Working in the tourism industry has enabled Thanh to travel to multiple places within his country and abroad and develop a deep understanding and respect for a destination’s history and culture. Being a tour guide also allowed him to meet and interact with people from all walks of life, making him a better person who is entirely invested in taking special care of his guests so that they have the best experience in Vietnam.
He explains that while culture shock is inevitable while travelling to a foreign country, he always spends his initial time with visitors to explain certain norms in Vietnam, which might be slightly incomprehensible from a tourist’s point of view.
“For example, during an introductory conversation, Vietnamese always ask about your age, and I feel that may mislead some tourists into thinking of them as rude. However, they are unaware that people of different ages are addressed differently in Vietnam. That’s why in this country, people always ask your age so that they can address a person with respect. So, it would be short-sighted to overlook this aspect of the culture and merely say that a Vietnamese person is rude for asking your age,” he says.
