The class on Vietnamese culture was a fantastic learning experience. It certainly expanded my previous knowledge on their history and ideological values. I would say the most surprising aspect was their acceptance of capitalism! I knew Vietnam was a politically communist country. However, I did not realize to the extent of how their economic model imitates western ways. I feel as this exemplified their resilience and desire for the people to prosper. When the communist socialist model was failing and Soviet support disintegrated, the Vietnamese showed their capability of adapting and doing what is best for all. A similarity between Vietnam and the United States culturally is their stress on education. The Vietnamese have been building a fantastic network of public schooling, especially considering they haven’t even fully developed into a middle-income nation yet. I feel as if the emphasis on receiving a quality education in both countries is very important on an individual basis. A cultural difference is an individual vs. group mentality. In the United States, we certainly think about our existence and goals from an individualistic perspective, whereas in Vietnam, it appears they think more about unity and what is best for the group. This is best exemplified with the concept of family “face”. In Vietnam, if one person in the family does something shameful, they believe it will inflict a negative connotation on the entire family. I believe this likely will directly impact my experience in my internship. When I arrive, I feel as if I will be welcomed immediately into a “team” mindset. As opposed to emphasizing the immediate and direct desire to achieve individual goals. Also, I might experience my employers attempt to save face if they are displeased with any work I do. I feel as if there also won’t be any outbursts of emotion. In Vietnam, if you showcase extreme negative emotion publicly, they associate this with a loss of face. Perhaps if I make a mistake, my managers won’t express their displeasure too openly. This might require me to decode their thoughts with more attention when they are addressing my effort and the level of quality of the work I will be doing.
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.
An
aspect of Vietnamese culture that I found illuminating is the country’s
relationship with communism and capitalism and how this relationship affects
the population. In the 1980’s the communist government of Vietnam was forced to
establish a relatively free market to keep the economy afloat. Today, Vietnam
is heavily dependent on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), international trade,
and privately-owned businesses for economic stability, none of which would be
possible under a communist economy.
More surprising than the
government’s reluctant acceptance of capitalist ideals, however, is the
resounding approval of a free market amongst the Vietnamese population. A
recent study from the Pew Research Center found that 95% of Vietnamese citizens
agreed that a capitalist economy is the best type of economy, compared to only
70% of US citizens. Vietnam has begun incorporating western values into its
culture, placing an emphasis on economic success and consumerism. Similar to
the United States, business hubs are the most highly populated areas, as young
people tend to migrate towards cities in search of opportunities for economic
growth and prosperity. Young Vietnamese citizens are calling for even more
democratic measures to be implemented, including free elections and reduced
government monitoring.
Although both the United States and Vietnam depend on capitalism to achieve economic success, Vietnamese culture is much more collectivist than American culture. Americans prioritize individual accomplishments, encouraging their children to find their own paths. People tend to make decisions in accordance with their own happiness, even if that decision does not necessarily benefit their family or society. However, in Vietnam, children are taught that the family is the centerpiece of society and honoring the family name is of utmost importance. One’s successes and failures are not reflections of the individual, but of the family, and the family’s welfare is always prioritized. The collectivist culture of Vietnam may impact my professional experience in Vietnam because all of my actions would represent the company I work for. Therefore, teamwork is an integral part of all projects, as every assignment impacts every employee of the company.
Learning about Vietnamese culture has helped to open my eyes to the outside world, and specifically Asia. It is exciting to learn of all of the similarities and differences between Vietnamese and American cultures, to not only learn more about Vietnam and Asian cultures, but also to be able to better understand the United States and its culture. One aspect of Vietnamese culture that I find particularly interesting is their structure as a collective society. Mutual support in Vietnam is extremely important, much more so than in the United States where we live in a more individualistic society. In this collective society in Vietnam, family is of the upmost importance, and the goal for many Vietnamese is to grow up and bring honor upon their families. In the United States, while some people do act in ways to honor their families, it is more common for people to care about themselves, and to act out of their own self-interest. In a professional job atmosphere, I imagine both countries will function in accordance with these societal structures. I am used to working more on my own than with others, and imagine in Vietnam, work will be done in more of a group format. Working with, and relying on others is an important skill, one that I believe will be tested throughout my time working in Vietnam. Another difference between the two countries is that Vietnam places a higher value on being able to adapt to change. This adaptability has helped Vietnam grow very quickly economically, and will be very interesting to examine up close in a work environment.
