As I travel further and further, venturing into the areas where my fellow Vietnameses would normally avoid at all cost, I find myself to be the first Vietnamese many have ever met. People tend to ask me a lot of questions about Vietnam, and it surprises me a great deal how little people know about Vietnam other than just the war. Many also tend to associate my erratic and annoying behaviors with a typical Vietnamese. Fortunately (as many Vietnamese might think), I’m nowhere close to what they think as typical. To avoid wrong impressions and save myself from repetition, I’m trying my best to provide un-biased answers to some of the most asked questions about Vietnam. Feel free to ask if you have any other question.

What is Vietnam?

It’s a country, NOT a city in China or Europe (Vienna).

Where is Vietnam?

Vietnam is located in Southeast Asia, bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the Southeast Asia Sea (formerly South China Sea), referred to as East Sea to the east.

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How big is Vietnam?

In term of area, we are the 65th biggest country in the world. But don’t let it fool you. In term of population, we are the 13th largest in the world with 90 millions people.

Do I speak Chinese?

I look like Chinese, I don’t have to speak Chinese. If I meet a Chinese, he’ll probably just assume that I’m a retarded kid who’s unable to speak and be nice to me.

It amuses, and sometimes annoys me when people know that I’m from Vietnam but still try out all sorts of words they’ve picked up from their travel elsewhere in Asia: Ni hao, Sawasdee, Konnichiwa, etc. Guys, even though all Asians look the same, we DON’T speak the same language! Vietnamese is different from Chinese, Chinese is different from Thai, Japanese is different from Korean, etc. I find it offensive when people assume that people speak Chinese in Vietnam. Despite 1000 years under the domination of China, our ancestors managed to keep our own language, and I’m proud of it.

How do people in Vietnam look?

They look like me: short, dark chinky eyes, small noses, dark hair, colored skin. Vietnamese girls are stunning. Vietnamese guys are, uhmm, asian.

A friend once asked me if I’m considered beautiful in Vietnamese standard, and I couldn’t answer it? Am I?

Am I from North Vietnam or South Vietnam?

If you are thinking of North Korea and South Korea, you probably haven’t read news since 1975. There is no war in my country and there is only one Vietnam! If you want to know my hometown, I was born in a small town in Nam Dinh, Northeast of Vietnam.

Is Vietnam a communist country?

Yes. It’s Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

Am I communist?

Ha, it depends on how you define “communist”. I generally like sharing things. But if I had a choice, I’d prefer being a dictator.

Do I hate Americans?

Personally, I do. But generally, Vietnameses love Americans. Americans in particular and Caucasians in general are treated like kings in Vietnam. They get paid 5 times higher doing the same job. There have been an endless number of articles about how foreigners receive much better services in Vietnam.

There is no trace of war in Vietnam nowadays, mind you. 60% Vietnamese population were born after the war had ended, and economic opportunities with America are the best conciliation.

Are people in Vietnam rich?

Some are. Even though Vietnam is one of the fastest growing economies in the world in the past decade, it is still a third world country with 10.6% of the population lives under the poverty line ($1/day). Vietnam’s nominal GDP per capita of $1,060, which means an average person makes like $1000/year (not month). There is no such thing as per hour wage because it’s too minimal to mention. So yes, I’m poor!

But like any other developing country, there is a huge gap between rich and poor people. There is a group of young Vietnamese who studied overseas and work for MNC who make 10, 20 times as much as their domestically educated counterparts. Because Vietnam has just opened its door to the world, there are a lot of opportunities to make money there.

Do people in Vietnam travel?

Due to the lack of finance and difficult visa policies, people in Vietnam don’t travel overseas that much. If they do, they normally choose Southeast Asian countries (free 30 day visa), or Europe and America (so that they can spend their money faster). I’m really not Vietnamese in this case. I once met an American who has been in Vietnam. He was shocked to believe that I’m from Vietnam: “Can’t believe that I’ll live to see a Vietnamese backpacker!”

Is Vietnam good to travel?

Yes, definitely!

