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Thank Richard and Hien Ha for sharing your opinions. I think differences in geography and history making differences in culture. Building relationships with people from different cultures is very difficult because of misunderstanding. Maybe that is the reason of "hating matter" Richard mentioned.
For example, in Vietnam, the North is near China, so Chinese culture with too much rules made impact in people in this area. The South of Vietnam was a French-colonical. So, in most case, people from Hanoi has much more rules than people from Saigon. I often hear South people complains about it, but I think that is "a lovely difference" :)) The central Vietnam is the poorest area because of severe weather. People from this area are provident and determined. They have to study hard to find job in big cities like Hanoi and Saigon. But the border of "provident" and "mean", "determined" and "ambitious, agressive" is very thin, and depends on observers.
I think many countries have this problem (regional cultural differences). Hope to hear Richard talking this problem in Australia :-)
0 votedJanuary 22, 20160Dear Alberto P.,
The answer depends on yours :-)
In my opinion, Quang Ninh province, Hue city, and Danang city are best. I love the nature beauty of halong bay, cô tô island, yên tử mountain (QN province). I was very surprised about Yên Tử mountain (Before I went to Yên Tử, I didn't like Buddhism, but it changed my mind).
I also love peaceful life of Hue (which I go three times and will go back more), but my friends complain that it is too rainy :D
The seafood in Danang is very fresh and cheap (in compare with others in Vietnam). All QN, Hue, and Danang has mountain and beach.
Other famous place are Nha trang and Phu quoc (both have beautiful beach).
I listed these place in north-to-south order, so Quang Ninh is the coldest place and Phú Quốc is the warmest place. I think there is no winter in Phú Quốc (just 90%, not sure).
My foreign friends said that people in Vietnam is like the weather: they're warmer from north to south, haha.
Some Vietnamese people know French, because Vietnam belongs to La Francophonie (Organisation internationale de la Francophonie). But I think in Vietnam, French is not as popular as English.
0 votedJanuary 14, 20160Dear Miguel,
Yes, we have many famous legends. For example, Tấm Cám is one of them. It has the same motif with Cinderella story: Tấm is a beautiful nice girl, Cám is an ugly mean girl, and they are half-sisters. There is also a "fairy character" who always helps Tấm in difficult situations. In my opinion, the most important difference you can find between Cinderella and Tấm Cám is Buddhism' ideas in Tấm Cám with the "fairy character" is Buddha, and samsara theory (arcording to Oxford dictionary, samsara is the cycle of death and rebirth to which life in the material world is bound). Each time Cám hurts Tấm, Tấm is dead and rebirth to another type of life (a bird, a fruit, a tree,... and finally return to a human being). Of course in the end, Tấm is the king's wife. However, there are many controversial ideas about the way Tấm punishes Cám. I prefer the story without this punishment part :-)
There are many other interesting things I want to tell you about Vietnamese legends and folklore. I will write an article about it and will inform you (or please accept my invitation to be my friend, so you can easily find it). Hope you have time to read :-)
0 votedJanuary 14, 20160Thank ELIZABETH-ANNE for your suggestion. My next article will be "making summer rolls" :-)
Thank Sunshine for your encouragement :-)
Dear 扬子, in Vietnam, the weather of north and south area are very different. In the same day, you may need a ton of clothes if you are in Hanoi, but you may go to the beach if you are in Saigon. The different temperature maybe about 10 celcius degree (today it's 17 in Hanoi, and it's 31 in Saigon). It's about 2-hour flight and you will go to another world :-)
Dear Mohamed, I'm sorry that I don't know the answer of your question. I just can tell you that 70% Vietnam population lives in rural area, and most of them are farmers.
0 votedJanuary 13, 20160In Vietnam (my country), I think Quang Ninh province, Hue city, and Danang city are best. I love the nature beauty of halong bay, cô tô island, yên tử mountain (QN province). I also love peaceful life of Hue (which I go three times and will go back more), but my friends complain that it is too rainy :D The seafood in Danang is very fresh and cheap (in compare with others in Vietnam). All QN, Hue, and Danang has mountain and beach. Other famous place are nha trang and phu quoc (both have beautiful beach) :)
0 votedJanuary 11, 20160- Upcoming Tết holiday! Tết holiday is coming. "Tết" is the way Vietnamese call the lunar new year. It is time for family, special friends (sounds like Christmas in some countries). We make "chưng" and "dày" cakes and put them on the family altar on the new year eve. "Chưng" cakes have square shape, which is represent for earth. "Dày" cakes have round shape, which is represent for sky. Our ancient thought that earth is square and sky is round. There is a beautiful story about the born (sự ra đời) of these cakes. You can read it on http://stlukescatholic.com/the-story-of-bnh-chung-and-bnh-dy. Chưng cake is very tasty, and making them is also a wonderful memory. All members of the family take part in making them. Children clean the leaves which will be used to wrap cakes. Grandmother, mother and other women clean rice, pea, and prepare meat. Grandfather, father and other men make them in shape. After that, they make a big fire with wood. Many people stay around this fire through night. Children listen to other old members in family told stories. Nowadays, not many young people know how to make chưng cakes. I have never do all step by myself. I will try it one day, so my children can have opportunity to have the same wonderful memories I had.January 11, 201600
- Something for today It is difficult for me to choose the entry title. In Vietnamese, I often call it "Tản mạn" (it means I will write any idea raise immediately in my mind, no specific topic, no paragraph structure). Sometime in my life, I'm in bad mood. I don't want to work or learn or even talk to others. I think everybody also has such hard times, so I try not to complain and look for some ways to boost my energy. I read some books like 4-hour-work-week, 80/20, Buddhism theories.. and watch some videos on TED on how to live fully. I still can't find the answer but now I feel better. At least I can make a daily routine and try to follow it :-)October 30, 201520
