[Reading level: B2 – Upper Intermediate]
Upon arriving in a new country there are numerous unique cultural oddities that contrast one’s own culture and this can often be alienating yet exciting.
However, as an expatriate spends more time in one location, they begin to adopt many of these into their own lives and have a greater appreciation of the place they now call home.
[metaslider id=”9680″]
Here’s a list in no particular order of some elements of Vietnamese culture that one may find abnormal at first but would quickly miss if they didn’t live here anymore.
Drinking beer with ice
The idea of putting ice cubes in a glass of beer, particularly if the beer is already cold, is one that baffles many people when they first come to Vietnam. This is especially true if someone is accustomed to drinking pints of hoppy ale, where each ingredient has been painstakingly prepared to create a unique-tasting craft beer. If you were to plop some ice cubes into that glass in the west, the barman would give you a very judgemental look. Despite that, many expatriates living in Vietnam eventually prefer their beer with some ice in, particularly on an unbearably hot day making the crisp lager even more refreshing.
Eating noodles for breakfast
The first meal of the day in the West usually consists of cereal, bread, or perhaps eggs if you have time at the weekend. Rarely would anyone consider introducing any other carbohydrate for breakfast. Meanwhile, in Vietnam, you can often witness a gathering of people outside a pho restaurant before the sun has even risen. Once an expatriate spends more time here, this phenomenon begins to make sense. A flavorful bowl of pho (other noodles are available) is a great way to start the day, especially if you’re about to start a road trip or wake up extra hungry.
Sleeping after lunch
The working day in the West predominately begins at 9 am and finishes at 5 pm, therefore no matter how tired you are, you have to grind your way through the day and probably spend a large portion of the daydreaming of your bed. Meanwhile, in Vietnam, one often has to start work earlier, particularly if you’re working in a school. One practice that is common across the majority of Vietnamese workplaces is to find somewhere to rest your head, whether it’s a desk, the office floor, or if you’re lucky an armchair to nap after you’ve eaten your lunch during the hottest part of the day. This is not too different from the siesta that takes place in parts of Europe; however, many Vietnamese people have found it extraordinarily confusing as to why an expat wouldn’t sleep during this time and reiterate how tired they’ll feel later if they don’t. Over time most expatriates eventually succumb to nap time.
Using a handheld bidet
One note that an expatriate will read every time they enter a bathroom here is ‘Don’t flush the toilet roll after use.’ This can be a little confusing at first as it contrasts the teachings of your parents when you first learned how to use the bathroom as a child. Just below this sign, an expatriate will also notice the handheld bidet, a tool that is often new to many and can even intimidate before the first use. However, it’s only a matter of time before their bathroom habits have changed forever and quite frankly revolutionized by the wonderful handheld bidet. Upon returning to their home country for Christmas, many feel their bathroom is incomplete.
Sitting on tiny stools
It is obvious to many that the height, and often waist, of Westerners is significantly larger than Vietnamese. Therefore, the challenge of sitting on plastic stools can be intimidating and unusual at first. After many months and years here, it becomes no more comfortable; however, the feeling of having your knees close up to your body at a bia hoi with no backrest becomes normalized. The bunched-up nature of countless plastic stools at these establishments can even encourage a greater sense of community and collectiveness.
Covering up in the sun
One of the most distinguishable differences between an expatriate who’s been living here for a while and a traveler is how they dress when the sun is blazing on a clear day. Over the years, you’ll likely see an expatriate slowly cover up more and more until they are indistinguishable between being a Westerner or local whilst driving their motorbike covered head to toe in protective clothing. Many individuals find Vietnamese hunting for shade and covering up strange initially, but eventually become all too familiar with the dangers of the heat.