While the cultures of Vietnam and the United States are not the same, there are some overlaps that I believe will help aid me during my time in Vietnam. Both countries have an inherent interest in putting aside the past to be able to move towards a better future. Specifically, both countries have been able to put aside the differences that came to a point with the Vietnam war, and work with each other on a global level. Currently, Vietnam exports more to the United States than any other country. Following the war this would have been very unlikely with the United States imposing a trade embargo on Vietnam. This ability to move forward despite many differences, highlights the importance both countries place on their respective economies, something I believe will be evident during my time in Vietnam. I am excited to see how Vietnam is culturally similar and different to what I have come to expect from learning more about the country. A theoretical knowledge of Vietnamese culture is important, but is no substitution to experiencing how Vietnamese culture affects everyday life while living in Vietnam.
Often
when we travel, we find ourselves researching some superficial information of
what to expect when landing, only to find that the information was wrong,
stereotypical or only half true. UF in Ho Chi Minh City’s predeparture week
long course is extremely through. We dive deep into the influences and inner
workings on Vietnamese culture and learn useful and practical information that
is not only educational but also quite interesting. While looking at Vietnams
culture we not only learn about what people are like across the globe, but we
also learn a lot about a complex culture found in the “west.” American Culture.
I find we as Americans often finding ourselves repeating the phrase ‘America
doesn’t have culture.’ We couldn’t be more wrong. Despite not being able to
attest for rich history and traditions, American Culture is alive and well. We
as Americans are very friendly, by some cultural standards too friendly.
Americans wear their emotions on their face, we smile, we frown, and god forbid
we express our frustrations.
Surprises
and Difference
I will fact check at a later moment but not only in Vietnamese Culture but in Asian Culture there is a practice that translates directly to “showing face.” It is culturally inappropriate to ever show face, in other words, always hold your poker face (keep face). Your emotions are to be kept to yourself. Know I am by no means an expert on Vietnamese/Asian culture but from my understanding what makes breaking character so wrong is this underlying cultural norm of always presenting you best self. Why? You are not an individual everything you do can either bring honor or shame to your family and linage. Family comes first in Vietnamese culture, you come second. Now this is a practice that for anyone who has met or encounter an Asian American family will not find surprising. I agree, this information wasn’t new to me despite not having research or studied it before. What is new to be is understating how we are different.
I don’t want it sound like I’m speaking bad about my own culture but compared to the rest of the world, Americans smile a lot. We smile to every person we make eye contact with, we smile when we don’t understand something and want to appear attentive, we smile when someone offends us in an attempt to not be rude, we even smile when we are in pain, you know, laugh it off. There is nothing wrong with smiling but the more you begin to travel East the more you’ll find your smile is not reciprocated. People will find you weird, stupid or maybe even crazy. I imagine there are instances where some cultures when exposed to smiling a American are reminded of DC Comic’s infamous villain The Joker.
Similarities
From
my research, despite our origins being very different I feel as though I can
almost guarantee that Americans and Southern Vietnamese share a passion for
consumerism and capitalism. We like brands and global products we enjoy taking
in what the world has to offer and enjoy indulging. We like to shop and wear
nice clothes. The United States is the
largest market in the world and that is why it is rare for one to find products
that cannot be purchased in the United States. We may think we are special when
I come to our specialty stores and luxurious shopping malls, but we aren’t.
Vietnam despite just recently experience significant economic growth benefits
from many if not all the luxuries we have in the United States. This included
famous brands like Gucci, Nike and Louis Viton. The reason you’ll find these
brands very present in Vietnam is that there is money in Vietnam. There is a
market for these products. The people who live in this rapidly growing nation
have expensive taste.
Expectations
As
for my expectations I feel like to begin I will have a hard time making
connections and developing relationship with native Vietnamese. This will
likely be a great learning experience as when I am able to make a connection
with someone it is almost immediate. Where as in Vietnam I expect to experience
an awkward period before my co-workers being to warm up to me and look at me
like a friend.
