Q&A: Vietnamese Culture 101 (Tipping in Vietnam, Drinking Culture, Why no shoes in the house?)

In today's video, I will answer your questions about Vietnamese culture. You will learn a lot about Vietnamese tipping culture, drinking, giving gifts etiquette, and why Vietnamese people don't wear shoes in their house, etc.
Cảm ơn bạn Thu Hà và Thuỳ Trang đã giúp dịch video này!
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Hey, I’m Van Vu from Vietnam! I’m gonna show you a BUN CHA good food besides PHO (Hope you like the puns :)) I love sharing Vietnamese unique food, hidden gems, and especially our culture. I strongly believe that the world will be a better place if we know each other’s culture. Learn more about me here: whatthephovn.c...
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[@thang2161]

Rất tự hào khi chị có thể đưa Văn hóa VN đến với nhiều người trên TG

[@daisyanncatubag5222]

Hi! I'm a Filipino and an ESL teacher. And I am here because I just started to teach Vietnamese kids English online. I wanna know more about your culture especially your education system with regard to English. Thank you. Love lots from PH. ❤

[@WhatThePho]

Best of luck!

[@garyconway1073]

Hi Pho, I am in Ham Tien , near Phan Thiet and Mui Ne. I started coming here for the winters in 2016. I have lived in China , Thailand , Cambodia , Phils and honestly I love Vietnam the most. Fortunate for me I arrived for this trip Dec. 1 2019 and have been allowed to stay and I am very happy for that. Thank you for your video's , you do a great job and in one way you are like me eheheh I to do not speak or understand the language . Im sure you must be picking up some of the language but for me I have no words in Vietnamese. Have a few very good Viet. friends here, I love being in the country side near the ocean, here people are more relaxed , friendlier , I did visit Nha Tran and Da Nang and Hoi An but here there is no city on the beach, PERFECT. Wish you all the best .

[@thanhthuyang9697]

😘😘😘

[@alancrane9762]

Gary, where were you originally and what brought you to the Orient? Just curious.

[@dinhkhanh]

Vân is so xinh đẹp and tràn đầy energetic. Always ủng hộ Van. 😂

[@supersarachannel5927]

I am little but I have big appetites to learn. I learn alot abut Vietnam from you :P

[@maihuong9442]

Thank you chị Vân for such an informative and interesting video about our country, but I'd like to share that though all Vietnamese worship ancestors but burning votive money and stuff on full moon/ funeral/deathday also depends on that household's religion, not all Vietnamese do that.

[@AlmostMaliken]

Very good, comrade! Now, follow me to the police station, we have a lot of paper work to do about Directive 16

[@antvn222]

LMAOOO

[@duncangaming4694]

Can you invite some foreigners trying thuốc lào ???:))

[@Nancy-tb3xo]

🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@SrSaraviaMusic]

Great video,Van! Just one good thing you forgot to mention: The positive and optimist attitude towards life

[@SrSaraviaMusic]

Just one question: Is there any conflict on the concept "Việt kiều"?I asked a friend and she told me that it's the Vietnamese diaspora and maybe I'm missing something because I see nothing wrong with that

[@lararusconi1155]

Great video 👏🏼 I've traveled to many SE Asia countries over the past few years, and loved them all. But Vietnam holds a special place in my heart. I wanted to visit the Country since high school, and had super high expectations. I'm gonna tell you, my expectations weren't only met, but also exceeded. Honestly, I did know Vietnamese were nice people, but I didn't expect them to be so friendly and welcoming. I enjoyed every single moment I spent in Vietnam, from Hanoi, to Hoi An, to Saigon. I really can't wait to be back. Lots of love from Milan (Italy).

[@WhatThePho]

Thank you for your kind words! Please visit Vietnam again when you can :)

[@joanfelix8362]

nice

[@brandorambo6644]

My Vietnamese wife has been wondering where I'm learning all these vietnamese culture traits from. I told her it's a big time secret. I met my wife in lagi, Vietnam while on a trip to Vietnam/Thailand. Around 6 years ago. After 3 years of talking I asked her if she wanted to come to Minnesota. She said yes and your videos help me understand the way she is. I get it now.

[@bouncingdude]

My wife is from Lagi as well. She was actually born in Ben Tre province. We live in DFW, Texas, now. My wife moved to the States in late 2019. It would be hilarious if they know each other, lol.

[@brandorambo6644]

@@bouncingdude I bet they know each other, my wife know people in texas too.

[@brandorambo6644]

@@bouncingdude my wife name Lien Thi Bich Nguyen, she is from phuoc hoi ward neighborhood. Quynh luu street

[@WhatThePho]

Aw! I'm so glad to hear that! Understanding other culture is very important for a strong love :)) Hope you and your wife are safe and well

[@bouncingdude]

@@brandorambo6644 Hi! My wife checked last night. She doesn't know her by name but a pic would help. My wife, Quynh, also started a KZbin channel. Here's the link if you're interested in checking it out: kzbin.info/door/aRbfqtWhe0I3t9YHTEVfQg

[@nine7295]

The "wealth bringing cat" figure is actually a Japanese culture thing. Thanks for the video, I learn a lot even I have had Vietnamese friends.

