15 Things U need 2 know about Vietnam

“Cái này do một anh Tây viết, các bạn đọc thử nhé!

I’ve been here since 2007 and am sharing you my knowledge about Vietnam or let’s be specific- Saigon (“,) I could be right, I could be wrong, but hey…I will write anyway. But you are free to agree or disagree with me. Let’s just keep the discussion friendly and useful later on. Agreed? (“,)

Here are the facts according to me:

1. Iced tea is free in most restaurants. Some have hot tea; others have both.

2. When Vietnamese drink tea or water (or anything), they always leave 5 to 10% in the cup after drinking. They don’t empty their cups.

3. Vietnamese don’t take a shower in the morning. They take a shower/ bath in the evening.

4. Teenagers love anything Korean- food, music, hairstyle, clothes, etc. Yes, K-POP is a big thing here.

5. They take a nap after lunch. This means driving from 12noon to 1pm is really quiet and smooth- Yes, no traffic jam!

6. “Happy New Year” by Abba , “Hotel California” by the Eagles , and “Papa” by Paul Anka are the most popular Karaoke songs.

7. The Vietnamese wear helmet not to be SAFE on the roads but in order not to be FINED by the police/traffic officers.

8. Nobody respects pedestrian lanes/zebra crossing here. Or is there one? We always have to say a little prayer when we cross the streets or when we walk on the pavement.

9. Every family has 2 or more motorbikes and they are parked on the ground floor. The living room is a garage at the same time.

10. Mai Linh and Vinasun are the most reliable taxis. At the airport, people queue up for Mai Linh or Vinasun. They’d rather wait for a long time than hop on random ones.

11. The locals ask your age, nationality and marital status on the first meeting.

12. The coffee here is heavenly. Everyone’s favorite is caphe sua da or coffee with condensed milk on ice.

13. “Nguyen” can be a first name or a last name and there are a lot of them here. 7 out of 10 Vietnamese I’ve met here has this name.

14. The Vietnamese are generally honest, friendly and helpful. Plus they are always smiling.

15. The language is just impossible to learn. Let’s say you can get on with the language in time but no matter how you say the words, they will never get what you mean. Write them down to be understood. As for me, miming is the key.

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