Welcome. It's always enriching to see the perspective of someone from a country that gets very little coverage in the West. If you don't mind, I have a few questions:
1. How old are you?
2. Your English is very impressive; at times more articulate than some UK natives. What was your education like? Also, how common is it to find English speakers among the native population?
3. Like you mentioned, when we hear the word "Vietnam" what usually comes to mind is the war, followed by noodle dishes, bad war movies and rice farmers in conical hats. Do you ever get annoyed by the Western media's portrayal of your country?
4. To turn things around, how is the West perceived nowadays by the majority of Vietnamese people you've encountered?
5. From your post it seems like superstition in culturally ingrained in Vietnamese society, regardless of religious affiliation. Is this accurate? If so, can you give some examples of how these superstitious beliefs surface in everyday life?
Sorry for all the questions; it's just that we don't get to hear from many freethinkers in Southeast Asia. Enjoy your stay here.
1. 27 yo, unmarried.
2. Thank for your encouragement. I'm a civil construction engineer. English is our second popular language and yet it's rarely used, mostly for working with foreigners and promoting requirements, even today, many English schools have mushroomed in recent years.
3. Of course, i have a bit disapointment, but i do know our country is still a third world country. Over the past 15 years, the country's economy have surged as the government has battled for their dictatorship by selling anything such as raw resources, manpower,....Living standard may improve slowly over years but income inequality is far much more than ever.
4. We continue having conflicted feelings about their colonization history and their advanced science, technology, economy,..
5. yes, this is. For example, this morning, my roomate toes have accidentally stuck between the door and the floor, he's screamed "I've known this, I've already known this, my blinking last night has informed me, God (general meaning, an omnipotent power) has punished me by my sin". And many people believe psychics , priests, monks instead of hospitals....to treat their disease such as AIDS, cancer, infertility,.....
Topic: A "hi" from Vietnam