VIET NAM - HO CHI MINH CITY
Time is flying by here in Vietnam. I can hardly believe that I've already been here for a few weeks. The city is divided into districts, and I live in a kind of gated community in District 9, while most other exchange students have found accommodation in District 2. Life in District 2 is a bit more hectic, and there are also many tourists there. This also explains why more people speak English in that district. However, I feel very comfortable in District 9, and you quickly learn how to communicate even without English. After an overwhelming day in the city, I can take a breather here.
Before my trip, I knew that I wasn’t a city person, but I wanted to dedicate my stay to stepping out of my comfort zone, and I’m doing that constantly. There have already been times when I was approached by a random person on the streets, and we just had a nice chat about where I come from and what I do here in Vietnam. The same thing happened with a waiter in a pretty café here. I can't say that people here are generally very open, but there are, as in every country, people who find interacting with people from other countries and cultures very interesting.
Funny enough, during a trip to Kuala Lumpur, I happened to meet my Vietnamese seat neighbor after offering her some peanuts that I wasn't going to eat anyway. That small gesture immediately sparked a conversation, and she wanted to know everything about me and Austrian culture. She even tried to set me up with one of her Vietnamese friends and told me a lot about her company and work life in Vietnam. We exchanged numbers right away, and she offered to give me contacts at her company in case I’m looking for an internship or something similar here. Together, we went into the city and made plans to meet up for coffee after our trips in Vietnam.
Honestly, I can’t say if her openness has something to do with Vietnamese culture or if it’s just the good fortune of a friendly traveler.
In class, most of the locals are quite reserved when it comes to communicating with exchange students. I spoke with one of them who said it’s mostly because many are afraid to speak English, as their language skills aren’t very strong. However, as the saying goes, the exception proves the rule, and I’m regularly greeted by a local student in one of my courses, with whom I exchange coffee, Vietnamese snacks, and a few stories. I also regularly text with a student from my project group. He told me how much he envies me for being able to fly spontaneously to Kuala Lumpur for a weekend if I want to. It’s not that he lacks the financial means, but his family would never allow it. He’s the same age as me, but things are a bit different here in Vietnam compared to Austria. Family plays such an important role that, even at 21, people still have to ask for permission for many things and aren’t considered fully independent until they’ve completed their studies. At least, that’s the case for him, but he said it’s similar for many Vietnamese.
Saving the best for last, because I’m running out of words now. A few of my exchange student friends ended up attending a Vietnamese funeral while visiting a church by chance. Not wanting to be rude, they stayed seated quietly through the end of the eulogies, and to their surprise, they were very warmly invited to join the mourners for a meal afterward. The mourners were eager to talk to them and were very interested in getting to know them. This again speaks to the openness of some people here in Vietnam.
So, I would say that if you are brave enough and approach people openly and friendly, you will always meet the right ones, regardless of culture.