The longer I am in Vietnam the more I notice more and more societal habits that are very different to Canada and the West in general. Seeing the totally different daily habits around me reminds me of the phrase "taken for granted assumptions" which came up frequently during one of my international development classes. Basically my upbringing in Canada has led me to take for granted a certain type of manners, which is minimally to non-existent in Vietnam. The following is a list of some of the more extreme habits (from my perspective) I've observed.
1. Never waiting in line. I am continually reminded of this each time I patiently wait for a bathroom, the cashier in the supermarket, to order food etc. I subconsciously wait only to realize that my turn is never going to come unless I jostle to the front and make it physically impossible for someone to pass me.
2. Picking one's nose in public. Does this need any elaboration? People just stick their finger up their nose whenever and where ever it suits them.
3. Men and children can pee anywhere. When your kid has to pee sometimes you have very little time to find a bathroom. The solution here? Just pull their pants down and find a grass patch, the edge of the road, where ever and let them squat. Same goes for men.
4. Playing music out loud on public transport. If its a trip of any significant amount of time the bus is guaranteed to be playing some time of music video or at least the radio, yet so many people are compelled to add their own soundtrack by way of an mp3 player or phone. Naturally everyone on the bus MUST be dying to hear your musical selections, especially if they include Gangam Style!
This isn't meant to sound snarky - I can see where some of these habits come from, many families still live communally in small houses so the sense of "private" and "public" isn't defined in the same way it is in the West. Except the lines thing, that drives me crazy.
1. Never waiting in line. I am continually reminded of this each time I patiently wait for a bathroom, the cashier in the supermarket, to order food etc. I subconsciously wait only to realize that my turn is never going to come unless I jostle to the front and make it physically impossible for someone to pass me.
2. Picking one's nose in public. Does this need any elaboration? People just stick their finger up their nose whenever and where ever it suits them.
3. Men and children can pee anywhere. When your kid has to pee sometimes you have very little time to find a bathroom. The solution here? Just pull their pants down and find a grass patch, the edge of the road, where ever and let them squat. Same goes for men.
4. Playing music out loud on public transport. If its a trip of any significant amount of time the bus is guaranteed to be playing some time of music video or at least the radio, yet so many people are compelled to add their own soundtrack by way of an mp3 player or phone. Naturally everyone on the bus MUST be dying to hear your musical selections, especially if they include Gangam Style!
This isn't meant to sound snarky - I can see where some of these habits come from, many families still live communally in small houses so the sense of "private" and "public" isn't defined in the same way it is in the West. Except the lines thing, that drives me crazy.
