Uncategorized – Page 18 – UF in Vietnam Internship

Crossing the Pond to Cross the Street

UF in Vietnam is going to be my first experience in Asian culture. I am expecting a great culture shock but am excited to dive right into the amazing and vibrant life of Vietnam. During the last week, I was introduced to the different aspects of Vietnam. As a class, we explored different topics ranging from politics to geography. I knew nothing about Vietnamese or even Southeastern culture before this week and learned some interesting and eye-opening information.

One of the particularly interesting facts about Vietnamese culture is that the women are the heads of households. Vietnam is a matriarch society. The women not only run the household and care for the children, but they also handle all the money and finances. It seems that most cultures around the world are mainly patriarchal, with the father being the head. Not only are women in charge of households, but Vietnam also has a high rate of women professionals. Learning that women are respected in Vietnamese culture was refreshing, especially as I am a young professional woman myself. In some cultures, women are sometimes looked down upon and thought of as less or not given as much work or promotions. I am excited to work in Vietnam because I know I will be treated equally on the basis of my sex.

Vietnam will definitely be different from the United States. The starkest difference that I will have to face every day, is their lack of law enforcement, particularly in traffic law. One of the first videos we watched in class was a “how-to cross the street in Vietnam”. Crossing the street seems like a very mundane task, but in Saigon, it is a risky venture. In Vietnam, the laws are not always enforced very strictly. In effect, there are no traffic lights and if there are, people do not abide by them. The lack of traffic lights makes crossing the street seemingly impossible. Hundreds of bikes and cars zoom through the streets and pedestrians are expected to slowly and surely meander through the traffic to the other side. This poses a slight hiccup in my travels for I might be too scared to cross the streets at times. Perhaps I will get caught on one side and need to cross to get to work. Hopefully, by the end of my time in Vietnam, I will be able to cross the street confidently and in less than 10 minutes. Even though I will be all the way around the world, I know that not everything will be different. The sounds of the scooters whirling will remind me of home in Gainesville at UF. The US has a huge obsession with coffee and the Vietnamese love their coffee as well, if not more. In fact, they are one of the top coffee exporters in the world. The most reassuring aspect of Vietnam that will make the world feel just a bit smaller is the similarity between the US and Vietnam’s emphasis on education. Both the United State and Vietnam prioritize education above almost everything. In Vietnam, it will be nice to see all the school children headed to school just as they would at home. Being educated is very important to both cultures and it makes me happy knowing that I am making both cultures proud by pursuing a degree and expanding my horizons by studying abroad.

Facing New Challenges

Throughout my first week of class my mind was truly enlightened by many aspects of the Vietnamese culture and history, specifically the core fundamentals of society. These fundamentals are outlined by traditional values, Confucian and Taoist values, Buddhist values, Western values and Socialist values.

Vietnam embodies a unique nation, one bombarded by the struggle to maintain sovereignty, the diversity within its borders, and the values that shape its culture. As an American, one’s perspective is naturally jaded towards a previous war, yet remarkably the majority of Vietnamese have little resentment regarding the “Vietnam War” as we call it or the “American War” as referred to in Vietnam.

Though Vietnam today resembles a communist governing system, industry is thriving more than ever. Personally, I was surprised by the cultural emphasis with regard to “honor” in traditional Vietnamese Culture. Relationships are built upon the ideals of respect, familiarity, and personal trust. The concept of “saving face”, or the principle that harmony must be maintained in a relationship between two people, plays a large role in Vietnamese relationships. Definitively, the act of “saving face” sheds light on the level of importance the sense of community plays in Vietnamese society. For instance, one may avoid confrontation or maintain harmony in a relationship, even in the event of a problem arising, in order for the betterment of the community and maintain a positive relationship. Contrastingly, Americans tend to be more individualistic in nature when it comes to relationships. Instead of making a decision within a relationship that either betters or harms the community, one simply just makes an individually based decision. The cultural aspect of community may impact my experience in Vietnam through means of both work and leisure life. I expect to incur a slight challenge when it comes to the concept of “saving face”, for I am a very expressive being by nature. In the same sense, I feel that in the work setting social encounters may come more naturally, due to natural boundaries solidified by the cultural concept of “saving face”. On the other hand, I sense that I may struggle with being able to identify a friend or acquaintances emotions or social cues outside a professional work environment.