As for the idea concept of keeping face, this will also prove to be a challenge. I know I am able to behave seriously and try and suppress my emotions, but I like to smile. I conduct myself by normal standards in the. United States where you try and smile as often as possible and when making eye contact a smile is a great way to begin a relationship.
Lastly for the consumerist culture we’ll find in Vietnam, I expect to really embrace and make the most out of it. I fully expect to eat out every meal and do some extensive bargaining at the markets where I can find discounted products both for my relatives and myself.
Prior to last weeks class, I knew almost nothing about Vietnam and its culture. After learning a lot about the country and its culture during class, one thing that stuck out to me is the significance of age in the country. Age plays a role in many day-to-day activities, and it is among the first questions that you will be asked when you meet someone. In Vietnam, older people are viewed as more intelligent due to their wisdom and experience, and they are generally regarded as always knowing the best way to do things, even if they are wrong and someone younger is correct. In addition, the eldest individual is always the person that you greet first when you enter a room, and they will be the first one to sit down and eat during a meal.
Although on the other side of the world, we share many cultural similarities with Vietnam. One such similarity is our love for coffee. Although not a big coffee drinker myself, there’s no denying that Americans drink coffee all the time, as evidenced by the Starbucks on every other corner. Vietnam is the same way, as it is common to start your day with a cup of coffee, and then to have a cup throughout the day if you need that extra push. Coffee drinking is also utilized for many of the same things, whether it’s a much-needed caffeine boost, to socialize with family and friends, or just to enjoy the rich flavor.
However, there are also many differences between our two cultures. One such difference is the fact that in America, people will tell you outright if you are doing something or saying something wrong. In Vietnam however, they won’t directly tell you, instead phrasing it in a less direct way in order to save “face.” For example, if your boss in America doesn’t like the work you’re doing, he will tell you something along the lines of, “you need to improve the quality of your work.” In Vietnam, if you ask your boss if they like your work, even if they don’t like it they might say something such as, “Yes, but maybe we need another perspective.” This difference will impact my professional experience in Vietnam because it will make it harder to judge the quality of my work, especially in the beginning of my internship. It could reasonably be inferred from that statement that my work wasn’t liked by my boss, but it also could be assumed that my boss really does like my work and wants another opinion on how to proceed. Due to the United States being a low context culture, I am accustomed to always taking what people say as truthful and not placing much emphasis on body language or other non-verbal cues, so it will take time to get accommodated to understanding the non-verbal cues my boss and other citizens are giving me. Although this will be difficult at first, I’m very excited to further develop my understanding of non-verbal cues both inside and outside of work.
The first week of class was very enlightening in several
ways, but one of the most surprising aspects of Vietnamese culture is the
overwhelming embrace of capitalism within the Communist nation. Vietnam being a
nation where 95% of its citizens support capitalism, according to the Pew
Research Center, while only 70% of Americans felt the same way gives a glimpse
of insight as to the development the country has undergone since the
authoritarian Communist party took control in 1975. The overall economic shift
and embrace of capitalism becomes less of a surprise when you look into the
young nation’s history. Shortly after the north’s victory in the Vietnam War,
the country was invaded by China in 1979 yet their closest ally, the Soviet
Union, didn’t come to their aid. Being diplomatically isolated hit Vietnam
hard, and after several food shortages and the fall of the Soviet Union, the
nation was forced out of a short victory euphoria. With inflation up to 900%
and being forced to import food to combat the shortages across the country, the
Communist party officially adopted a market economy in the late 1980s. This
shift plays a pivotal role in the nation’s development, which gave way to the
overall growth of the economy, reinforced a hesitation towards depending on
others and created a do-it-yourself attitude.
This attitude permeates through the citizens and, like the
United States, has created a breeding ground for small businesses across the
country. With foreign investment welcomed, and private business encouraged, the
redefined nation begins to resemble the United States in some ways. A society
in which citizens feel an innate obligation to work for their prosperity may
surprise you to realize that the motivations behind these feelings may differ
from those of Americans. The United States being a country with high values of
individualism where people tend to look after themselves and their direct
family rather than extended family or extended relationship, whereas Vietnam is
on the opposite side of the scale and have a high value of collectivism. Where
citizens of the United States may enact self-starter behaviors to achieve
personal goals and expectations, those of Vietnam may reflect similar behaviors
to achieve what’s best for the family and maintain one’s image in society.
