Exceeding Expectations

Throughout the past week in Vietnam, I have learned so much about Vietnamese culture and have seen so many new things. One event that was culturally informative that I enjoyed a lot was visiting different temples. Being raised into a Catholic family and going to a Catholic high school, I have never been exposed to any other types of religion or visited any place of worship besides the Catholic Church. It was interesting comparing a Buddhist temple to the Catholic Church and each religions’ beliefs. For example, in these temples I learned about enlightenment and reincarnation which are two things not embedded into Catholic faith. However, although very different, Buddhist temples and the Catholic Church both emphasize religious props and places of worship are very decorative. Although the two religions are very different, at the end of the day, they are both are a place that anyone is welcome to enter and pray, join a service, and learn more about the religion. Today I am going to a Catholic mass in the afternoon and I am excited to see how this church will compare to ones I have visited in the United States and if it will be any different.

            Vietnam is different than the expectations I had. I expected to have a huge culture shock, however, having an apartment in the area of a large city makes it seem like I have not even left the United States sometimes. Although a part of me expected the city to be less developed, I was still a surprised that a lot of areas do not have air conditioning, especially since this country is so hot and humid. Vietnam is not as different from the United States as I imagined, and I think that the biggest thing that has surprised me is that many restrooms have no toilet paper or soap. Lastly, I think it is extremely impressive how many Vietnamese people can speak English and it makes me wish that more people in the United States, including myself, were able to speak another language besides English

Each day I grow to enjoy being in Vietnam more and I know there is still so much more to explore regarding culture. During my time here I would like to learn more about manners and if I am acting properly since there are some things considered rude in this country that are not considered rude in the United States, like crossing your fingers. I am also looking forward to seeing what other cultural foods Vietnamese people eat. Lastly, I am into history and I want to read more and learn more about the history of Vietnam leading up to present day Vietnam.