Describe an experience of cultural difference, positive or negative, you have had or observed. What did you learn from it?
"Being born in America to Vietnamese parents gave me the opportunity to visit my native country: Vietnam. However due to financial difficulties, I was only able to visit about three times: back in 2000, 2004, and 2006. During these visits, I was fortunate enough to be able to attend events such as weddings and funerals. Besides obvious differences in the weather in Vietnam, there are many other differences in the culture of Vietnam as well.
When one hears the words "wedding" or "marriage" in America, they would think about white gowns, tuxedos, exchanging rings, and the words "I do". In Vietnam, wedding are more complex. In America, wedding dates are planned to happen on a specific date, usually one that has significant meaning to the prospective bride and groom. In Vietnam, however, the date is determined by a Buddhist monk, or spiritual leader due to the spiritual nature of weddings. Wedding dresses for the brides usually consist of the Western white wedding gown and a traditional Vietnamese gown known as "ao dai". During wedding processions, unwedded guests would carry an even number of round gift boxes, typically with a red cloth covering it. These boxes would contain various foods such as cake, fruit, roasted pig, and an abundance of jewelry. Even numbers as well as the color red represent good luck to the family. Also in traditional Vietnamese weddings, the newly wedded bride and grooms would pray to their ancestors. This is not standard in America. Although weddings are a big event with many differences between American and Vietnamese weddings, there are several other cultural differences in Vietnam as well.
On my trips to Vietnam, I have also observed smaller cultural differences. I have observed that while in America people are pretty much expected to wear shoes everywhere they go, people in Vietnam prefer to walk barefoot. There are some exceptions to this in Vietnam, such as when the students are going to school. Unlike most public schools in America, Vietnamese students have uniforms; for men, the uniform varies. For women, they occasionally wear traditional gowns known as "ao dai". Unlike weddings, these gowns are typically always white. Another exception is when Vietnamese people travel. The most common vehicle in America is the car. However due to the limited space in homes, motorcycles are the most common vehicle in Vietnam. Also, holidays are very important in both Vietnam and America. Christmas and New Years are the most important holidays in America whereas Lunar New Year, known as "Tet", is the most important in Vietnam. Birthdays, while less emphasized in Vietnam, is very important in America.
During my visits in Vietnam, I learned many things, but most of all, I learned how it is possible to adjust to a complete change in culture. While everything from the traditions, to the holidays, to the weddings is extremely disparate. Adjusting to such a difference is hard, but not impossible. With time, patience, and acceptance from others, adjusting to a new culture is probable."
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