My perspective on Vietnam has been cultivated over the past week and a incur that along the way my understanding for Vietnamese culture shall grow even more thorough during this journey that lies ahead.

A Road To A New Beginning

Aww man, its been a long week with early mornings starting at 7am just to make sure I make it to class at 11am. Although, class may have been three hours I certainly enjoyed my time learning about the culture and history behind Vietnam. A country I did not know much about expect for the war that happened in the past. I was amazed about how people caring the Vietnamese culture was. I was informed that they hardly say no, and they would rather lie than have a disagreement with someone. They are all about family which plays a big part in their society because the younger generation reflect not only themselves, but they carry the burden of there family. Collectivism are their values, doing what is best for the people around them. In the United States it is the complete opposite where we are told to do what the best for ourselves.

In the communist country they have not freedom of press and rarely talk openly about politics. They are very cautious of what they say regarding there policies and keep conversations short. In America we are open to all opinions and talk constantly about our government and how it can improve. Based from what I learned in class, the government has a lot of restrictions on the people in Vietnam, they are not as free minded as Americans and many Vietnamese have a set path they must follow. Internally, I believe the Vietnamese community have no will to act for themselves or do what’s best for them. I also do believe that the cycle will end with the growth of capitalism and Vietnam supporting the thirst for money.

Ultimately, as a person who is Haitian and has similar cultural traits to those in Vietnam regarding how they treat elders and barley saying no. I think I will be able to make it for the next two months in another country that’s the opposite of America. I am very open-minded and have appreciation for different things. While I drive deep into the culture, I will also be interning at Infinity Blockchain Labs as a Business Development Intern. I’m excited for what the future is going to bring and how the Pho is going to taste. But I gonna go, so I’ll talk to you later, Tam biet.

The Start of Something New

With the program about to start in a few weeks, the one skill that has been and will continue to be a challenge through my life is my adaptability. As a first generation student, I am very excited about this opportunity to study abroad. I honestly never thought I would ever leave Florida, let alone be in another country over 9,000 miles away from home. After the previous Beijing program falling through, I really appreciate all the effort of Jason put into finding another solution by continuing the program just in a different location. Throughout this week of learning about Vietnam, I was fascinated by their culture, their history, and their future.

Overall, the surprising part of the class this week was learning about Vietnams’ paradoxes. Despite that their culture is thousands of years old, it is a very young country as it was reunified in 1975. This reflects in one of the intriguing aspects of Vietnam: their beliefs. Even though the Vietnam War occurred in recent history, many Vietnamese do not have an emotional connection to the war since the majority of their population are under 50 years old. Despite the communist government winning and reunifying the country, capitalism ends up prevailing as their economic development has reached new heights. I find this ironic because America’s reason for the war was to stop communism from spreading and results in the Vietnamese liking capitalism more than Americans.

One cultural similarity between the United States and Vietnam is their openness to others. Both cultures had immigration and colonization a part of their histories and that reflects in their cultures. While both countries have a primary language that is spoken, there are nuances based on where in the country you are from. For example, the north part of Vietnam has six tonal sounds while the south has four. Also, the people of the United States and Vietnam are likely to speak and comprehend more than one language due to the variety of people they interact with. This is in the result of the United States has a long history of immigration, Vietnam has a long history of colonization. One cultural difference between the United States and Vietnam is their beliefs about relationships. The United States is based on individualism, while Vietnam is based on collectivism. Vietnam emphasizes family or the group over individualistic desires, unlike the United States.

I feel that these cultural aspects will have a lot of influence as I will experience personal and professional growth over my next eight weeks in Vietnam. Since both cultures are openminded, there will be many opportunities to meet new people and build an international network. As for the differences, will be an interesting challenge to balance my individualistic culture as I immerse myself in a collectivist culture. Especially in the business world, where Americans have to be self-reliant and come up with their own process to their work, where Vietnamese follow the orders of their superiors and do not question them.

