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Learning Cultural Differences
Between Americans and
Vietnamese
(From the Vietnamese point of view)
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AMERICAN |
VIETNAMESE |
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Affection
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1. Touching between people of the same sex is not acceptable
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It is quite acceptable. One can see two men or women in the street
holding hands
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2. A man and a
woman may hold hands or touch in public
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People rarely do this in public. It looks "ridiculous"
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3. A man can
touch a woman (put an arm around her shoulder, hold her arm, kiss her
cheek, etc...)
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A man does not do this for affection or friendliness. It is insulting to a woman.
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4. Kissing
(between husband and wife, lovers) in public is acceptable
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It is not acceptable. It
should be done in private quarters. No kissing in front of the children
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5. Parents and
children kiss each other
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Rarely, except small babies
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Celebrations
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1. Christmas and New Year holidays are the most important |
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Tet (Lunar New Year) is the most important. This date varies from year
to year, between January 15 and Feb. 20.
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2. Americans
celebrate birthdays. They give presents and throw birthday parties |
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Vietnamese
celebrate death days. They worship ancestors. the prepare a big meal and
invite members of the family and relatives to get together and talk about
the good aspects of the dead person. Birthday is also celebrate, but not
that big.
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Clothings
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1. Pajamas are not acceptable in public
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They are quite acceptable in public, even in the streets
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2. Shoes and slippers are used day and night
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Slippers do
not exist. People can walk in the streets with bare feet.
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3. Americans wear leather shoes.
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Vietnamese wear wooden and rubber shoes more often.
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4. Men and women wear Western-style clothing
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Men wear Western-style clothing but women dress in their
"national" style.
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5. Women wear socks or stockings with shoes
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They do not wear socks or
stockings. Vietnamese women go bare foot with their shoes.
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Cooking
and Eating
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1. Americans do not spend much time in preparing food.
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Vietnamese spend a lot of time in preparing food.
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2. Grocery is bought once a week
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Grocery is
bought everyday
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3.
Americans say "grace" before eating and everybody starts
eating after that
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Vietnamese children ask parents or elderly of the family to eat first,
and they follow
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4. Americans use napkins and drink during meal
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Vietnamese do not use napkins but wash their hands and their faces
before and after every meal. They don't drink during eating, they drink
afterward.
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5. Americans use knife, spoons, fork and plates. They eat soup in a plate
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Vietnamese use spoons, chopsticks and a bowl. They eat soup in a bowl
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6.
Americans have one big dinner per day
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Vietnamese have two equally large meals per day (lunch and dinner)
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| 7. The smell of prepared food is weak |
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The
smell of Vietnamese food is strong
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| 8. American food is less spicy |
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Vietnamese use more spices
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9. Potato or bread is the main starch
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Rice is the
main starch
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| 10. Meat is cooked in big pieces, they cut it during eating. |
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Meat is cut into small pieces before cooking because they never use
knife during meal
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| 11. Food is put in individual plates or on the table. They tend to pass the
whole plate of food around |
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The food is put on the table and individuals take piece by piece. The
parents get food for their kids using their chopsticks, not by passing
the whole plate
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| 12. All food is shared equally |
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Preferred food is served to parents or
the elderly first
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| 13. Americans do not make noise in appreciating good food. |
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Vietnamese sometimes make noise in appreciating good food, especially
soup
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| 14. Women eat equally like men (in quantity) |
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Women have to eat small amounts (like cats) and men in quantity (like
tigers)
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