[@thomasraywood679]

Compared to the West, for many Asian cultures including the Vietnamese the use of chairs is an only modern phenomenon. If you have a chance online to view early photos of Vietnamese royalty, you'll find them seated in/at nice but tattered furniture. If they'd have owned it, yes, of course it would have been kept in good repair. Instead, it belonged to the itinerant photographer, touring the country and bringing with him this Western convention as a symbol of prosperity.

[@guyh9992]

I have eaten with a Vietnamese family several times and they always have had to find a chair for me as I am too old to sit on the floor. My legs can't handle it.

[@mikeg9421]

I can absolutely understand why Anthony Bourdain fell in love with your country. My grandfather also spoke very highly of the genuine kindness that the Vietnamese people possess. I am extremely thankful for the opportunity to teach English in Vietnam and experience the culture that these two great men spoke so highly of.

[@harveytseng9077]

Lucky cat is from Japan, I think.

[@HuyTran-kp2qc]

Những câu hỏi và giải đáp rất hay. Hy vọng bạn bè quốc tế có thể tìm hiểu thêm về văn hoá của Việt Nam qua kênh. :-)

[@ponyhaly6131]

I wish I could move back to Vietnam. We immigrated during the Vietnam War. I wasn’t taught Vietnamese language growing up. Would that be a problem to assimilate? Love your videos❤️ Thanks!

[@WhatThePho]

No, not at all, you learn while you're here

[@buellrichardson5222]

I enjoyed your video greatly though there is one aspect I don't completely agree with you on. For me no one is born believing one way or another. They have tendencies toward being friendly and helpful but that isn't the norm. Most mannerisms are learned by watching and listening. With that said I have found most SE Asian people to be very friendly and warm toward most people.

[@toannguyen-se4dr]

I love to see your talking, your face so cute when you talk.

[@honghoadove4495]

Cám ơn Vân nhiều lắm! There are many good answers I can use when I want to open some conversation to my foreginer partner. Thank alot and wish your channel to grow more!!

[@dominichill1492]

All you're answers was the truth and real. Also Vietnamese do accept gifts from foreigners, and Vietnamese love money, but that is in every culture. Also you are looking so beautiful as always.

[@jimmybrooks1059]

Hey V, loved the vid. Thank you for your clear friendly explanation of viet culture. Makes me want to visit Vietnam even more. Very enlightening. Could you do a video about Buddhism, Confusionism, and Cao dai. I am interested in these. Thanks again

[@ESL-O.G.]

It sounds very similar to china/Korea there culturally, except you guys enjoy more sandwich and coffee culture

[@duncangaming4694]

Yeah you’re right, Korean and Chinese coffee are too light to a Vietnamese like me, and it tastes just like water has coffee’s smell

[@MrGroganmeister]

Mmmmmmm viet coffee. Mmmmmmmmm 👍

[@dalebeals5321]

Hello Van: I'm thinking of taking a trip to Viet Nam in the future, and I've just watched your video Vietnamese Culture 101. I have a question about the eating, drinking, and talking part of your culture. I have a liver condition that doesn't allow me to consume alcohol. How do I politely refuse a drink without offending them. Thank You Dale from Minnesota (Home of Minnesota nice)

[@FSGMoon]

just reject them that you can't drink alcohol. We never force foreigners or strangers to drink acohol.

[@aengusk3313]

you should make a video talking about some Vietnamese Films, there's alot that are REALLY impressive like "the scent of green papaya" & "cyclo". and I don't think many people outside of Vietnam are familiar with them

[@alancrane9762]

I'm familiar with "The Scent of Green Papaya." That's actually an old movie and one of the very originals that got international attention. Weird that this came up because I recommended that to a friend yesterday.

[@anthonytran7002]

Amazing Video ! Part of the East Asian cultural sphere, Vietnamese culture has certain characteristic features including ancestor veneration and worship, respect for community and family values, and manual labor religious belief. =>Vân Vũ thông minh xinh đẹp và hiểu biết nhiều.

[@Yenvivu]

I'd love this video. It's informative 👍👍👍

[@coffeemilk4080]

I am not sure about "people would take gift or money gift after the third try". I would probably feel offended if this happens the third time, especially from those who are not considered as close friends. I guess that many of my friends would probably feel it that way. In case, they are close friends, we simply accept the gifts and find other occasions to present something back. There is no point to turn down the attitude. I think in Saigon, when we say "no, thank you", it would literally mean "no". The people in Saigon are probably more straight due to the American/French cultural mixture.

[@MindofYǒng]

Colonized by some nations but not conquered, paid off retribution but not surrender. Now I know why my late granpa so proud when he was telling stories about Vietnamese people, probably the similar culture & others stuff he had heard at that time makes my late granpa think we are the same...lol

[@boomshakalaka415]

Great explanations! 2 more follow-up questions: 1. Do the 3 regions in Vietnam really have their own dialects or is it really 3 accents with localized slang unlike China which has dozens of dialects (ie. Cantonese, Mandarin, Fukanese, Shanghainese). 2. Gift giving - Is it true that anyone hosting a birthday dinner he/she is the one expected to pay the tab unlike in the US where the bill is split evenly amongst the guests?

