During the pre-departure class for this Vietnam trip, I learned a lot about Vietnamese culture and how the culture is similar and different from ours. I really enjoyed reading about their exports and found it fascinating that they are the second largest exporters of coffee. I was also surprised and even shocked to learn about the concept of saving face in the culture. As an American, I am used to direct communication and generally simply communicate my feelings verbally. However, in Vietnam, I was surprised to learn that’s not how communication is achieved. People usually are quite indirect and sometimes even though they are saying something, that might not mean what they actually mean. In one of the readings we did, for example, I learned that when responding to a direct question, people may answer ‘yes’ only to signal that they heard what you said, not that they agree with it. For me, this is shocking because it means that if I disagree on something rather than saying I do, I will have to dance around the topic and hope they understand what I mean.
A similarity I found between both countries, is that they have embraced a capitalist economy and many young people are starting their own companies. Today, people in Vietnam have the idea that one creates their own success and are even described as “the most entrepreneurial people on earth” by Ted Osious, a US ambassador. Therefore, it is truly not a surprise that much like the US, the private sector and foreign companies are what keep the economy buzzing.
A cultural difference between Vietnam and the US is the concept of family. The US is a more individualistic society while in Vietnam society is emphasized on the idea of collectivism. A typical example of this difference is that while it is common for teenagers to move out of the house after they turn 18 in western countries, in Vietnam children are more likely to live with their parents until they get married and sometimes even sleep in the same bed until that happens. Moreover, while we live in a patriarchal society, Vietnam is more matriarchal, and mothers are given great importance in the familial hierarchy.
With less than two weeks from departure, I am excited to arrive in Vietnam and learn more about the culture. I am nervous to go into the unknown but moving away from my comfort zone will allow me to grow in all aspects of my life. Having these cultural differences will help me better understand others and see things from a different perspective. At the same time, these aspects will definitely play a role in my work life, and I expect to make a couple of mistakes, but I am ready to embrace them given that we don’t learn unless we make some.
UF in Vietnam Internship 