There’s a joke that Vietnam only has two seasons in a year: hot and hotter. The sun specifically favors this country. That’s why Vietnamese people have to be fully-equipped when going out.
You might run into acquaintances on the street, but you’ll never know. Don’t bother to call them out because it’s a high chance you make a mistake. Almost everybody looks familiar with the same outfit. Old or young, beautiful or not, you will find them in sunglasses, face masks, ankle high skin socks, long gloves, and long sleeve shirts or jackets, along with their funky helmets and bikes.
While Westerners can’t help getting more sun, Vietnamese people avoid sunlight as much as possible. If it’s noon time and you wear no jacket, people will ask where it is, as if you always got one. Getting darker is a nightmare for Vietnamese people. So, no matter where they go, they will not be going to anywhere—they will only be running from, the sun.
Don’t tell Vietnamese people that their skin is already very dark or that they don’t need to wear those ridiculous things. It’s like you are insulting them. Vietnamese people hate to lose face, especially to a foreigner.
In order to be liked by Vietnamese people, you should wear things on the street like they do, starting with a face mask. In big cities like Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh city, the air is badly polluted. You sure will need a mask. If you don’t have one, they will think that you’re crazy.
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