[@brandip2446]

If the birthday person is the planner this could be true, it's usually the event planner who takes on the bill in this culture, so being a mother of half vietnamese children.. if I invite and plan their birthday dinner, than I would offer to pay for everyone I invited Or if my mother in law planned a new year dinner at restaurant and invited us all then they the in laws would offer to cover it, now actually allowing them too is another story and depends on everyone's finances obviously

[@magicbobNJ]

Hi Van! I have traveled extensively in Vietnam in 2017, 2018 and 2019 and love Vietnam. Why? Vietnamese people are very kind and friendly! And the food! I have a question about what you said in this video: That the US colonized Vietnam for 20 yrs. I never heard this before. Could you elaborate? I do know the US (as we were told) came to Vietnam, I think in 1965, to protect the Southern Vietnamese people from a communist takeover, so as to protect their democracy. How much truth there is to this I only know from the books and documentaries I have watched.

[@Huyenbkt]

American had came to Vietnam from 1954-1975 right after French left. We were suffering continuously foreign invaders who claimed that they came to help. But it's not true. They killed and did a lot of terrible things ...

[@magicbobNJ]

@@Huyenbkt In war, there are always some atrocities but it's the mentality of some soldiers and not the soldier's government that wants this. Can you point me to some neutral websites that support that the US did not come to help?

[@Huyenbkt]

@@magicbobNJ oh, youtube is a good & diversified source of infor. U can type in E of Vietnamese (use google translate maybe)

[@Huyenbkt]

@@magicbobNJ u also might search about the term “communist”. VN did not need to be protected from “communist”. Communists were just local people who wanted to find our way to fight back invaders, to find peace for this land.

[@magicbobNJ]

@@Huyenbkt I don't understand because E of Vietnamese makes no sense to me

[@taotao98103]

Actually the cat thing is not Chinese, but Japanese. Phuc Loc Tho in Hong Kong is called Fuk Look Shaw. Very similar.

[@sutannguyen8599]

Very good Work out Vân look So beautiful and healthy Vân So nice Video talking about.. Vietnamess everything good.. Thank Vân..

[@godfreylawrence4055]

I broke off with my Vietnamese Gf, more of a narcissistic character, loved her soo much One day she wud be top of the world, had gr8 plans to make her very glad But nxt day she wud just aloof Went for too long Hope you could help me find someone gorgeous like you

[@XuanTran-vw9so]

Such a useful video ! i have learned more about vietnamese culture since im studying tourism culture so plz do more videos like this!!!

[@brunosantanna4718]

Loved the workout and q&a workout right after 💕😂 each day more passionate about Vietnam thanks to you... 🥰 Please stay safe!! ❤❤❤

[@roberth1889]

got it, lots of help now I realized ... thanks Van

[@jiwayangterluka2255]

hi sister I'm from Indonesia I have a boyfriend from Vietnam and now stay in London.i just learn from you how to culture

[@jeffmathews9993]

Go Girl - one of your best - I learning and enjoying HEAPS - Cheers n Thanks fr Australia

[@ThatRascalMerlin]

I honestly hope to at least visit, if not retire, to Vietnam. I am so enamored with it. It is really, really enchanting, especially for someone who loves, and is fascinated by Asian culture(s). I really love your channel, because you have a working experience of seeing things through the eyes of a westerner, having lived here in the west. The way you "translate" (for lack of a better term) these customs, experiences, and details is the best I've found on KZbin. I lived in Guangzhou, China, and I really loved it, but I wouldn't want to live there forever for a myriad of reasons. What I have seen of Vietnam, so far, especially on your channel, tells me that Vietnam has all the things that China lacked and doesn't seem to have all the things that I disliked.

[@alancrane9762]

Agree with everything you said. I hope Viet Nam will be progress in a different path and learn from its neighbor to the north while maintaining its identity. Viet Nam has tremendous opportunities at this time and it should take advantage of it on the world stage.

[@aleksdude]

Very good post. Especially for tipping. There's always alot of confusion about tipping in Vietnam. You're assessment of Vietnamese people I believe is a complement to vietnamese (i.e. they're known for being hard working.) In the office I work at... (off the 200+ that work here... we have about 6-9 nguyens... (and this doesn't include non nguyens)). You were pretty short about Viet Khieu. I think you could have elaborated more on this.... but from my understanding (as a 3rd gen vietnamese american moreso american).. vieth khieu is any vietnamese person who no longer lives in vietnam (most likely left during 1975). I think for my parents uncles/aunts who go back to visit... sometimes they don't like to pay viet khieu prices (although.. I'm hoping these days they aren't so tight with their money). Alas,.. I forgot... are you from the north or south? Don't mean to be mean or anything. My mom is from hue... so it seems noone understands people from hue. I'm fine with that... I'll take my Bun Bo Hue any day (bad joke). The part of Vietnamese culture that I'm abit leary of is Nhau (drinking)... That was a good connection between the Japanese and Koreans. I guess I don't like it when adults get too tipsy. But you're right.. its a way for people to get together. Finally, do you think your younger generation is changing you're overall culture in Vietnam? For instance,.. here in United States...much of the vietnamese culture is slowly(maybe fast) fading. (Me.. and then to my kids... we all speak english exclusively now). Family is a huge part of vietnamese culture.. and getting together for any family event is so important. Every few times a year, we pay respects to our elders who passed away on their anniversary... The older generation understands how important it is. But the younger generation (ie me and my kids..) we are more prone to make excuses why we can't go. Things like saying hello to elders "A" or "Thu bac/ba/ma" are slowly becoming impossible to do with the kids.

