13 interesting Western – Vietnamese cultural differences
Published on: July 01, 2022
Last updated: December 26, 2023 Read in fullscreen view
Last updated: December 26, 2023 Read in fullscreen view
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Understanding basic differences between Western culture and Vietnamese culture is very important. It helps us to avoid cultural shocks.
A few days ago, I read the article “East meets West” of young artist Yang Liu, a Chinese who has been living in Germany for over 10 years ago. The article explores major differences between Eastern and Western culture, especially beneficial for Western tourists on their first visit to Vietnam. Today, I’d like to develop on that topic, exploring Western – Vietnamese cultural differences.
- Expression of personal opinion. Vietnamese usually don’t get straight to the point, especially sensitive matters such as borrowing or asking for a favor. We embrace subtleness while Westerners appreciate frankness.
- Matter of punctuality. Culturally, most Vietnamese people are generally not on time, from a few minutes to an hour late depending on the event they attend. Even though this attitude towards punctuality has changed dramatically recently thanks to commercial working etiquette.
- Social and family hierarchy is an important issue in Vietnam’s society, where the younger is supposed to pay respect to the older. That is done in many ways including how each person is addressed. An elderly person can not be a “friend” to a younger person even though it’s literally friendship in Western view.
- Expression of emotions: people avoid expressing inner negative emotions: anger, sadness, discontent, etc.
- Queue culture. Look at the illustration and you will know. Even though this has changed dramatically like so many other things, queue is still not in the dictionary of some people.
- Sunlight. Clearly, we have waited too long for it. There’s nothing called getting tan or sun bathing here, please.
- Children in a family. In Vietnam, children are the most important members and the center of a family. All of the others (parents, grandparents, uncles, aunt) pay special attention to them.
- Meal time. There are 3 main meals in a day and we emphasize the importance of all.
- Travelling. We want to save all the beautiful moments in photo
- Bathing. Westerners like showering in the morning before working, while we prefer showering in the evening before sleeping.
- Cuisine. Chopstick and Spoon vs Knife and Fork.
- Beauty standards call for bright skin. As bright as possible.
- West and East in each other’s eyes. We are impressed with Westerners' berets, sausage and beer while many Westerners are impressed with our conical hats, rice and tea.
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