It is time for part 3 of the series; "When in Rome, do as the Romans
do", and this post will be about Hanoi, Vietnam. My move from
Beijing to Hanoi was hard. I really did not want to leave Beijing; I had great
friends, went to a good school with good teachers, and I generally loved living
there. I thus moved to Hanoi with a negative mind-set. I knew that I was only
going to live there for 2 years and so just told myself that I would get though
the last two years of High School, focus on school, and leave as soon as I
could. Looking back, I regret this mind-set hugely. It meant that I did not
take some opportunities that could have opened me up to the Vietnamese culture
more. Fortunately, Vietnamese expat life was very different from expat life in
China, different in a way that automatically put me in touch with the culture.
Up till this point, I was used to living in compounds. In Hanoi however, compounds were not as common for expats to live in. Instead we lived in a house in a Vietnamese neighbourhood where a mix of locals and expats lived. We had Vietnamese neighbours, the communal volleyball field was in front of our house, and the local (and loud) karaoke bar was right behind our house. It was an adjustment, but an adjustment for the better. It allowed me to see how the locals went about their daily routines, and it meant for easier interaction with them. The local grocery store was owned by the sweetest lady. We always had a little chat at the checkout, she always asked after how the family was doing. Our neighbour had an adorable young son that would always be running around near our house, always happy to see everyone. It was these little aspect of living in this neighbourhood that allowed me to feel connected to the Vietnamese culture. I might not have had the choice to live anywhere else but there, but if I would get the choice now, I would choose it again in a heartbeat.
For my High School diploma, I had to do community and service. While this started of as something that I had to do, it developed into something that I loved to do. I was part of an organization that provided funding and materials for a local school for mentally disabled children. The school was in need of financial help, as well as materials to help support the children's education. Besides helping with fundraising activities, we also visited the school several times. It was an hour by bus through rural villages before we reached the school. The children were always excited to see us, and their genuine happiness always brought a smile to my face. We would play games with them, draw pictures with them, and have a fun basic English lesson. Despite the language barrier, I felt a connection with the school, it's pupils, and it's teachers. It is when you see different aspects of a culture that you truly understand the culture. While I might have just helped a minimal amount, I am so grateful that they opened my eyes to their wonderful culture.
What I took away from living in Vietnam was that to become part of the culture, you have to truly take part. I did this through living in a Vietnamese neighbourhood, as well as helping out a local school. One tip; do not move to a place with the same mind-set as I did. While in the end, I loved Hanoi and I felt truly connected to it's culture, I think that if I had moved with a more positive mind-set, this connection would have been even stronger.
Stay tuned for the last part of this series, which will be about where I live now; the United Kingdom!
Up till this point, I was used to living in compounds. In Hanoi however, compounds were not as common for expats to live in. Instead we lived in a house in a Vietnamese neighbourhood where a mix of locals and expats lived. We had Vietnamese neighbours, the communal volleyball field was in front of our house, and the local (and loud) karaoke bar was right behind our house. It was an adjustment, but an adjustment for the better. It allowed me to see how the locals went about their daily routines, and it meant for easier interaction with them. The local grocery store was owned by the sweetest lady. We always had a little chat at the checkout, she always asked after how the family was doing. Our neighbour had an adorable young son that would always be running around near our house, always happy to see everyone. It was these little aspect of living in this neighbourhood that allowed me to feel connected to the Vietnamese culture. I might not have had the choice to live anywhere else but there, but if I would get the choice now, I would choose it again in a heartbeat.
For my High School diploma, I had to do community and service. While this started of as something that I had to do, it developed into something that I loved to do. I was part of an organization that provided funding and materials for a local school for mentally disabled children. The school was in need of financial help, as well as materials to help support the children's education. Besides helping with fundraising activities, we also visited the school several times. It was an hour by bus through rural villages before we reached the school. The children were always excited to see us, and their genuine happiness always brought a smile to my face. We would play games with them, draw pictures with them, and have a fun basic English lesson. Despite the language barrier, I felt a connection with the school, it's pupils, and it's teachers. It is when you see different aspects of a culture that you truly understand the culture. While I might have just helped a minimal amount, I am so grateful that they opened my eyes to their wonderful culture.
What I took away from living in Vietnam was that to become part of the culture, you have to truly take part. I did this through living in a Vietnamese neighbourhood, as well as helping out a local school. One tip; do not move to a place with the same mind-set as I did. While in the end, I loved Hanoi and I felt truly connected to it's culture, I think that if I had moved with a more positive mind-set, this connection would have been even stronger.
Stay tuned for the last part of this series, which will be about where I live now; the United Kingdom!
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