[@cuongpham6218]

Hi, as a Viet Kieu currently living in Germany, I'd like to put my two cents on this topic. Yeah her answer was rather short when it came to the mainland Vietnamese attitude about overseas Viets. In Vietnam, many people (especially people of older generations) have a somewhat twisted admiration for Vietnamese living in developed countries, as they have an overly sugarcoated, even utopian imagination of such countries, and as such think all Viet Kieu must be loaded and expect them to bring gifts to the family every time they come back to visit. This also explains the so-called Viet Kieu price. People of younger generation, however, are much more exposed to foreign goods and culture, many of them also have a chance to go study and/or work abroad, so they don't think much about Viet Kieu, just as they think about any other Vietnamese living in Vietnam. Because you're 3rd gen Vietnamese in the States, I assume your parents were from South Vietnam (although you said that your mom is from Hue). It's sad but true that if you speak with a Southern accent and travel in the North, you should also expected to be charged extra, which is not necessarily true vice versa. So be careful with it if you visit Northern Vietnam. That said, Vietnamese in general, regardless North or South, are quite helpful and friendly. I don't like the Nhau culture either, for the most part because I can't drink alcohol. I dread every time I visit my family when there is a family gathering, you know, with loads and loads of relatives whose names you don't even remember. Because I'm a male, I'm expected to have to drink with other male relatives, or the usual question "don't you respect me (by even daring to refuse to drink with me)?" would pop up. Luckily my parents are considerate enough to help me out in those situations. And to your final question: yes, younger people are changing the landscape of the Vietnamese culture, and fast. With the widespread of the internet, and unlike China, Vietnam doesn't ban Western social media platforms, so young Vietnamese are exposed to a gigantic amount of information worldwide. They readily absorb Western and East Asian pop culture and even make it their own. The internet language is also changing rapidly, as youngsters today sometimes can't be understood by people just 10 years older than them. Corrupted English, or Vietnamese-made English words also appear more often in youth vocabulary. From what I observe, in overseas Vietnamese communities the preservation of Vietnamese language and culture is often not emphasized. At least here in Germany, even 2nd gen Viets can't be bothered to speak proper Vietnamese, as their parents have more important things to work on. But I think it's a natural process of assimilation. You and your kids may be ethnically Vietnamese, but culturally and by identity you're Americans. We appreciate that you still think of your roots, and don't hold anything against you for being ignorant about your ancestral language and culture, and not appropriating it for your convenience.

[@aleksdude]

@@cuongpham6218 Thanks. Those are some good insights. As a child growing up,.. my parents had mentioned how vietnamese from vietnam view those who immigrated to america. At the time, my dad was working and when they could, they would send back money to family/needy to help out. They mentioned that those in Vietnam might not understand the difficulty to get money here. I can attest growing up, my parents would borrow money just to send back to vietnam because they were living paycheck to paycheck. I agree with you how the younger generation may not think much of the treatment of Viet Khieu because as you said, they have studied abroad and are exposed to more foreign influence. At where I work, I've had the opportunity to meet some Vietnamese studying abroad. I was quite surprised at their indifference to work ethic. It seems that Van Vu (What the PHO) experienced the opposite as her time in america studying and working was abit difficult and filled with constant working. I was interested in hearing her perspective, but I understand it can definitely be a touchy subject. When my parents visited vietnam about 25yrs ago (with my brothers). They were treated like Viet Kieu ... as in they were often charged a higher price on anything. During this time,... my parents weren't wealthy at all, and I think they were more annoyed then anything having to pay abit more for things. That and having to deal with possible extra payments to law enforcement. Today, now that my parents are retired..., I don't think they would mind being charged more since they don't have to be so spendthrift (cheap/watch their money). Thanks for the warning about travelling to North Vietnam and possibly getting charged more. It's good to know. I took a language class in college 20 years ago,.. and my instructor mentioned the economic difference between North and South since the South had more resources and could prosper better,.. the North had limited resources and so they had to deal more to survive. I'm hoping with all of the industrialization with big companies moving into Vietnam that it's made things better for North Vietnam. Thanks for the input on your last paragraph about proper vietnamese and the assimilation into the country they're currently living. There is alot of things that I am losing about my vietnamese heritage and definitely my kids are. My dad and mom always tell me to speak to the kids in vietnamese. When I bring the granchildren over to my parents... they try to speak vietnamese but my kids are so confused. You're absolutely correct,.. my generation is so busy with just living that we have difficulty continue living vietnamese culture as well as teaching our children. I'm glad you understand. My mom... she's not so understanding. For now.. I have just a few goals with my kids since they are being americanized. 1. Teach them to say hello / bye in vietnamese to my elders. I remember my parents hitting me and my brothers just to say that. I think that made a difference since I now realize how important it is to show respect. 2. Make sure to go to any important family events. Like anniversaries of passed away relatives. 3. Eventually try to teach them the vietnamese language. Watching Van Vu's channel is nice because I think one of the biggest influence Vietnam has is in cooking. I'm so partial to vietnamese cooking even though growing up I hated most of the food. Now being older and having tried american, european, and other asian countries, vietnamese food is pretty amazing. Most people only know of pho... but other dishes like Banh Xeo, Banh Coc, Cha Gio... I'm sorry but they're just amazing food dishes. Thanks for sharing.