Vietnam is a long and narrow country. It is only 50 kilometers wide (east to west) at the narrowest point, but 1,650 kilometers long (north to south). Half of Vietnam’s border is coastline, giving us an amazing coastline of 3,260 kilometers with a lot of islands. Nowhere is too far away from the beach. Fish and other seafood are almost staple food in every household. Go to Vietnam and you’ll have the most awesome seafood treat at an amazingly cheap price.

If you love fishing, Vietnam is the place to be. There is squid fishing in Ha Long bay: you hop on a cruise boat and go for an overnight trip into the sea, fish for squid with bamboo rods using unique techniques, then come back with squid salad in the morning. Or if you are in group, you can rent a boat and go fishing yourself. The boat comes with a cook and a captain. They will take you to a place where the fish are really stupid. The cook will cook and serve the fish you catch right on the boat. There are swimmers who swim around with a bucket full of different kinds of seafood. If you want something, you can just call out to them and they will swim to your boat to sell you things.

You can also do sandboarding in Vietnam. Unlike sandboarding in Egypt or other countries where you have to venture deep into the dessert under the burning hot, the sand dunes in Vietnam are very close to the beach. You can roll yourself in the sand and jump into blue water right after that. Windsurfing and kitesurfing are also very popular.

As the country stretches through 16 latitudes with virgin jungles, mountain ranges and beaches, Vietnam is ranked 16th in biological diversity. Everything changes as you travel from North to South and vice versa: the climate, the nature, the food, the people. In the North, we have four season a year with a short winter while in the South, we only have two seasons: the raining season and dry season. People in different regions eat different food, making Vietnam one of the countries with the most diverse cuisine. The people are also different from North to South, with people in the South are understood to be much more open-minded, people in North are more traditional, elegant while people in the Central are known for bravery and diligence. Even though we speak the same language, people have different accents from the North to South, sometimes we can’t understand each other.

The only reason that might turn you off is the hassle. Beggars, peddlers will attack you everywhere. Vietnam has the worst customer services. In India or Nepal, they will hassle you as well, but they won’t get mad at you if you don’t buy their stuff. But in Vietnam, they will shout and scream at you as if you are the one who cheats them. A friend of mine told me that even though Vietnam is very beautiful, it’s the country that leaves him the worst impression and he tries his best to warn his friends not to go there. As a traveler, I understand how he feels and I feel ashamed for that.

Tags: Beach, Chip, travel, Travel and Write, Vietnam

When I was in my Mom’s womb, due to strong kicks and some other superstitious reasons, everybody thought that I was going to be a boy. Even though my Dad swore he would still love me the same if I were a boy, he was overwhelmed when I turned out to be a girl. They already had a boy, aka my older brother.

Out of 3 siblings, I’m the one who looks my Dad the most, and I hate it. If I looked like my Mom, I would have had her beautiful face and model-like figure. Instead, I have my Dad’s chubby face and the legs of a football player. I blamed him: "Dad, why are you so short?" He shrugged: "So that my clothes will cost less." He then would put his hands on my shoulders and look deep into my eyes: "Kid, it’s not about how tall you are, but about how your brain works. I’m short, but I still scored your Mom." My Mom would then scream out from the kitchen: "Yes, he was very smart. He tricked me into marrying him."

My Mom and Dad fought all the time about how to raise me up. My Mom was all for a traditional girly girl while my Dad was all for "let the kid grow her own personality". My Mom got mad to see resin all over my clothes: "Chip, you are a girl, you are not supposed to climb trees." And my Dad would say: "You don’t like it when our son climbs trees either. Tell her why climbing trees is bad: she could fall out, resin is not washable on clothes. Don’t tell her that she can’t do something just because she’s a girl." I liked technical stuff, and my Dad wouldn’t mind showing me how to change a light bulb, how to fix a bike, or how to put together magnet and wire to generate electricity. He encouraged me to read. He subscribed to newspapers and bought me a lot of books. These readings taught me to dream far and high. I got admission to my dream high school in Hanoi. My family, however, was against it. "A girl isn’t supposed to study in such a good school." "A girl can’t live so far from home at such a young age." "A big city likes Hanoi will spoil her." My Dad, again, was the only one who supported me. "Kid, you might not be the girl everyone wants you to be, but you will be the one all of us will be proud of." He took me to my first day of high school. He left me in Hanoi with a map and said: "I will keep a map too. Whenever you get lost, just call me." He knew that I was direction-blind, and nothing could make me lose my temper more than getting lost.

