First of all, my people don't understand the notion of getting in line. There is a "me-first" mentality that is so frustrating and incredibly rude to other travelers. It's always the same. Everyone is in line, waiting, and then a Vietnamese tour group comes in. Without regard to any other groups around, the Vietnamese group will just rush to the front and push everyone else out of the way, while everyone else in line gives each other the "what-the-hell-is-wrong-with-these-people-face." And then when they do have to get in line, my people will loudly complain about having to get in line, comparing this injustice to being herded like a bunch of cattle.
Then, there is the matter of tasting the local cuisine. My absolute favorite aspect of traveling is sampling local foods. There is nothing better than to discover a new favorite dish in a foreign land. But, not Vietnamese people. Anything new tasting that is any detraction from the Vietnamese palette is immediately shunned. Travel agencies catering to Vietnamese know this, so the meals they book are ALL THE SAME (We've been literally eating the same variation of dishes for the past week..uggh). Whenever a local dish is served (which is rare), that dish is left untouched for being "wierd-tasting." But really, what can I expect from people who travel with a bagful of soy sauce, fermented fish sauce, and Vietnamese spices ready at every meal. I'm serious! On this tour, a few of the travelers complained that there wasn't any pho or Vietnamese noodles to eat...in Singapore.
The impracticality of how Vietnamese people dress is both an amusing and confusing sight. Normally, when traveling involves a lot of walking in 90+ degree weather, comfort is key. Comfortable walking shoes, light clothes, and obviously nothing to fancy because you'll sweat through it all anyways. But no, not Vietnamese people. Vietnamese women like to dress in their finest clothing--borderline formal dresses, heels, and a cake-spackled layer of makeup--which is all nice and all if it were for an evening out in town, not a trek up 200+ steps of stairs into mountain caves. And Vietnamese also like to stare at what you're wearing. Obviously from their stares of judgment at my ratty t-shirt, shorts, and comfortable flip flops, my clothes aren't exactly up to their fashion standard, but I'm not the one at risk of snapping my ankles while walking up steep stairs.
And the little Vietnamese kids on these tours are just horrible. On every tour I have been on, the kids that come along are spoiled rotten and shockingly rude. They scream, hit, and throw tantrums whenever they can't get what they want. Their parents only enable this behavior by catering to their every want and desire. I just look on, horrified at their behavior and fight the urge to slap these little bastards myself. Like every other tour, this one is not without a little spoiled bastard itself. Today, this little kid threw a tantrum about a candy he dropped on the floor by demanding his family to pay him back. He proceeded to act out his tantrum by hitting everyone in his family and calling his aunt a "crazy lady." Of course, everyone catered to him (including other adults on the tour), made excuses for his behavior, and went over to comfort him.
Vietnamese tours are also structured around shopping, which means that the Singapore and Malaysia that I have experienced has been from the inside of malls, jewelery shops, and Chinese medicine shops. Our tour guides get a piece of the commission from they money made at these stops, so they try to fit in as many of these shops as possible into the schedule. I end up just standing there, bored out of my mind while watching Vietnamese women waste their money on fake diamonds and rubies.
And then, there are the really ridiculous comments that Vietnamese people often state as fact. A sample below:
An old man explaining to us how the birds at a bird show in Singapore are trained:
-"Those birds in the show are fed drugs so that they can become addicted and perform those tricks."
Thinking to myself--Uhh..maybe in Vietnam, but not here dude.
Old woman picking at a plate of omelettes and fried rice:
-"Where is the pho and hu tieu for breakfast?"
Vietnamese "models" commenting on the dress of Muslim women:
-"I wonder why they cover themselves up like that. They actually have good figures, unlike Vietnamese women who don't cover up but have fat spilling out everywhere."
(This one was actually pretty funny).
Hating on other Vietnamese tour groups:
-"Uggh...they're Northerners. Damn dogs and monkeys. I wish the Americans would just go into the north and bomb them all."
Watching a group of Muslim children on a field trip:
-"Wow, they really go to school early here huh? I wonder if they also learn terrorism in school."
Our tour guide warning us about potential dangers:
-"It is high season, so watch out for pick-pocketers. Specifically, watch out for Indonesians who sneak into this country to steal. Also, watch out for the covered women in burqas."
(You can just hear the gasps of agreement coming from the Vietnamese tourists after we were warned of these "dangers")
A lot of the time I wanted to so badly throttle someone across the bus. Good thing, I had my buddy Tran with me on this tour to relieve some of the frustration by laughing at the ridiculousness of our people. There sure was a ton of that on this tour.
Vietnamese people crowded around to learn how to ride the subway in Singapore
Of all places they took us to--a cowboy town in Malaysia because us Americans went all the way over to Malaysia to learn about cowboys.
Taken with our tour guide, Tony. The guy ran, accidentally shoving an old woman out of the way to make sure that he got on the monorail with the tour group. Now that's dedication.
1 comment:
All of your complaints are Vietnamese's habits.Now you know.
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