Preparing to avoid culture shock

Studying about Vietnam from a diverse variety of sources in the first week of class allowed me to get an inside look at this often unnoticed yet incredible culture. I quickly became aware that the Vietnamese culture is rich, unique, and evolving alongside the nation’s rapid development and social changes. Although Vietnam is advancing and becoming more global as time goes on, there still are unique cultural aspects that must be considered when adjusting to this country’s way of life.

Many differences emerge when comparing Vietnamese and American business culture. One of these contrasts that were unexpected to me is that before any serious business conversations in Asian societies, it is essential for those involved to establish a trustworthy relationship. Because of this, it is common for co-workers to get to know each other both inside and out of the workplace. I would not have predicted that relationship-building and networking would be as prominent in Vietnam since it is common for individuals to be introverted and indirect. In contrast, Americans are known to be more extroverted and outgoing yet American business is very impersonal in comparison.

One similarity between Vietnam and the U.S is that are regional cultural differences in both countries as a result of historical events. North and South Vietnam have many cultural variances including those surrounding language, cuisine, and business culture. In the U.S., cultural differences also exist between the North and South because, just like Vietnam, the country was once separated into distinct regions. In Northern Vietnam, the people tend to be more conservative and distant, whereas the Southern Vietnamese are seen as more cordial and open to changes. There are similar generalizations in the U.S but they apply to the opposite regions.

Another specific cultural difference is the significance of hierarchical levels in society. In the United States, the socio-economic structure tends to have fewer hierarchical levels. Asian cultures, however, have a precise class structure and everyone is aware of where they belong within it. This structure is visible when analyzing the teaching styles in both countries. In Vietnam, classes are usually more disciplined and focused on the teacher rather than the student. Students must completely abide by what is said by the teacher and have little freedom to share their own thoughts and opinions. Classroom discussions are rare as a result. In America, there is more emphasis placed on the students who are seen as having a similar level of significance as the teacher. Classroom participation, like asking questions and analyzing what is learned, is expected. This proves that there is plenty of distance between teachers and students in Vietnam, but this distance is reduced in the United States because there is not as much pressure placed on the importance of hierarchical levels.

This cultural difference extends to the workplace and will be something that I will have to keep in mind during my internship. In Asian businesses, there is a well-defined class structure as well. The manager, very much like the teacher, has the most control over other employees and they are expected to obey his/her instructions completely. In America, it is more common for employees to share their own ideas and perspectives when they disagree with their boss or add their own personal touch to a task. I am often someone who enjoys thinking of creative, new approaches to add on to my assignments. However, I will have to become accustomed to following all of the instructions given to me in Vietnam and should not expect to have as much creative freedom.

The pre-departure course made me realized that there are so many more reasons to intern in Vietnam than I have previously considered, and I completed it with a revived feeling of excitement to experience the Vietnamese culture on the journey ahead of me.

Collecting Some Thoughts

This first week of class was really insightful on Vietnamese culture and only made me more excited about the upcoming trip and the countless cultural experiences we will have. There are many differences and similarities in the Vietnamese culture and this week we barely touched the tip of the cultural iceberg. One of the most surprising or illuminating things that we learned in class for me personally was how much of a collectivist and relationship society Vietnam really is. This is vastly different from U.S culture where we focus tremendously on individualism and prioritize our individual needs over the needs of the group. An example of this is that from a young age we encourage each child to be their own person and follow their own path. This continues on into adulthood and is significantly present in our societal values. A specific example of this includes rewarding people for their individual achievements and often decisions are based more on voting versus group consensus.

On the U.S business relationship side of things we are more focused on completing a business deal rather than building long-term relationships with the people we are doing business with. In comparison the Vietnamese culture focuses their activities, decisions and life in general for the benefit of the group. There is emphasis on the “whole”, meaning every decision that is made is for the needs of the group which always trumps an individual need. This is an important factor to incorporate when it comes to the workplace specifically making the effort to invest time in building good relationships with the people I interact with on both professional and personal levels. This kind of collectivist mindset will be exciting and refreshing to work with, as well as even a little nerve racking to experience first-hand.

