnam Cambodia Laos tour, you should find out about the culture of the place that you are going to arrive to. Lack of cultural understanding will result in problems even failure in working, studying and personal development. In fact, overcoming culture shock means great progress in your communication skill.
Vietnam travel packages has been the favorite tours of visitors all over the world. Each year, Vietnam welcomes a growing number of people coming to traveling, studying and working. The number of foreigners living in Vietnam at the time being is estimated at more than one hundred thousand.
Below are some noticeable issues in Vietnam culture.
Limitation of personal space and freedom
A sight that you are likely to catch is a family where a child is studying while his mother is cooking and his father is dinking wine with friends. Outside, the dog is barking accompanied by the sound of karaoke from the next-door neighbor.
After a long time of having not seen each other, people tend to greet by saying “ you look so slender recently” or “are you gaining weight?” or “you look so diferent recently. I hardly recognise, you know”. Besides, people even do not obtain pemission to use others’stuff.
The above examples suggest that Vietnamese people seem not to appreciate privacy.
Traffic
According to visitors, the way Vietnamese people take part in traffic can be compared with primitive society where people are free to do what they want.
Dozens of vehicles coming from every direction and keep on moving on the street. Traffic rules are not followed. Roads are always being repaires, causing block and traffic jam. Vehicles drivers do not bother to turn on lights when changing direction. Sometimes, they drive on the pavement as well.
Friendly but mysterious smiles
During conversations with foreigners, Vietnamese people usually talk with their Vietnamse friends in mother tongue and laugh out loud without any explanation. When witnessing things happening on the street, they laugh. When making mistakes or apologising, they smile, too. When expressing gratitude or saying thank you, they smile as well. Even in embarrassing situations, they smile. Whatever curcumstance they smile,
So what does a smile mean? Apology, gratitude, shame, embarrasement or irony? Foreigners find it unable to explain.
Pubic hygien practices
A number of wastebaskets on the streets remain empty because rarely does anyone put garbage in them. A friend of mine told me that one time while he was following 3 Vietnamese guys, he saw them throwing 3 bags of sugar cane after having drunk all of them. Then he picked the bags up and put into the basket. He asked “Why do the people pollute their home country?” and then was told “ It is none of your business. It is our own country and we have the right to do whatever we want. Please do not interfere”. Freedom to do what you want is not equal to loosing self-respect and advising is not the same as interfering.
Assistance is not applied to strangers
Vietnamse people are very supportive of one another. They are willing to help their friends and families in the event of difficulties. However, it is hard to explain why in case of traffic accidents, people just stop to watch without helping the injured or calling the ambulance. Maybe the injured are not their relatives. “While Vietnam is making every effort to familiarise itself with globalisation, Vietnamse people should help one another before contributing to the world. This should begin from the very simple action”.
Gender equality still a chronic problem
Whereas it is very common for both men and women hang out in pubs in a majority of countries, in Vietnam girls entering such places is considered a bad thing. If you see girls there, they must be watresses. Smoking, drinking, coming home late at night….which are usually done by men are considered unacceptable for women.
One time, my friend conducted an experiment. He invited Vietnamese women to do some normal habits of men. He offered them a cigarette and saw the reaction of other people. One person disapproved “ Why do you offer Vietnamse women cigarette, especially those whose are wearing traditional dress?”, explaining that “ Vietnamese women, no matter what kind of clothes they are wearing are not allowed to smoke”
This opinion is different from other countries where people believe that smoking is the freedom of both men and women as long as they do not smoke in places where smoking is prohibited.
How to overcome culture shock in Vietnam
Despite the above mentioned facts, some visitors appear to be optimistic. Living in Vietnam for a certain number of years, they learn the way to adjust themselves and have their own happines.
Others choose to travel to the outskirts as a way of escaping from hustle and bustle life. They also attempt to study Vietnamese, make friends and join daily life of Vietnamse families.
They believe in positive characteristics of Vietnamese people such as patriotism, hospitality, honesty and willingness to learn.
However, success in communication requires effort from both sides. That we are trying to help foreigners familiarise with our lifestyle means that we are kind and hospitable and that our country has a diversified culture. Vietnam is on the way of globalisation and always welcome new people, new way of thinking and new culture from all over the world.