[@cuongpham6218]

@@aleksdude Hi, thanks for your interesting insights too. The thing is, Vietnam has been changing really fast. I left Vietnam to study in 2016 and came back to visit first time in 2018. What struck me the most was how my hometown changed during the 2 years I wasn't there. By the way I'm from Hanoi, so Northern Vietnam. The place where my family lives used to be merely rural outskirt of Hanoi, but nowadays it has been incorporated into as one of the urban districts, so you can imagine what a big change it has taken. The economic gap between North and South is still there, but less so in the Red River Delta area, as it together with the Southeast area (around Saigon) are two of the cultural and economical cores of Vietnam. Van Vu is also from Hanoi, and her experiences are mostly from a Northern Vietnamese perspective. Although I think the extra charge for Viet Kieu or Southern Vietnamese is still a problem, it's getting much better. The cultural gap between the two regions is also getting smaller due to internet and media exposure. I'm not sure how it is in the USA so I don't quite get what you meant with "indifference attitude" of Vietnamese studying abroad there. Actually there are 2 main kinds of students: the ones who have to work to be able to afford for their lives there, and ones who either got a scholarship, or are supported by their parents. Studying in the USA costs certainly a fortune, and not everyone can get a decent scholarship, so most of them have to work. What absurd is, it's actually not legal (not really, so far I heard you can work in the uni campus, but that doesn't pay much). Many opt to study elsewhere, like Germany for example, where education is free of charge. I'm lucky that my parents can afford for my education, even though we are not rich by any means, so I don't have to worry about work, but still many friends I know work to afford for their rents, etc. I actually admire you for keeping up with your ancestral roots, as many Viet Kieus I know don't even bother. May I ask when was the last time you visited Vietnam? Vietnamese appreciate it when foreigners try to speak our mother tongue because damn is Vietnamese hard to learn. I know you and your kids are still ethnically Vietnamese, learning to greet properly is already a huge challenge and we appreciate that. That's interesting. I have a feeling that all my foreign friends who are non-Viets actually like Vietnamese food much better than the Vietnamese-born Germans I know. One even prefers frozen pizzas over homemade Vietnamese food, which baffled me when I first came here. But if your experiences tell me anything, they will learn to appreciate Vietnamese food in time (hopefully).

[@WhatThePho]

Wow! Thank you Cuong Pham, you're on point!

[@aleksdude]

@@cuongpham6218 Hello. With regards to my comment about an indifferent coworker. He was from vietnam (not sure what part) but he came from a wealthy family. I'm not sure, but he graduated and was able to get a contract job at the publishing/software company that I work at. Unfortunately, he did seem indifferent and only worked somewhat the bare minimum and didn't contribute much. It surprised me since his salary was pretty high as a fresh graduate (somewhere around 60k USD), but he still did not try. In the end, he was not offered an extension because of this. I had met another vietnamese person from vietnam and he didn't appear to be as hard working as I was expecting. I think again, this was because he was from an affluent family, unlike the examples you mentioned. I agree with you on the cost of education here in America. It's too costly, especially for those who's parents work and pay for their education. In the united states.. we have a problem with people going to expensive universities and doing nothing with their degrees. It's one of the saddest things I can say of the american culture. They just expect because they went to some school they should automatically get a good paying job. Even though I had the opportunity to got to better schools, I decided to go to more affordable schools. I worked during summers as well as during the school year to pay for my college tuition and rent. I think Vietnamese from vietnam are more appreciative of what their parents do for their kids... and probably feel obligated to return the favor some day. In america this is not the case. My nephew went to a university that costs $50,000 a year and her dad had to take out a big loan as well as take money out of his retirement fund to pay for her university. I could tell she didn't understand the sacrifice her parents had made for her. Where I work, we get alot of international graduates. Many had studied from the top polytechnique university of France. As you had mentioned,.. vietnamese can go to Germany for a free education. I've talked to people from china, estonia, turkey, and lebanon who went to france because they offered a good free education. I'm glad you're able to concentrate on studies because of your parents hard work in saving for your university studies. If you're not already working.. I wish you great success. Speaking of trying to pay respects to our elders. Today, I visited my parents. The only thing I wanted was for my kids to say "Thu Ong Noi or Thu ba Noi".... 2 of my kids sort of did this. But sadly, ... my 3 year old was determined to fight us on this and would not say hello to their grand parents. Growing up.. I recally may parents having the same issue with me and my brothers as kids. But... I think for my generation it's even worse... since my parents say it's okay for my kids not to say hello to them. Yes,.. for my children as well as me to learn vietnamese is a huge difficulty. I briefly visited vietnam for 2 weeks around 2005 with my brother and parents. We travelled from North Vietnam down to South vietnam on our trip.. mostly by car. I still recall taking a taxi in hanoi and the driver saying that the police wanted to pull him over but he told us just to hold tight so he could evade the police. Hanoi was so crowded and everyone was asking us on the street to come over to buy whatever things they were selling. South vietnam was much more laid back. People were in less of a hurry it seemed. But like you said.. you left in 2016 and then came back in 2018 and so much had changed in your home town. I'm just happy for the success of everyone in Vietnam. I realize vietnam in general still has a big population of people who are poor (especially in the rural areas). My father in law has shown us current videos of some people who document their lives on youtube from rural vietnam. When I hear stories from both you and Van Vu (aka what the pho) as well as others about positive stories about succeeding in Vietnam... it makes me happy. Haha... it's funny you say that about your experience with non-viets enjoying food more then your vietnamese born germans. Hahaha.. frozen pizza can be verry good too, but I would disagree with your friend who prefers frozen food over homemade vietnamese food. Yes, I think you're right... your vietnamese friends as will mine will eventually learn to enjoy vietnamese food again. My wife loves food. In the 10 years I've been with her, she's forced me to try so many different foods from different countries.. (as well as expensive american food). In my limited opinion, vietnamese food is light.. and for the most part pretty healthy. Some people at times say chinese food is similar to vietnamese food. But To me.. there's a big difference in that chinese food is heavy and has alot of grease. American food is all about red meat and potatoes or bread. Back to vietnamese food, we have so much diversity in our food. Ahhh.. I could go on and on. Like you said.. I'm one of those who hated vietnamese food growing up... but now as a middle aged man... I'll take vietnamese food any day over most other countries foods. Well have a good one!