Something that stood out to me that we talked about during class was that during our first week in Ho Chi Minh we should find one person that we continually want to purchase items from. This would eventually lead to building a relationship to where they consider us a familiar face not just a tourist, hopefully even making the process of bargaining a little easier. I feel that this is personal goal of mine, to build as many meaningful relationships as possible during my stay in Vietnam whether big or small.

Capitalizing On the Situation

As the introductory week of classes just a few weeks prior to our group’s departure to Vietnam come to a close, I find my excitement developing from a distant opportunity into an approaching reality. While the past week of classes have provided a wealth of knowledge on the cultural ins and outs of the newly budding Southeast-Asian Tiger, I was particularly intrigued by the mounting Vietnamese obsession with capitalism. It was interesting to learn about the nation’s history in conjunction with its social development; as the United States pulled out of Vietnam following the war in 1975 and the Communist North commanded control of the Liberal South, the social distinctions of both the South and Vietnam entirely shifted in the balance of Capitalist values, an ironic development in favor of economic progress. Watching my perception of Vietnam transform from “former war enemy” to “budding capitalist-oriented economy” came as an unexpected surprise, as I had felt fairly confident in my understanding of the country prior to this week’s classes.

Moreover, I was also surprised by many unique differences between American and Vietnamese culture. Particularly, I was drawn to the distinctive paradox that both nations naturally hold a mutual importance placed on family, but each pedestalizes the family for opposing reasons. In the United States we consider the family to be the most important aspect of our lives simply for our love of those who are closest to us, while the Vietnamese prioritize their families largely for social reasons, particularly for the sake of honor and representation in society, as they believe in upholding a high standard of communal perception of their family. The similarity of this paradox lies in the common ground of a lifestyle centrifuged on the family. A supplementary but quite noticeable difference between the United States and Vietnam is the significance of individuality vs collectivism in respective countries, which are large

My amended understanding of Vietnamese culture, and particularly business culture, will bolster my interpersonal skills when working in an office of foreign speakers, and even enhance my daily interactions while roaming the streets of Saigon.

A New Face For/In Vietnam

This week in class, we got a feel for the cultural, political, and historical backgrounds of Vietnam, which was all new information to me. To be honest, most of what I learned was surprising to me, as all the knowledge I had of Vietnam prior to this week dealt with the US’s war with them. The most illuminating information, and probably the most helpful for our trip, was the concept of ‘face’. Vietnamese are very concerned with their public appearance, and will do anything it takes to keep their reputation in good standing. For this reason, we were taught to expect the word “no” to be used rarely if ever. Also, yes can mean yes, but in many cases it just means “I hear you”. They are an easygoing people, as everyone has their own reputations to uphold, so angry outbursts do not happen. It is quite unlike the US, where emotions are shared a lot more directly than they are there.

I think the biggest cultural difference I learned about, however, was the Vietnamese’s future-oriented society. Americans tend to look to the past to model how they will act in the future, but Vietnamese aren’t bogged down by things that have already happened. We learned that the war of American imperialism, as they called it, has little to no effect on how the populace views the US now. A similarity between cultures I found interesting was their love of American media. The number one song in Vietnam right now is Taylor Swift’s new single, the biggest movie is Avengers: End Game, etc. Maybe it was my own ignorance, but I had the impression that they held a strong sense of nationalism and would try to preserve their own culture. I believe the reason I felt this way is because the only time I have interacted with Vietnamese culture has been eating the food here in the US, which try to play up the atmosphere with traditional music and decorations (I have attached 2 picture of the meals my girlfriend and I got at Simply Pho in Tampa). I was apprehensive at first, because I wasn’t sure how I would be received as a foreigner and American. I see now that I don’t have to worry about being viewed differently because I may not follow the customs correctly, and that they are very accepting of other cultures, including Americans. I am excited to get over there and indulge in the culture, and the food!