[metaslider id=”8834″]
Source: https://e.vnexpress.net/news/perspectives/cultural-quirks-that-become-norms-for-expats-in-vietnam-4732696.html?gidzl=7iET9sFK3YuIsvyWPyaE81ROd2Xycmmd28cL9YxBKtaEZ95rASi8BbNJoN8fmGz-3DMMVs548Q0vQD89Am
WORD BANK:
oddity /ˈɑː.də.t̬i/ (n): điều kỳ lạ
alienating /ˈeɪ.li.ə.neɪ.tɪŋ/ (adj): kì lạ
expatriate /ekˈspeɪ.tri.ət/ (n): người nước ngoài
adopt /əˈdɑːpt/ [B2] (v): tiếp nhận, đón nhận
element /ˈel.ə.mənt/ [B2] (n): yếu tố
abnormal /æbˈnɔːr.məl/ [C1] (adj): bất thường
baffle sb /ˈbæf.əl/ (v): khiến ai đó bối rối
be accustomed to sth /əˈkʌs.təmd/ [C1] (adj): quen với cái gì
pint /paɪnt/ (n): đơn vị đo, bằng khoảng nửa lít
ale /eɪl/ (n): bia (có màu tối và vị đắng)
painstakingly /ˈpeɪnzˌteɪ.kɪŋ.li/ (adv): một cách tỉ mỉ
craft beer /ˌkræft ˈbɪr/ (n): bia tươi
plop /plɑːp/ (v – informal): thả
judgmental /dʒʌdʒˈmen.t̬əl/ (adj): đầy phán xét
unbearable /ʌnˈber.ə.bəl/ [B2] (adj): không thể chịu nổi
lager /ˈlɑː.ɡɚ/ (n): bia lager
crisp /krɪsp/ (adj): tươi, lạnh
carbohydrate /ˌkɑːr.boʊˈhaɪ.dreɪt/ (n): tinh bột
phenomenon /fəˈnɑː.mə.nɑːn/ [C1] (n): hiện tượng
flavorful /ˈfleɪ.vɚ.fəl/ (adj): đầy hương vị
predominate /prɪˈdɑː.mə.neɪt/ (adj): chủ yếu
grind your way through the day (expression): cố gắng suốt cả ngày
siesta /siˈes.tə/ (n): giấc ngủ trưa
extraordinary /ɪkˈstrɔːr.dən.er.i/ [B1] (adj): cực kỳ
expat /ekˈspæt/ (n): người nước ngoài
reiterate /riˈɪt̬.ɚ.eɪt/ (v): nhắc lại
succumb to sth /səˈkʌm/ [C2] (v): không thể chịu nổi, đầu hàng trước cái gì
bidet /bɪˈdeɪ/ (n): vòi xịt
intimidate sb /ɪnˈtɪm.ə.deɪt/ (v): khiến ai đó sợ hãi
intimidating /ɪnˈtɪm.ə.deɪ.t̬ɪŋ/ (adj): đáng sợ
revolutionize /ˌrev.əˈluː.ʃən.aɪz/ (v): cách mạng hóa
waist /weɪst/ (n): vòng eo
backrest (n): tựa lưng
normalize /ˈnɔːr.mə.laɪz/ (v): bình thường hóa
bunched-up (adj): chụm lại
establishment /ɪˈstæb.lɪʃ.mənt/ (n): cơ sở
collective /kəˈlek.tɪv/ (adj): mang tính tập thể
distinguishable /dɪˈstɪŋ.ɡwɪ.ʃə.bəl/ (adj): dễ nhận thấy
indistinguishable /ˌɪn.dɪˈstɪŋ.ɡwɪ.ʃə.bəl/ (adj): không thể phân biệt được
ỦNG HỘ READ TO LEAD!
Chào bạn! Có thể bạn chưa biết, Read to Lead là một trang giáo dục phi lợi nhuận với mục đích góp phần phát triển cộng đồng người học tiếng Anh tại Việt Nam. Chúng tôi không yêu cầu người đọc phải trả bất kỳ chi phí nào để sử dụng các sản phẩm của mình để mọi người đều có cơ hội học tập tốt hơn. Tuy nhiên, nếu bạn có thể, chúng tôi mong nhận được sự hỗ trợ tài chính từ bạn để duy trì hoạt động của trang và phát triển các sản phẩm mới.
Bạn có thể ủng hộ chúng tôi qua 1 trong 2 cách dưới đây.
– Cách 1: Chuyển tiền qua tài khoản Momo.
Số điện thoại 0947.886.865 (Chủ tài khoản: Nguyễn Tiến Trung)
Nội dung chuyển tiền: Ủng hộ Read to Lead
hoặc
– Cách 2: Chuyển tiền qua tài khoản ngân hàng.
Ngân hàng VIB chi nhánh Hải Phòng
Số tài khoản: 012704060048394 (Chủ tài khoản: Nguyễn Tiến Trung)
Nội dung chuyển tiền: Ủng hộ Read to Lead
Lớp luyện thi IELTS online
Bạn đang có nhu cầu thi chứng chỉ IELTS cho đầu vào đại học, đi du học, xin việc hay xin cư trú và đang phân vân chưa biết học ở đâu?
Nếu bạn đang tìm kiếm dịch vụ luyện thi IELTS online với giáo viên uy tín và chất lượng, cũng như học phí phải chăng, thì thầy Trung (Admin và dịch giả chính của Read to Lead) có thể là một lựa chọn phù hợp dành cho bạn.
Hãy liên hệ (nhắn tin) tới trang Facebook cá nhân của mình (https://www.facebook.com/nguyen.trung.509) để tìm hiểu về lớp học và được tư vấn cũng như được học thử nha!