[@SonTran-yb3ho]

Em gai THAO VAN sau em ko nau mon an nua, anh nghe don em nau mon an ngon lam bye em gai THAO VAN.

[@vietmichaelhuynh]

Wow good job on the video Bé Vân. You have done your research and homework. Thanks for the good job. Keep up your good work.

[@cvt3641]

Thank you for your video. Keep safe when you get out at this time due to the Covid-19 situation in Ha Noi, Van

[@KennyEatsWorld]

That's a beautiful neighbourhood and houses. May I know where is it Van?

[@venomsmoke585]

Why are you wearing a mask while working out? there is no one there [Gosh Dang!!!!]

[@YNguyen-fg4tc]

I'm Vietnamese and I love your video 🥰

[@vasco9597]

Hay quá chị ơi,chúc chị luôn khỏe mạnh và tràn đầy năng lượng,tiếp tục ra nhiều video nữa chị nhé,tự hào và yêu chị

[@ADBProductions_]

I am planning a visit to Vietnam soon. Beautiful country, thanks for the tips

[@vietmichaelhuynh]

Gosh Bé Vân, Nhậu sitting on the floor is terrible and painful for us Việt Kiểu. We are used to sit on chairs and/or stools for nhậu.

[@martinlam3200]

What a great channel to spread the Viet cultural beauties out to international friends! I do have a firm belief that one day our culture will be as popular as Japanese, Korean, US-UK ones.

[@NguyenNgocLan67]

I think it will come true soon

[@XinhLe]

I do not believe most Vietnamese practice Buddhism. Needs a real statistics here :) I think most Vietnamese think they are something related to Buddhism but actually not, most are "Ton Giao Khong"

[@WhatThePho]

About 80% of Vietnamese claimed that they are atheist, however, a lot of us still unconsciously "practice" Buddhism like visiting temples with their parents, meditating, bowing their heads, etc. That's why I stated "practice" not "believe" or "are". You can visit these 2 websites baochinhphu.vn/Xa-hoi/Cong-bo-ket-qua-chinh-thuc-va-tong-ket-tong-dieu-tra-dan-so-nha-o-nam-2019/382996.vgp www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zkdbcj6/revision/2

[@dennisgellert1742]

Some observations while touring Vietnam - furniture in traditional Vietnamese homes - dark stained heavy wooden furniture with no padding or cusion. A solid wooden sofa with a base the size of a bed. Hamocks are often seen. Motor scooters parked in the front room. You often see houses open during the evening- you can walk down the street and see what they are watching on tv. While touring south Vietnam with a friend from Saigon, as soon as they hear someone from the north speak they immediatly know they are from the north. Plastic chairs and stainless steel tables in cafes. If its a drink it gets served with a block of ice in it (in Saigon at least). Light green paint is used everywhere. Everybody in the tourist industry is super helpful.

[@tdnguyen2514]

I am glad you speak English because I am from the South so I wouldn’t be able to understand the Northern Vietnamese accent at all… Not!!! just kidding, thank you for doing a great job.

[@bbyskittles91]

This video was very helpful 👍🏾. I have been trying to learn more about Vietnam so that I can understand my boyfriend's parents culture and traditions. Unfortunately my boyfriend doesn't teach me about Vietnamese culture unless it's food related. I'm hoping he embraces his culture more in the future.

[@InfinittraksMusicGroup]

Great tips about Vietnamese culture Van.

[@NguyenVanHop1987]

Hay quá. Dễ thương quá.

[@Jj-sp1sz]

Nice! Love this channel will watch more, was going to move to HCM but covid prevented that. Will still look to come and great to learn more while waiting! Keep up the great videos

[@tesss2053]

Hi, Van. Actually, my English teacher recommends your channel. And I have to thank her a lot because I really like your channel. I myself impress with your American accent because of the fact that I really like the American accent. I am learning American Culture subject at my university, so your sharings about Vietnamese culture and American culture are useful to me, I mean. I already watched all of your videos, even your Livestream a few months ago. I wish you the best and I hope you continue your journey of promoting Vietnamese culture. And maybe you will travel to other countries and discover new cultures across the globe. I want to tell you that I am here to support you. Keep going

[@WhatThePho]

Aw! Thank you so much!! I'm glad my videos are helpful for you 💕

[@darrenyurczyszyn8051]

Could you do a show on erbs used in Vietnamese cuisine, it would greatly help with my cooking I am interested in how greenery is used . Please and thank you.