A Preview of Vietnam

The most illuminating aspect of Vietnamese culture for me was the extensive use of bargaining in business, in contrast to the fixed prices found in the United States. It was interesting to see that bargaining in Vietnamese markets can enable more competition amongst vendors and can be utilized to build relationships between the customers and vendor, which is important in Vietnamese culture.

One cultural similarity between Vietnam and the U.S. is the embracing of capitalism within their economies. Although the Vietnam War established a socialist government, the country failed to experience economic growth due to the implementation of collectivism and other socialist policies that could not incentivize people to work harder. However, Vietnam was able to endure by utilizing Ho Chi Minh’s flexible interpretation of communism to maintain a socialist government but allow more free-market policies. Today, the country of Vietnam, especially in Ho Chi Minh City, has modernized and established itself as an important exporter of goods, such as coffee and electronics. Similarly, the United States strongly promotes capitalism and fosters a consumerist culture. The United States has lifted its trade ban against Vietnam and become a huge trading partner with Vietnam, which further illustrates both nations’ culture of engaging in capitalistic economies, irrespective of their political differences.

One cultural difference between Vietnam and the U.S. is the attitudes towards relationships and respect. Vietnamese culture is group-oriented, while the US culture is individual-oriented. The Vietnamese place a greater emphasis on maintaining harmony and following norms, while Americans focus on individual preferences and direct confrontation. Within the context of business deals, the Vietnamese spend time in the beginning establishing strong bonds and trust before closing, while Americans typically do the opposite. Lastly, the Vietnamese believe one should reject praise and be modest, while Americans overemphasize their accomplishments and welcome praise.

I believe that these cultural aspects will undoubtedly influence my personal and professional experience in Vietnam. The cultural similarity of engaging in consumerism and capitalism should hopefully ease my transition to Vietnam as I will still be able to purchase the things I need or want. For my professional experience, this similarity will enable me to still contribute my background knowledge on consumer habits to my work during the internship. Nonetheless, I predict inevitable obstacles, including the need to haggle when shopping in the marketplace and understanding the intricacies of the socialist government’s attitude towards the growth of capitalism. Furthermore, I believe the cultural difference towards relationships and respect will influence my personal experience because I will have to consciously adjust my interactions with locals that I may meet. It will affect my professional experience because I will have to approach business relationships and interactions in a manner that conforms to their values.

A Mix of Old and New

Coming into the first official week of the UF in Vietnam program I had conducted some research already about the country. Going to the other side of the world is something that for sure has not completely get to me yet, so I must do my best to prepare for this very new and exciting experience. Despite all of the expectations I was still amazed by the rich and ancient history the Southeast state has to offer.

Out of the things discussed during our lectures, what impressed me the most is how their culture has embraced the post-war times and switched from a communist country with a very old population, struggling economically and relying from practically only agriculture, to a young and vibrant country that accepts and practices Capitalism more and more as the days go by. Becoming a reflection of the country’s new infrastructure, values and economic development. Despite its rapid economic growth, Vietnam is still seeking ways to support and maintain this growth rate. As only exports, which are big regarding the United States, will not hold on forever.

Product of the Capitalism, seen mostly in big cities like Ho Chi Minh (Saigon as the population prefers to call it), you can see similarities in both cultures. Vietnam used to be a place where people were actually ashamed by their wealth or goods. As explained in an example in one of the articles read in our first week of the program. This example talked about a female entrepreneur who used to hide her BMW when having coworkers as her guests at home. Nevertheless, now it has become a society where visitors can encounter luxury shops in exclusive malls, people riding expensive cars and so on. This particular aspect of the Vietnamese culture will make adapting a little bit easier as the change in the living environment will not be so dramatic. Also, these cultural changes will reflect in the mindset of the companies and their workforce. It becomes a perfect time to arrive at Saigon as we will find a mix of the old culture and the new and rising one. Which will for sure embrace our thoughts, nurture our careers and help us expand our skill set from a warm welcome to a positive and successful closure of the program.