Seven months ago, Kea and Hanni Le moved Vietnam to Kitsap County, Washington to attend school. Kea is studying business at the community college, and Hanni is a sophomore in high school. Both sisters were in for quite a culture shock when they reached the Unites States, as American culture differs greatly from Vietnamese culture. There are many differences, from the food we eat, and the way we write the date, to how we accept compliments (Sabath, 2002, pp. 200-211).
Although the sisters arrived in June, Kea's first impression of Washington was how cold it was. According to the CIA's online World Factbook, Vietnam is a tropical area in the south, with higher temperatures year round. In the north, it is monsoonal, with a hot, rainy season and a warm, dry season (2010). The Le sisters are used to temperature ranging from 70 degrees in the winter, to 90 to 100 degrees in summer. Kea was also surprised that the summer days are so long, while winter days are so short. Vietnam, being closer to the equator, has more uniform days all year.
Kea and Hanni lived in a big city in Vietnam, so found it quieter and smaller when they arrived in this area. Kea said it was nice to be in a smaller area. The first place they lived when they arrived here has a ferry across the Puget Sound. Kea said she was surprised the first morning to hear the boat.
The United States relies heavily on personal automobiles for transportation. This is especially true in the Pacific Northwest, outside of large cities. Mass transit is particularly inconvenient for most people, and the proliferation of rainy and cold weather makes open vehicles impractical. In Vietnam, on the other hand, there are some cars, but most people prefer motorcycles. The roads are smaller there. One has to wonder if the smaller roads are a cause or an effect of the preference for smaller vehicles.
Education in Vietnam has both similarities and differences from the US. Education is mandatory only through elementary school, and is not free except for low-income families. While education beyond elementary school is optional, it is also expected. Failure to pass the university entrance exam is an embarrassment to the family. Those who fail to get into college are expected to stay home and study for another year to get into college the following year. American students would undoubtedly be shocked to learn that Vietnamese students spend most of the day studying. As Kea put it, students study “from morning until the night.” Hanni said that high school doesn't have elective courses as they do here. Rather, the classes are all chosen for them.
Asian countries in general have the reputation for being extremely polite and respectful, particularly towards older people. Vietnam is no exception. Children are expected to treat adults, particularly parents and teachers, with respect. Generosity, gentleness and hard work are valued (CultureGrams, 2010). As I spoke to Kea, I could see these values reflected in her eagerness to help me, as I explained that I needed to interview her for a homework assignment.
The student-teacher relationship is much different in the United States. In Vietnam, the teacher talks and the students listen. There are no discussions as there are in our classes. American teenagers are notorious for talking back to and ignoring adults to whom they don't wish to listen. Hanni said it is hard for her to see how disrespectful Americans are to their teachers. I would imagine that she is placed in a difficult position. Her own culture demands respect for others. It is surely frustrating to watch teenagers treat adults with disrespect and indifference, and not feel able to say anything about it, because that would be impolite.
Frank Wu, law professor at Howard University, spoke about racial stereotypes. As a Chinese-American, he had to learn to balance his Chinese background and values with his American lifestyle. He said that “Asians are seen as nerds and geeks as well as submissive people who know their place” (Fischer, 2004). It is easy to see understand how this stereotype came into existence when we examine the cultural values of Asian countries. As Kea and Hanni explained, Vietnamese students are expected to study much of the day. Education and academic excellence are highly valued, even expected. To fail is a family disgrace. Politeness and respect are instilled in children from a young age. No wonder then, that Asian students tend to study hard and be polite, even submissive. When we compare these traits to American students, with their often lackadaisical attitude toward homework and refusal to give respect until they feel it is earned, we can see an enormous gap between the two groups. It would be incorrect to assume, however, that all Asian students, particularly those who were born and raised in this country, fit into this stereotype.
Vietnamese is the native language in Vietnam, but students are expected to study English or another language in school. After English, French is the most popular, followed by Russian. According to linguistic determinism, we live “only in that part of the world that our language permits us to know” (Jandt, 2009, pg. 131). The popularity of English as a second language would seem to support that theory. Kea said that learning English allows them to communicate with more people outside of their own country. French and Russian are more popular among older adults, according to the CultureGrams article, due to the French influence as well as the likelihood of working in Russia or other Communist countries (2010).
Like French, Vietnamese places the adjective after the noun instead of before as we do in English. Both sisters agreed that syntax was one of the biggest differences between the two languages. I noticed while speaking with the Le sisters that although they have a fairly strong grasp of the English language, they mispronounced some words. When I would say the word I thought they meant, they would usually agree with me. So although inflection does not change meanings, as it does in Chinese, clearly individual letter sounds are pronounced differently. Kea had to write her name out for me, because the way she pronounces it, there is a slight break between the two sounds.
I met Kea and Hanni at church. Like most Vietnamese, they did not practice any particular religion before they arrived here, but converted to Christianity during their stay. The particular church I attend is especially close-knit and supportive. So although religion was probably strange to them, the church group has hopefully substituted a little for the family support they left behind.
It has been interesting for me to get to know the Le sisters. From what I've observed, they fit in with the stereotypical Asian, being polite, studious and soft-spoken. But they also came here, on their own except for each other, to further their educations. They were the first in their families to embrace a new religion. In many ways, they are modern pioneers, braving the unknown in search of knowledge and more fulfilling lives.
References
Central Intelligence Agency. (2010, January 26). The World factbook. Retrieved February 7, 2010 from https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/vm.html.
CultureGrams. (2010). Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Retrieved February 8, 2010 from http://krlrpa.krl.org:2052/secure/world/openpdf.php?filename=Vietnam
Fischer, A., (2004, May/June). With a foot in each culture; Howard university law professor fights racial stereotypes. Retrieved January 14, 2010 from http://www.loc.gov/loc/lcib/0405-6/asian.html
Jandt, F. (2009). An introduction to intercultural communication: Identities in a global community (6th ed). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Sabath, A. M., (2002). International business etiquette: Asia & the Pacific Rim. Lincoln, NE: Asja Press.
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