[@WhatThePho]

sure :))

[@jakeabe502]

Dear Van Thank you for the Wonderful Explanation on Vietnamese Culture ! Absolutely Fabulous ! Could you suggest some Famous Vietnamese Movies and documentaries that will explain more about the History of Vietnam ! I love your Beautiful Country and I wish to know more !!!

[@WhatThePho]

You can watch Good morning Vietnam and Vietnam Fast Forward, those are good!

[@XinhLe]

In general, great work

[@intelligentlife3115]

I'm so appreciate to you because all your videos are always give me more motivation to learning and super energetic as well. I hope you're still uploading for new Videos every week.

[@longnguyen-bf9co]

Okay new excuses for drinking

[@nguyenvanthien188]

Love you!

[@jacklemang2457]

Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important is not to stop questioning... What good is money if it can't buy happiness and health for you ???

[@khengsiongchew9279]

Every language with more than a few million speakers develop multiple dialects. It is just that Tieng Viet, unlike many other languages, does not have a standard dialect. OK, maybe Hanoi dialect is standard, but Southerners do not usually acknowledge it.

[@Khiet2n]

Who said it is standard? To me, it just sounds nice. However, how can you justify when “ch” and “tr” sound the same as well as “trời" pronounce like "giời", and many more which are in fact not properly pronounced.😎

[@NguyenHoangVN1991]

Our origin is Baiyue (100 of Viet). The territory is present-day Guangdong, Guangxi China and North Vietnam. 17th and 18th centuries, Lord Nguyen invaded Champa and part of the Angkor empire (present-day South Vietnam). Therefore, the Vietnamese standard of the Northern language is correct.

[@fridaywithmateobonus2477]

Love your channel ... and saw you made an appearance today on Trang's live stream! Keep up the good posts em!

[@jdnguyen25]

Keep up the good work, your channel and content is awesome..:)

[@stevencarter9318]

Love your channel thanks so much.!!

[@phamdung6712]

Thanks for your channel. Hope you will develop more meaningful content to be able to introduce the culture of Vietnam to many international friends. I will always follow you. Thanks

[@thuytien528]

Bạn có sự chia sẻ về văn hóa của nước ta với mọi người rất ha, thực sự về sự ảnh hưởng của văn hóa Trung Quốc với nước ta là chưa đúng lắm. Về sự tương đồng về văn hóa chúng ta chỉ giống các tỉnh Quảng Đông, Quảng Tây, Hồng Kong, Thâm Quyến, Hà Nam bởi vì nhiều thế kỉ trước khu vực đó là nơi cứ trú trú của cộng đồng Bách Việt. Sau này lịch sử có sự biến động và ranh giới về địa lí cũng thay đổi. Chứ văn hóa ẩm thực của Trung Quốc rất khác Việt nam. Cách tận hưởng của người Việt Nam ta đậm đà và sâu sắc hơn rất nhiều, gốc bao giờ cũng ngọt đậm hơn ngọn.

[@nedoopacaktheboygamer2810]

Vân: Uploads Video Me: Instantly Clicks Also have a pleasant day& Stay safe

[@ElearningSupporter]

Ôi, ôm cả con gimbal vlog thì chắc em phải tập tạ kinh lắm nhỉ :)).Nice video!

[@levannam9591]

Trả lời cho câu hỏi số 2: Người Việt thích tiền, kể cả của người nước ngoài. Tuy nhiên một số ông Tây, bà đầm thường đến Việt Nam và tip 1 ngàn, 2 ngàn, 5 ngàn (đồng), và họ làm điều đó một cách rất trang trọng, ví dụ vào nhà hàng tip cho nhân viên phục vụ có 2 ngàn, nhưng đòi kêu quản lý ra để chứng kiến, thậm chí chụp hình nữa. Hay như tip có 3 ngàn mà bỏ trong phông bì thư chẳng hạn 😆. Chắc họ nghĩ 2 ngàn đồng tương đương 2 ngàn đô, hoặc có thể họ nghĩ với 2 ngàn đó nuôi sống cả một gia đình 1 ngày 😄😄😄. Ngược lại người Việt thì rất sĩ kiểu "bố mày đéo thèm".

[@vnthahuong]

are you still available?

[@dubois-photojournal9855]

One big issued part of the Vietnamese culture, at the dinner, members of family, friends used their chopsticks on the community dishes which I got the uncomfortable feel./Westminster, California, USA

[@HarpaxA]

@11:40 Lucky Cat (Maneki-neko) is a Japanese thing, not from China

[@brownpunk1794]

Nope..its from pakistan

[@alexandreandrade2858]

Nice video! very informative 👏👏👏

[@Anseu89]

Chào em, chị rất thích những video của em và cách mà em quảng bá VN tới các bạn nước ngoài. Tuy nhiên trong clip này, ở câu hỏi là tại sao người VN không thích nhận quà từ người nước ngoài, đặc biệt là tiền. Câu trả lời của em là đúng chỉ với 1 số người, bên cạnh đó cũng có những người thực sự k muốn nhận quà là tiền, bởi vì họ có lòng tự trọng và không muốn bị người khác hiểu lầm là lợi dụng tiền bạc. Chị lo lắng rằng câu trả lời của em sẽ vô tình khiến người nước ngoài có cái nhìn không hay về người VN. Cám ơn em đã đọc comment này của chị.