As I went further and further, I hardly ever stop to look back. I did not have to call my Dad anymore since Google Maps, GPS were much more helpful. My Dad often called me and asked: "Why can you go everywhere but can never come home?" I indifferently answer: "Sorry Dad, I’m busy."

The last time I came home, I almost burst into tears when I saw my Dad. He is not yet 50 but all those hard years of working have already worn him down. He can no longer wake up at 4am to work nor drive a motorbike. But he still remembers my fear of losing ways. He looked at me and asked: "Kid, you are grown up. You are going to places that I have never been before. You no longer need this old man to show you the way, huh?". I hugged him for the first time and said: "Dad, you might not take me to where I am going to, but you will be there for me to come back."

Tags: Chip, Family, travel, Travel and Write, Travel Diary, Vietnam

Having spent more than 18 years in Vietnam in 4 different places, I’m supposed to know everything, or the basics at least, about the country, the cultures and the people here. I thought that I did! But my whole confidence was turned upside down when I talked to my Malaysian friends the day before my trip back to Vietnam.

David: “Are you interviewing anyone famous in Vietnam this time? Bobby Chinn?”

Chip: “Who is Bobby Chinn?”

Annie: “Jesus are you Vietnamese? He’s a celebrity chef. People fly all the way from Singapore, Malaysia to Vietnam just to eat at his restaurant.”

David: “It’s near St. Joseph Cathedral.”

Chip: “Where’s St. Joseph Cathedral.”

David + Annie: @#$%^&*()

A somewhat similar conversation took place last Sunday when I just came back to Vietnam. My Mom called me to ask if I could come back for the festival, and my first question “What festival?” almost gave her a heart attack. It turned out that I don’t know about Vietnam as much as I think I do. The festival she mentioned is one of the biggest festivals in Vietnam, second only to Tet Holiday (or Lunar New year or Chinese New year). However, it remains as one of the most unknown festivals to tourists as it’s not a public holiday and people don’t celebrate it outside of their houses. As it follows lunar calendar and our generation no longer keeps track of it (blame phones, computers and all western digital devices that don’t take into account the lunar calendar), we normally don’t know when it is, or simply forget about it. Hey friends, let me introduce you to Tet Doan Ngo (also known as Tet giet sau bo – “Killing inner insects Festival or Duanwu Festival in China) – celebrated every year on the 5th of the 5th lunar month. This year it fell on Jun 16. “The name “Tet sau bo” derives from the fact that farmers, on this day, get rid of all pests to start growing their crops for the new season. Therefore, creatures and people must become stronger in both their health and their souls to overcome this.” (Vietnam-beauty.com) It used to be my favorite festival as it’s the only chance when I could eat as much “rượu cái” (fermented sticky) as I wish to.

My memory of the festival traces back to early mornings on the day of festival, when my Mom squeezed a sour plum inside my mouth before I could wake up or wash my face.

“Eat it! It will kill all insects inside your body.”, said my Mom to my sleepy bum still lying on bed. The “eating the plum” ceremony must be done without any notice in advance, and before the body has time to do anything. In our belief, it will help cleaning the digest system. Until now I’m still pondering upon a question: my Mom was always the one who did that to us, then who did it to my Mom?

Over the course of the day, we will eat a lot of plums. Another indispensable dish is “rượu cái” or “cơm rượu” or fermented sticky rice in English.

