A different culture
In Vietnam, the rules of good behavior are very different from France and certain things should be avoided if you want to have a good time. Know and appreciate the Vietnamese. You will certainly be surprised by the habits and customs of the locals and you must accept that Vietnam is another culture.
Rules and advice to follow:
1 – Never stick the chopsticks in a dish
this refers to death so avoid if you are invited to Vietnamese homes
2 – Never get angry.
Losing your temper with a Vietnamese person is frowned upon and you will never be able to resolve a situation with this behavior.
3 – Never kiss.
The Vietnamese are reserved, so we don’t kiss each other to say hello. This may surprise more than one European.
4 – Never give a toothpick from hand to hand to a Vietnamese
I don’t know the exact meaning but Vietnamese people think that if they receive a toothpick, they will be less lucky. Always place it on the table.
5 – If you have red eyes
A Vietnamese person will avoid looking you in the eyes for fear of having red eyes too.
6 – Yes, no
Never take a yes or no from a Vietnamese at face value. A Vietnamese will never say that they don’t know and at the start of my expatriation, I had a lot of misunderstandings with that.
7 – Never call a Vietnamese person with your hand up
It is used to call dogs among other things but always downwards.
8 – Buddha
Never joke about Buddha, you will offend your interlocutor. This is common to all religions.
9 – Take Photos
To take photos, a smile helps but above all after each photo, show the photo taken, it’s always appreciated. Don’t leave like a thief after the photo either. You are not in a zoo so always be respectful of the people you take photos of.
10 – Temples and pagodas
Try to respect the rules for visiting religious monuments and therefore do not go there in shorts and a tank top, it is a sign of respect. In some pagodas, you will be asked to cover your shoulders.
11 – Do not behave like a conquered country
Do not behave as if you were in France or a conquered country, something that I have seen a lot. The French think they know everything. Accept that Vietnam is a different culture.
12 – Vietnamese Questions
Never be surprised by the questions of the Vietnamese (are you married? How many children do you have? etc…) that you will meet. It is common to want to know.
13 – Take off your shoes
Take off your shoes before entering a house, a store or a pagoda.
14 – Tipping
Tipping is a tradition in Vietnam, mainly for guides and less for restaurants even if it remains appreciated.
15 – Meals
In many restaurants, especially local ones, the dishes arrive together. In Vietnam, the tradition is that all the dishes are present at the beginning of the meal.
