2. I am wayyy to dark. Having dark skin is a sign of lower class in many Asian countries (You mean you actually go outside to do work and not hire someone else to do it? You walk instead of taking a Lexus? Hah, you're poor!) and even men around here sometimes walk around with an umbrella to avoid getting a tan (or avoid skin cancer...maybe they are just health conscious over here). I don't care (because I'm American and I'm Richer than all of ya'll - actually not really...see number 3) and tend to walk around a lot, getting even darker than normal and because of this, a lot of people don't think I'm Vietnamese; I have heard Cambodian, Chinese, Laotian, and Filipino - I know, how insulting as I am clearly above those! Then, when people ask me what I am and I tell them Vietnamese, they generally ask if my mom or dad is Vietnamese. Now, I didn't piece this together until recently but they think I'm mixed with something. So what should I be mixed with?
3. Contrary to the Communist Manifesto, there are a LOT of wealthy people here. Like Porsche and Bentley and (Real) Louis Vuitton. I went into a Nike store a couple of weeks ago and Nike Free are 120 US dollars, about 35 dollars more than the US. I always wondered how stores stay afloat but I guess someone is buying these shoes and purses.
4. Vietnamese people are...how to say this nicely...rude. Like I said in my car rant, you just don't take anything personal, it is just a different world but it does come off as rude in my opinion. You throw trash on the ground. Many restaurants just toss dirty water on the street, even if you are walking there. They are more blunt and forceful. A parking attendant was trying to grab people while they were driving motorbikes, trying to physically pull them in. There are no lines, you just go to the front and yell as loud as you can (Fox News Technique). My taxi driver almost hit a pedestrian - it would have taken literately 3 seconds to brake and let him pass but the taxi driver accelerated. It is just how they live. Back in the States, I would know an Asian restaurant had good potential (more "authentic" you could say) if the service is horrible because that was an indicator they had people from Asia (unlike "good service" but nasty food PF Changs - Yeah I said it). But here, it is much more to handle because it is everywhere. (I'm also a bit of hypocrite - Once I was semi-late for a show and this taxi driver got us there early because he was being a major ahole on the road but that doesn't count because I was in the car. Umm...ever heard of Fulbright? Yeah.)
5. That being said, Vietnamese people in the North are extremely nice. What do you mean? Unlike what people have told me (cough* mom and dad!! *cough), "North" people have been very helpful and generally don't try to rip me off or other foreigners, as far as I have seen. I have brought food at the market for fair prices even though many of them know I'm not a local (too dark, heavily accented Vietnamese). I can hear the prices they give to locals and it has always been the same. When I have asked people for help (buying helmets, help translating, directions, etc.) I never had have a problem. It is like totally opposite from their driving - when something is personal, they really try hard to help out. Yes, not all people are angels and there are douchbags but those exist everywhere.
6. Lastly, I have improper chopstick technique. I have never used chopsticks for this long consecutively and my finger joints hurt so I am doing something wrong. It seems I have gotten away with it in America just on pure, natural chopstick skills but not I can't rely on that solely.
One pic, sorry for too much reading.
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| In the Army Museum - the "Puppet" Flag of Vietnam - Their words not mine so don't get all fussy. |
tony
