When two worlds meet

Vietnam is becoming a popular travel destination which is shown by the fact that every year more and more tourists head to Vietnam for travel purposes and even business travel (Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, 2015).

Amongst these tourists, there are also tourists originated from Western countries. A reason to travel might be to discover new worlds or to explore other cultures.

However, Western tourists have to keep in mind that the culture, norms and values are generally different in Vietnam than they are used to at home. As a tourist, you are a guest in another country and it is important to understand these cultural differences. This way, you are able to adjust when necessary. Going unprepared might lead to unpleasant surprises and you might find yourself in situations you had not expected and that are different than in your own country. Of course, these cultural differences also have their charm, as it is the proof you are exploring a new, far away country. However, it may be clear that understanding the cultural differences between Western countries and Vietnam will benefit tourist experiences. This will be proven by analyzing the most important cultural differences between the West and Vietnam which could have an impact on a holiday or business trip.

Vietnamese people are used to a different way of communication and not knowing these differences might lead to unintentionally offending them. First of all, a distinction can be drawn between verbal and nonverbal communication and both involve important discrepancies when compared to the Western way of communication.

When it comes to verbal communication, formality and respect are very important among the Vietnamese. To avoid signs of disrespect or confrontations the Vietnamese do not openly express disagreement. Instead, they will evade the question or they may remain silent. So if a Vietnamese nods and uses the word “yes”, it does not necessarily mean that they understand or agree. Often, it is just a way of showing respect or to confirm that they are listening (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2008). Also, criticism in front of others leads to loss of face and to them that is the worst thing that could happen (Shoestring, 2015).

In their nonverbal communication, the Vietnamese also have different ways of showing their respect and traditional values. This is mostly done through gestures such as smiles, nods and gentle bows. In addition, there are also gestures which are considered disrespectful and that you can better leave behind. Vietnamese people are for instance taught to avoid direct eye contact, particularly with people who are older or who have a higher status. Additionally, gestures as winking, beckoning, placing your hands in your pockets or on your hips while talking, patting someone on the back, and pointing to people while talking are viewed as inappropriate or offensive in Vietnam (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services). Furthermore, where a handshake is one of the most common gestures in the Western world, you will not see a Vietnamese shaking hands with the opposite sex or with older people out of respect. As well as touching a woman by putting an arm around her or holding her arm, which is normal in the Western culture, but considered as an insult in Vietnam (Aradmin, 2012). Finally, it is regarded disrespectful to touch a person’s head in Vietnam, as it is believed to be a sacred part of the body (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2008).

All of these examples clearly show that the ways of communication differ a lot between the Western world and Vietnam and what might seem as ‘normal’ to people from Western countries can be interpreted as very rude and disrespectful in Vietnam. Therefore, it is good to know these differences before traveling to Vietnam to prevent unpleasant events.

When traveling for business purposes to Vietnam there are multiple aspects to keep in mind in order to have a pleasant collaboration. In the Western world, time is money and appointments must be punctually fulfilled to keep the order of the day. In contrary to the Vietnamese, who do not live by a fixed time schedule. They can either be too late as well as too early, as Vietnamese people live more in the ‘here and now’. As a result, they are less concerned about the future and show much more patience (Shoestring, 2015). In addition to the above it is important to take time and effort to build a relationship prior to getting down to business in Vietnam. Where the Western people are used to ‘getting to the point’ real quick, Vietnamese people value the relationship and want to get to know their business partners first (Snelvertaler, 2015).

But also when it comes to daily tourist events it is important to know a little bit of the way the Vietnamese do their business. Bargaining for instance is a common phenomenon which is expected on markets, in tourist shops, and even when renting a rickshaw. Negotiating about the price is a social activity in Vietnam and remaining friendly is recommended (Shoestring, 2015).

Doing business in other countries could be troublesome due to cultural differences and clearly this is also the case if Western people want do business with the Vietnamese. For this reason it is important to be aware of the habits and customs as otherwise blunders or misunderstandings might occur.

Not knowing the laws and general rules when traveling through Vietnam could lead to serious problems which could have a great impact on tourist experiences or the wellbeing of Vietnam itself. First of all it is obvious that tourists should follow the Vietnamese law. What many may not know is that the law system in Vietnam is much more strict and the dead penalty still exists here. However, next to the law there are more things you must keep in mind as a tourist in Vietnam. Begging children for example, are a major problem and giving money is not the answer. This only makes it worse, as the children do not know how to deal with this kind of generosity and they stay away from school as a result. Also, child labor is still common in Vietnam and buying things from children is therefore not recommended (zuidoostazie.nl, 2015).

Another problem is the fact that a lot of endangered species are served in restaurants all over Vietnam. In some occasions these animals have suffered a very painful and cruel dead and besides, they are not always good for your health. So if you are served shark’s fin soup, bird's nest soup or turtle eggs, which are considered truly culinary delights in Vietnam, you might want to think twice as you are contributing to the poaching of endangered species which is forbidden (zuidoostazie.nl, 2015).

This shows that there are different laws and circumstances in Vietnam than in Western countries. That is why it is advisable to be aware of the rules, and needless to say, following them during your stay to prevent problems or harming the wellbeing of the people or nature of Vietnam.

Whether it is communication styles, ways of doing business or the laws and rules, there are a lot of cultural differences between Western countries and Vietnam and therefore a lot of problems that could occur. Especially if Western tourists are interested in getting to know the local people of Vietnam during their holiday, or if they have to do business, it is important to be aware of these cultural differences beforehand to prevent unpleasant events.

As more Western tourists will visit Vietnam in the future, the country will get more used to the Western culture. This is accompanied by the rapid developments in the field of social media, which leads to the fact that the world gets smaller and people from all around the globe can get in touch with each other. Nevertheless, the cultural differences between those two worlds still will remain, as the ways of interaction and norms and values are deeply rooted in the Vietnamese culture. Thus, it is still important to understand and respond to these cultural differences as a tourist traveling to Vietnam, as it will benefit the tourist experience.

References

Aradmin. (2012, August 29). Cultural Differences. Retrieved on April 14, 2015, from: Asian Recipe: http://www.asian-recipe.com/vietnam/vn-information/cultural-differences.html

Shoestring. (sd). Landinformatie - Cultuur Vietnam. Retrieved on April 14, 2015, from: Shoestring - hoe ver kun je gaan?: https://shoestring.nl/rondreis-vietnam/cultuur-vietnam

Snelvertaler. (2015). Zakendoen in Vietnam. Retrieved on April 14, 2015, from: Snelvertaler: http://www.snelvertaler.nl/Zakendoen-in-Vietnam.htm

U.S. Department Of Health And Human Services - Centers For Disease Control And Prevention. (2008). Promoting Cultural Sensitivity: A Practical Guide for Tuberculosis Programs That Provide Services to Persons from Vietnam. Retrieved on April 14, 2015, from: CDC Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: http://www.cdc.gov/tb/publications/guidestoolkits/ethnographicguides/vietnam/chapters/chapter2.pdf

Vietnam National Administration of Tourism. (2015, January 20). Research & Development. Retrieved on April 11, 2015, from: Ministry Of Culture, Sports & Tourism - Vietnam National Administration Of Tourism: http://vietnamtourism.gov.vn/english/index.php/items/8225

Zuidoostazie.nl. (sd). Zuidoost-Azie.nl - Cultuur in Vietnam. Retrieved on April 14, 2015, from: zuidoostazie.nl: http://www.zuidoostazie.nl/informatie/1551/cultuur_in_vietnam/

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