In Vietnam, we have a special wine made of sticky rice. Few days before Tet Doan Ngo, my grandfather used to make sticky rice, lay it on a big “nia” – a large & flat basket and put ferment on it. The compound of sticky rice and ferment would then be kept inside a big vacuum jar since oxygen can spoil the rice. After 2-3 days, we have “rượu cái” which consists of both liquid and rice. After exactly 100 days, this compound would be filtered and the liquid is called “Ruou bach nhat” – literally translated as “100 day wine”. The wine is also called “women’s wine” since it’s sweet and not very strong. The distiller’s grains is then used to feed livestock. In the Central and the South, people also eat “banh u” which is similar to zongzi in China. “Banh u is pyramidal sticky rice cakes wrapped in banana leaves. They are often stuffed with beans and banana leaves’ essence, creating its dominant flavor.” (Vietnam-beauty.com)

On the day of Tet Doan Ngo, the whole family will have to gather and have lunch. Things can get complicated as a family usually have both parental & maternal side. Usually a small family has to split to join both sides. My Mom’s Dad passed away and my Mom’s Mom was on a trip, so we celebrated with the grandparents on my Dad’s side. It’s always fun to meet people. However, the big lunch used to be a nightmare for me since normally I was the only one to wash all the dishes. Imagine washing dishes for 40 people!

A lot of things have changed since the day I left 5 years ago. I’m growing up and my parents as well as my grandparents are getting old. My Mom no longer squeezes a plum inside my mouth in the morning. My grandfather can no longer make “rượu cái” (we buy from outside instead). I no longer have to wash all dishes by myself. However, I know that everything else would still be the same as long as my grandparents are still there to take care of. But for how long? I don’t know. Even though it’s the second most significant festival in my home country, if my Mom didn’t remind me, I wouldn’t remember. Would my generation would still be able to celebrate it, when it’s not even a public holiday?

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P/S

1. Bobby Chinn is more famous outside Vietnam because food at his restaurant is too expensive. One main dish can cost you $30/pax.

2. Even though St. Joseph Cathedral is one of the most famous churches in Vietnam, we Vietnamese know it by its Vietnamese name “Nha tho Lon” (Big Church) rather than its English name. That’s why I was totally dumbfounded when my friends mentioned the English name.

Tags: Bobby Chinn, Duanwu Festival, Holiday, Tet Doan Ngo, Tradition, Vietnam

When I told my friend that my travel blog would take a few week break during my trip back home, my friend simply asked “Why?”. He got me thinking. Yeah, why? Isn’t it a trip? It’s ironic that we talk about and pay a lot of compliments to a place we just visit once or twice while totally ignore the place which is part of our lives. But since I’ve blogged a lot about exotic places without a single word mentioned about my hometown, I think it’s time to do it justice. I wouldn’t say if it’s beautiful or not, ‘cause it’s so familiar to me that my opinion is no longer objective. It’s like when someone asks about my brother’s look, I would just say: “Take a look yourself.” So if you are curious about my hometown, take a look yourself and you tell me

I was born in a small town in Northern Vietnam, 135km away from Hanoi – the capital. My house is surrounded by a huge garden, three sides facing the rice field and one side facing a lake. I’m a country girl inside out. In my hometown, people can’t differentiate “l” and “n”, and pronounce them both as “n”. My friends used to make fun of it when I first moved to Hanoi. Hehe don’t worry, my Vietnamese is no longer accented.

In front of my house

The other side of my house

The lake next to my house

The small bridge between the rice field and the garden. Not for me lah, I’m oversized T_T

Talking about my garden, I think I’m the luckiest girl in the world to have my childhood secluded in such a wonderful garden. I lived my childhood through all kinds of fruits, all homegrown & organic

Pomelo or grape-fruit

Banana

Sweet star-fruit

Dragon fruit

Papaya

Longan

Jack fruit

Do you know that in Vietnam we eat flowers? The most common flowers are pumpkin flowers & Thiên lý flower. I don’t know how to translate Thiên lý into English, but I have it at home.

Is my hometown beautiful?

Tags: Childhood, Garden, Nam Dinh, Vietnam