In the coming weeks, I’m excited to experience first-hand the differences in values a collective society has versus those of an individualist. I believe the experience will strengthen my lifelong skills in communicating, understanding, and respecting the values and perspectives of others professionally and personally. In addition, I trust that the different perspective on motivation will allow me to reflect on those of my own and grasp an improved understanding of my values from a profoundly contrasting perception.
During the pre-departure class in
the Warrington School, I was able to learn more than I ever expected about the
country of Vietnam. It is interesting to consider that Americans generally do
not have a knowledge of Vietnam past the war that was fought over forty years
ago. Vietnam is now an up and coming country with the South’s mega city named
Ho Chi Mihn becoming a cultural hub. This city was renamed after the famous
communist leader of the North who started the communist takeover for the
purpose of a liberated and connected Vietnam. The original name of Ho Chi Mihn
City is Saigon, and it is interesting to note that the majority of the
southerners prefer it to be called that.
I was very surprised that most of
the population in Vietnam doesn’t really care about or remember much of the
Vietnam war, but this is probably due to the fact that the country’s population
is so young that most didn’t even experience it. It is refreshing to see that
they can thrive and have no resentment towards Americans when all we really
know about the country is this old war.
I think it is interesting that the
young people are similar to the U.S. in the way that they are starting to value
starting up businesses. Many young Vietnamese are influenced to start their own
companies, whether it be restaurants, coffee shops, fashion boutiques, or even
construction companies. Both Americans and Vietnamese people have been more
inclined to start a company through this culture of creating one’s own success.
Despite being a country full of young people, Vietnam still holds many
traditional values in high regard. The family is the epicenter of life for a
Vietnamese person, and one must make every decision based on family. In the
United states, one will pay more attention to the individual, and many
Americans prefer to do things for themselves. This includes having their
parents take care of themselves when they are old or putting them in a
care-assisted facility whilst the Vietnamese children take care of them and
have their parents live with them.
These cultural aspects may affect my time in Vietnam professionally as well. I will be more mindful with the interactions of people in the workplace, and also it will help me better understand the hierarchy of the office. Family is set up in a clear hierarchy of power in a traditional Vietnamese home, and this is the same in an office setting.
I found Vietnam’s culture relating to their expressions was very surprising and fascinating. I lived all my life thinking that smiling and being outgoing was a portrayal of a good lifestyle and genuine happiness. As I just learned from reading material covering their customs, this is not the case in Vietnam. They prefer to keep a straight face and withhold their emotions to a greater extent than most Americans do. This is to show composure, which is valued greatly in Vietnam. Moving away from this behavior could even make a person seem foolish in the eyes of others. It is important to use traditional customs of greetings and interactions to get the best relationship from residents of Vietnam. A similarity I found between both countries was our mutual love for high name brands when shopping. In many markets in Vietnam similarbrands to the ones located in the US can also be found in Vietnam. While they may not be legitimate clothes and only highlight the logo, it still shows how highly valued these brands of clothes are in both countries. In addition, a drastic difference I found was the culture regarding traffic rules. In America traffic is much more organized and controlled. In Vietnam however, the case is very different. In Vietnam traffic guides are volunteers and everyone is really entrusted to be able to move with the flow of traffic regardless of a lack of tranquility and stability. This is something I will have to get used to immediately entering the country. I believe that the culture of Vietnam will vastly increase the experiences I would have obtained if I stayed here in the states for the summer. Moving away from my comfort zone and putting myself in a place where a majority of what I know can seem negative to others will challenge me to adapt to new situations. Not only will I have to cater to different tasks from a completely different perspective, I will mainly be completing these challenges on my own. This is the biggest obstacle I feel which will be the most difficult to overcome. I am not worried as I will not be the only one to take this journey alone. With everyone’s help I’m sure we’ll get by without a problem.
UF in Vietnam Internship 