[@kevinward7498]

I bet you have more energy and feel better living there, there's no glyphosate in the food like there is in the US. You might have noticed health problems disappear, if you had any.

[@youwantitdarker6357]

Hey there. I was wondering if someone here knows the symbolism or the spiritual meaning of Vietnam? Because i keep seeing this word everywhere, and whenever i watch tv i stumble upon a movie or a documentary about Vietnam. A few minutes ago, i was watching a music video, and when i tried to use the subtitle option,only Vietnamese language was available!!! This is too much for a coincidence! I really wanna know what is the spiritual meaning of this country or anything about it that doesn't include the war topic. Thank you in advance 🙏

[@WhatThePho]

You can read this article :)) www.edarabia.com/vietnam/flag/

[@youwantitdarker6357]

@@WhatThePho Thank you💜🙏

[@skywire5595]

Vietnamese people don't accept gifts from foreigners, especially money , Why? .....Hahaha should ask the reverse way.

[@jessdavid1302]

Nice video vlogs em Keep safe em

[@nguyenvanquynguyenvanquy5039]

Kêu gọi nhìu nhà đầu tư vào vietnam luôn đi em .và kêu gọi các nước tham gia vào biển đông như mỹ nga anh pháp đức nhật bản ấn độ úc và khối đồng minh của mỹ và khối châu âu EU tham gia vào biển đông ok .và kêu gọi các nhà đầu tư của EU Và châu âu đầu tư mạnh vào vietnam có rất rất nhìu dự án lớn muốn hợp tác mí nước ngoài đấy ok

[@mekatronika5646]

Hahaha 0 medal Vietnam in Tokyo olympic

[@NguyenHoangVN1991]

Sports are not important. The important thing is that any country that fights with Vietnam will get a bullet in the head.

[@andylaw3805]

You gave answers in details. Good job 😀

[@jamesdeen225]

What do you think about couples between vietnamese woman's and western looking foreigners? Most of nations always will judge their woman's if their first choice not their nation but foreigners ?

[@ducnhat1892]

In the past, you know, we have been colonized by the French, the Americans and the Japanese. Therefore, it is not considered a good thing for a Vietnamese girl to have a date or get married with a foreigner. Even there was a slang word in Vietnamese that is ironic and disdainful to call the woman who marrying a foreigner. It is "me Tây” (Tây -> means Western) . However, nowadays our country has opened up and globalization has taken place, we are quite comfortable with this issue. Even this is sometimes seen as an enviable thing

[@chrissystewart6268]

Greetings Vietnam I'm Chrissy , Born & raised in Baltimore Maryland, 100% Multicultural Don't know much about Vietnam I know Hanoi is the Capital I heard about the Vietnam war. I want to learn more Vietnam I want to welcome Vietnamese people to my channel

[@inhman33]

Mình nghĩ câu đầu là có, văn hóa boa tiền du nhập vào VN lâu rồi nhé. Bạn có thể thấy xuất hiện ở hàng quán, nhà hàng kể cả các dịch vụ di chuyển như Grab, taxi,..Chủ yếu là túi tiền mỗi người thôi.

[@Thole191]

Hi em Vân xinh đẹp . Chị theo dõi kênh em để học tiếng anh . Chị đang sống ở Mỹ . Thank you so much for sharing 🌹❤️🌹🌹🌹

[@beavegan2787]

Culturally, Vietnam is associated with East Asia. Geographically, Vietnam is located in Southeast Asia. Genetically, Vietnamese people are linked to East Asians!

[@visionarystyle_]

Whats the best app or way to learn southern Vietnamese? Is hiring a tutor better than learning through an app?

[@fin9paradise]

out of curiousity.. does vietnamese celebrate mooncake festival (with mini lanterns) or dragon boat festival or 15th dat of d lunar new year? by the way.. happy mooncake fest!!

[@WhatThePho]

yes of course haha, I just posted a video about mid-autumn festival, check it out :))

[@glenrafael1420]

❤️❤️❤️

[@nhattienbui1168]

Your videos are becoming an indispensable part to me , keep up the great jobs

[@sampawlvtodap3168]

I am so happy that you told the audience that you need to ask a Vietnamese person 3 times before they will finally accept. Growing up with all my American friends I starved except food at their house the 1st or 2nd time and they would just say OK fine. So I would stand there and watch them eat and be starvin.

[@ocmanga5685]

:))

[@yody1978]

Vietnam people and culture is no where in the book/ in our conversation. But thanks to Van, now many people can understand Vietnam better. Hope this channel brings benefits for Vietnam in general. Great job Van.

[@nguyenvantinh233]

Việt Nam có văn hoá tip mà bạn, trong miền nam phổ biến hơn, đây là văn hoá du nhập từ phương tây cũng lâu rồi